Briggs & Stratton 900 Series -- Rear Tine Tiller

[92saturnsl2]

Initially I had bought a low cost Chinese made rear tine tiller with a "chonda" engine. At the time I purchased it, I did not know of its Chinese origin, and I was further disgusted to find it had a date code of early 2010 and I paid full price. I took it back as quick as I could when it appeared that it was leaking gear oil about 3 weeks after I bought it.

I opted to replace it with a Poulan Pro PRRT900 rear tine tiller for slightly more coin. This model used to have a Chinese "LCT" engine, but when I went in this time they had switched to B&S 900 series engines, so I snatched one up.

"Problem" is that I suspect this B&S engine is also made in China, and is the lowest cost model with standard aluminum PTO shaft bearings, and aluminum bore. Even the Chinese engines had cast iron sleeves, so I'm not thrilled about going "backwards" in that regard.

Are there any real drawbacks with an aluminum bore? Anything I should be careful of, or any special maintenance that should be applied? My Honda GCV160 mower also has an aluminum bore and has run fine for the last couple of years, so I suppose it can't be all that bad.

How do you think these cheap B&S engines compare to the cast-iron lined "chonda" engines? Am I over stressing about the aluminum bore? I have to keep telling myself this is a tiller that will see 10 hours of use in the spring and then be put away for the rest of the year.

 

[bepperb]

I think aluminum walled engines have been popular on snowblowers for the same reason you'll be OK with this, because you'll only use it for 10 hours a year.

Really the death of the engine will almost certainly be either neglect or a part breaking. At least with the Briggs parts will be easy to come by as will internet diy guides. If you're wearing out a roto tiller you need to be shopping garden tractors. People seem to be happy with Chondas as well, but I would think parts sourcing would be difficult (Chonda lovers will say something like "just buy an entire Honda carb" which makes little sense to me to spend more than the engine cost because a simple part isn't available.)