LX178, 188, 279 JOHN DEERE PLUGS

daisyman · Oct 2, 2017

I haven't been on for a long time, and was looking through the threads and ran across one on proper spark plug for the Kawasaki engines. I had that same question the other day when I was working on a Lx279. I has NGK BPR2ES plugs in it. I pulled them out and they are a long reach plug that has almost 1/2" of threads sticking out inside the head plus an extended tip. I thought "This can't be right!!! The thread will get carboned up and will strip the threads out when you remove them." The LX178 and 188 take the short plug with about 1/2" of threads, just enough to go through the head. They're all water cooled V-twins of 15 and 17 hp, all 437cc. engines.
I went to Deere and said, "Is this right??" Sure enough, is was!! Anybody got a theory why they would do that??
:?:

Irv

T.R.K. · Oct 2, 2017

Theories:

1. Probably had a motorcycle plug on hand. (I mean, a Kawasaki is a Kawasaki, right?)

2. That's what the guy at the Box Store sold him.

3. Figured "a plug is a plug is a plug" and if it holds in the threads it must be o.k.

daisyman · Oct 2, 2017

Ummm, you might want to reread the post.! I was looking for theories why DEERE would use that plug on those. THAT IS THE CORRECT PLUG FOR THAT ENGINE, ACCORDING TO JOHN DEERE, not someone who just threw plugs in it and called it good....
The other engines are the SAME engine, a 437cu V-twin, with the same bore and stroke, according to TractorData.

Irv :roll:

Rodney51Cub · Oct 2, 2017

There was a service bulletin for Kawasaki spark plugs a while back. I will have to find it at work. I looked up the FD501V engine and it shows the short reach plug. Will try to remember to look up the bulletin in the morning.

Rodney 8)

Tom Bowman · Oct 3, 2017

Irv, I have the exact same question on my LX279. It has the short plugs installed, but when I looked them up online, the spec had changed.
I left the old short ones in for now. I'm curious to see what you guys find out.

Tom Bowman · Oct 3, 2017

One website shows a serial number break for the spark plug spec on the FD501V:
Before SN 105534: BMR4A
After SN 105533: BPR2ES

Rodney51Cub · Oct 3, 2017

I could not log onto the Kawasaki site today. My service bulletin did not cover the 501 engine. It did cover a change in the short reach plug to the long reach plug on larger engines though. From Tom's post I would say some one did not know about the serial number break.

Rodney 8)

LX178, 188, 279 JOHN DEERE PLUGS

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