Z445 Kawasaki Twin Cylinder - Hard start & Valve adj

[Dmac1]

This mower has been a PITA to start ever since I got it ~12 years ago. Its always been a search for the magical combination of crank with choke/no choke/let sit/crank/eventually start. I never found the magical sequence, but always got it to start.

Would not start this spring, so I got a new battery. Still no go. Decided to try to fix it and was guessing the valves were out of adjustment. Its only at ~160 hours....so below the 200 recommended adjustment point.

Anybody know the valve adjust procedure? The spec is .003-.005" and I think we did it right, but the adjusters are different than what i've worked on in the past.

I think the adjuster part is the nut, and inside the nut is an allen screw which is the locking part, but it seems no matter how tight I turn the allen screw via allen wrench, I can still turn the nut via a wrench. We've only done 1 of the cylinders, and it was actually at .005. Am thinking the valves aren't actually the problem. Its got spark and is getting fuel.

I bought new plugs, they're in, but didn't try to start before messed with the valves.

It has 91 no ethanol fuel, so that shouldn't be the problem. Its weird cuz with air filter off, after trying to start it, fuel is visible in the bottom 'tray' of the carburetor (can see a pool when looking down). I soaked it up before working on the valves, but just blipping the starter to open/close the valves results in another pool.

Ideas?

 

[beenthere]

The Kawasaki motor model # number is FH721..

Should give you some ideas what to google for more info...

 

[Jimmy Joe]

I believe the allen screw is the adjustment and the nut locks it in place back the nut off and turn the screw when clearance is correct hold the screw with the allen wrench and tighten the nut.

 

[Dmac1]

I believe the allen screw is the adjustment and the nut locks it in place back the nut off and turn the screw when clearance is correct hold the screw with the allen wrench and tighten the nut.

You'd think! Thats what I thought too before we started, but its the other way around. I found a YT vid on it. I've never seen an engine like that, but have mostly worked on dirt bike engines, so my experience is limited.

I readjusted them back to .005....had went to the tight end of the range thinking maybe that'd be whats been wrong. I don't think that was it.

 

[Dmac1]

The Kawasaki motor model # number is FH721..

Should give you some ideas what to google for more info...

Thanks! I'll hafta take a spin through that.

We found what was wrong....it wasn't actually the engine....it was the idler pulley that goes to the transmission drive belt.

After monkeying around with it, no air cleaner so max air, new plugs, choke/no choke/fully charged new battery we got it on the verge of starting, and then FINALLY it fired up. Quickly heard this awful squeeling from underneath, so we shut it off after just a couple seconds. Sounded like a belt.

My son looked under it while I cranked the starter....he saw that the idler pulley wasn't turning. So, up on the lift it went and sure enough, looked like it'd been that way for some time. All the plastic on one side of the wheel was melted off and it was worn totally flat. The big spring was still putting some pressure on it, but the belt was mostly just slipping over the metal inner part of the pulley wheel.

Once we removed the belts, it started on second crank. I wonder if its been frozen for a few years....the last few its been super hard to start. With any luck, now it will start like its supposed to.

~$25 for a new wheel. Install tomorrow.

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[beenthere]

You'd think! Thats what I thought too before we started, but its the other way around. I found a YT vid on it. I've never seen an engine like that, but have mostly worked on dirt bike engines, so my experience is limited.

I readjusted them back to .005....had went to the tight end of the range thinking maybe that'd be whats been wrong. I don't think that was it.

I wasn't convinced that it was the other way around from watching your attached video. But found another video that was much more convincing.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Procedure+to+adjust+Kawasaki+valves&oq=Procedure+to+adjust+Kawasaki+valves&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30j0i390l2.21248j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_LwOPYsaWFLG2uvQPwaGh2AU19

 

[Jimmy Joe]

I haven't adjusted a lot of valves that is the first time I've seen the center being the lock thanks for sharing and glad OP figured out the problem kudos to his son.

 

[Dmac1]

I wasn't convinced that it was the other way around from watching your attached video. But found another video that was much more convincing.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Procedure+to+adjust+Kawasaki+valves&oq=Procedure+to+adjust+Kawasaki+valves&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i22i30j0i390l2.21248j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_LwOPYsaWFLG2uvQPwaGh2AU19

Having figured out whats what by messing with it, the vid I posted was all I needed for confirmation.

I am used to working on dirt bike engines and being able to lock the adjustment nut much tighter than you can via that allen screw. So, I fiddled with them a little and figured out how to tighten them more via turning them both together just a smidge. Takes a little trial and error to not overshoot the gap, but it gets the adjusters tighter, which seems like a good thing to me. Otherwise, you can turn the nut pretty easily with a wrench.

 

[Dmac1]

I haven't adjusted a lot of valves that is the first time I've seen the center being the lock thanks for sharing and glad OP figured out the problem kudos to his son.

Yep, hes a trained mechanic so I enlisted him as Helper!

All reassembled and mower started much better. Not instant vroom, but it hasnt been this good since I cant remember when.

The idler pully was just draggin on the motor...prolly my old battery wasnt as dead as I thought...oh well, it was 12 years old.