I just got a new Bad Boy mower with the Kawasaki FX850V, 852cc, 27hp, air cooled engine. I've read the manual and their recommendation but am not comfortable when it says a multi viscosity oil will increase oil consumption and I've never ran a straight weight. I got 6 hours on this machine. It will mow my yard (about an acre) and I'll use it to cut 7 acres of pasture grass. It gets hot here in Alabama too. Also, I've read thru hundreds of threads and see that some folks are running diesel oil (Rottella T5, T6, Mobil Turbo, Delco) in small engines. Is that ok? Synthetic vs regular oil? All comments/recommendations are welcomed!
Oil recommendation for Kawasaki FX850V on Bad Boy
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A good 15w40 diesel engine oil will work great in that air cooled engine
As long as you change the oil regularly with the correct type of oil and aren't bogging the motor by mowing through thick, tall grass too quickly the motor will do fine on any oil you mentioned.
I work around a lot of zero turn mowers and have never seen an engine fail catastrophically -- it's the hydraulic pumps and wheel motors that can be problematic.
I work around a lot of zero turn mowers and have never seen an engine fail catastrophically -- it's the hydraulic pumps and wheel motors that can be problematic.
The straight 30 weight will perform just fine in your air cooled engine. A 15w40 would work too.
I've used synthetics in air cooled OPE before, but I am a fan of just regular conventional unless the owners manual says otherwise.
You should check your oil before each use anyways, but I would keep an extra eye on consumption if you do try a synthetic.
(Our 13 horse Honda pressure washer doesn't seem to mind synthetic one bit while our yard vac drinks it like water on a hot day.)
I've used synthetics in air cooled OPE before, but I am a fan of just regular conventional unless the owners manual says otherwise.
You should check your oil before each use anyways, but I would keep an extra eye on consumption if you do try a synthetic.
(Our 13 horse Honda pressure washer doesn't seem to mind synthetic one bit while our yard vac drinks it like water on a hot day.)
does Kawasaki call for a straight 30 weight? if so, that's what I would run - especially down south. that, or the 15w40. I run 30w in my mowers -
True. my dad has an 80's vintage deere with the kaw. and a friend runs a lawn service and has 20 of them. wonderful engines. he runs either 10w-30 (spring/fall) or 30 (summer) always pennzoil yellow bottle. he has 1000-2000+ hours on each of them
I bought that JD mower in January 1989 and was a little skidish about the Kawasaki engine. With the years of great performance, running engine at full throttle, sold me on Kawasaki engines. I was torn between getting a Bad Boy or Scag, but knew whatever I got would have a Kawasaki in it.
Kawasaki's oil recombinations are based on using conventional oils, but there only recommendation is using an API SF,SG,SH,Sj or SL. Since those are all older ratings, you can use the latest API SN, since it is backwards compatible. I have a Kawasaki FR730V and saw the oil recommendation are identical. But Kawasaki does not ban synthetic oils, they just don't recognized the benefits of then. So according to there oil recommendation and put it in synthetic oil equivalent, either use a Xw30, or Xw40 and use it at both temperature extremes. Of course if you are concerned about warranty, your most easy to get synthetic oil within recommendation is 10w30. Being in Alabama, a 40 grade oil would probably work better, but there synthetics are usually in 0w40 or 5w40, so you may either stick to 10w30 synthetic oil, find a 10w40 synthetic oil and pay who know what, or stick to conventional oil till your warranty runs out. As far as oil consumption with multi grade viscosity oils, that is typical in most OPE manuals, but believe synthetic oils are better than any straight weight oils. I would still check your oil, but I doubt your consumption will be worse than a straight weight conventional oil. You get the best of both worlds with synthetic oils. I know there is a lot of BITOG who likes using diesel oils, but not required. I use a name brand 5w30 synthetic oil that I find for a good price in my mower, run it a half hour at a time, put 40 hours on my last oil and did not have to add any, does not smoke upon start up. Briggs and Stratton recognized the benefits of synthetic oils and there synthetic recommendation is 5w30 at all temp. extremes, so why not on a Kawasaki?
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I just purchased a Bad Boy (incredible machine, most under rated brand) with the Kawasaki FS730V engine. Since the manual lists 10w40, I chose Rotella 15w40 which will not burn off like most 10w40 car oils. I know because I use it in every small engine I own, from other Kawasaki FH's to single cylinder Briggs. When I use 15w40 all of them burn much less if at all compared to SAE30. T6 5w40 would be even less prone to burn off. T5 10w30 is acceptable as that weight is also listed in the manual as well, but if you are going to work it hard 15w40/5w40 is better.
I also live in alabama and have no fear of mowing or running other OPE at any time during the day. I am like that "one guy" that had problems with M1 5-30 in a new mower, which was doing a lot of mulching in grass that would never completely dry out during certain parts of the summer. (problems meaning after 2 years, startup smoke, oil consumption, and increased sparklies in the drained oil). I changed to a different oil and it didn't get any worse, and the sparkles at drain time stopped.
Rotella synthetic 5-40 has been the best OPE oil I have found for the conditions here. 15-40 would be great for 3-season use, but smaller ope (4-cycle weed whacker and 4-cycle blower) perform better on the 5-40.
Rotella synthetic 5-40 has been the best OPE oil I have found for the conditions here. 15-40 would be great for 3-season use, but smaller ope (4-cycle weed whacker and 4-cycle blower) perform better on the 5-40.
Great information here from bobistheoilguy.com I'm thankful for any/all information and this site to allow my questions.
BTW, this mower will have some 2-3 hour run times in hot conditions as I mow the 7 acres of pasture grass. I actually did some yesterday, cut it on 4 inches as none of it was thick or high that would bogg and it looked great. I will say, I checked the oil this morning and it had gone down off the top mark some but was still in the acceptable range. I'm one of these put it at the top line and wants it to stay there guys rather than running in the accptable range.
That is why choosing the correct oil for this piece of equipment is so important to me.
BTW, this mower will have some 2-3 hour run times in hot conditions as I mow the 7 acres of pasture grass. I actually did some yesterday, cut it on 4 inches as none of it was thick or high that would bogg and it looked great. I will say, I checked the oil this morning and it had gone down off the top mark some but was still in the acceptable range. I'm one of these put it at the top line and wants it to stay there guys rather than running in the accptable range.
That is why choosing the correct oil for this piece of equipment is so important to me.
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