I was looking at the little advertisement about engines at the start of this site. I can really understand why HF can not keep engines around . Honda and the others are just too expensive. Technology that has been around as long as this should not be a challenge anymore. Maybe some metals are superior a little but a engine that can be carried under your arm should not cost hundreds of dollars. Can put a lot of china girls on for the price of some of the othes. I have a honda engine sitting on a lawn mower that must be gold and I don't know it. Done with the rant, still love the hobby. gphil
Engines, 4 stroke
- Thread starter gphil
- Start date
Happy Valley
Active Member
To be fair, it's not endless hundreds of dollars: Honda GXH50 can be found for $325, GX35 for $225, Robin/Subaru EHO35 for $289 and both brand engines are CARBII certified and have a 3 year warranty.
HFs have a 90 day warranty and HTs 30 days....if you're lucky.
HFs have a 90 day warranty and HTs 30 days....if you're lucky.
Porkchop
Member
Quality, dependability, warrantee and piece of mind are worth the few extra dollars in initial cost of a good quality Japanese engine !
Did I not read that HF engines were a clone of the Honda? If so they have to sell them with a less mention than Honda. If they are clones, bet there is not a bit of difference in the parts or build , sold under another name . I was talking about the making of the basic engine, not much change since the early days with the exception of overhead valves and carburators. I had a Cushman motor scooter that had a ten horse flathead engine , auto clutch, and a two speed trans and it ran for years and years. If I remember my youth, it was usually wide open.
Neon
Member
You could probably go through 2 HF engines in the same period of time that you would still be using one Honda. Pay me now or pay me later.
Richard H.
Member
- Local time
- 9:28 PM
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2009
- Messages
- 222
How's that old saying go about only believe half of what you read?
It would be more correct to call them copies, and cheaply made ones at that, while clones denote exact replicas made with the same DNA.
flmotorbikes.com
Member
Just stick with the Honda gx35
Porkchop
Member
From my own personal experience, and what I've read from others and replies I've received, don't let the Honda GX35 sit to long with ethanol in it. It will mess up internal parts ( gaskets/diaphragms ) in the carburetor.
Neon
Member
That's good advice for any engine. How long is too long?
Porkchop
Member
I knew someone was going to ask that question ?
Who knows ? Put it like this, I have several 2 cycle engines, all name brand except the Harbor Freight auger engine, I started all of them about 2 weeks ago for the first time since last grass cutting season. They have all been sitting over the winter with fuel in them and "NO" stabilizer. My Stihl chainsaw has been sitting for over a year. Everything started fine and runs great except the Honda, so maybe I lucked up.
My Honda GX35 which is on my bike, sat through the winter, it starts fine and will sit and idle all day long, but give it full throttle and it shuts down just as if I pressed the kill switch. I have not worked on it as of yet. I am not looking forward to it. I have never had luck with rebuilding carburetors. I’ve always ended up having to replace the whole thing. Maybe I just don’t have a knack for carbs !
However, I recently bougt gasoline with no ETHYNOL for all of my small engines, both two and four strokes. I think it was $00.40more per gallon, but to me that’s a cheap insurance policy.
Also, seems like all the people I've talked to that sell and work on samall engines tell me about 3 months is the golden rule of thumb as far as letting an engine sit unused. I've been luck so far, but I'm going to run only fuel with no ethynol and will also use fuel stabilizer in the future.
Who knows ? Put it like this, I have several 2 cycle engines, all name brand except the Harbor Freight auger engine, I started all of them about 2 weeks ago for the first time since last grass cutting season. They have all been sitting over the winter with fuel in them and "NO" stabilizer. My Stihl chainsaw has been sitting for over a year. Everything started fine and runs great except the Honda, so maybe I lucked up.
My Honda GX35 which is on my bike, sat through the winter, it starts fine and will sit and idle all day long, but give it full throttle and it shuts down just as if I pressed the kill switch. I have not worked on it as of yet. I am not looking forward to it. I have never had luck with rebuilding carburetors. I’ve always ended up having to replace the whole thing. Maybe I just don’t have a knack for carbs !
However, I recently bougt gasoline with no ETHYNOL for all of my small engines, both two and four strokes. I think it was $00.40more per gallon, but to me that’s a cheap insurance policy.
Also, seems like all the people I've talked to that sell and work on samall engines tell me about 3 months is the golden rule of thumb as far as letting an engine sit unused. I've been luck so far, but I'm going to run only fuel with no ethynol and will also use fuel stabilizer in the future.
Last edited:
