Dagny
Well-known member
Looking at pressure washers, leaning towards something with a gx honda but wonder who makes the engines on Generac and Kercner also kohler had a great reputation years ago but don't here much about them anymore.
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Best small engine
- Thread starter Dagny
- Start date
Most small engine manufacturers make more than one line. They all pretty much make good and cheap engines. Honda's GX line is very good but they also make the GC series for lower cost applications. Kohler, Briggs & Stratton and Techumsah are all still around. My snow blower came with a B&S. My Leaf Rake came with a Techumsah, My lawn tractor came with a Cummins/ Onan. My pressure washer has a GX My portable generator has a Chinese engine of unknown origin. They all work fine. Some of the Chinese engines are GX knock offs. The only small engine I know that has gone out of production is Subaru Robbin. The GX series has a good reputation so a lot of manufacturers use it.Looking at pressure washers, leaning towards something with a gx honda but wonder who makes the engines on Generac and Kercner also kohler had a great reputation years ago but don't here much about them anymore.
It is definitely a selling point.
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roc_on_the_rocks
Well-known member
I didn't read the whole thing, but I think Tecumseh is dead.Most small engine manufacturers make more than one line. They all pretty much make good and cheap engines. Honda's GX line is very good but they also make the GC series for lower cost applications. Kohler, Briggs & Stratton and Techumsah are all still around. My snow blower came with a B&S. My Leaf Rake came with a Techumsah, My lawn tractor came with a Cummins/ Onan. My pressure washer has a GX My portable generator has a Chinese engine of unknown origin. They all work fine. Some of the Chinese engines are GX knock offs. The only small engine I know that has gone out of production is Subaru Robbin. The GX series has a good reputation so a lot of manufacturers use it.
It is definitely a selling point.
ard
Well-known member
I bought a BE Systems washer with a Honda GX 13hp motor and a Comet pump- by memory 5kpsi, 4 or 4.5gpm? Not cheap, 1400, but an beast.
I specifically wanted something that was made with known parts- not a opaque vendor name with mystery components. I figure if I ever need parts, I just pick up stuff from any vendor.
I specifically wanted something that was made with known parts- not a opaque vendor name with mystery components. I figure if I ever need parts, I just pick up stuff from any vendor.
Thanks for the update. I hope I can find parts when I need them. Stuff like filters should be around for a long time. Even an engine swap is not that bad.I didn't read the whole thing, but I think Tecumseh is dead.
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The washer brand doesn't mean much. They just throw a motor and a pump on a cart. You picked a good motor and pump. That is all that matters. Made in USA, CAT pumps are really good, tooI bought a BE Systems washer with a Honda GX 13hp motor and a Comet pump- by memory 5kpsi, 4 or 4.5gpm? Not cheap, 1400, but an beast.
I specifically wanted something that was made with known parts- not a opaque vendor name with mystery components. I figure if I ever need parts, I just pick up stuff from any vendor.
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finn
Well-known member
Pressure washer pumps fail before the engines.
sberry
Banned
Agree, my bud got one with a Brigs on it with a decent pump, works way better than the Honda another has with a crappy small pump.
VintageOkieDriver
Well-known member
Agree about the pump but can't beat a Honda in the small engine category IMHO.
In 20 years the GX motor will still be running ... The Honda GC is a fine motor but it's not the GX. The GC was designed for a lower price point -- it's going to be on residential equipment. The GX is Honda's original design that everybody copied.
Get a good pump and GX and you will be happy for years. On larger equipment I have no problem with Kohler products and Cummings .. both great. But in the sub 12 HP .. it's a Honda for me.
Get a good pump and GX and you will be happy for years. On larger equipment I have no problem with Kohler products and Cummings .. both great. But in the sub 12 HP .. it's a Honda for me.
James-W
Well-known member
Generac builds their own engines, or at least they build SOME of their own engines. I have no idea if the design of the engine is theirs, or if they bought a design from someone else, but they build the engines themselves. I happen to know that because I knew a guy who worked at their plant in Whitewater, Wisconsin and he worked on the assembly line building engines.Looking at pressure washers, leaning towards something with a gx honda but wonder who makes the engines on Generac and Kercner also kohler had a great reputation years ago but don't here much about them anymore.
LS6 Tommy
Well-known member
Most small engine manufacturers make more than one line. They all pretty much make good and cheap engines. Honda's GX line is very good but they also make the GC series for lower cost applications. Kohler, Briggs & Stratton and Techumsah are all still around. My snow blower came with a B&S. My Leaf Rake came with a Techumsah, My lawn tractor came with a Cummins/ Onan. My pressure washer has a GX My portable generator has a Chinese engine of unknown origin. They all work fine. Some of the Chinese engines are GX knock offs. The only small engine I know that has gone out of production is Subaru Robbin. The GX series has a good reputation so a lot of manufacturers use it.
It is definitely a selling point.
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I didn't read the whole thing, but I think Tecumseh is dead.
Thanks for the update. I hope I can find parts when I need them. Stuff like filters should be around for a long time. Even an engine swap is not that bad.
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Tecumseh has been out of business for almost a decade. Parts are readily available from most small engine retailers and online suppliers.
Tommy
Besides quality. The motor has to be sized to the pump. Yo can't slap any pump on any motor.Agree, my bud got one with a Brigs on it with a decent pump, works way better than the Honda another has with a crappy small pump.
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sqznby
Well-known member
Pressure washer pumps fail before the engines.
Ain't that the truth.
I've had great luck with my Briggs & Stratton.
If I were to get something else, it would be a Honda.
If you will allow me another 2 hp, the 14 hp Onan on my lawn tractor has taken a lot of abuse for over 20 years. They were the engine often found on generators on mobile homes. Of all my small engines, the GX is the only one with a carb that got irreparibly gummed up from methanol disease. I have to pick up a Chinese knock off. They are under 20 bucks. That is an advantage of being copied so much.In 20 years the GX motor will still be running ... The Honda GC is a fine motor but it's not the GX. The GC was designed for a lower price point -- it's going to be on residential equipment. The GX is Honda's original design that everybody copied.
Get a good pump and GX and you will be happy for years. On larger equipment I have no problem with Kohler products and Cummings .. both great. But in the sub 12 HP .. it's a Honda for me.
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Thanks. I never needed anything so I didn't notice. I usually keep up on that stuff. My bad.Tecumseh has been out of business for almost a decade. Parts are readily available from most small engine retailers and online suppliers.
Tommy
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Thanks for the update. I hope I can find parts when I need them. Stuff like filters should be around for a long time. Even an engine swap is not that bad.
Most parts are still available.
theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Onan is effectively dead. At least the old beloved opposed twin cylinder engines are long gone. Cummins bought the brand in 1992 and phased it out.If you will allow me another 2 hp, the 14 hp Onan on my lawn tractor has taken a lot of abuse for over 20 years.
Parts are still available.
There are a lot of Vee twins out there now, but don't think anyone is making a flat twin any more.
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theoldwizard1
Well-known member
Looking at pressure washers, leaning towards something with a gx honda ...
Check out Vortexx. Their Prosumer models use GX engine and AR pump. The frame is mad in the US and it is assembled in Plymouth MI (the original home of the Daisy Air Rifle).
I borrowed one the other week and it made my PW look like a toy !
vtcat
Well-known member
The quality of the pump is even more important than the engine.
You want a pump that is rebuildable.Stay away from the China engines,Some are ok,some not so much.You want Honda,Briggs or Kohler and some of those are made in China,but to their specs and are backed by them.
You want a pump that is rebuildable.Stay away from the China engines,Some are ok,some not so much.You want Honda,Briggs or Kohler and some of those are made in China,but to their specs and are backed by them.
James-W
Well-known member
As far as "the best" small engine, I suspect it is no different than car engines. GM made some very good engines, and they made some not so good engines, as did Ford and all the other manufacturers.