Princess Auto engines? Thoughts?

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I am fixing up a portable compressor, the engine is a Honda gx160 and it's shot.
I am trying to track down a used one, but am leaning towards buying a new one for $200 at Princess auto:

www.princessauto.com/en/detail/208cc-ohv-gas-engine/A-p8445405e

From what I have read they are decent for the price and seem to be a Honda clone.

Has anyone here had their hands on one?

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

The smaller versions seem to be very well reviewed on the website, I will probably pick one up tomorrow.

 

[Professur]

Look up Billstmaxx's videos. He bought one and a matching Honda and did a tear down of both side by side.

 

[ADSR]

I have the 6.5hp chonda clone and it works pretty good.

 

[mkv221]

I have built 4 hydraulic power packs for customers using powerfist engines. I have only had issue with one. The gas tank was full of sand when it was new. Princess auto took it back and gave me a new one.

 

[ADSR]

I have built 4 hydraulic power packs for customers using powerfist engines. I have only had issue with one. The gas tank was full of sand when it was new. Princess auto took it back and gave me a new one.

Would love to see some pics of the power packs

 

[Spudland_Dave]

No experience with the Princess auto version, but a bit of experience with various "Brands" or should I say colors...I bet they all come from the same factory, if you get on eBay you can find every color available in different "Brands"

The Good - We replaced a Genuine Honda 8hp on a plate compactor with one of the Chonda clones...got it off eBay for less then the cost of the parts we needed to get the Real Honda fixed up...only issue we had is when we took it out of the box the fuel tank was clearly not welded right, leaked. Seller shipped new one with no issue. Fill it up with Delvac 1300 or RotellaT and Run Er!

The Bad... Its perpetuating the disposable society mentality. I've got a vintage Briggs 5HP Dual shaft....Points are finicky and a carb kit. For the same price as a new Magentron and a carb kit I can slap on the HF 5hp and have a NEW Engine which runs like a top. Pretty sad when you can buy a WHOLE NEW MODERN OHV engine for less then a couple normal repair parts for a classic design which was virtually unchanged for 40 years...

I wont even pretend they are the same quality...the Genuine Honda is a much higher quality unit, but at 5x the price...I don't think the Genuine Hondas are worth it..

 

[dalehsc]

A friend of mine bought a 8hp briggs and basically beat it like a rented mule and it blew up, he took it back to princess auto and they didn't have another one like it. They gave him a 10 hp Honda in exchange ...no difference in cash...straight up exchange....unreal,but true

 

[Skin]

No experience with the Princess auto version, but a bit of experience with various "Brands" or should I say colors...I bet they all come from the same factory, if you get on eBay you can find every color available in different "Brands"

The Good - We replaced a Genuine Honda 8hp on a plate compactor with one of the Chonda clones...got it off eBay for less then the cost of the parts we needed to get the Real Honda fixed up...only issue we had is when we took it out of the box the fuel tank was clearly not welded right, leaked. Seller shipped new one with no issue. Fill it up with Delvac 1300 or RotellaT and Run Er!

The Bad... Its perpetuating the disposable society mentality. I've got a vintage Briggs 5HP Dual shaft....Points are finicky and a carb kit. For the same price as a new Magentron and a carb kit I can slap on the HF 5hp and have a NEW Engine which runs like a top. Pretty sad when you can buy a WHOLE NEW MODERN OHV engine for less then a couple normal repair parts for a classic design which was virtually unchanged for 40 years...

I wont even pretend they are the same quality...the Genuine Honda is a much higher quality unit, but at 5x the price...I don't think the Genuine Hondas are worth it..

They aren't from the same factory. I covered it a bit here.

At the end of the food chain there are quite a few competing Chinese companies that all offer clone engines. There is not one big supplier like you might think and their quality can vary.

Zongshen makes MTD brand engines which also branches out to their sub-brands like Cub-Cadet and Troy Bilt and their contract with Craftsman.
Loncin makes Toro brand engines
Either Lifan or Loncin make the HF engines (depending on Greyhound or Predator series).
LCT makes the Ariens brand engines.

There are a few other companies + the Briggs and Kohler Chinese production as well, but you get the idea.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

Thanks folks, I agree on the disposable item mentality. It would have cost far more for me to order the parts needed to rebuild the Honda then to buy the new engine.

I picked up the 7HP unit on Thursday, checked it over, filled it with oil and fuel and fired it up. It started after 3 pulls and ran well. I let it run for 30 minutes under no load, cycling the throttle. Changed out the oil, nothing concerning in the oil.

If I run into any issues after I have run it under load for a while I will update.

Thanks for the info on the rear down comparison, that was educational.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I passed the Honda on to a fellow on kijiji who wanted it, also unloaded a pair of old Briggs on him too.

 

[Fugio]

The ethanol in our gas just makes them all somewhat disposable these days. I've converted everything I can to electric.

 

[Heavymetalmechanic]

I am lucky, it's not too hard to find ethanol free fuel here, but I can not say how long that will last.

I'm not keeping this compressor, I got it for $20 off kijiji, put 2 hours, some gasket material and a rattle can of black paint into the pump, and $50 for a regulator, fittings and tire for the tank. I have about $300 invested and it will soon look and run like new. I see a number of these listed for $600 in worse shape so I'm hoping to sell for more then $500. $2-300 profit for 7 hours of my time is good enough for me. It will help pay for the repairs to my Yukon that some crackhead cut the hollow Catalytic converter out of this week. That's a different thread.

 

[SlowRacecar]

I have not had the PA GX160 clone but I bought the GX390 clone for my a pressure washer. I used it once and put it away for winter, then when I went to use it next, I checked the oil and it was over flowing. Somehow the fuel got into the oil. Took it back and exchanged for another motor. Not sure how the new motor is yet.