Looking to buy a garden tiller and one I am considering has a Briggs & Stratton Motor, I prefer Honda, Kawasaki, etc. What’s your thoughts on the current B&S small engines?
Current Briggs & Stratton small engines any good?
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Frankly, I'm not crazy about them to the point that when I had to replace my lawn tractor three years ago, I overbought the replacement (went from a JD STX 38 (11 horse Kohler) to an X 300 (17 horse Kawasaki) to avoid Briggs. However, depending on your desired pricepoint, there basically isn't much of a choice on some items. Have a Briggs on my power washer that has been problematic (carb). However, I also didn't want to spend big bucks on a power washer, so I put up with it. If you like the tiller and the price is right, go for it. If you have other options, explore those. Briggs is still better than some of the Chinese engines that are popping up though.
I was never a Briggs & Stratton fan. I would go out of my way to buy equipment with Japanese engines despite the additional cost.
A few years ago, I was in the market for a new snow thrower. Unless you bought a Honda or a Yamaha, the only other engines available at the time were Briggs or Tecumseh. I don't mind paying a premium for quality but at more than twice the price, the Honda was not going to happen. I ended up buying a Simplicity with the 305cc Briggs and Stratton Intek Snow engine with the aluminum bore. I've got three seasons on it and maybe 45 hours. It's been a great engine in every aspect. Starts on the first pull, is very powerful for it's rating of 9.5 h.p.
and it's reasonable on fuel. I cannot attest to how long it will last. Only time will tell. However, it appears to be a well built engine and I have a feeling it will hold up just fine with basic maintenance.
A few years ago, I was in the market for a new snow thrower. Unless you bought a Honda or a Yamaha, the only other engines available at the time were Briggs or Tecumseh. I don't mind paying a premium for quality but at more than twice the price, the Honda was not going to happen. I ended up buying a Simplicity with the 305cc Briggs and Stratton Intek Snow engine with the aluminum bore. I've got three seasons on it and maybe 45 hours. It's been a great engine in every aspect. Starts on the first pull, is very powerful for it's rating of 9.5 h.p.
and it's reasonable on fuel. I cannot attest to how long it will last. Only time will tell. However, it appears to be a well built engine and I have a feeling it will hold up just fine with basic maintenance.
The briggs 675 I have that we've had for 2 years I would guess the hours at about 40, 50. No problems thus far with it. I also proved some time ago that it is nearly impossible to physically kill the engine. It may burn oil, and it may spray oil through the shaft seal, but it will still run.
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Yeah, they are.
It seems like they have alot of carb problems. I don't know if its the ethanol, or what. What also bothers me is the camsfat lobes on some models are nylon, and nylon becomes brittle over time. So how long will a motor last would be my concern.
Briggs is a good engine. Reliable, starts easy (if maintained) and will run and run and run. Honda is better IF it's not the bottom of the line 160. Kohler is, at least, slightly better. Kawasaki is better, hands down, than most. Chonda is 1-2 season junk from what I've seen, and I've seen plenty. If the tiller is a quality name (nothing plain Jane), the Briggs on it is probably a high quality ready for years of service. I harvested the organs (carb, etc) from a brand new 5 HP Briggs Quantum that was on a Earthquake somethingorrather, plain Jane tiller. It had run for a few minutes and threw a rod. Makes me believe that Briggs has a factory out there building 1-season stuff too.
Originally Posted By: motorcity
It seems like they have alot of carb problems. I don't know if its the ethanol, or what. What also bothers me is the camsfat lobes on some models are nylon, and nylon becomes brittle over time. So how long will a motor last would be my concern.
I cut open a 1981 model Briggs classic, after abusing the bejeezus out of it with no oil, dirt down intake and water/dirt/sand in the crankcase.... (this was a heavily used mower before I even got it, used all season every year since we moved in) and this is what the cam looked like when I was through with it.
I'd say you don't have to worry about the nylon becoming brittle.
It seems like they have alot of carb problems. I don't know if its the ethanol, or what. What also bothers me is the camsfat lobes on some models are nylon, and nylon becomes brittle over time. So how long will a motor last would be my concern.
I cut open a 1981 model Briggs classic, after abusing the bejeezus out of it with no oil, dirt down intake and water/dirt/sand in the crankcase.... (this was a heavily used mower before I even got it, used all season every year since we moved in) and this is what the cam looked like when I was through with it.
I'd say you don't have to worry about the nylon becoming brittle.
That'll buff right out.
Look at the rest of the tiller build quality too. The tines the thickness of the metal the controls. Tillers take a beating so dont just look at whats powering it.
Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
Briggs is a good engine. Reliable, starts easy (if maintained) and will run and run and run. Honda is better IF it's not the bottom of the line 160. Kohler is, at least, slightly better. Kawasaki is better, hands down, than most. Chonda is 1-2 season junk from what I've seen, and I've seen plenty. If the tiller is a quality name (nothing plain Jane), the Briggs on it is probably a high quality ready for years of service. I harvested the organs (carb, etc) from a brand new 5 HP Briggs Quantum that was on a Earthquake somethingorrather, plain Jane tiller. It had run for a few minutes and threw a rod. Makes me believe that Briggs has a factory out there building 1-season stuff too.
I have to disagree 100% here. I will take a commercial kohler over any other engine any day of the week. I run these small engines every day for work. My father and I own a lawn care business and this is our 25th year doing this. We have had many Kawasaki and have not liked a single one of them. From 12.5hp to 23hp they have all been troubled engines.
1. Always hard to start in the mornings
2. coil issues
3. Fuel issues
4. not lasting nearly as long as our many kohler engines
5. HP to HP they always feel weaker than our kohlers
6. Oil leaks at the sump
I wouldnt touch a briggs unless it is the commercial vanguard. Those really are not to bad. Honda engines are gutless.
We had a 18hp kohler magnum on a gravely pro-50 walkbehind that had 3200 hours on it when we sold it and it still ran ok and the engine was NOT well taken care of (can we say 3 maybe 4 oil changes in that time?). Down on power slightly but ran good. We have 2500 hours on our 18hp kohler command pro on our lazer z.
Briggs is a good engine. Reliable, starts easy (if maintained) and will run and run and run. Honda is better IF it's not the bottom of the line 160. Kohler is, at least, slightly better. Kawasaki is better, hands down, than most. Chonda is 1-2 season junk from what I've seen, and I've seen plenty. If the tiller is a quality name (nothing plain Jane), the Briggs on it is probably a high quality ready for years of service. I harvested the organs (carb, etc) from a brand new 5 HP Briggs Quantum that was on a Earthquake somethingorrather, plain Jane tiller. It had run for a few minutes and threw a rod. Makes me believe that Briggs has a factory out there building 1-season stuff too.
I have to disagree 100% here. I will take a commercial kohler over any other engine any day of the week. I run these small engines every day for work. My father and I own a lawn care business and this is our 25th year doing this. We have had many Kawasaki and have not liked a single one of them. From 12.5hp to 23hp they have all been troubled engines.
1. Always hard to start in the mornings
2. coil issues
3. Fuel issues
4. not lasting nearly as long as our many kohler engines
5. HP to HP they always feel weaker than our kohlers
6. Oil leaks at the sump
I wouldnt touch a briggs unless it is the commercial vanguard. Those really are not to bad. Honda engines are gutless.
We had a 18hp kohler magnum on a gravely pro-50 walkbehind that had 3200 hours on it when we sold it and it still ran ok and the engine was NOT well taken care of (can we say 3 maybe 4 oil changes in that time?). Down on power slightly but ran good. We have 2500 hours on our 18hp kohler command pro on our lazer z.
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Originally Posted By: yeehaw1960
Briggs is a good engine. Reliable, starts easy (if maintained) and will run and run and run. Honda is better IF it's not the bottom of the line 160. Kohler is, at least, slightly better. Kawasaki is better, hands down, than most. Chonda is 1-2 season junk from what I've seen, and I've seen plenty. If the tiller is a quality name (nothing plain Jane), the Briggs on it is probably a high quality ready for years of service. I harvested the organs (carb, etc) from a brand new 5 HP Briggs Quantum that was on a Earthquake somethingorrather, plain Jane tiller. It had run for a few minutes and threw a rod. Makes me believe that Briggs has a factory out there building 1-season stuff too.
Got to disagree with you on your comment about the Honda GCV 160 engine not being as good as a Briggs and Stratton. This engine is smoother snd quieter than a B&S, seems to burn less fuel and less oil.
I have one of those Honda 160's on my lawnmower, purchased in 2000. I have an hour meter on it, and it has about 530 hours on it right now. It has never been down more that a sixteenth of an inch on the dipstick in a one year, 55 to 65 hour OCI. Oil also looks good at the end of one year, but I always change it. All of my other OPE, which have B&S , use a small quantity of oil every time they are used.
What I would like to know is: What is the usual failure mode of these Honda 160's?
I would like to have one more mower before I get too old to mow, but I can't justify buying another before this engine wears out. I want to get one with rear wheel drive, as my present mower has front wheel drive and wears out the front wheel tires much too quickly. I'm getting ready to replace my fronts again; they seem to last about 5 years or 250 hours until the tread is worn smooth.
Briggs is a good engine. Reliable, starts easy (if maintained) and will run and run and run. Honda is better IF it's not the bottom of the line 160. Kohler is, at least, slightly better. Kawasaki is better, hands down, than most. Chonda is 1-2 season junk from what I've seen, and I've seen plenty. If the tiller is a quality name (nothing plain Jane), the Briggs on it is probably a high quality ready for years of service. I harvested the organs (carb, etc) from a brand new 5 HP Briggs Quantum that was on a Earthquake somethingorrather, plain Jane tiller. It had run for a few minutes and threw a rod. Makes me believe that Briggs has a factory out there building 1-season stuff too.
Got to disagree with you on your comment about the Honda GCV 160 engine not being as good as a Briggs and Stratton. This engine is smoother snd quieter than a B&S, seems to burn less fuel and less oil.
I have one of those Honda 160's on my lawnmower, purchased in 2000. I have an hour meter on it, and it has about 530 hours on it right now. It has never been down more that a sixteenth of an inch on the dipstick in a one year, 55 to 65 hour OCI. Oil also looks good at the end of one year, but I always change it. All of my other OPE, which have B&S , use a small quantity of oil every time they are used.
What I would like to know is: What is the usual failure mode of these Honda 160's?
I would like to have one more mower before I get too old to mow, but I can't justify buying another before this engine wears out. I want to get one with rear wheel drive, as my present mower has front wheel drive and wears out the front wheel tires much too quickly. I'm getting ready to replace my fronts again; they seem to last about 5 years or 250 hours until the tread is worn smooth.
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I used to be a staunch supporter of everything Honda, but the 160 just doesn't live up to the Honda name as one would expect. I'm speaking as someone who works on 20 - 30 of them a year. Now, when you consider they make thousands, that's kind of a small number, but I'm talking 3 out of 10 (unheard of odds for a Honda) don't run smoothly no matter what I do with them. I remember the first Honda I ever worked with. The mower was on it's side for 45 minutes while I replaced a hard to reach cable. I flipped it over (it was 40 degrees outside), pulled the cord once and it fired right up. The 160 just doesn't stack up even to the next up in the Honda food chain. I have to admit I haven't worked on a Kawasaki for a couple Summers since I started shying away from working on commercial equipment (except for that of a few friends). They could have raised a little on the sh*t meter too. I like Kohler and have to admit that I mostly, these days, see them to get the oil changed, the fuel system evacuated and for general cleanup after the end of the season. My opinion of them could be because I've seen so many worn out ones. Ah...another year really gets started tomorrow. Lots of mowers, lots of work. Plenty of scantily clad (middle-aged--my speed)ladies dropping them off!
"Plenty of scantily clad (middle-aged--my speed)ladies dropping them off!"
Is there a chance that scantily clad is because there isn't enough material to get around it all? Or do they slip into a negligee to deliver the ....goods?
Yeah.... I'm just jealous.
The closest I get to see scantily clad is if the wife get's a soaker and takes her shoe and sock off.....
Is there a chance that scantily clad is because there isn't enough material to get around it all? Or do they slip into a negligee to deliver the ....goods?
Yeah.... I'm just jealous.
The closest I get to see scantily clad is if the wife get's a soaker and takes her shoe and sock off.....
I agree with you. I have a low opinion of the Honda residential 160 engines. Smokey start ups, hard starting when cold, carburetor clogs up and has to be cleaned, carburetor falls off when you take the air cleaner off. I don't like timing belts. Honda doesn't make their parts and manuals as readily available as Briggs. Hondas are overpriced. The Honda does use less gas and is a tad quiter and smoother running (when the carburetor is clean and adjusted), but I don't care about that. I prefer Briggs.
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