kawasaki vs. kohler

[KillerShark]

I've been reading (from here) quite a lot of horror stories about kawasaki's. I do seem to remember kohler having some problems with I believe the 25hp. So two questions.... Is kohler's problem solved with the 25hp? And if given a choice between kohler or kawasaki, which one do some of you recommend?

BTW.. I've had dealers say STAY AWAY from the kawasaki's. The parts are very difficult to get.


Killer

[oneEXMARKfan]

I would choose KAW. ( that's all I've owned and never had any problems, or needed any parts) But have heard the same probs. that you have. (the 17HP has too few hours to tell about, but the 12.5 HP has been so good for SO LONG, I'm pretty much loyal to KAW.)

[LoneStarLawn]

Lets see....One makes excellent small engines vehicles (jetskis, motorcycles..etc.) the other makes faucets...you decide.

I hope you can figure out my choice...
Kawai parts are extremely easy to get...well here...but online you should be able to get them too...

[KillerShark]

LOL.... you got me there

[Dave]

As far as I am concerned,being in the repairing business of theses engines,there is no comparision,No mater who makes the engine they don,t want to stand behind them and the dealer gets the bad name.The last good engine kohler made was the K series,They have had a lot more service bulletins than the kaw,cv models like to loose there magnets in the flywheels,one model liked to push govener shafts out. we all know the command 25 problems.Until they came out with efi most of them had to be started with the choke even warm.Thats my two pennies

[lee b]

I'm glad you mentioned the choke, Dave. I have a 25 kohler and a 20 kawasaki, the kawi will not crank {even hot} without choking it. The kohler will crank {unless it's cold weather} without using the choke. Both have been excellent engines so far.:cool:

[KillerShark]

Looks like the Kawasaki's are the one to go with. I've got a 18hp kohler magnum on my gravely.... it's been sweet!! i really wish more of these manufacturers would start putting Honda's on em, or at least give you several options to choose from.

[65hoss]

We start all my kawis with the choke on also. It doesn't matter if it ran 2 hours and sat for 5 min.

Parts for kawis are terrible. When they do come in they may or may not fit. I had this happen. I will go with kohlers next time. Around here all shops carry kohler parts and down time is minimal. I can't say that about kawis. When they go down, it alway cost me a couple of days to a week.

[Lawn DOG]

I'm glad someone brought this up. I have had about 6)14hp kohlers commands and all of them are easy to get parts for and have been bullet proof. BUT, I usually get only 300 to 500 hrs out of them. I have replaced all of them in the past year with 15hp Kohlers. I also have the 25hp kohler and have 300 hrs and still counting. It looks like the kaw gets the popular vote. But the parts issue is a big deal. Who can afford down time?

[KillerShark]

Lawn God,


How right you are.... who can afford the downtime!!!!
I've got 1000+ hrs on my 18hp kohler magnum.... and never replaced a plug yet!!!

[Lawn DOG]

KillerShark,



A big Amen to that.

[geogunn]

hmmmm...let me see. seems that kawi parts are a problem. I would think that if you all went to a place that stocked kawi parts that you wouldn't have trouble getting them. in other words, I can go to kroger or winn dixie and look for kawasaki parts but I'll probably be disappointed.

GEO

[awm]

well i guess ive just been lucky.had both kaw and kohler
and cant reallyfault either engine.thats not to mention all the briggs ive tried to work to death.with all this negative talk about
those two ,mabe briggs is just as good. i always suspected as much.
later

[WILSON BROS.]

glad to see this brought up. We have a 23 kaw. vertical shaft on a Bobcat and a 25 hp. kolher on an identical machine. I have come to learn alot about the engines in the past couple of weeks. The kolher with just a shade under 1800 hrs. decided about a week ago that it no longer needed the exhaust valve seat. so it preceded to eject it. Causing some damage to the head. So 220.00 later a couple of days of down time, a new head, valves, and push rod, I'm back on the road. 4 days later the Kaw. decided it was tired of the rocker arm and kindly removed it from its intended location, along with a couple of push rods. Less than 8.00$ in parts cost me a day and a half. The parts for neither motor were hard to get. Just happens at the worst time.
As far as preference I perfer the kohler for durrability, but the Kaw is alot quieter when running.

[TLS]

Two votes for Kawi's and a negative for 25hp Kohlers.

[jdseven]

I have a 14hp kohler with 1500 hours and have had no problem so far. I follow the maintenance schedule procedures. I think I would change to a Kawi if I only got 400 to 500 hours

[oneEXMARKfan]

"BTW.. I've had dealers say STAY AWAY from the kawasaki's"
*That just reminded me....... my Exmark dealer said he wouldn't even sell/carry any mowers with Kohlers. (seemed abit strange to me at the time)

[Grassman]

I've got an old Bobcat with a 14hp Kaw. with over 3800hrs. Never replaced a head gasket, carb, or anything but the oil, filters, and plugs. Also have 2 with the 121/2hp Kaw. with around 2000hrs that have only had the same treatment. My new primary mower is a Bobcat 2230 with a 23hp Kaw with a little over 600hrs and 0 problems yet. I don't know anything about the Kohlers because I never saw a need to use them. Good luck, Russ

[Likestomow]

I have a friend who recently had a 25hp Kawasaki motor put in his 60" Dixie Chopper in place of a worn-out Kohler. He said where the Kohler used to lose 300-500 rpms going up hills, the Kawasaki only loses 60 rpms. He is in love with it. I am so envious!

[John DiMartino]

I vote for the kawi-hands down.I own and love 3 K-series kohlers,they are good,stone reliable engines.My 2000 25hp Kohler is a boat anchor.Even if it were reliable-which it isnt,it loses rpms and bogs so so easy,just like likestomow said,I have to slow down on hills,so the engine can catch up again,we are not talking big hills or thick grass,just small slopes.I know for a fact that the 23 Kawi will flat out smoke the 25 kohler in performance,refinement,cost,economy,and reliablity-so why buy the Kohler-its just asking for trouble-the kawi will go further on a tank,with more power,costs less,and not clatter,knock and burn oil.

[Dave]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LoneStarLawn
[B]Lets see....One makes excellent small engines vehicles (jetskis, motorcycles..etc.) the other makes faucets...you decide.

This is the best quote I have seen to date on any subject here discussed on lawnsite,the true does not lie,also Wilson Brothers
I believe the kawi you had should have had the vavles adjusted at 500 hours and this would have prevented the problem before it happened.