OT: Lawnmower Engine - the best?
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EDMman
ArboristSite Operative
I second that. Honda is the way to go. I have a log splitter,power washer, snow blower, and a 4-weeler. All with Honda motors. Always start easy,very reliable...
gatkeper1
ArboristSite Guru
Well let me jump in here.The worst piece of equipment (pressure washer)I own is Honda powered, always hard to start. My Honda generator is fine,but I will never own a Honda again. Over priced and over rated.
I would just get another Briggs in the 5-6hp range for a replacement
I would just get another Briggs in the 5-6hp range for a replacement
WoodTick007
Addicted to ArboristSite
always hard to start.
Gatekeeper,
I have to ask if you have ever taken the unit in for service? Honda equipment is known for easy starting.
Also, you have not given any information about the Honda washer other than "worst piece of equipment (pressure washer)I own is Honda powered, always hard to start". Have you called the selling dealer about this? If they have been no help.....Have you called Honda directly? Do you store the PW with Stabil? What type of maint. has been done ?
I hate to inform you, but, Honda manufactures the best single cylinder engines for equipment. I am not reffering to the Black Honda motors that are all plastic. I am reffering to the Red and White commercial application motors. If your PW has the black honda then you got what you paid for. A consumer piece of junk.
Its funny because I have a 9hp little wonder blower that I have not run in almost a year. It started this moring on the second pull. It would have started on the first ,but I have the ignition switch on OFF.
Gatekeeper,
I have to ask if you have ever taken the unit in for service? Honda equipment is known for easy starting.
Also, you have not given any information about the Honda washer other than "worst piece of equipment (pressure washer)I own is Honda powered, always hard to start". Have you called the selling dealer about this? If they have been no help.....Have you called Honda directly? Do you store the PW with Stabil? What type of maint. has been done ?
I hate to inform you, but, Honda manufactures the best single cylinder engines for equipment. I am not reffering to the Black Honda motors that are all plastic. I am reffering to the Red and White commercial application motors. If your PW has the black honda then you got what you paid for. A consumer piece of junk.
Its funny because I have a 9hp little wonder blower that I have not run in almost a year. It started this moring on the second pull. It would have started on the first ,but I have the ignition switch on OFF.
wiley_p
ArboristSite Guru
that's the first time I've ever heard anything bad about Honda 4-strokes i always thought they were dependable. Expensive at first but well worth it.
Honda four strokes are bullet proof as are the toro/suzuki two cycles and the lawnboy duraforces.
I've read of...not seen personally...a lot of people complaining about the 20hp Hondas being cold blooded enough for a kit to have to be retrofitted. The smaller hp ones I've had contact with are all fine engines.
Kohler makes an excellent engine, as does Kawasaki. Most Briggs engines I've seen will outlast the deck on a small mower, if properly maintained.
Oh, yeah. and what Ben said.
Kohler makes an excellent engine, as does Kawasaki. Most Briggs engines I've seen will outlast the deck on a small mower, if properly maintained.
Oh, yeah. and what Ben said.
Once you get into the +-15hp 4 cycle gasoline category, I like the Kawasaki v-twins too.
I have heard very few complaints about them, but usually from operators who have never changed the oil, burn the crappiest gas they can find, and couldn't locate the plugs and air filter on the engine with a manual in their hand.
My 1986 Yamaha snowblower's engine is the best small engine I've ever had the pleasure to have owned though.
BTW, every single one of my small air cooled gas engines gets synthetic oil and premium fuel. (Come to think of it, the big liquid cooled ones get that too.)
I have heard very few complaints about them, but usually from operators who have never changed the oil, burn the crappiest gas they can find, and couldn't locate the plugs and air filter on the engine with a manual in their hand.
My 1986 Yamaha snowblower's engine is the best small engine I've ever had the pleasure to have owned though.
BTW, every single one of my small air cooled gas engines gets synthetic oil and premium fuel. (Come to think of it, the big liquid cooled ones get that too.)
JimL
Addicted to ArboristSite
Lawnboy durajunk engines are the worst ive ever had the pleasure to work on. You couldnt give me 500 of them for free.
plastic carbs are junk. never run right. always burping seals out. modules always dieing. crank bushings burn up. gas tanks always leak at the seam.
just junk in general.
$100 says monday morning when i get to work, ill have 5 times as many lawnboy push mowers to fix, over a push mower with a briggs or tecumseh.
sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
My logsplitter has a Honda on it and it always starts. However, if I had to buy a replacement engine I doubt I woulfd spend the extra cash for another Honda. It's a good engine, just not 40% better. My logsplitter would get a Tecumseh but I would put a Kohler on a walk behind mower. My most reliable snowblower is 30 years old and still has the original Tecumseh on it.
Jim, The durforce does not have crank bushings. I think the only LB's that used bronze bushings where from the late 60's. As for the duraforce.. Many Lawn care guys would disagree with you. The ones I have owned have been bulletproof. The carb tuning problems are easily fixed with a optional jet.
Maybe you should learn to work on them properly before writeing them off?
Maybe you should learn to work on them properly before writeing them off?
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Speaking of snow blowers. I run a toro two cycle with the 7.5 hp version of the duraforce engine. I have owned it for about five years the last two of which it was run on almost daily and many times mulitple times a day. It hasnt even so much as hiccuped and it starts right up after being left out side in 10 below weather in three pulls or less.
BTW I live right smack dab in the middle of the red dot on this map.
BTW I live right smack dab in the middle of the red dot on this map.
JimL
Addicted to ArboristSite
wow ive only been to every tech seminar available. tech support is utterly worthless. this optional jet you talk of is a joke in itself.
no help. nothing helps the fact the mounting flange warping when you take the carb off. getting the carb off is joke also.
JimL
Addicted to ArboristSite
i also forgot the rest of the newer lawnboy platforms are junk. self propel gearboxes. I keep all the bushings, gears and shaft in stock for these things. cables are junk and expensive to boot.
Person would be better off buying a $200 mtd self propel with a 6.5 briggs.
Person would be better off buying a $200 mtd self propel with a 6.5 briggs.
sedanman
Just cut the piano!!
Don't get a GC seris. I think the 'GC' stands for Gonna Croak.
honda
period.
period.
Frans
ArboristSite Operative
Bobcat-Sensation
Sproket,
Does your bobcat have a 1/2" forged aluminum deck?
Is it painted green?
If it is, this mower was originally made by 'Sensation' and was later bought out by bobcat.
Mine is the original and comes with a 5 horse Briggs and Stratton IC (industrial/commercial) engine.
This mower is indeed one of the best and in the trades was nicknamed the 'tank'. Upgrade the wheels every 5 years or so with zerk fitting greasable wheels and mow until you are sick of mowing.
Some guys cut out the front of the deck and use this mower as a high weed mower because the deck is so strong. The drawback is the bagging system, Does your have the side bag or is the bag located between the handle bars?
The high weed mower customization is great because you dont use the bagging attachment.
If you can mate a Honda engine to the deck by all means go ahead and use this engine you wont regret it but the Briggs and Stratton 5 horse IC is a great engine for this application as well. Mine has run without a skip for over 15 years.
BUT like mentioned by many others already-
Maintenance is essential... You just might be overebuilding this mower with a more expensive engine
Frans
Sproket,
Does your bobcat have a 1/2" forged aluminum deck?
Is it painted green?
If it is, this mower was originally made by 'Sensation' and was later bought out by bobcat.
Mine is the original and comes with a 5 horse Briggs and Stratton IC (industrial/commercial) engine.
This mower is indeed one of the best and in the trades was nicknamed the 'tank'. Upgrade the wheels every 5 years or so with zerk fitting greasable wheels and mow until you are sick of mowing.
Some guys cut out the front of the deck and use this mower as a high weed mower because the deck is so strong. The drawback is the bagging system, Does your have the side bag or is the bag located between the handle bars?
The high weed mower customization is great because you dont use the bagging attachment.
If you can mate a Honda engine to the deck by all means go ahead and use this engine you wont regret it but the Briggs and Stratton 5 horse IC is a great engine for this application as well. Mine has run without a skip for over 15 years.
BUT like mentioned by many others already-
Maintenance is essential... You just might be overebuilding this mower with a more expensive engine
Frans
max2cam
ArboristSite Guru
Here's a red & white Honda engine (4 hp) problem that if somebody can solve for me I'd be very grateful. It runs a 12 volt alternator to charge a battery bank in the winter time. It is outside but well-protected from the elements.
Normally it runs great.
BUT: When the temperature drops below freezing, it often will ROAR when it starts up as if the throttle were wide open. However, the throttle is at its normal medium run position and nowhere near that roaring max and a setting where in milder temps it starts up perfectly.
The funny part is that I don't touch the throttle at all. The only controls I touch are the choke and ignition switch and it wasn't roaring when I shut it off.
The only variable is the ambient temperature.
When it roars like that I stand there and choke it some to slow it down for a couple minutes then shut it off and wait. Then after a while something must thaw out from the heat and it starts up normally. I have tried applying an external heat source to the engine but that didn't work.
I've tried running it out of gas and idling it way down before shutting it off by turning up the alternator load, but the thing still ROARS on take off. Like I said, this only happens during below freezing weather. And if my memory is correct (it often isn't), the colder it gets the more predictable this problem becomes.
Hmmm. Sitting here typing, I'm not sure if I ever tried closing the throttle before shutting it off. Don't recall. That would be something to try too. I don't normally shut down the throttle because I don't want to lose my medium throttle setting and because of it possibly being frozen by low temps. Yes, I think that is why I don't move it. Too cold and it will stick.
I'm hope somebody here can explain this problem so even I understand it....
www.atthecreation.com
Normally it runs great.
BUT: When the temperature drops below freezing, it often will ROAR when it starts up as if the throttle were wide open. However, the throttle is at its normal medium run position and nowhere near that roaring max and a setting where in milder temps it starts up perfectly.
The funny part is that I don't touch the throttle at all. The only controls I touch are the choke and ignition switch and it wasn't roaring when I shut it off.
The only variable is the ambient temperature.
When it roars like that I stand there and choke it some to slow it down for a couple minutes then shut it off and wait. Then after a while something must thaw out from the heat and it starts up normally. I have tried applying an external heat source to the engine but that didn't work.
I've tried running it out of gas and idling it way down before shutting it off by turning up the alternator load, but the thing still ROARS on take off. Like I said, this only happens during below freezing weather. And if my memory is correct (it often isn't), the colder it gets the more predictable this problem becomes.
Hmmm. Sitting here typing, I'm not sure if I ever tried closing the throttle before shutting it off. Don't recall. That would be something to try too. I don't normally shut down the throttle because I don't want to lose my medium throttle setting and because of it possibly being frozen by low temps. Yes, I think that is why I don't move it. Too cold and it will stick.
I'm hope somebody here can explain this problem so even I understand it....
www.atthecreation.com
