Subaru Powered Generators

[Rock_Hudstone]

I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days

 

[gd9704]

Subaru makes quality stuff. Be not afraid.

 

[Panzerman]

Subaru generator engines are made by Fuji, who also makes Polaris engines in their atv and snowmobiles. I have both generators and the Subaru engine is far superior to the Briggs Stratton. I also have a big Honda generator and I would prefer the Briggs over it.

 

[tig1]

I have a Powermate(5KW) with the Subaru engine. It doecn't have many hours on it but it does run very well.

 

[NHGUY]

Subaru engines go way back.They used to be called Fuji and before that Xenoah.You may recognize those names from vintage 1970s snowmobiles,small Indian Dirt bikes,and the design was what Hodaka licenced their "Road Toad"...etc cycle engines from.Frankly I prefer Briggs engines thanks to their ease of parts availability and people who know how to work on them.However,I doubt a Subaru engine would be "bad" either.

 

[chad8]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days


Coleman powermate are Garbage. They are 50 hour generators. Briggs and Stratton should stick to lawn mowers. That is their forte. I have fixed enough of the generators. Lots of small stuff goes wrong. Then when u need it, they FAIL>
Do yourself a favor . Get a honda based generator. Even a used one.
Robin-Subaru are good engines , just not in a generator application. Sitting for long periods and then running at high rpm's is tough duty for any motor .
look on any construction site. you will see all big red honda's.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days


Coleman powermate are Garbage. They are 50 hour generators. Briggs and Stratton should stick to lawn mowers. That is their forte. I have fixed enough of the generators. Lots of small stuff goes wrong. Then when u need it, they FAIL>
Do yourself a favor . Get a honda based generator. Even a used one.
Robin-Subaru are good engines , just not in a generator application. Sitting for long periods and then running at high rpm's is tough duty for any motor .
look on any construction site. you will see all big red honda's.


Your info is differant than what I have read and heard from many others. I heard nothing but praise on the Suby engine. As good or better than a Honda.

 

[oggb]

We have a Subaru-powered confined space blower at work. For some unknown reason it overheated and seized. We managed to free it by taking the blower shroud off and working the fan back and forth. It runs fine now.

Still never really figured out what happened to it.

 

[RF Overlord]

I have a Subaru-Robin 4300W inverter generator and I love it. It's quiet and the variable-speed throttle in ECO mode reacts quickly to changing loads.

You can DL the complete service and parts manuals from their web site for free. There are also numerous short tutorials on their engine features that explain all the goodies, like the OHC using a chain drive instead of a belt, cast iron cylinder liners in the aluminium block, etc.

Did the first oil change at 7.5 hours and there was no glitter or anything in the oil...it looked brand new.

*DISCLAIMER* No, I don't work for or sell Subarus and neither do any of my friends or relatives.

 

[BobsArmory]

I have used a lot of different generators when I was in the Bridge building industry. All the quality name brands seemed to work very well regardless of what engine they had in it. My guess is that you will only run it for a couple hours each year so maintenance will be the biggest issue (like keeping fresh gas in it).

To me the main selling points would be noise levels and purchase price.

 

[bigjl]

Originally Posted By: Panzerman
Subaru generator engines are made by Fuji, who also makes Polaris engines in their atv and snowmobiles. I have both generators and the Subaru engine is far superior to the Briggs Stratton. I also have a big Honda generator and I would prefer the Briggs over it.



I was always led to believe that Subaru was part of Fuji Heavy Industries.

I would certainly expect a Subaru engineered generator to be of good quality.

Briggs and Stratton are also a well know maker of good reputation.


I don't think there is really a wrong decision here.

I would buy on price and availability.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I have a little Subaru Robin 10 hp OHC single on my portable generator and it has been a nice little engine for 6 years now.

Very fuel efficient for the HP.

And I agree that most major models will be so similar you may as well get the deal.

 

[Donald]

I would certainly prefer a Generator with a Subaru engine over one made by MTD.

 

[chefwong]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days


Coleman powermate are Garbage. They are 50 hour generators. Briggs and Stratton should stick to lawn mowers. That is their forte. I have fixed enough of the generators. Lots of small stuff goes wrong. Then when u need it, they FAIL>
Do yourself a favor . Get a honda based generator. Even a used one.
Robin-Subaru are good engines , just not in a generator application. Sitting for long periods and then running at high rpm's is tough duty for any motor .
look on any construction site. you will see all big red honda's.


Hey Chad -

In my research when I looked at the Subies, I did like the RR engines for a snowblower. They had a higher torque curve, even over the red engines.

On the gensets, Mind Sharing what you normally see as Broken Items on a generator ? Aside from dirty carbs, bad plugs, improper storage, AND or on the Inverter Series, the board goes out, I'm curious to know in the ~real world life scenario~, what goes bad on Gensets.

I have a large Guardian in my other place of residence. Just added 2 EU2K for my primary. I am looking at the contractor grades to add as well - they all seem to be a dime a dozen....

 

[Fleetmon]

I hope my Coleman generator doesn't read that it is gargage....mine is 32 years old and still going including 9 days non-stop (except for re-fueling it every 1-1/2 hours)running during Huuricane Ike...it fed two refrigerators, a sump pump, and several lamps the entire time. Of course, power management was was in place.

My wife's generator is a Sportsman 7500. She got this one because she couldn't start the Coleman. I installed a AGM battery and I run it under load about every 4 months or so. Nice gen and it keeps our house alive.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days


Coleman powermate are Garbage. They are 50 hour generators. Briggs and Stratton should stick to lawn mowers. That is their forte. I have fixed enough of the generators. Lots of small stuff goes wrong. Then when u need it, they FAIL>
Do yourself a favor . Get a honda based generator. Even a used one.
Robin-Subaru are good engines , just not in a generator application. Sitting for long periods and then running at high rpm's is tough duty for any motor .
look on any construction site. you will see all big red honda's.
I've had a Briggs L head Winco since 1986. Probably has 150 hours on it. Still runs fine.

 

[tig1]

As I post this I am test running my gen with the Subaru engine. I run it every 6 months for 1/2 hour with a half load. All is well with it. Started on the 3rd pull.

 

[Cujet]

I have an 11HP Subaru powered generator. It's 12 years old, has well over 1000 hours on it and it's still 100% reliable and in very nice shape.

It built my house, it ran 24/7 for months on end after 3 major hurricanes, and it powered my elderly fathers home for weeks after a hurricane.

I use Mobil 1, 15W-50 and change every 50-100 hours.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

The two generators I'm considering are a Coleman Powermate 5000 watt such as this:

http://www.homedepot.com/buy/powermate-5...0435005.01.html

The other is an older, but very clean Generac 5500XL with an 11 HP OHVI engine, full pressure lube, spin-on oil filter etc, made back when Generac was all U.S.A. made and built like tanks.

The Coleman is in my area, a little less money and appears smaller, more portable, probably quieter and better on fuel as well. The Generac is a long drive for me and much larger but would probably run for years. Don't want to go too crazy about this because my neighborhood never lost power until Sandy.

Nevertheless, that was something I don't care to go through again. One of the worse sounds in the world is listening to the neighbors generator humming along while you're sitting there freezing.

 

[Panzerman]

Originally Posted By: chad8
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
I'm going back and forth between Briggs & Stratton and Subaru powered generators.

Any thoughts and opinions on the durabilty/performance of the Subaru engines. I assume they are foreign made and naturally don't have the long track record and parts/service network of Briggs.

However, they seem to be powering some of better generators like Coleman Powermate these days


Coleman powermate are Garbage. They are 50 hour generators. Briggs and Stratton should stick to lawn mowers. That is their forte. I have fixed enough of the generators. Lots of small stuff goes wrong. Then when u need it, they FAIL>
Do yourself a favor . Get a honda based generator. Even a used one.
Robin-Subaru are good engines , just not in a generator application. Sitting for long periods and then running at high rpm's is tough duty for any motor .
look on any construction site. you will see all big red honda's.
Seriously, I own a big commercial Honda generator and I think its way over rated. I think alot of people are falling for the honda name. A generator has a easy life, you start it, it runs at a constant speed. Its the sudden thrusts and stalls, that cause wear in engines. I would think a generator engine would run forever, if storedproperly.