Are Kawasaki FR Engines Worth It? Insights from Owners

Kawasaki builds a number of F-series V-twin engines for the lawn care segment. These engines can be found on lawn and garden tractors and mowers including zero turn, wide-area walk-behind, and stand-on varieties. In addition, Kawasaki F-series engines support everything from the light residential market, to every-day-use commercial lawn care use. If buying American-made products is important to you, Kawasaki builds lawn mower engines in the central U.S. state of Missouri. Kawasaki began its Missouri-based production efforts in Maryville, MO, in 1989 with the FC150V walk-behind mower engine. Kawasaki opened another engine facility in Boonville, MO, roughly 150 miles to the southeast, to keep up with demand.

Kawasaki FR engines are designed and marketed for the residential market, a segment largely powered by Kawasaki and Kohler lawn mower engines. With that in mind, some concessions to quality are likely made in an attempt to keep costs down. Overall, for the price point, owners report satisfaction with the Kawasaki FR engines found on the lawn mowers they've purchased. Although, like most things with tires, both Kohler and Kawasaki lawn mower engines have fans and haters.

Personal opinions aside, the Kawasaki FR engines are not without flaws. Kawasaki Engines issued Recall Notice RP230415 on October 26, 2023, for "about 949" of its 2023 model year FR engines. The recall includes FR651V, FR691V, and FR730V V-twin engines used by Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, John Deere, and Redmax brand mowers. The issue — a potentially damaged fuel tube that could lead to a fire — should be repaired before further use.

Red, a self-proclaimed "small engine tech" on the My Tractor Forum with 8,690 posts since joining the page in 2006, prefers the 7000-series Kohler to the Kawasaki FR engine. Red's summation is that the Kawasaki FR air filter design, easily broken plastic covers, loosening rocker arms, valve guide problems, and failed starters are among the worst problems.

Reddit user Rotor100 experienced problems with the starter gear and found a replacement on a