[akadave]

I know every small engine manufacturer makes homeowner models and commercial, or at least what they like to call commercial, grade engines. Let's say we're comparing similar engine lines in the various makes. I always try to get the higher level engines because they are usually more trouble free and long lived.

Which brands do you prefer and which do you avoid?

I like Honda best, Kawasaki on my ZT has been great, Kohler is my choice next and Briggs I actually try to avoid but there are a few on my property.

 

[TyBoo]

Honda. Hands down. The others might be just as good, but the 20 year old generator and the 25 year old rototiller and the 30 year old pressure washer I have tell me to choose Honda every time when they start right up.

Those are the only four stroke gas small engines I have left since I got a battery push lawnmower. I have cleaned the carb on the tiller a couple time and the pressure washer carb once but those were only because I forgot to shut the fuel off and run them dry before putting away.

 

[robwheeler]

X2

rob

 

[Rule292]

Was at my local hardware store/ag dealer last night and he had a Brave Products 37 ton log splitter out front, Honda GX270 powered.

Looked like that company knows engines...and my dealer stocks the full line of Honda engines and generators.

 

[Kbar]

Hard to beat Honda. They are expensive but a one time purchase for sure.

 

[Treefarmer]

The only Honda I've ever had was a motorcycle- years ago. That was a tough bike, not as much power as some but no complaints on durability, starting etc. So no experience with Honda small engines but they have a great rep.

I have had several Kohler engines and they've all been good. They are also rebuildable but generally you can get a lot of hours before needing rebuilding. The older Briggs are very tough engines as well. I've had several that were used and abused before I got them and they just keep on running, although a carb rebuild is needed on one. Goodness only knows how many hours are on that engine or even what decade it was made but it's still running.

Tecumseh didn't used to impress me but perhaps they are better now. Clinton used to make a good engine but I think they are gone, even for parts.

 

[JDGreen-n-Yellow]

...Tecumseh didn't used to impress me but perhaps they are better now. ........

Tecumseh hasn't made engines now for over a decade. I'm surprised they got out of the market because, when I was shopping for a walk behind snowblower for my dad, almost everything I looked at used their Snow King engine.

I'd rate engines:
Honda (I have one of their snowblowers that's going on 30 years - still fires up on the first try, on regular fuel, with no special care other than draining the gas after each season.)
Kawasaki (although the jury is still out. My kids will have to let you know in 20-30 years).

I'll never own another B&S or Kohler regardless of them being labeled 'commercial' models - in fact it's one of the reasons why I went with Deere and the x7. As for Tecumseh, dad's snowblower was a bit of a hard starter at the beginning of every season, but it had a plug-in 120v cord for the starter that seemed to wake it up pretty quick vs pulling the starter rope. Once it fired up it also started 1st pull all season long. Replaced the carb on a friends Snow King (20+ year old) with a cheap Chineseum carb off of ebay a few years back, that one has been running fine too. As they say, YMMV.

 

[MTB98]

Kawasaki engines have always worked really well for me. Pretty much any small engine with some regular maintenance seems to be ok in my experience.

 

[Rule292]

Tecumseh hasn't made engines now for over a decade. I'm surprised they got out of the market because, when I was shopping for a walk behind snowblower for my dad, almost everything I looked at used their Snow King engine.

I'd rate engines:
Honda (I have one of their snowblowers that's going on 30 years - still fires up on the first try, on regular fuel, with no special care other than draining the gas after each season.)
Kawasaki (although the jury is still out. My kids will have to let you know in 20-30 years).

I'll never own another B&S or Kohler regardless of them being labeled 'commercial' models - in fact it's one of the reasons why I went with Deere and the x7. As for Tecumseh, dad's snowblower was a bit of a hard starter at the beginning of every season, but it had a plug-in 120v cord for the starter that seemed to wake it up pretty quick vs pulling the starter rope. Once it fired up it also started 1st pull all season long. Replaced the carb on a friends Snow King (20+ year old) with a cheap Chineseum carb off of ebay a few years back, that one has been running fine too. As they say, YMMV.

Our Ariens snow blower has an LCT (nee Tecumseh) engine. Never ran right from day one even after a trip to the dealer of which I had to pay for. Only started with electric starter and flooded no matter how diligently I followed the mfrs starting instructions. Replaced the chinesium LCT carb with a new LCT chinesium one and that seemed to cure the problem. Will see in another month or so. I got the Ariens because I like cast iron drive boxes. Rest of the machine is junky and the older LCT chinesium 208cc engine is weak... should have sprung for a Honda.

 

[RadarDon]

My Ariens snowblower with a Tecumseh works fine. I have had 2 Kohler single cylinder engines go bad fairly quickly, but the 2 cylinder ones seem good. All the rest of my herd (Honda, B&S, ??) seem fine so far.

 

[TyBoo]

Although I swear by Honda small engines I have to say that the Kawasaki (I think) in the old LX176 ran great for the 17 years I had it.

 

[Rideau]

From what I see, Japanese engines appear to win in the reliability and longevity areas. I
I have two older B&S Vanguard engines, which were made for B&S in Japan on my small tractors.
These engines have been extremely reliable.
In years gone by I note thaat John Deere offered Kawasaki as an upgrade over B&S engines in some products. My neighbour purchase a zero-turn with the upgrade as it was highly recommended by his dealer.

 

[Treefarmer]

From what I see, Japanese engines appear to win in the reliability and longevity areas. I
I have two older B&S Vanguard engines, which were made for B&S in Japan on my small tractors.
These engines have been extremely reliable.
In years gone by I note thaat John Deere offered Kawasaki as an upgrade over B&S engines in some products. My neighbour purchase a zero-turn with the upgrade as it was highly recommended by his dealer.

You may be right about the reliability of Japanese made vs. American made engines even when they have the same label. If so, that's not a good sign for our country. It's at least part of what caused the Japanese car companies to take over a large market share.

 

[SulleyBear]

Small Engines reliability and overall ownership experiences. My experience and I have probably owned 25 different machines with small engines...........(maybe more, I have over a dozen right now...)

1. Honda. No question a reliable product which has proven itself over and over.......
Tie
1. Yanmar . Since we weren't limited to just gasoline engines, my experience with Yanmar's has been extremely good, with one with 2,600 hours, one with over 650 hours and both have been great engines.

2. Kawasaki. I have run three different Kawasaki engines over 900 hours each and have had no issues. Also, it's getting harder to get a Kawasaki engine on mowers, etc. and many brands are developing their own engine as the demand for Kawasaki power plants far exceeds the supply.

3. Subaru. My Billy Goat commercial blower has a Subaru engine. My friend that owns the dealership for other than Green has sold hundreds of Subaru engines on blowers, splitters, pumps, etc. and he has never had one in for any repairs, just basic service. Subaru stopped making these engines a few years ago, which was unfortunate. In fact, my friend suggested I get some basic service parts ordered and put in the toolbox "just in case" as he is hearing the parts availabilty for these engines is going to be more challenging to get over time, largely because most dealers never stocked most parts for these as they weren't having to make repairs on them.

4. Honda clone's from Harbor Fright - My buddy with the small engine shop has re-powered numerous machines with these replacement engines and he insists that those engines which are direct Honda knock off's have been extremely reliable. However, I dislike the fact that it's really probably patent infringement and direct copying of the product of another company which spent the time and engineering to develop the product into a superior consumer engine.

5. Tecumseh - Now being sold in place of Kawasaki engines on many what I would consider "Premium" brand pieces of equipment, such as ExMark's commercial series machines. The Kawasaki engines are a $500 up-charge over the Tecumseh engines on the Laser Model mowers and it's $500 very well spent in my personal opinion.

6. Briggs. I would avoid buying one if given a choice of another engine. Some of their commercial engines are better than their "consumer engines", but I simply wouldn't invest in an expensive piece of equipment with a Briggs engine unless I had no choice, and I can't imagine that happening.

 

[Rule292]

Small Engines reliability and overall ownership experiences. My experience and I have probably owned 25 different machines with small engines...........(maybe more, I have over a dozen right now...)
...
3. Subaru. My Billy Goat commercial blower has a Subaru engine. My friend that owns the dealership for other than Green has sold hundreds of Subaru engines on blowers, splitters, pumps, etc. and he has never had one in for any repairs, just basic service. Subaru stopped making these engines a few years ago, which was unfortunate. In fact, my friend suggested I get some basic service parts ordered and put in the toolbox "just in case" as he is hearing the parts availabilty for these engines is going to be more challenging to get over time, largely because most dealers never stocked most parts for these as they weren't having to make repairs on them...

Subaru Robin engines were strong, very reliable and fantastic values. Too bad they got out of that market.

 

[Firewood Bandit]

1st our opinions on matters such as this are based on very limited amount of data, that being what has been our own experiences. With that being said I have never liked B & S motors but for 50 years I have never had one catastrophically fail or had major problems other than a diaphragm in a carb.

Of course Honda is excellent, but remember there is a pretty major difference between the GX and GC series. The former being a much better model.

Never liked Tecumseh.

Have had bad experiences with Kohler although they are probably better built than Kawasaki.

Kawasaki have run well but the water cooled ones are much more problematic than the air cooled.

Love Yanmar diesels!

 

[ridesdirt]

If buying new today, push mower or pressure washer I would want a Honda engine, see above about the GX vs GC series. Step up the HP numbers to what a riding mower or ZT requires and Kawasaki is my preference.
If you have "old" engines, they are all good. I have a small generator, probably from the 70s that has a cast iron Briggs motor on it and it still runs fine. At least I am pretty sure it is cast iron... I'll check that this weekend. Point is small engines from the 60s and 70s seemed to last a very long time!

remember Lawn Boy? they had a two stroke motor that was known to last several decades.

edit; I have heard good things about the Predator engines from Harbor Freight, but dont own any, and have the same issues with them as mentioned in a previous post.

 

[JDJake]

I have 11 Deere lawn and garden tractors, oldest is early 70's, youngest is a 86. 9 are all Kohler K series, 1 is a newer Command Pro, and the last is a Onan. If taken care of and proper maintenance is done, most small engines will last a long time.

 

[Seasled]

Subaru Robin engines were strong, very reliable and fantastic values. Too bad they got out of that market.

I believe that big orange (Kubota) bought them from the parent company.

 

[ejb69]

The only small engine a had trouble with was a brigs on a push mower. Connecting rod broke, so I put new one in. Lasted about 2 years and the rod broke again. I replaced the mower at that point. That was about 10 years ago. The “ new” mower has a Kohler engine. Over all it’s been fine, but every now and then I have trouble starting it.