[jr8stoffa]

I am planning on going to look at a 335 john deere with a neighbor. How many hours are to many for these machines? I know how they are taken care of helps out on this. Not sure how long the kawasaki's will last, or if there are known problems with them. I have emailed the party that has it for sale and waiting to hear back from them. Any input would be great. Thanks Aaron

 

[T-Mo]

Aaron,
The Kawasaki engines are great engines, but parts can be pricey. The main concern is on the older 335s that had the plastic cam gear. Basically pre-1999 had them. You can get a steel cam replacement kit from Deere. In the Technical FAQ section here, there is a thread from Tom Ingels on replacing the plastic cam gear.

(Message edited by treed on June 28, 2011)

 

[Davet]

Hi Aaron, It's tough to say. I have a 445 with almost 1600 hours still doing well, and another 445 with 575 hours and a worn out engine. I took a 285 up to around 1850 hours before it needed a rebuild.

If you could do a quick compression check, that would tell you a lot about the life left in the engine, though that may be awkward to do depending on the seller.

Good luck,
Dave

 

[Gdshave]

I do not believe the 335 had the plastic cam gear. The 345 had it until 1999. Engine was the Kawasaki FD590V twin cylinder liquid cooled. I have had two of them. One is in my current 345 and has been changed to steel.