Topic: Kawasaki 14hp help/info please

[George #22]

Im looking into purchasing an engine, but would like some info on it. All I was give was this: fc54ov and was told its a single, 14hp, verticle OHV and needs a starter. im lookingot race this engine in a govenorned class and want all possible info i cna get on it. I have not seen the engine as it is a drive to pick up but hte price is right if its a good engine.

Also, what so starter run for o nthese engines or was there a recoil start aviable.

Thanks

[GRUBDIGGER]

FC540V IS 17HP. THE STARTER YOU CAN FIND USED. VERY GOOD TO RACE IN A GOV. CLASS. IF YOU WANT TO BUILD IT INTO A FULL RACE ENGINE, THERE IS NO PERFORMANCE PARTS AVALIABLE FOR IT.

FC420V IS 14HP AND A FB460V IS A FLATHEAD 12.5HP.

[Tazz914]

I have a 420 and i love it, they are a great motor for super stock and mod-xr

[Flipper]

All of there are no longer available new.

FC540V**-** is a 17hp OHV 535cc Stroker
FC420V**-** is a 14hp OHV 420cc
FB460V**-** is a 12.5hp Flat Head Valve in Block 460cc

I have all the factory service manuals for these.
The starters are High Torque Nippondenso....they very rarely fail except for the coil (again, on rare occasions.)
They are quite cheap and easy to find used on ebay. New, they are a shocking $475.00 or more.
The only performance parts available are for the 460, and that are a billet flywheel and I have billet connecting rods, In which is probably not needed, I have never seen a stock 460 rod break on it's own. There has been talk about a billet flywheel for a 540, but that's it...just talk.

All are contenders for a governed class. These three are practically bullet proof, they all use a real world pressurized oil pump
that pumps thru the crank and well as the entire engine, Breather is very well thought out too.

The only failures I have seen are from changing the oil once every 5 years, or lack there of. I just picked up a 540 engine that was seriously cooked, it was overheated for a couple seasons, Mice made a couple nests blocking the air flow in the cooling fins. The piston came apart but did not chew up the cylinder walls...amazing.

[George #22]

Any chance these use the sme starter as a kohler command v twin ??

[The Tank]

Any chance these use the sme starter as a kohler command v twin ??

Im pretty sure the starters are different. Do you happen to have the engine model number yet?

[Tazz914]

How bad are the 14hp bout dropping valves when they are stock and ungoverned? and can you email me the manual?

[George #22]

I got FC540V - AS08
The serial number is on a sticker that is too weathered to read. The hood on the tractor said 14hp that it came from and its the orginal engine. Could they have goved it to produce 14hp or something along that line ? Just need to know because of the restrictions for different HP rating in the class Im building for. It also has a cup on the top but no recoil, so Im guessing it once had a recoil start as well. I know briggs stickers their 500cc single from 13.5hp to 18hp on hte exact engine, for reasons I do not know. Could this be the same here ???

[GRUBDIGGER]

I got FC540V - AS08
The serial number is on a sticker that is too weathered to read. The hood on the tractor said 14hp that it came from and its the orginal engine. Could they have goved it to produce 14hp or something along that line ? Just need to know because of the restrictions for different HP rating in the class Im building for. It also has a cup on the top but no recoil, so Im guessing it once had a recoil start as well. I know briggs stickers their 500cc single from 13.5hp to 18hp on hte exact engine, for reasons I do not know. Could this be the same here ???

FC540V IS 17 HORSE POWER. NOT14. THE CUP YOU ARE LOOKING AT IS NOT A STARTER CUP. IT JUST HOLDS THE FLYWHEEL SCREEN.THEY ONLY CAME IN ELECTRIC START. THE FC420V 14 HP CAME IN ELECTRIC OR PULL START. DOES THIS ENGINE HAVE A BLOWER HOUSING? AND NO, YOU CANT SWAP BLOWER HOSINGS. THE 17 IS ALOT LONGER THAN THE 14.

[The Tank]

I got FC540V - AS08
The serial number is on a sticker that is too weathered to read. The hood on the tractor said 14hp that it came from and its the orginal engine. Could they have goved it to produce 14hp or something along that line ? Just need to know because of the restrictions for different HP rating in the class Im building for. It also has a cup on the top but no recoil, so Im guessing it once had a recoil start as well. I know briggs stickers their 500cc single from 13.5hp to 18hp on hte exact engine, for reasons I do not know. Could this be the same here ???

All the FC540V engines that I have seen on John Deere mowers have been rated at 17 HP. Some other brands may have been different. As for stock engine parts you can go to a JD dealer and get the parts for a GT275 or a GT262 (only difference between those models is one is hydro and one is gear drive) because they use the FC540V engine. The JD part number on the starter is AM108615. The Kawasaki part number is 128000-7940. You should be able to cross reference those to an aftermarket starter if you want.

[GRUBDIGGER]

TRY TO FIND IT USED. NEW YOU ARE LOOKING AT 300-400.

[George #22]

yeah this was on a wheel horse with a hydo transaxle. If I had pickup I would have take the whole thing ( I liked the body style and pan chassis) but it would not fit in the trunk of my neon.

[The Tank]

I did find these new on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-STARTER-JOHN-DEERE-LAWN-TRACTOR-GS75-GT262-GT275-/130598101153?pt=Other_Vehicle_Parts&vxp=mtr&hash=item1e6840e0a1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-John-Deere-Kawasaki-Trail-Gator-4-x-2-10HP-12V-/270811529020?vxp=mtr&hash=item3f0d9fff3c

[GRUBDIGGER]

yeah this was on a wheel horse with a hydo transaxle. If I had pickup I would have take the whole thing ( I liked the body style and pan chassis) but it would not fit in the trunk of my neon.

YOU REALLY NEED A SMALL PU.

[Flipper]

How bad are the 14hp bout dropping valves when they are stock and ungoverned? and can you email me the manual?

you have no email on your profile....tisk...tisk....