Favorite: Briggs and Stratton
Cheaper initially than Kohler or Kawasaki and cheaper to maintain. The parts are also everywhere. I've seen B+S engines run for years with barely any oil, or with no governor. My Grandma's neighbor has a Craftsman tractor with a 14 hp opposed twin B+S engine. The governor spring broke and every weekend he has run it WOT for a few years now. I've had a few friends who have even run them upside down for a bit when they rolled their go-carts when we were younger.
Least Favorite: Kohler
More expensive initially. Seem to require more maintenance, parts are more expensive, and they are more complex. When I was in high school, we had a shop class that fixed OPE. Most of the engines that had major problems were Kohlers. The Kohler twin on my JD blew a head gasket last year, and ever since it was 1 year old it has never idled right, even after numerous carb cleanings and spark plugs. When they run great they are great performers, but mine always seem to have issues.
The above is just my opinion, lets hear yours! What have you had good/bad luck with?
Cheaper initially than Kohler or Kawasaki and cheaper to maintain. The parts are also everywhere. I've seen B+S engines run for years with barely any oil, or with no governor. My Grandma's neighbor has a Craftsman tractor with a 14 hp opposed twin B+S engine. The governor spring broke and every weekend he has run it WOT for a few years now. I've had a few friends who have even run them upside down for a bit when they rolled their go-carts when we were younger.
Least Favorite: Kohler
More expensive initially. Seem to require more maintenance, parts are more expensive, and they are more complex. When I was in high school, we had a shop class that fixed OPE. Most of the engines that had major problems were Kohlers. The Kohler twin on my JD blew a head gasket last year, and ever since it was 1 year old it has never idled right, even after numerous carb cleanings and spark plugs. When they run great they are great performers, but mine always seem to have issues.
The above is just my opinion, lets hear yours! What have you had good/bad luck with?