|
 When consumers hear the name “Kawasaki,” they usually think of high performance motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and personal watercraft. Those who know a little more about the 130-year-old, Kobe, Japan-based company might also think shipbuilding, railroad cars, gas turbines, and sports arenas—all fitting products for a company known formally as Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. However, the company, through its U.S. affiliate, Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (KMC), also offers some not-so-heavy equipment—a nice range of commercial-grade trimmers, brushcutters and allied landscape maintenance tools.
The Kawasaki line does not run as deep as some others, but it does provide a respectable offering, with six straight-shaft trimmers, a hand-held blower, four backpack blowers, six hedge trimmers, two articulated “hedge trimmers on a stick,” one curved shaft edger and a host of accessories and attachments. About the only thing missing is a chain saw. KMC services its 8,000 U.S. dealers through a factory-direct distribution system based in Grand Rapids, Mich.
KMC has been part of the PET family for years as both an advertiser and newsmaker. With our 21st trimmer/brushcutter edition in production, we figured it was high time to explore this respected brand on our fabled photo-workbench. We asked and Kawasaki obliged by sending its workhorse model KGT27B—a straight-shaft trimmer with stratified scavenging system for reduced emissions. Kawasaki's name for this now-familiar, 2-stroke feature is “Air/Fuel Technology.” With this technology, and a catalytic muffler to boot, the KGT27B beats all emissions standards and uses 25% less fuel.
 Our KGT27B was shipped in an unusual carton-and-a-half that's full on the engine end and thin on the shaft end. Put two of these cartons together, and they nest to form a solid rectangle. The good news, from a dealer perspective, is that the powerhead and shaft come assembled. All the dealer must do is attach loop handle (four 5 mm Allens), debris shield (one 6 mm Allen), screw on the cutting head, and it’s ready to go.
The configuration of this trimmer, with hollow steel driveshaft, allows several attachment options including a 20 in. hedge trimmer and “Twin Turboblade,” which is a pair of disc-shaped blades that rotate in opposite directions. A sister model, KBL27B, also provides blade capability.
Kawasaki supported our teardown project by providing a straightforward workshop manual on the TJ27E engine, which powers the KGT27B and other Kawasaki products, and a crisp IPL, complete with parts descriptions and fastener dimensions—a useful yet often absent element of many IPLs.
Kawasaki is obviously confident in the quality of the KGT27B, backing it with a five-year consumer, and two-year commercial warranty package. As the accompanying photos attest, it is a well-made product worthy of its commercial calling. It is built in the familiar Japanese tradition, and quite easy to service. We disassembled it using mainly a Phillips screwdriver, 4 and 5 mm Allen T-wrenches, and a 12 mm socket. Though familiar in its overall layout, the KGT27B, also offers a few surprises, so follow along as we take a close-up look.
Ken Morrison is an independent technical/marketing communications specialist serving the portable power equipment industry.
|
|
PHOTO 1
| 
PHOTO 2
|
|
|
PHOTO 1—LARGE KNOB on air filter cover encourages frequent servicing of large felt-type air filter element beneath. Filter base, cover-mounting bracket, and Walbro WYA-69 double-barrel rotary valve carburetor are fixed to insulator block by a pair of 5 x 60 mm Phillips pan head machine screws. This is the prominent type of fastener aboard the KGT27B. Many have been treated with a mild thread-locking compound, so make sure you are using the correct Phillips bit when disassembling. Double-barrel carb signals application of familiar stratified air exhaust scavenging system to reduce emissions. Note: There is no choke shutter (see photo 2). Switch wire bullet connectors are neatly corralled by metal clip fastened to clutch drum housing.
PHOTO 2—WALBRO WYA-69 MIXER employs innovative enrichment system to facilitate starting—there is no choke. To start, operator flips red lever forward. Eccentric on lever shaft, just visible under idle speed adjustment screw, lifts barrel valve assembly and allied inlet needle in main jet. Valves remain closed, thus enriching mixture. When engine starts, operator blips throttle and lever is released. System simplifies starting and eliminates flooding caused by incorrect choking. Onboard primer system also reduces the number of pulls needed to start. Barrel valve has two bores that work in synch. Bottom barrel feeds air/fuel to crankcase as usual. Top barrel serves fresh air to top of transfer port.
|
|
|
PHOTO 3
| 
PHOTO 4
|
|
|
PHOTO 3—DEEP RECOIL HOUSING contains nylon rope reel with four-dog starter cam attached to hub. Openings in cam surface reveal coil spring housed within. This spring subdues shock and stores energy that boosts starting effort. Housing is retained by four 4 mm Phillips fasteners; upper two also pass through cylinder/muffler cover. Rear tank guard fastener, which comes up from below into bottom of housing, must also be removed. Starter cam engages dual nylon pawls residing in cast-metal starter cup. Cup threads onto crankshaft. Fuel tank vents through cap. External cap retainer is not quite as sanitary as inside-the-tank systems, but when cap is off, there’s nothing in the way of view or fuel flow, which is a plus. Plate on cylinder covers transfer port. Note easy-access spark arrestor screen and retainer screw on side of muffler.
PHOTO 4—CATALYTIC MUFFLER subdues sound pressure and unburned exhaust components. Catalytic honeycomb is barely visible through engine-side inlet. As this is a “one-piece muffler,” the catalyst is not serviceable. Modern catalysts do create some additional heat, but otherwise are relatively transparent in terms of function and maintenance. Benefits, in addition to reduced emissions, are cleaner ports, reduced spark arrestor screen maintenance, and less oily goo dripping from the muffler. Muffler and large L-shaped gasket are retained by a pair of 5 mm Allen socket head screws. Slide-in spark arrestor screen, displayed on fuel tank, is secured by tiny machine screw. There are no self-tapping type fasteners to be found on this unit.
|
|
|
PHOTO 5
| 
PHOTO 6
|
|
|
PHOTO 5—CLUTCH DRUM HOUSING mounts to crankcase via four Phillips fasteners and a pair of cast-in pins. Eight large holes on face of drum remove weight and heat. Drum’s hub is splined for ultimate driveshaft connectivity. Two-shoe, single spring clutch mounts to face of flywheel in typical fashion. Note nut-pockets that are cast into nylon clutch drum housing—two on top for cylinder cover; two on bottom for fuel tank and guard. This strategy allows use of machine screws instead of coarse self-tapping type fasteners. Some might question abundance of Phillips fasteners on a unit of this quality. They are made of good materials, however, and they do have the convenience factor going for them. They work fine as long as a good-fitting bit is used.
PHOTO 6—OUTPUT SIDE COMPONENTS mount to engine in usual fashion. Generously-finned flywheel is locked in time with Woodruff key and hex nut. A pair of shoulder bolts fix clutch to outer surface of flywheel. Wave washers under bolt heads help reduce clutch chatter. Clutch shoe friction surface has a fiber lining.
|
|
|
PHOTO 7
| 
PHOTO 8
|
|
|
PHOTO 7—ANTI-VIBRATION BUFFER slides into clutch drum housing snout and isolates alloy shaft clamp. Clamp and buffer are kept in place by nylon snap-lock clamp at upper right. Notched tabs on clamp snap into openings on side of housing. To remove assembly, tabs must be depressed. Openings visible in alloy clamp provide clearance needed to accomplish this task. A 5 mm Allen fastener puts the squeeze on shaft tubing when installed.
PHOTO 8—SECRET OF KAWASAKI Air/Fuel emissions-reducing technology begins with double-barrel Walbro carb and continues behind intake insulator block, above right. Block’s upper, pure air port is fitted with reed valve and limiter. Valve opens during downward, intake stroke of piston, allowing fresh air into upper region of transfer ports. The fresh air travels through insulator block, and into right/left channels visible above intake port on cylinder, left. Hole beneath intake port is impulse channel. Cylinder is secured by four 5 mm Allen bolts that come up from bottom and thread into flange—opposite the norm.
|
|
|
PHOTO 9
| 
PHOTO 10
|
|
|
PHOTO 9—STEEL COVER PLATES hide transfer port details on both sides of cylinder. This port is on recoil side. To retain airtight integrity, cover is sealed with high-heat silicone gasket compound. Glimmer of piston skirt is visible through right side of dual port setup. Fresh stratification air enters through channel on left side of transfer window. Air/fuel intake/scavenging charge, of course, comes up from below. This engine incorporates a closed, quad-port transfer setup. Cast-in bar in center of window divides the two ports that come up on this side of engine. Fresh air fills this chamber during intake stroke and forms a buffer atop the incoming air/fuel charge. This buffer enters combustion chamber first, sweeping out exhaust gasses and preventing raw fuel from exiting through exhaust port. It is a very simple and effective emissions control system.
PHOTO 10—QUAD-PORT TRANSFER system is totally closed—from crankcase to combustion chamber. Ports originate inside crankcase and open to cylinder mounting surface, visible on left above. Quad ports in base of cylinder, right, mate with crankcase ports. Other openings on cylinder base are voids for weight or heat reduction. Inset of cylinder bore shows transfer port openings, intake port and impulse channel, top. Transfers look like single ports from this view, but they are divided. Divider is set back slightly within port.
|
|
|
PHOTO 11
| 
PHOTO 12
|
|
|
PHOTO 11—CRANKCASE HALVES are secured by three Phillips fasteners. The top two are surrounded by steel bushings for added security. Sealing is provided by a high-heat silicone gasket compound. Note cast-in transfer openings above main bearings. This is a high-quality, commercial engine with forged three-piece crankshaft, forged connecting rod that’s relieved on the big end to facilitate lubrication and supported by caged needle bearings on both ends, and a two-ring piston with nice, long skirt. Piston top is slightly domed.
PHOTO 12—BUSINESS END OF KGT27B includes sturdy tap-to-advance trimmer head, 5-ft. aluminum alloy outer shaft with redesigned gearhead, and easy-to-install debris shield. Shaft tubing contains seven bushings that support 7 mm hollow steel driveshaft. Inset shows simple mounting scheme for debris shield. Simply slide tab-side of bracket into slot on debris shield and secure other side with 6 mm Allen. Sweet!
|