Nikki carburetor details for ZG222 / 227 ?

[Mmanders6]

Does anyone know the model # for the Nikki carb in the kgz series Kubota engines? I removed the carb from my zg227 this morning but these old eyes can't make out the faded lettering on it. It looks like OX15 then underneath EG37xxxx but I can't tell for sure.

I need to order a new float and needle valve, the carb is overflowing into the crankcase. Thanks for your help!

 

[KubotaHawg]

Does anyone know the model # for the Nikki carb in the kgz series Kubota engines? I removed the carb from my zg227 this morning but these old eyes can't make out the faded lettering on it. It looks like OX15 then underneath EG37xxxx but I can't tell for sure.

I need to order a new float and needle valve, the carb is overflowing into the crankcase. Thanks for your help!

See my thread on page 3 “zg222 gas in crankcase”

I just finished installing the rebuilt carb on mine and runs perfect.

What I found when I broke the carburetor down is that the float worked fine, but the o rings around it were shot. I couldn’t find any o ring/rebuild kits for that particular carburetor so after doing some searching and research found that specific carb is same used on Kawasaki 641 and several other common Kawasaki engines. I ended up buying an aftermarket carb on amazon for $34.

It’s the same carb but configured a little differently—the choke and throttle wire attachments are on the same side instead of opposite sides like on the zg222/227 so not just plug and play. Plus the float is the same but without a hole for a little pin on the base of the float bowl—just enough so the new one won’t fit.

So, I just pulled the o rings out of the new carb and put them in the old one—all 5 fit perfect. That’s worth $34 to me instead of $696 for new carb from Kubota.

Make sure you replace all 5:

1) bowl to carb body
2) base of bowl to float
3) oblong one with multiple holes where needles fit into carb body
4) 2 tiny ones around both orifices in base of float assembly—I just tapped the brass orifices out of the old float and replaced with the new ones

I’ll take some pictures and post in a bit when I go up to the house.

Hope this helps!

 

[KubotaHawg]

See my thread on page 3 “zg222 gas in crankcase”

I just finished installing the rebuilt carb on mine and runs perfect.

What I found when I broke the carburetor down is that the float worked fine, but the o rings around it were shot. I couldn’t find any o ring/rebuild kits for that particular carburetor so after doing some searching and research found that specific carb is same used on Kawasaki 641 and several other common Kawasaki engines. I ended up buying an aftermarket carb on amazon for $34.

It’s the same carb but configured a little differently—the choke and throttle wire attachments are on the same side instead of opposite sides like on the zg222/227 so not just plug and play. Plus the float is the same but without a hole for a little pin on the base of the float bowl—just enough so the new one won’t fit.

So, I just pulled the o rings out of the new carb and put them in the old one—all 5 fit perfect. That’s worth $34 to me instead of $696 for new carb from Kubota.

Make sure you replace all 5:

1) bowl to carb body
2) base of bowl to float
3) oblong one with multiple holes where needles fit into carb body
4) 2 tiny ones around both orifices in base of float assembly—I just tapped the brass orifices out of the old float and replaced with the new ones

I’ll take some pictures and post in a bit when I go up to the house.

Hope this helps!

Correction: 6 o rings—the 1 cm broken one in this picture is from the main seat for the float into the body. It was the culprit on mine.

 

[KubotaHawg]

 

[Mmanders6]

That's really a great help, thank you! I love outsmarting manufacturers who try to obscure simple repair information.

 

[KubotaHawg]

That's really a great help, thank you! I love outsmarting manufacturers who try to obscure simple repair information.

You are most welcome sir! I agree, it took me a few days to realize and find what I needed to do.
Just trying to share info and add to the site instead of only taking. These people are very knowledgeable and willing to help, great site.

 

[Mmanders6]

You are most welcome sir! I agree, it took me a few days to realize and find what I needed to do.
Just trying to share info and add to the site instead of only taking. These people are very knowledgeable and willing to help, great site.

You just might be a genius! I've found zero information on the web about the cross reference to the (much more common) Kawasaki engines. Watched a few YouTube videos and the FH641v / 651v definitely look like the same carb with the differences you noted. I wonder if Kubota dealers/techs are aware of this option? How many zg mowers do you think have been scrapped/traded over a $700 carburetor just needing an o-ring?

Kawasaki part # 11028-6317 is the carb gasket kit for these engines with o-rings and needle valve. It's about $50, so it would be cheaper to buy the complete carb like you did. I've been burned before with import carbs though, so I spent the $ for (hopefully) OEM quality.

Will update when it's put back together!

 

[D2Cat]

On Kubota TG1860 gas machines they had a water cooled Kawasaki engine. When I needed to get several engine parts Kubota didn't have some of them. I began trying to find Kawasaki parts. JD also used Kawasaki engines in some of their mowers. Both Kubota and JD took Kawasaki parts and attached their own number system. That makes it a challenge to cross reference parts.

Eventually I found a Kawasaki dealer (ended up the highway 15 miles) who told me to give him the engine number and he could get any parts. I was shocked when push rods were like .89 each! (This was about 5-6 years back), and the crank shaft was a new and improved version--not some poly material.

You have to be a sport to do all the digging finding some parts, but it is rewarding.

 

[KubotaHawg]

You just might be a genius! I've found zero information on the web about the cross reference to the (much more common) Kawasaki engines. Watched a few YouTube videos and the FH641v / 651v definitely look like the same carb with the differences you noted. I wonder if Kubota dealers/techs are aware of this option? How many zg mowers do you think have been scrapped/traded over a $700 carburetor just needing an o-ring?

Kawasaki part # 11028-6317 is the carb gasket kit for these engines with o-rings and needle valve. It's about $50, so it would be cheaper to buy the complete carb like you did. I've been burned before with import carbs though, so I spent the $ for (hopefully) OEM quality.

Will update when it's put back together!

I have to give credit where credit is due—I have a local guy, one man shop out in the middle of nowhere who has worked on my toys for several years and he told me it’s same carb Kawasaki uses. He can fix anything and knows all of these engines inside and out.

We all know orange parts are expensive, but it’s ridiculous that Kubota doesn’t offer a rebuild kit—instead trying to get you to buy a carburetor for 700 bucks. I guess Kubota learned a few things from American greed.

It is very satisfying to find a work around for those of us that like to do (or try to do) things ourselves.

 

[Mmanders6]

Just to update - I installed the Kawasaki carb kit and I'm back up and running.

 

[DustyRusty]

Does anyone know the model # for the Nikki carb in the kgz series Kubota engines? I removed the carb from my zg227 this morning but these old eyes can't make out the faded lettering on it. It looks like OX15 then underneath EG37xxxx but I can't tell for sure.

I need to order a new float and needle valve, the carb is overflowing into the crankcase. Thanks for your help!

Next time you can't read the numbers take a picture with your phone and then open the picture with your fingers till you can read the number. If that doesn't work for you, use your digital camera upload the picture to your computer, and look at it on your computer screen. I usually Google the number and a lot of information is returned

 

[whitetiger]

I wonder if Kubota dealers/techs are aware of this option?

Yes, I'm sure every Kubota dealer with a Lawn equipment contract knows the gasoline engines used are either Kawasaki, Kohler, or Briggs & Stratton.

 

[Mmanders6]

Yes, I'm sure every Kubota dealer with a Lawn equipment contract knows the gasoline engines used are either Kawasaki, Kohler, or Briggs & Stratton.

It's not that simple in this case. The 27hp horizontal shaft engine in the older zg227 is a weird duck. I read on some corner of the internet that the OEM was some Chinese brand, maybe zongshen? I'm not sure if that's correct.

The carb is similar, but not the same as on certain Kawasaki engines. You couldn't just swap it over mainly because the choke lever is cast on the opposite side. But what KubotaHawg figured out is that the gaskets inside are the same. Since kubota doesn't sell a rebuild kit, that's a very useful bit of info.

 

[whitetiger]

It's not that simple in this case. The 27hp horizontal shaft engine in the older zg227 is a weird duck. I read on some corner of the internet that the OEM was some Chinese brand, maybe zongshen? I'm not sure if that's correct.
That is not correct, the ZG227 used the Kawasaki engine from the first unit produced on.

The carb is similar, but not the same as on certain Kawasaki engines. You couldn't just swap it over mainly because the choke lever is cast on the opposite side.

Kawasaki uses several configurations for their carburetors, the one used on the ZG227 is not a one-off design. If you take the numbers off of the carburetor and do a search, you can see where all that configuration was used.