Honda vs Kohler engines for log splitter?

[Lee Winger]

Thanks for all the info guys and well it seems that the poll that wasn't a poll turned up trumps for Honda, I used a grinder with an 11 hp honda engine today and it was pretty good. I've phoned woodfuels (who are really helpful), and got some info and they said that a short while ago woodline were having probs getting honda's from Japan and changed over to Kohler for a while. I asked him to find me one with a jap engine and then I'll buy one, 'I'll see what I can do' he said. Wait and see I guess. There's always a Thor with a 10.5 B&S but a little dearer, hmm decisions !!

 

 

I'd recosider the size of your splitter mate, I had a 13 ton splitter and wished I'd bought an 18 ton, 10 ton will struggle imo

[Rowan the Bruce]

That was a Thor one aswell wasn't it Lee? Yeah I spoke to your missus I think, good advice as usual but the amount I'll be splitting probably about 20-30 loads per year is really not worth me spending too much and I don't have a tractor or room to keep one so i am limited to a petrol one which mostly only go up to about 13t tops, anything else will be sawn up by ateam of oompaa loompas

[combined tree services]

forget the log splitter mate get tht boy jordan splitting it with a good old axe , thats what the rest of us had to do when it came to logs when we were training lol

[Rowan the Bruce]

He only did a couple of days for me and thats the last thing I'll say on the matter .............................. except I'll stick to the oompaa loompaas!

[hazzygawa]

I've spent 15 years working on Honda, they're an engine that can take abuse.

 

I have no experience on kholer

 

Youve spent 15 years working on the same honda engine. Sounds like that engine is taking a lot of abuse...lol

[Al Smith]

I wouldn't touch B&S with a barge pole...

 

Many people swear by them..

 

On the red B&S engines the valve guides aren't even lubricated

 

Interesting,I never seen a B and S that didn't get oil to the guides .Evidently they must be built differently on that side of the Atlantic .

 

Honda is a better engine as much as it pains me to say that .However an IC Briggs will last a long time with proper maintainance .

 

There is problem with the twin cylinder opposed models though .The oil slinger is on the left side of the engine .If on a mower and tilted to the right over about 15 or so degrees they wont sling oil .The rods tie up and the engine comes apart like a dollar watch . I just replaced one that happened to about a week ago as a matter of fact .

 

In the US that style as well as any flat head engine no longer is made , as they are all overhead valve models now which have better oiling systems .

[Dean Lofthouse]

Interesting,I never seen a B and S that didn't get oil to the guides .Evidently they must be built differently on that side of the Atlantic .

 

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We have like a budget version and a pro version.

 

Red coloured engines didn't oil their guides where the ones painted black (pro) did. You normally find them on really cheap mowers or gensets.

[Al Smith]

Briggs did make some cheap POS's . Some of them were pretty tough though . When they were all cast iron they lasted forever almost .The I/C engines will stand up but as I said the opposed twins had their own problems .

 

One other problem you can find on the opposed engines is them tossing the steel valve inserts if they get over heated . A simple fix .

 

You just pound the insert back in place then go around the insert with a center punch to deform the aluminum then peen around the edges .Good as new . Of course a dealer will try to sell you a new engine .You have to remember they are in business to make money .

[firewoodman]

got both a thor and a wood line and had koler, honda and b&s engines

 

woodline is faster than thor for splitting

 

worry less about the engines as they will last forever, they are only turning a hydrolic pump and arent under much pressure, never had any probs with the engines.

 

worry more about the build quality of the splitter, both of the above are built very well, some others are not as lucky...... you get what you pay for!!! imo

[Al Smith]

Say,I got to thinking about those valve guides on some Briggs engines .Now believe it or not those were lubricated by the oil mist vapor of the crankcase via the vacuum tube going from the valve cover to the manifold .

 

Sounds kind of stupid but this method was used by machine tool builders which made high speed metal working machinery for the automotive industy . Two companies that come to mind are Cross and Lamb who built such stuff in both the US plus the UK .