Harbor Freight engines

[mx5miata]

Was at horror freight today checking out the engines noticed the two larger engines with spin-on oil filters. Got curious and started to spin-off the oil filter thin sweet kind of smelling oil came out.

Factory fill break-in oil or
Filter filled to prevent dry start?

 

[Chris142]

Factory filled oil. After they run them they drain them. They don't mess with the filter though.

 

[mx5miata]

The owner's manual say 5w/10w-30 depending on operating temps. Wonder what factory fill is this was real thin oil almost like a light olive or cooking oil.

 

[JTK]

I'm surprised a display engine had enough oil in it to run out.

 

[853okg]

Wok oil, probably.

 

[mx5miata]

That spin on had plenty of oil to run out.

I been looking into this China has this horrible oil recycling system they collect what it called "gutter oil" all sorts off waste oil

 

[javacontour]

I've had good luck with my HF Greyhound engine purchased 1 Jan 2010.

The mower deck is wearing out. The engine is still going strong.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub...ine#Post1726659

 

[tig1]

You had no business removing an oil filter in the store. Ever hear of sabotage?

 

[mx5miata]

Originally Posted By: tig1
You had no business removing an oil filter in the store. Ever hear of sabotage?


Yes like your comment.. That's why they have units out for display and fingering if they didn't want them touched they would put them in a showcase.

 

[lebrimal]

I use the Predator engine on my Lawnmower, Great buy. Love it.

 

[Eddie]

I thought engine type displays were for looking at but, not people trying to remove or disable. If it didn't have oil in it, some jerk would probably try to pocket it. )

 

[Oildudeny]

Large item to pocket.. does one go to a car showroom to stare or do they pop the hood trunk fold down seats etc.

 

[andyd]

I drained my Predator after 5 hrs of run time. I expected a lot of flash. None that I could see. I suspect Predators are test run long enough to pick up the flash and it is drained off before being boxed. Iv'e had one on my snow blower for 5 yrs and it has been perfectly reliable. If the engine gives me any trouble , I'll just spend another 100 bucks on a new one.

 

[Oildudeny]

They look like stout engines. I'm a Tecumseh fan the newer Briggs a long with other ope engines gone to the no oil change for life. I'm not a fan of this.

 

[javacontour]

I see the "no oil change" campaign as simply advertising what many people were already doing with their OPE engines.

It's not like you are no allowed to change the oil on a new Briggs engine...

Originally Posted By: Oildudeny
They look like stout engines. I'm a Tecumseh fan the newer Briggs a long with other ope engines gone to the no oil change for life. I'm not a fan of this.

 

[funflyer]

Originally Posted By: javacontour
I see the "no oil change" campaign as simply advertising what many people were already doing with their OPE engines.

It's not like you are no allowed to change the oil on a new Briggs engine...

Originally Posted By: Oildudeny
They look like stout engines. I'm a Tecumseh fan the newer Briggs a long with other ope engines gone to the no oil change for life. I'm not a fan of this.



My next door neighbor bought a new Craftsman mower with a B&S engine last year and it's a piece of garbage. Mower has only about 5 hours run time and it wouldn't start last time he wanted to mow. I pulled the plug which was oil fouled, cleaned it and the engine started and ran fine. About 20 minutes into his mowing the engine sounded like it was laboring and running at half throttle so he shut it off. Again the plug was oil fouled. I checked the oil and found it was black with gray muck streaked through it and we all know what that means, aluminum wear. Mower is under warranty for two years but I recommended he just go to HF and buy a Predator engine and throw the Briggs in the trash.

 

[dawgn86]

I bought a pressure washer once from a guy who bought it new like two days prior..couldnt keep it running...come to find out, he didnt put enough oil in the engine and the low oil shutdown was shutting it off.

I ran the daylights out of that Predator engine for 5 years and only got rid of it because of an oil shaft seal was leaking and I couldnt find a replacement.

 

[nascarnation]

Originally Posted By: lebrimal
I use the Predator engine on my Lawnmower, Great buy. Love it.


Got two recent mfg ones on go karts, they are surprisingly good for the 100 dollar price.

I had one puke (dropped exh valve) on a gen set, but it was a 10 year old unit with unknown hours...the rest of the internals looked great when I took it apart.

Chinese quality is all over the map, but I believe HF does some whip cracking on their suppliers to good outcome.

 

[ragtoplvr]

Briggs knows that most OPE engines get maybe 200 hours before something happens. The OPE repairman has to charge at least 50 an hour plus parts to make any sort of hourly wage after covering the cost of the shop and inventory. just a carburetor replacement costs more than the mower is worth. Heck most folks never even sharpen the blade. So they buy a new one. 200 hours is within the life time of syn oil with additions. When you see "consumer grade" that is what it means.

There really is little market for mowers like my old lawnboy anymore. It probably 3000 hours on it, after 40+ years. 5 blades, 2 sets new wheels, new axel bolts, It is going to need parts that are no longer available at some point. But at 62 years old for me now, I am probably only looking at buying one more mower. it owes me nothing.

Rod

 

[andyd]

Lawn Boys have cult following. The guys on here https://www.mytractorforum.com/155-walk-behind-mowers/#registrationstep=2 will keep your LB burbling