Everything To Know About The Kawasaki FR691V Engine
Kawasaki is known for a wide range of reliable bikes, and part of the longevity comes down to the engine. While the Kawasaki FR691V isn't an example of a powerful motorcycle engine, it's still a solid engine to power a lawn mower. However, the models featuring this engine aren't cheap if you want to pick one up.
Kawasaki calls the engine compact and durable, and if you're looking to upgrade or swap out a current underperforming alternative, it's not a bad choice at all — just don't expect to fit this 726 cc engine into your push mower from Lowe's. Made for extensive and reliable use on the scale of a residential complex, it's overkill for the average person's yard. As one of a line of four Kawasaki FR engines, the FR691V boasts the second-highest horsepower of the bunch, coming in just behind the FR730V's 24 HP with 23 HP — a negligible performance difference. The FR730V has a reinforced air filter and comes in just a bit larger, but other than that, the engines are largely the same.
Is the engine worth it?
Purchasing the engine on its own is much cheaper than buying an entire mower, and you can often find one around the $2,000 mark. While that's not cheap, it's a cost-effective alternative to getting a new mower. Since this is a lawn mower engine, first and foremost, it comes with safeguards to keep it protected, including the chopper's screen and cast-iron cylinder liners to endure wear and tear.
Ultimately, it comes down to your needs on whether it's worth splurging on. The Kawasaki engine may be an improvement on your current model, but does that mean you would take out a working motor and replace it? A successor to a dead engine makes the decision much simpler. If you are looking to upgrade from a lower HP Kawasaki engine — the FR600V or FR651V for example — then you can certainly enjoy a much bigger punch out of your mower if you go down that path.
Something you'll need to be aware of when shopping around for this motor is the recall made by Kawasaki. The trio of FR730V, FR691V, and FR651V all have outstanding recalls as of October 2023 that warn of damaged fuel tubes. If you pick up, or have in the past picked up, a mower with those engines, you're encouraged to take it to a Kawasaki dealer for a free repair.