which is better who really knows? I think well maintained both will last a long time. I remember when i was young we a had a old push mower with a lawson engine if i remember correctly.On one nice sunday afternoon dads cutting the grass and he runs out of gas before finishing,of course there is no gas left in the jerry can so he fills it up with kerosene. Believe it or not the mower started and ran, but, not well, it smoked, coughed, sputtered ran like [censored] but he finished cutting the grass. Years later when the mower was on its last legs we jammed the governor wide open filled it with gas and started it. This little engine was just screaming we guessed it would run a few minutes before blowing up. Well it ran for over twenty minutes before the rod finally let go.
Briggs & Stratton better than Honda
- Thread starter kargo27
- Start date
- Status
No, what you were supposed to do was put that mower out at the curb for the trash pick-up, and then someone like my dad would come along and give that mower a second life..Lol, I can't tell you how many times we did that in our neighborhood growing up. Then we would be out cutting grass and the former owners would drive by and take a second look at our "new" mower. Sometimes it would need the deck reinforced, but I remember one that just needed a spark plug.
Everything I know about engines started when I was a little kid with a briggs and stratton 3.5 flathead, so there is some sentimental value towards them. I must have totally rebuilt 10+ flathead engines as a kid for mini-bikes and go karts. The lawnmower I currently use is a snapper with a 3.5hp briggs flat head engine. Oil gets changed every year, every couple months the deck gets the heavy stuff scraped off, and wiped down with a little bit of old motor oil. This mower is 20 years old. About 3 years ago It was a bit hard to start and running funny. A new carb for 30$ fixed it, I didnt even bother taking it apart. Talk about getting your moneys worth out of a product.
Undeniably, Honda GX series engines are excellent. What I do not like about them is the fact that OEM replacement parts are extremely expensive. Briggs makes a good OHV engine as well that is a better VALUE than the honda GX series are. What I like about Briggs engines is that they manufacture engines for every price point.
On a side note, there is a Briggs and Stratton valve train engineer who rebuilds Yamaha KT100 2 cycle kart racing engines that happen to be THE fastest engines around. Difficult to get a hold of, only select people get them, but I know they have at lease one engineer who knows his Stuff
Jim
Undeniably, Honda GX series engines are excellent. What I do not like about them is the fact that OEM replacement parts are extremely expensive. Briggs makes a good OHV engine as well that is a better VALUE than the honda GX series are. What I like about Briggs engines is that they manufacture engines for every price point.
On a side note, there is a Briggs and Stratton valve train engineer who rebuilds Yamaha KT100 2 cycle kart racing engines that happen to be THE fastest engines around. Difficult to get a hold of, only select people get them, but I know they have at lease one engineer who knows his Stuff
Jim
I have both a Briggs (lawnmower) and a Honda snow blower.
I have pounded the Briggs for 7 years on our large-ish lawn, and have not had a single issue with it. I mow our lawn about every 5-7 days from late April through September or October.
It always starts on the first or second pull. I maintain it reasonably: annual oil change with M1, clean or replace the plug, and place a new filter.
Until last year, I never drained the tank or added any preservative prior to winter storage...and never had a single issue.
I think this is freaking amazing, as I paid about $200 for the mower.
On the other hand, the Honda ran great for the first year (one winter). It had less than 10 hours on it. I maintained it meticulously, following the service instructions to the letter.
Halfway into the second year, it began to run a bit ragged, as if it was having a fuel problem.
There is some occasional popping, and it vibrates much more than before. It still starts easily.
It has the GX160 engine, which is well-regarded.
I checked everything I could think of such as spark and fuel delivery. I tried different fuel, and later, Seafoam. Still runs a bit rough. I hope the carb simply has a piece of junk in it, but is sounds somewhat like a valve issue.
Unfortunately, I will have to take it into the shop.
Being an ex-master mechanic, this annoys me to no end.
The term "finicky" comes to mind. I know the engine is tuned to meet California emission standards, which means it is probably running on the ragged edge of stability in an effort to save a few molecules of CO2.
The Briggs is simply a work horse, and dead-reliable. I don't dislike the Honda, but my experience has left an unfavorable impression.
As a side note, my mom-in-law, grandma and two cousins have mowers with Tecemseh engines.
All of them have had repeated carb varnish issues, requiring disassembly and cleaning. They probably were not maintained as well as recommended, but compared to my Briggs, they are relatively unreliable.
This is just my personal experience...your mileage may vary!
I have pounded the Briggs for 7 years on our large-ish lawn, and have not had a single issue with it. I mow our lawn about every 5-7 days from late April through September or October.
It always starts on the first or second pull. I maintain it reasonably: annual oil change with M1, clean or replace the plug, and place a new filter.
Until last year, I never drained the tank or added any preservative prior to winter storage...and never had a single issue.
I think this is freaking amazing, as I paid about $200 for the mower.
On the other hand, the Honda ran great for the first year (one winter). It had less than 10 hours on it. I maintained it meticulously, following the service instructions to the letter.
Halfway into the second year, it began to run a bit ragged, as if it was having a fuel problem.
There is some occasional popping, and it vibrates much more than before. It still starts easily.
It has the GX160 engine, which is well-regarded.
I checked everything I could think of such as spark and fuel delivery. I tried different fuel, and later, Seafoam. Still runs a bit rough. I hope the carb simply has a piece of junk in it, but is sounds somewhat like a valve issue.
Unfortunately, I will have to take it into the shop.
Being an ex-master mechanic, this annoys me to no end.
The term "finicky" comes to mind. I know the engine is tuned to meet California emission standards, which means it is probably running on the ragged edge of stability in an effort to save a few molecules of CO2.
The Briggs is simply a work horse, and dead-reliable. I don't dislike the Honda, but my experience has left an unfavorable impression.
As a side note, my mom-in-law, grandma and two cousins have mowers with Tecemseh engines.
All of them have had repeated carb varnish issues, requiring disassembly and cleaning. They probably were not maintained as well as recommended, but compared to my Briggs, they are relatively unreliable.
This is just my personal experience...your mileage may vary!
I have had 0 issues with my Tecumseh Sno-King 5.5HP. And I beat the living snot out of it. I snow blow drifts that are 3-4 feet high and subject it to things it really isn't made for. Of course I religiously use Stabil in the fuel and use Amsoil 5w-30 in it.
The B&S, Honda, and Tecumseh's are stout little engines if people merely change the spark plug and oil on them, and run fuel stabilizer when it sits. A lot of the problems with small engines could be traced back to not how it was used, but rather, how it was stored during downtimes.
The B&S, Honda, and Tecumseh's are stout little engines if people merely change the spark plug and oil on them, and run fuel stabilizer when it sits. A lot of the problems with small engines could be traced back to not how it was used, but rather, how it was stored during downtimes.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Saturn_Fan
... problems with small engines could be traced back to not how it was used, but rather, how it was stored during downtimes.
Absolutely. You really can't beat the khrap out of a stock OPE engine seeing as they are all RPM governed to run at a nice comfy speed. Maybe if you bogged one down for hours with the cooling fins plugged with debris, that's about it. Storage and very basic maintenance is all that is needed to make them all last.
Joel
... problems with small engines could be traced back to not how it was used, but rather, how it was stored during downtimes.
Absolutely. You really can't beat the khrap out of a stock OPE engine seeing as they are all RPM governed to run at a nice comfy speed. Maybe if you bogged one down for hours with the cooling fins plugged with debris, that's about it. Storage and very basic maintenance is all that is needed to make them all last.
Joel
Re: Briggs & Stratton better than Honda
After all these years yes...still better.
When Honda's OPE engines survive for multiple decades on the original oil, and air filtration (read this as no maintenance) then equality will be found.
After all these years yes...still better.
When Honda's OPE engines survive for multiple decades on the original oil, and air filtration (read this as no maintenance) then equality will be found.
A weak ignition 'coil' will cause any engine to start hard.Manufacturing tolerences can cause a large variation in output of the same ignition coil model.Check the coil output with the spark plug removed from engine with body of the plug 'grounded' to the engne head.You should see a blue or white spark (good energy),a yellow spark is low energy.Replace coil if spark is yellow.
BACK FROM THE DEAD!!!
What is it with all the new posts resurrecting old threads lately? That's just bad form.
Last edited by a moderator:
Ah, he's just new... Give the guy a break. It is bad form, though.
i have owned 3 honda engines-- 2 gc and 1 gx series. all of them are quiet, efficient, consume no oil, take a beating. 2-pull start, unless they've been sitting, then 4. i have owned 2 brigs. 1 self-destructed in under 50 hours, the other was a solid performer, started easily, was easy on oil, but consumed 3x the fuel of the hondas.
homepower mag did an article on homebrew gensets for off-grid battery-bank charging years ago. 2200 rpm for 20+ hour runs, likely partially lugging maybe for max fuel economy, so it's a tough comparo, not exactly normal use. average lifespans in this use... and do consider that these are engines they've probably scavenged from somewhere...
several b/s engines-- 500 hours
several tecumseh-- 700 hours
they then found a flathead honda, 2000+ hrs no hiccups and still going.
Robyn-Subaru-- owned one, really liked it... ex won't give it back. :-(
M
homepower mag did an article on homebrew gensets for off-grid battery-bank charging years ago. 2200 rpm for 20+ hour runs, likely partially lugging maybe for max fuel economy, so it's a tough comparo, not exactly normal use. average lifespans in this use... and do consider that these are engines they've probably scavenged from somewhere...
several b/s engines-- 500 hours
several tecumseh-- 700 hours
they then found a flathead honda, 2000+ hrs no hiccups and still going.
Robyn-Subaru-- owned one, really liked it... ex won't give it back. :-(
M
Originally Posted By: greenaccord02
Ah, he's just new... Give the guy a break. It is bad form, though.
If the new post adds something to the thread I'd rather see the update then a new thread.
Keeps the info in the same place for the next person looking for that info.
That is a good thing in my book.
Ah, he's just new... Give the guy a break. It is bad form, though.
If the new post adds something to the thread I'd rather see the update then a new thread.
Keeps the info in the same place for the next person looking for that info.
That is a good thing in my book.
+1. Unless the question was answered already in the thread, I didnt think there was a time limit on when a posting is considered 'old' or unpostable.
Originally Posted By: kargo27
I found this interesting.
About 2 years ago I visited a small engine repair shop to ask about something.
The owner, a retired inventor of sorts was available to shoot the bull for a while.
I asked him if he liked Honda small engines b/c they ran so well, had an OHV and of course, they were "Honda".
He said that he could break down a Briggs engine in about 15 minutes and do a rebuild in about 45.
With a Honda it was a 3 hr job.
He then said that the Briggs engines are cheaper, have been around for a long time have a steady parts supply and are simpler to work on. Why would you want to buy a complicated, expensive to repair engine when you could get a Briggs & Stratton that does the same job cheaper?
After that conversation I had a newfound respect for the old workhorse (the Briggs engine, not the retired shop owner).
I don't think I'll ever buy anything but Briggs & Stratton powered equipment if I can help it...unless their quality goes downhill of course.
Karl
I contend that the quality has never been uphill if you compare it to Honda.
I found this interesting.
About 2 years ago I visited a small engine repair shop to ask about something.
The owner, a retired inventor of sorts was available to shoot the bull for a while.
I asked him if he liked Honda small engines b/c they ran so well, had an OHV and of course, they were "Honda".
He said that he could break down a Briggs engine in about 15 minutes and do a rebuild in about 45.
With a Honda it was a 3 hr job.
He then said that the Briggs engines are cheaper, have been around for a long time have a steady parts supply and are simpler to work on. Why would you want to buy a complicated, expensive to repair engine when you could get a Briggs & Stratton that does the same job cheaper?
After that conversation I had a newfound respect for the old workhorse (the Briggs engine, not the retired shop owner).
I don't think I'll ever buy anything but Briggs & Stratton powered equipment if I can help it...unless their quality goes downhill of course.
Karl
I contend that the quality has never been uphill if you compare it to Honda.
I have just read through this old thread, and saw about 5 of my old posts from 2007. I wrote of how well my consumer grade Honda GCV 160 was doing on my Craftsman lawnmower, purchased in 2000. Well, that lawnmower is now doing very well in 2010, still burning no oil in a one year OCI. It is on its third set of front (drive) wheels, and is still starting well. It is probably in better shape than me. I will be 74 very shortly, have arthritic shoulders, and it usually takes me 2 pulls to start it now.
It has now exceeded 560 hours, and I would really like for it to wear out so I would be justified in purchasing a new mower to get one with rear wheel drive. That's one thing on my "bucket list". I may also e looking for one with electric start, and if it lasts too much longer, I may be looking for a small riding mower.
It has now exceeded 560 hours, and I would really like for it to wear out so I would be justified in purchasing a new mower to get one with rear wheel drive. That's one thing on my "bucket list". I may also e looking for one with electric start, and if it lasts too much longer, I may be looking for a small riding mower.
we currently own 3 hondas 2 gx and 1 gc and they are all flawless, they start in 1-2 pulls, are easy on fuel and use no oil. we have only had 1 briggs i know of and although it started easily we never could get it to run right(carb problems)so we sold the tiller. nothing against briggs i just dont think they stack up to a honda
I for one am a big fan of the newer ohv engines. I have several old L head motors (both Briggs and Tecumseh) and while they run pretty good and are hard to kill, they are loud and thirsty.
I have a Generac-branded 6.5hp OHV Briggs and a Honda GX340. Both start easy on one pull (my 4 year old can start the Honda!), and they're smooth and quiet and efficient.
I have a Generac-branded 6.5hp OHV Briggs and a Honda GX340. Both start easy on one pull (my 4 year old can start the Honda!), and they're smooth and quiet and efficient.
Originally Posted By: SecondMonkey
Are you really that dense? Any Briggs engine rated X HP is exactly the same power as any Honda engine rated X HP. X can be any number from less than 2hp to more than 35hp.
Actually, if you are comparing a (antique) flathead to an (modern) OHC, the actual *power* developed from the rated horsepower is different. At one point small engine manufacturers changed the WAY horsepower was rated (brake HP vs net/gross HP)...meaning they could advertise BIGGER numbers on the same engine.
I also don't agree with the fuel efficiency...maybe if the engine is perfectly tuned with the perfect load under perfect conditions in a lab. But all the Honda-powered equipment I have been around used every bit as much fuel as a comparable B&S or Kohler. If there is a difference, its not observable in real world use.
For the record, I have two K-series Kohlers (one is a 10HP and the other is a 14HP)...the one has never been rebuilt, and its a 1971 vintage. I will take a cast iron dinosaur Kohler/Briggs/Tecumseh over any of their newer offerings...I have never owned a Honda, and can't make any judgment towards them (although they seem to hold up just fine in the equipment I've seen them used in).
Are you really that dense? Any Briggs engine rated X HP is exactly the same power as any Honda engine rated X HP. X can be any number from less than 2hp to more than 35hp.
Actually, if you are comparing a (antique) flathead to an (modern) OHC, the actual *power* developed from the rated horsepower is different. At one point small engine manufacturers changed the WAY horsepower was rated (brake HP vs net/gross HP)...meaning they could advertise BIGGER numbers on the same engine.
I also don't agree with the fuel efficiency...maybe if the engine is perfectly tuned with the perfect load under perfect conditions in a lab. But all the Honda-powered equipment I have been around used every bit as much fuel as a comparable B&S or Kohler. If there is a difference, its not observable in real world use.
For the record, I have two K-series Kohlers (one is a 10HP and the other is a 14HP)...the one has never been rebuilt, and its a 1971 vintage. I will take a cast iron dinosaur Kohler/Briggs/Tecumseh over any of their newer offerings...I have never owned a Honda, and can't make any judgment towards them (although they seem to hold up just fine in the equipment I've seen them used in).
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Hey Garandman, that's really cool. I'm not surprised you got no help from Honda retrofitting an engine to some other machine. I AM surprised you got such excellent service from ANY company on such a project.
That 35 year-old Ariens looks super. Did you repaint it?
Hey, I just realized, you're one person that managed to wear out an small engine before the machine it's attached to rotted away or fell apart. What's your secret?
Rehosted the photos a few years ago.
1970 Tecumseh H50 versus OHV B&S intel Snow.
[img:left]http://dervish.smugmug.com/People/Misc/7068392_p66kxn#!i=461434522&k=txs5jx3&lb=1&s=L[/img]
And the machine after replacing misc bushings, bearings etc and repainting. My brother still uses this machine to do his driveway and several neighbors.
I've had good luck with B&S and Honda so no dog in the fight.
Hey Garandman, that's really cool. I'm not surprised you got no help from Honda retrofitting an engine to some other machine. I AM surprised you got such excellent service from ANY company on such a project.
That 35 year-old Ariens looks super. Did you repaint it?
Hey, I just realized, you're one person that managed to wear out an small engine before the machine it's attached to rotted away or fell apart. What's your secret?
Rehosted the photos a few years ago.
1970 Tecumseh H50 versus OHV B&S intel Snow.
[img:left]http://dervish.smugmug.com/People/Misc/7068392_p66kxn#!i=461434522&k=txs5jx3&lb=1&s=L[/img]
And the machine after replacing misc bushings, bearings etc and repainting. My brother still uses this machine to do his driveway and several neighbors.
I've had good luck with B&S and Honda so no dog in the fight.
- Status
