An air filter plays a vital role in keeping your lawn mower engine operating effectively.
By keeping away foreign objects, dust, and debris from the engine's internal components, air filters promote smooth operation, helping your machine last longer and perform better.
An inefficient airflow system can lead to an increase in fuel consumption. That's why proper maintenance is so important: air filters should be regularly inspected, cleaned where possible, and replaced with high-quality parts when required.
The answer will vary depending on your engine model, so you should always refer to your owner’s manual for guidance.
For instance, the FJ180V KAI 4-stroke air-cooled engine has a foam air filter element that should be cleaned every 25 hours-of-use and replaced only if very dirty, as well as a paper element that should be replaced every 300 hours on average.
For our FR651V, FR691V and FR730V engines, instead, you should clean the paper element every 100 hours and replace it every 200 hours, or once a year – whichever comes first.
On the other hand, the air cleaner element in an engine like the FX600V only requires light maintenance to remove any visible dirt or debris, and should only be replaced every 250 hours.
The best way to know for sure is to check our technical download page, type in your engine’s model number, and read the maintenance section of the owner's manual. This resource will cover everything you need to know about our filters and parts. It’s important to bear in mind that timescales for replacements will be shorter than advised if you're working in particularly tough conditions.
This also depends on your engine's model and filter parts. In general, foam elements should be removed carefully to be washed in detergent and water, then dried thoroughly before being placed back.
Paper elements, instead, are more delicate and should only be tapped gently to remove dirt particles, pollen, or dust. Avoid using oil, water, or pressurised air to clean the paper element. If the filter is still dirty, it might be a sign this part needs replacing.
When it's finally time to replace your air filter, you'll face an additional choice: should you use genuine or aftermarket parts for your engine?
If you are a little sceptical about the extra value of genuine parts, you might be tempted to opt for cheaper aftermarket replacements that claim to fit and save a portion of your maintenance budget.
However, this decision might have broader implications in the long term. In a previous article, we compared the quality and performance of genuine and non-genuine air filters to show you how these parts affect the engine in different ways.
One of the main differences is that Kawasaki Engines genuine filters are more compact than many third-party alternatives, with a lower micron rating and more folds, ultimately delivering superior filtration.
In contrast, a non-genuine air filter might lead to:
● A gradual degradation of the engine, with a shorter lifespan
● Premature wear of cylinders and pistons, requiring expensive repairs
● Dirty carburettor or injection throttle body, causing blockages, poor performance, and excessive fuel consumption
● Combustion problems caused by dust or dirt around the valves
Lastly, finding non-genuine parts that are suitable for your specific engine can be a challenge of its own.
Imagine browsing the website of a third-party dealer looking for a compatible air filter to add to your basket. If you’re fortunate, you may find a brief description mentioning whether that part will fit your engine. But how can you know for certain it will work as intended?
Aftermarket parts aren't designed specifically for your engine model, or by engineers with intimate knowledge of your engine. Moreover, they can be sold at a lower cost because they don’t prioritise using high quality materials and aren’t subject to Kawasaki’s rigorous testing standards.
On the contrary, our testing process is extremely thorough and quality control is taken very seriously.
With Kawasaki, you're choosing genuine parts that are built to maximise performance, last longer, and enhance the longevity of your engine.
Explore our useful guide to learn more about the benefits of genuine parts, or find a Kawasaki Engines Authorised Dealer near you to purchase them, and keep your engine operating at peak performance.
And remember: packaging for genuine parts will always have a Kawasaki Engines logo on the label and the Kawasaki Part Number. If you want to find out the number for a certain part, you can explore our Electronic Parts Catalogue.
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