New pressure washer - Honda vs Subaru engine

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volk06

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I'm needing to replace my Generac pressure washer - pump went out, not worth it to replace the pump. I'm looking at two pressure washers with identical specs and the design indicates they are made by the same company. The only difference is the engine and the brand, one is powered by a Honda GCV 160 (great small OPE engine) and a Subaru EA175V. The price difference is $40 more for the Honda engine. Specs are pretty much identical for each engine. I have past experience with the GCV 160 and know its a great engine that lasts a long time with proper care. I'm not familiar with Subaru ope small engines, how are they? Does anyone have any experience with the Subaru engines? They look almost identical in design. I would use at most 10-15 hours a year.

Subaru engine pdf - http://www.subarupower.com/subaru-engines-ea175v-ea190v-owners.pdf
Honda GCV pdf - http://cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/engines/pdf/manuals/00X31Z8B0240.pdf
 
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Why not just throw a new pump on it for $120? Does it have some $400 CAT pump on it or something?


Because it has given me many problems in the past. A new one is not much more when my time is factored into it.
 
I'd go with the Honda powered pressure washer. A good friend and business associate owns two pressure washers, one Honda powered the other Suzuki powered. The Honda has been much more reliable than the Suzuki over the past few years of ownership.

IMO there's a $40 up charge on the machine for a few reasons in this case. The Honda engine costs a bit more, and it's worth a bit more, it's a better engine.
 
Subaru/Robin make great engines. I have an EX30 on my generator, and an EX21 on my pressure washer. The EA175V is also a quality engine with an iron bore. Compared to a GC/GCV Honda it is a step up in quality. EA/EX series share the OHC layout of the Honda GC/GS, but use a timing chain vs a belt.

Only real drawback is dealers. There are fewer Subaru dealers out there vs Honda. Parts cost from what I can tell, runs about the same as a GX series Honda. Knock on wood, the only parts I have had to buy for mine was a foam air filter and a plug for the pressure washer as I use it a lot.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd go with the Honda powered pressure washer. A good friend and business associate owns two pressure washers, one Honda powered the other Suzuki powered. The Honda has been much more reliable than the Suzuki over the past few years of ownership.

IMO there's a $40 up charge on the machine for a few reasons in this case. The Honda engine costs a bit more, and it's worth a bit more, it's a better engine.


Wow......I meant Subaru engine.....sorry. During the spring, summer, and early fall those machines are worked hard. The Honda has been the better engine.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd go with the Honda powered pressure washer. A good friend and business associate owns two pressure washers, one Honda powered the other Suzuki powered. The Honda has been much more reliable than the Suzuki over the past few years of ownership.

IMO there's a $40 up charge on the machine for a few reasons in this case. The Honda engine costs a bit more, and it's worth a bit more, it's a better engine.


Wow......I meant Subaru engine.....sorry. During the spring, summer, and early fall those machines are worked hard. The Honda has been the better engine.


What issues has he has with the subaru engine? or has it been mostly pump issues?

Thanks
 
I have a Simpson 3100psi with the Honda GCV 190. Haven't put it through any MAJOR use but it works great.. Bit loud, but that's expected.
 
Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I'd go with the Honda powered pressure washer. A good friend and business associate owns two pressure washers, one Honda powered the other Suzuki powered. The Honda has been much more reliable than the Suzuki over the past few years of ownership.

IMO there's a $40 up charge on the machine for a few reasons in this case. The Honda engine costs a bit more, and it's worth a bit more, it's a better engine.


Wow......I meant Subaru engine.....sorry. During the spring, summer, and early fall those machines are worked hard. The Honda has been the better engine.


What issues has he has with the subaru engine? or has it been mostly pump issues?

Thanks


The Honda starts easier, and runs better. The Subaru engine is harder to restart when hot. These machines are run hard as I mentioned earlier, and often both machines are on the same job so it's real easy to compare. My buddy heard good things about the Subaru/Robin machine, and the price was right so he tried it. He'll be replacing it with another Honda powered machine, when the time comes. I don't recall any complaints about the pumps yet. The engines will easily outlast the pumps.

I have a Honda powered machine that is over 25 years old if memory serves me correctly. The pump oil has been taking in small amounts of water, I'll either rebuild it or swap it out. The engine has been great, my only issue was a carburetor, once, which is a snap to rebuild or replace.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
I have a Simpson 3100psi with the Honda GCV 190. Haven't put it through any MAJOR use but it works great.. Bit loud, but that's expected.


does yours have the cat pump on it?
 
If a piece of OPE that I need has the choice of a Honda engine, that's the one to buy. I have a GCV-160-powered Sears mower that's 16 years old that I bought new, and is an easy one-pull starter every time, even after a 6-month off-season. Same deal with my Honda generator and snowblower. The Subaru-powered offering may be fine, but a Honda-powered device would always be my first choice. I know that you're not, but I won't consider a Briggs & Stratton-powered anything anymore. I don't sell OPE, and I don't get anything for my endorsement of Honda equipment, but there's no great reason for bothering with anything else.
 
Originally Posted By: lexus114
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
I have a Simpson 3100psi with the Honda GCV 190. Haven't put it through any MAJOR use but it works great.. Bit loud, but that's expected.


does yours have the cat pump on it?


OEM Technologies pump.
 
It's the pump, the pump.

People buy pressure washers based upon engine. The mfg hypes the engine. Few speak of the pump. People do not know pump names.

Go for horz engine with Cat pump and non China engine.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Donald
It's the pump, the pump.

People buy pressure washers based upon engine. The mfg hypes the engine. Few speak of the pump. People do not know pump names.

Go for horz engine with Cat pump and non China engine.


This.

I replace so many pumps every year on pressure washers. People spend $400+ on a pressure washer because it has a Honda engine but the pump lasts a year.
 
FWIW, I vote for the Subaru engine. I did a lot of research when I bought my generator and the Subaru/Robin engine (EX27) seemed very well designed and built, with all the features punisher mentioned above.

Of course, Honda has a great reputation so I don't think you can go wrong with either one.
 
FWIW:
$280 HF pressure washer (3K PSI, 2.5GPM) with China sourced Honda 212cc clone engine and China sourced brass axial pump.
Run the engine with synthetic oil, pump with CAT synthetic pump oil, B&S pump saver afterwards, non-ethanol gas with Sta-bil gas treatment.
Seems to work well enough for my needs but I could see how a higher end unit might last much longer. I use mine maybe 10 hours a year (for the last 5 or 6 years now).

Northern has some good ones and Costco had some good Subaru based units I noticed.
 
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