Stick with what the manufacturer recommends and try not to over think oil viscosity and high temps in Florida.
easy-lift guy

 

Combustion temp >1000 degrees F

I would consider 100 degrees an extreme heat condition. I don't know what the relationship between temperature and viscosity is in a Kawasaki engine. It might be linear or exponential, only the engineers at Kawasaki know. But you aren't getting whatever HP rating, a terrible rating system by the way, is on your engine in those temps anyway so I wouldn't worry too much about it and follow the recommendations. If you are really curious you could contact the company and ask for that type of information. If they send it to you, doubtful, please share because I would be very interested in seeing it.

 

Kawasaki states that 20w50 is for extreme heat conditions. The hottest it ever really gets in florida is around 100 degrees. I'm just wondering if 20w50 would be too thick of an oil

So what would you consider EXTREME heat, .....the sun. Then you'd run 20_50?
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I'm in Florida and always use SAE 30 or 40 in everything, whichever Advanced happens to have on the shelf at the time, which annoys me because I can't find it by the gallon anywhere. My Kohler manual says to use SAE 30 on the chart.

 

Kawasaki has a charge specifying the temperature ranges for each of the oils. 20w-50 is for temps over 90 (I think). They have changed their recommendations to combat excess oil usage. Kohler may be doing the same thing.

 

Kawasaki has a charge specifying the temperature ranges for each of the oils. 20w-50 is for temps over 90 (I think). They have changed their recommendations to combat excess oil usage. Kohler may be doing the same thing.

From the Kawasaki FX730V manual:

 

From the Kawasaki FX730V manual:

View attachment 316490

I think they have revised that chart. Spoke with the Kawasaki rep at GIE and he advised 20w-50 during the heat of summer.

 

I think they have revised that chart. Spoke with the Kawasaki rep at GIE and he advised 20w-50 during the heat of summer.

Nope, the rep is wrong. It's the same chart all the way back to the FH series. Why would you want to use thin oil in the summer? lol

 

Nope, the rep is wrong. It's the same chart all the way back to the FH series. Why would you want to use thin oil in the summer? lol

Since when has a 20w-50 been a thin oil

http://www.kawasakienginesusa.com/engine/accessories/kawasaki-4-cycle-engine-oil

 

The latest advisory from Kawasaki is to use 20W50 in the summer months... Its supposed to slow down the oil usage in with their engines..

Also...use 20W50 oil only in the Kohler Command big block engines....if you use it in the 30hp and under command twins it will cause...
the hydraulic lifters to pump up and the valves will stay open...
and bend pushrods...strip the threads out of the rocker bolts...stuff like that..
Just to name a few..

Slapper

 

Latest info from Kawasaki:
http://www.kawasakienginesusa.com/engine/accessories/kawasaki-4-cycle-engine-oil
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Latest info from Kawasaki:
http://www.kawasakienginesusa.com/engine/accessories/kawasaki-4-cycle-engine-oil
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Thank-you for reposting my link 6 hours 17 minutes and a whole 2 posts later

Since when has a 20w-50 been a thin oil

http://www.kawasakienginesusa.com/engine/accessories/kawasaki-4-cycle-engine-oil

 

How hot does a commercial mower engines get? Let's say in the summer in Florida?

I can give you a good idea, I'm about 2.5 hrs. north of you.....

Here's a test I performed a few years back for another thread;

Test engine; Kohler CV25S Spec. # 69511 Freshly Tuned and Serviced With 828 Hours, Mounted on Sears Garden Tractor With Hood Removed To Simulate Open Cockpit ZTR
Test Equipment; Raytek Raynger ST Non Contact Thermometer
Chepo Walmart Stop Watch

Areas Tested; Center of # 1 & # 2 Valve Covers.
Rear Center of Engine Block.
Center of Muffler.

Test Went as Follows;
Cold Start-Up and Idled 1155 RPM For 30 Minutes.

#1 V.C. 158 Degrees ---#2 V.C. 155 ---Block 192 ---Muffler 480

Engine At Full Throttle 3700 RPM No Load For 30 Minutes.

#1 V.C. 160 ---#2 V.C. 158 ---Block 198 ---Muffler 462

Engine Back At Idle 1155 RPM For 4 Minutes.

#1 V.C. 146---#2 V.C. 142 ---Block 190 ---Muffler 396

The full throttle Temperature most likely would have been a little higher had the engine been under load mowing but I could not perform that test on company time.

I attribute the higher temp numbers on # 1 valve cover due to the muffler mounted on that side of the tractor just below the valve cover.....

 

Thank-you for reposting my link 6 hours 17 minutes and a whole 2 posts later

Oops man it was 0450 in the morning and I wasn't fully awake when I posted this.
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I'd be more concerned with keeping the cooling fins clean.

 

Many of the new and improved large horsepower engines are having oil usage issues...Kohler and Kawasaki for sure...the race for more horsepower along with the use of new lightweight materials has got to be part of the problem....
Engines simply never normally used that much oil..
An example of the new materials is the piston rings in the command 940 and 980 models..
Believe it or not...you can bend the piston rings and they will stay bent....you could almost tie them into a knot ...without breaking them...
That being said...I'm sure the engineers that design these engines have a good reason for using these materials....
I just don't know why they would switch from the rings that proved dependable for decades ?
Then again..... I'm no engineer...

Slapper

 

I'd be more concerned with keeping the cooling fins clean.

That would be the crux of the biscuit, no doubt, but from what I've seen in the field, not many bother with pullin' the shroud and cleanin', no?

 

When I had my Kawasaki engine I ran 10w 30 John Deere oil and never had any issues. I live in South Louisiana where the summers are hot, humid, and brutal also.

 

I never saw threads stripped on rocker bolts caused by oil. Have to add that to my bucket list
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Years ago I decided to use the same oil for the engine as the hydro. So 20w50 syn it has been and it has served me very well. Also more simple to buy & store a single type of oil.

 

Oops man it was 0450 in the morning and I wasn't fully awake when I posted this.
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My apologies to you also this kind of stuff does happen,it was late here the kids had turned the AC off as nobody was going to be home for a few hours and it was still over 90F and humid when i walked in the house and thought i will have a look at the forums so i was grumpy and was just being Bit*hie

 

When I had my Kawasaki engine I ran 10w 30 John Deere oil and never had any issues. I live in South Louisiana where the summers are hot, humid, and brutal also.

Just an opinion but it seems as though the major manufacturers changed their manufacturing methods a few years back. Guessing it had something to do with EPA updates that went into effect.