Engine replacement bolt pattern standard?

[The motor guy]

I have an old 2005 exmark 21" model: m216kasp with the fj180v kawasaki. This is like a $1500 mower nowadays. I retired it back in 2016 after about 1600hrs of use. Was trying to change out all the self propel pulleys because imo they were worn and made the mower go slower. Anyways, never did successfully pull the blade hub off without mangling it beyond recognition and still didn't come off. The engine didn't want to turn after that either for some reason. Can I throw a new engine on this thing and be back in business? They make a kohler cv224 now which would be a big power upgrade over the fj180v

 

[Cujet]

Are you sure the brake is not on? Some of these engines have a safety feature that stops the engine quickly when the handle is released.

Generally, small mower engines have similar bolt patterns. Older vintage mowers may be reversed though and a new engine may end up facing a different direction.

 

[jeepman3071]

Yes that engine should fit bolt-pattern wise. My only concern would be the shaft size being the same. I would measure the old engine to make sure they would have the same size.

 

[The motor guy]

Are you sure the brake is not on? Some of these engines have a safety feature that stops the engine quickly when the handle is released.

Generally, small mower engines have similar bolt patterns. Older vintage mowers may be reversed though and a new engine may end up facing a different direction.

Yes its off. They haven't had those sideways engines since probably 1985. I don't have anything that old lol

 

[Cujet]

I repowered my Commercial Snapper pushmower with a Honda GC190. The new Honda's shaft is 1/4 inch shorter than the Kawasaki it replaced. Since I'm using the Ninja mulching blade, it makes very little difference and the mower still mows perfectly well, but I can tell that it does not pick up and mulch the small Florida Oak leaves that reside under the grass, quite as well as it used to. I suppose I could configure a spacer in my machine shop to make it perfect, but there really is no need.

 

[The motor guy]

I repowered my Commercial Snapper pushmower with a Honda GC190. The new Honda's shaft is 1/4 inch shorter than the Kawasaki it replaced. Since I'm using the Ninja mulching blade, it makes very little difference and the mower still mows perfectly well, but I can tell that it does not pick up and mulch the small Florida Oak leaves that reside under the grass, quite as well as it used to. I suppose I could configure a spacer in my machine shop to make it perfect, but there really is no need.

Could be lower rpm too.

 

[Cujet]

Could be lower rpm too.

You are not wrong on that one! I had the Kawasaki cranked up to 4,000 RPM. The Honda runs under 3600. I have an optical tach and can read RPM if I tilt the mower up a bit. The Toro 60V mower runs under 3000RPM unless it hits a heavy load, then cranks right up, but I can't measure just how much.

 

[The motor guy]

You are not wrong on that one! I had the Kawasaki cranked up to 4,000 RPM. The Honda runs under 3600. I have an optical tach and can read RPM if I tilt the mower up a bit. The Toro 60V mower runs under 3000RPM unless it hits a heavy load, then cranks right up, but I can't measure just how much.

Push mowers on run at like 3100rpm

 

[Cujet]

Push mowers on run at like 3100rpm

On the 21" gas mowers, I typically adjust to 3600. Florida grass is fast growing and tough. Full RPM helps with mulching. The Lawn Boy initially ran about 2700, and the Toro EV mower is similar. The Lawn Boy 2 stroke got the jetting and governor spring treatment and now sounds like an old-school dirt bike!

 

[The motor guy]

On the 21" gas mowers, I typically adjust to 3600. Florida grass is fast growing and tough. Full RPM helps with mulching. The Lawn Boy initially ran about 2700, and the Toro EV mower is similar. The Lawn Boy 2 stroke got the jetting and governor spring treatment and now sounds like an old-school dirt bike!

Has to do with blade tip speed supposedly