What Oil in Kawasaki FX

[166]

Good luck getting warranty work from any engine mfgr. In the manual from Kaw it specifies API SJ or SL oil.
For a while a Tractor Supply had me to to do warranty work. They never warranted an engine. There was no oil analysis. Just NO.

Are you a Kawasaki dealer?

 

[Larry B]

No. Not a dealer for anything. Just service. The TS sent me crap loads of Huskee stuff. Junk. They had no inhouse service. We parted ways a few years ago.

 

[Stump Shot]

What does the Zinc do Steve?

Zinc is for running flat tappet camshafts, just like auto engines of days gone by.
Without zinc excessive wear will occur.
Same reason I run an oil with Zinc in my old 1970 truck engine.

I think @Onan18 can expound on it further than I.

 

[Marshy]

What does the Zinc do Steve?

Zinc is an anti wear additive put in the oil. Zinc is actually dialkyldithiophosphate, or ZDDP. It clings to metal surfaces through polarized molecules. It provides a cushion to prevent metal to metal contact which is crucial for sliding contact parts like a flat tappet cam and cylinder walls. The toxicity came into question and and as a result they have significantly reduced the amount in oil. That started in the late 80's early 90's.

 

[Steve]

Zinc is an anti wear additive put in the oil. Zinc is actually dialkyldithiophosphate, or ZDDP. It clings to metal surfaces through polarized molecules. It provides a cushion to prevent metal to metal contact which is crucial for sliding contact parts like a flat tappet cam and cylinder walls. The toxicity came into question and and as a result they have significantly reduced the amount in oil. That started in the late 80's early 90's.

ZDDP also kills catalytic converters. Quick!

 

[Onan18]

ZDDP (Zinc for short) is CRUCIAL for use in an air cooled four stroke small engine. All of these engines have flat tappet lifters and if an oil without this additive is ran in the engine it WILL wipe a cam lobe. I have been a Kawasaki dealer for 12 years now and to be quite honest I have not found a better small engine oil, especially for the money. I personally run Kawasaki oil in my mower (2001 exmark Lazer Z) and am just about to break 4000 hours on the original short block.

To answer the OPs question I would run the Kawasaki 20W50 in the engine year round unless you use it for snow blowing in the winter. If so then use the 10W40 in the cold months. Also, the FX850 (at least the ones exmark uses) have a deep oil pan and hold 2.4 quarts.

 

[BGE541]

I'd just use the Kawasaki label 10w-40 Syn Blend w/ Zinc. It's priced pretty reasonable for the quality of the oil.

Extreme hot weather they recommend the 20w-50 or the new Full Synthetic 15w-50.


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