[jherring24]

I just wanted some imput on what you guys thought were better air or liquid cooled. What i've heard is that there's been nothing to show that a liquid cooled engine lasts any longer than air cooled and that air cooled engines have been around forever! I just know that replacing a water pump at around 700 hours could prove to be mighty costly. Any ideas on this? Thanks

Jake

 

[Dpashe]

I have a x720 with the water cooled engine and I love it. But I can't say that it will last longer than an air cooled engine. We have 28 hp air cooled mowers at work and they have over 2000 hours on them and still run great. I put on my tractor about 50 hours a year so the tractor will be at least 40 years old before I get to that point and besides the air cooled engines are still going. The water cooled engine is quieter than an air cooled.

 

[matt167]

Ditto. quieter and I also think they run smoother. They will also be less effected by bad gas due to fewer hotspots/ lesser detonation

 

[UrbanTractor]

... there's been nothing to show that a liquid cooled engine lasts any longer than air cooled and that air cooled engines have been around forever!...

Jake

Most of the older air-cooled engines have been rebuilt, often many times. So yes, they may last every bit as long, but I'd much prefer to replace a water pump than rebuild an engine. Both my tractor engines are air-cooled, btw.

 

[Harryc]

I believe the first water cooler Kawi's were used in John Deere tractors in the early 90's. The first air cooled Deere lawn/garden tractor was 1963. Check back in 30 years and we'll talk. :thThumbsU

 

[Tony bachler]

The facts are like this;; Air cooled Has to have much larger/bigger clarences; Hense they are Noiser . Liquid are a much tighter clarence Last much longer.. The issue of the water pump is an old wives tail. One person has a problem and It gets spread around Like _-_-_-_- .. Reality is all the cars on the road have liquid cooled engines . How oft. en do you hear of water pump failure ????.. One liquid will out last 2 air cooled engines. Because they run at a constant temp, Where air Cooled is based on the outdoor/air Temp;; It is so simple there Is no Disscussion nessary; Life is good , If we don't complicate it.

 

[Voyager6]

I believe Kawasaki has discontinued the FDXXXV line of vertical liquid cooled engines. There are a ton of FD731V engines on surplus sites right now. The Horizontal shaft engines continue... Strangely they show a FD711V engine but show a horizontal shaft engine... Not sure what that means.

 

[Voyager6]

From my signature, I bought a X520 that had a large tree fall on it, destroying the radiator, fan, and most of the plastic parts around the fan. I am trying to bring it back to keep as a spare for my X540. So far, between ebay and Deere parts, I have already invested $350 in parts to get the engine back to life.

John Deere parts wants almost $600 for the radiator. My guess is they can't get anymore from Kawasaki and are raising the price to the stratosphere to ensure what supply they have in stock meet future requirements. I managed to find a used radiator with tons of bent fins that I will have to spend hours straightening out for $125. If I had to buy a new one, I'd buy a surplus engine for the parts I needed and part out the block (because the surplus engines have the wrong 1.125" x 4.125" crankshaft).

 

[JohnnyReb]

I prefer air cooled for the simplicity of it. I don't mow in 100 degree weather anyway and prefer the cooler evening air in the hot summer days. I've never had a problem with a air cooled engine yet. Another reason is I just don't want to fool with radiators and such on a lawn and garden tractor. A farm tractor that has a larger engine is a different story....but a small engine I just see no need for it FOR ME.

As far as air cooled being louder....I would agree. I'm not so sure I buy the engine tolerances being looser on a air cooled engine though. With today's machining all engines are precisely machined with very tight tolerances. Besides I don't see how looser internals would make a difference anyway with the pressurized lubrication on today's engines and synthetic oils.

 

[matt167]

pistons expand as they get hotter. Cylinder head temps and combustion temps are much hotter in an air cooled engine, so the clearences have to be looser or the piston could gall or seize in the bore.. This is the same reason that anyone who builds a demo derby engine will build them with the piston clearences a little loose

 

[KATT]

From my signature, I bought a X520 that had a large tree fall on it, destroying the radiator, fan, and most of the plastic parts around the fan. I am trying to bring it back to keep as a spare for my X540. So far, between ebay and Deere parts, I have already invested $350 in parts to get the engine back to life.

John Deere parts wants almost $600 for the radiator. My guess is they can't get anymore from Kawasaki and are raising the price to the stratosphere to ensure what supply they have in stock meet future requirements. I managed to find a used radiator with tons of bent fins that I will have to spend hours straightening out for $125. If I had to buy a new one, I'd buy a surplus engine for the parts I needed and part out the block (because the surplus engines have the wrong 1.125" x 4.125" crankshaft).

Why can't they get anymore from Kawasaki ?? That makes no sense. :dunno:

 

[Seal]

If you keep the fins clean and maintain the engine air cooled should last plenty long.

Liquid cooled engines attract more build up, have more parts and weigh more.

I would think engine life mostly deals with maintenance as well as quality of the engine. Some engines will fail around a certain amount of hours regardless of maintenance. The kawasaki FX line has been a disaster especially the larger models, none make it past 400 hours. Other models are prone to gasket failures.

 

[Dpashe]

"One liquid will out last 2 air cooled engines" Where are you getting your data from. I believe the proper maintenance on these engines and how they are used will determine how long they last. I have both and my air cooled engine has over 600 hrs on it and runs like it was new. Same discussion about diesels lasting longer that the gas engines. These engines are now lasting so long how can you argue in our life time.

 

[illiceman11]

I just traded my JD w/air cooled for FI water cooled.Overal I really like the water cooled better.Look at all engines in cars,trucks,tractors most are water cooled.As fpr Ka. dropping some water cooled.PRICE.

 

[Tony bachler]

I have serviced a fleet of Onan Air cooled; With over 4000 Hours on them they run fine.. also Have liquid with over 6000 hours on them...... How Much Plainer can one get. Liquid. with the exact tollerances, Running temps. will out last any Air.. OH THAT IS WHY THEY PUT AIR COOLED IN OVER THE ROAD TRUCKS>>>> I hope I didn't wake anybody up.. Life is good.. Lets hide behind the application..

 

[wasz3520]

Hello,
It still is how the maintenance was done or not done .
I have a 1995 Kaw 480 air cooled flat head with over 1k hard mowing hours on it and still runs great.
Oil and filters are still cheaper than motors
Wasz

 

[deereguy00]

I prefer air cooled, simply because there is less to worry about, no water pump, thermostat, radiator, etc etc. I understand that in a lot of applications a water cooled is necessary, but there are alot of them that aren't. I also prefer to work on them over water cooled, less mess without draining antifreeze.


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[Dpashe]

I agree that good maintenance is the most important factor in the life of our small engines. I enjoy using my water coolded engine because it is quieter and smoother. But my air cooled B&S gets the job done and is holding up fine. Stating that over the road water cooled engines are prove that water cooled garden tractor engines will last longer is hard to swallow (lots of VW beetle engines still around). For most of us that put 100 hrs or less on our tractors, 4000 hr equates to 40 years and 6000 hr equals 60 years. I won't be around to declare the winner.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

LC could theoretically last longer, but I've seen both go amazingly long time.

Synthetic oil in an AC engine has leveled the playing field a lot. I prefer AC.

Anyone got an X465? LOL


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[UrbanTractor]

...Anyone got an X465? LOL

Funny you should ask!

http://www.mytractorforum.com/showthread.php?t=388257