Harbor Freight's predator engines

[JHen]

Anyone know anything about the new engine line Harbor Freight is came out with?

[Russ2251]

An opinion...
I think you will find that they are not very far different from the clones we are used to.
Same crap...altered cosmetics.

[Walter Keller]

Yea that the same thing the boss at the HF I go to said

[r97]

Originally Posted by Russ2251

An opinion...
I think you will find that they are not very far different from the clones we are used to.
Same crap...altered cosmetics.

new tank, air box, recoil, color scheme, and a slightly better block. maybe more EPA crap.

[JHen]

OK then.

[redsox985]

Is the block better quality?

[r97]

IIRC, it says something along the lines of "precision machined block", and i don't remember that on the old ones. i think sideways also said the blocks were better. they probably just run the block over with a wire bush or use slightly better sand for casting, and check every 999th engine for "quality" (cough cough) instead of every 1,000th engine.
___________________________________________

as far as new engines, i still don't think you can beet the deals on subies! 6hp, $220, free shipping, and some of the strongest and best designed parts in the biz! not a ton of mods, but most of us (who even mod the engine) only remove gov, add pipe, and air filter. if you built a kart you can do those easy! if one clone breaks and you have to buy another, you could of had a subie!

http://robinamerica.com/pfeatures.aspx?pid=8

http://cgi.ebay.com/Robin-Subaru-Eng...item45fb6aa623

http://cgi.ebay.com/Robin-Subaru-Eng...item45fb1b9902

[TimG]

Agreed, Subaru is the way to go. My 6hp came with a mikuni carburetor

[JHen]

Hmm, those subaru engines do look enticing. Overhead cam is really neat.

[j.concepcion54321]

i found this pic on the internet. looks like a predator engine is on it

[Bluethunder3320]

i like the colors better. (black) over the blue greyhounds.

[JHen]

Only thing wrong with those subaru engines, they are all in METRIC. I despise mixing Imperial and Metric on the same machine.

[slideways]

There are also no "hot rod" parts for them. Parts in general are hard to find. You won't go down to a local mower shop and expect to get an air filter for a Robin Subaru. Or a valve cover.. or a drain plug etc...

[JHen]

Performance parts don't concern me, I plan to make my own.

[anderkart]

Originally Posted by JHen

Anyone know anything about the new engine line Harbor Freight is came out with?

I'm pretty sure those new H/F 212cc Predator engines are manufactured by Loncin and are just an updated version of the Loncin LC170F model they've sold for years.

[JHen]

Well, I went and got one today, the 212cc model. From the research I did, it seems like everyone is just waiting around for someone to take the plunge. I decided to do that and I will video document my inspection process. Got it for 150 + tax and a 2 year replacement warranty for free.

Also picked up a dial indicator so I can measure my drill press' run out to see how horrible it is.

[anderkart]

Cool, be sure to let us know how it holds up. I've got a feeling they're higher quality than the old greyhounds H/F sold.

[JHen]

Well, I pulled open the case and I was disappointed. It has a plastic cam gear. Though, the gears are helical gears which is good.



I think it will probably hold up ok under normal power, but if it were to be spiked under some high power it might eat up the gear a little bit. The governor is in the top left corner there and the low oil sensor is the black bit under the crank.

They also drill out the crank shaft where the rod connects to, to save weight I'm assuming. I'm not sure if this is standard practice in small engines. I don't for see it really being a problem though.



The fly wheel is too parts, the cast iron wheel bit for the weight and then a plastic part that is the fins for the air blower.



I pulled the low oil sensor out, which can be done without removing the cam shaft I think, but I took it out anyways. After I got it all back together and put oil and gas in it, it started right up. At low speed it had a kind of kick to it, which I'm assuming is the power strokes, but if you gave it a little gas it steadied out pretty good. Now I just need something I can bolt it to for like 3 hours to break it in lol.

All of the machined surfaces looked pretty good from what I can remember. The lifter rods seem kind of puny to me as they are only about 1/8" I think.

[Russ2251]

I was disappointed. It has a plastic cam gear.

Their just doing what all other manufacturers are doing. No one (as yet) can tell me why this is a problem.
I'll take a plastic cam over steel any day.

[karl]

Their just doing what all other manufacturers are doing. No one (as yet) can tell me why this is a problem.
I'll take a plastic cam over steel any day.

I got no pics of this. But one day I was talking to my grandpa and they said he had a tecumseh push mower with a plastic cam and it striped out. He put a steel on in from an older mower and he noticed he had to walk faster (self propelled).

But, I got no pics or the camshaft, so It cant be proven. I dont know why he would lie about it, but whatever. I have never had a problem with a plastic cam, I guess they are lighter and easier to make so thats why they use them now.