r/lawnmowers • u/These-Result-1955 • 1d ago
Engine question:
I’m looking into purchasing my first lawn tractor / riding mower. I know to run form Kohler. Wife isn’t keen on me spending the money on something with a Kawasaki engine. Lost faith in Briggs and Stratton some years ago. I only need something around a 36” deck (give or take a few inches).
What is a decent engine and or while machine you’d recommend? TIA
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u/cfreem02 1d ago
Personally, I’ve had a Kawasaki for 10 years and zero problems. I mow 8 acres weekly on my small hobby farm. The mower is a SCAG but Kawasaki engines are the best.
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u/CommunicationDry2043 1d ago
Well you eliminated most engine makers. Maybe you can find something old with a Tecumseh in it. Although I never had any crazy problems when I had a Kohler engine. That mower went about 12 years. My current is Briggs 14hp but gets very little hours a year. Its about 8 or 9 years old. Doesn't even have an oil filter.
The big question on how much to spend is how many hours a year is it on? Most residential ones are designed for the 1000hr mark.
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u/rm53119 1d ago
Dang near any B&S, Kohler, Honda, Kawasaki, Toro, etc mower engine will give you many years of service if you treat it well. Oil and filter changes, fuel filters, valve adjustments, keeping it clean, etc. all will pay dividends many times over. Make sure it has an hourmeter, and use it to do maintenance and service. Don't do the bare minimum.
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u/rhs993 1d ago
I’ve got 415 hours on the Kohler in my Cub Cadet XT1. My last mower had a Kohler engine too and its demise was not the engine. I use my mowers for more than just mowing - hauling all sorts of things in my little dump trailer weekly. I wouldn’t run away from a Kohler personally. As with any engine, stay on top of maintenance, change the oil and filter and top off oil if leaking. The current homeowner Kohlers (7000 series maybe?) are good engines
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u/GBpackerfan15 1d ago
The kohler double piston is a good engine. As long as you take care of it it will last over 1000 hours. I would recommend you go on Facebook market place and get a used tractor, while putting money aside for something like xmark, or high end Toro.
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u/Fun_End_440 1d ago
I think Husqvarna makes the best garden tractors until you get to JD x5/x7.
If you don’t need to tow and you have a flat yard, really anything will work just as good. No need to spend much or overthink the engine.
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u/mcdubz02 1d ago
They all need oil changes and spark plugs, some need the valves adjusted every so many hours. I went with a JD S240 42 inch for a little under an acre because I have a dealer 5 minutes away and wanted a Kawasaki motor and lighter frame since I have septic and my yard is too bumpy for a ZT. But it was 3799. For 2500 you could find something used through a dealer or locally. Unfortunately quality has gone down and price has gone up for riders. I debated buying something super cheap on FB marketplace but then I’m stuck with a pile of metal when it breaks. You can also factor in paying someone for a while.
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u/Nearby_Knowledge8014 1d ago
Deere branded Kawasakis sometimes say “DEERE” on top of the engine. Tell her it’s a Deere engine.
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u/These-Result-1955 1d ago
LOL. She wants me to budget about $2500. I might need to start hiding money and just tell her I got it on sale or something.
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u/Motor_Beach_1856 1d ago
I’ve had nothing but good luck with kohler engines have had three since 1979 and all of those tractors failed due to other things but the engines still ran great!
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u/Critical_Solution208 1d ago
Husqvarna YTH2246v my wife has been using this on 3-4 hilly acres for 6 years and the only thing wrong with it is a deck weld came loose because of the constant bumping and ground holes. it has 400 hours and the engine still turns on on first key turn B&S EXI 22HP
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u/jaybrd13 1d ago
My kohler 20 hp is 18 yrs old and has not been taken care of well. Runs excellent. I wouldn't but anything else.
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u/Odd-Neighborhood4214 1d ago
The older Kohler engine were great but not the new ones! I know people who have used the newer Kohler engines and they have had problems with them. Myself, I prefer a Kawasaki engine
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u/TraditionalCap3640 1d ago
Get a 36” fluid cooled 0 turn. They are hard to find. All air cooled engines have a shorter life span than a water cooled engine. I don’t care about the manufacturer of the engine as long as it’s water cooled. I have a Toro Z master water cooled 60” deck and it has never caused me any engine issues.
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u/Overall-Avocado-7673 1d ago
My John Deere 42" mower has a briggs and is 23 years old with no problems.
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u/Sparetire46 1d ago
This run from a certain brand is nuts Its a darn lawnmower Unless you are putting hundreds of hours a year on them just by the cheapest pos u can find n carry on.
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u/Comfortable_Pizza_59 1d ago
I’m a ztr fan. How much are you mowing?
Need a bagger?
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u/These-Result-1955 1d ago
0.7 acres. I’d like a bag or at least the option to add one.
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u/Comfortable_Pizza_59 1d ago
Then you are looking for a 36 or a 42. Those won’t need blower assist to bag.
Honda has several tractors that fit the bill.
Cub cadet had Honda powered ztrs.
Personally, I’d look at Toros. But they are Kawasaki powered.
.7 acres isn’t much. A walk behind can do that in 45 mins.
A ztr can do it in 15.
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u/New-Possibility2277 1d ago
I've got two 25+ year old riders with Kohler's that still start right up and run strong. Both have been worked hard and I am sure are well over 1,000 hours. One is a Craftsman and the other is a Scotts by John Deere. There is a series of single cylinder Kohler engines that had lots of issues, but those are from the 1980's.
I'd look at 42" riders as those are the common size now. Gong smaller limits your choices and can blow your budget as the last few small riders I have seen are priced above a basic 42" unit.
How big is your yard? Flat or hills? Lots of things to mow around? All these questions will help determine the rider you need.
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u/MJRPC500 1d ago
I've got a Cub Cadet made in 1987 with a 16hp Kohler Magnum engine that runs like the day it was made. Like any engine, it needs regular service...
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u/electrolux_dude 1d ago
You pretty much are only left with electric or Chinese clones. Just buy the Kawasaki. It’s not that much more. Kholers aren’t bad either as long as it’s not a courage engine.
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u/Additional_Tea_5296 17h ago
I've got two Kohler engines on my riding mowers and after years of use, both burn no oil, start every time and power through anything I've ran them over.
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u/BookAny1898 12h ago
i am a small engine tech have ben for several years and hands down kawi is the best i have seen some do any wear from 1200 t 3000 hours depending on how well customer takes care of it.
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u/Odd-Gur-1076 1d ago
You know to run from Kohler? Man, you're talking 36" deck mowers. It doesn't matter.
Run from big box store garbage, not Kohlers.