Harbor Freight's predator engines
- Thread starter JHen
- Start date
- Status
Russ2251
AZUSA:Powered by LAWN-BOY
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.
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
Member
new skin
Yea that the same thing the boss at the HF I go to said
Yea that the same thing the boss at the HF I go to said
r97
Measure twice cut once
new tank, air box, recoil, color scheme, and a slightly better block. maybe more EPA crap.
r97
Measure twice cut once
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-En...987?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fb6aa623
http://cgi.ebay.com/Robin-Subaru-En...282?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fb1b9902
___________________________________________
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-En...987?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fb6aa623
http://cgi.ebay.com/Robin-Subaru-En...282?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fb1b9902
TimG
New member
Agreed, Subaru is the way to go. My 6hp came with a mikuni carburetor
j.concepcion54321
Rebuilding KTM, Need Kart
i found this pic on the internet. looks like a predator engine is on it
Attachments
-
IMG_0716.jpg
Bluethunder3320
New member
- Messages
- 5,677
- Reaction score
- 2
i like the colors better. (black) over the blue greyhounds.
anderkart
Moderator
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.
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.
Also picked up a dial indicator so I can measure my drill press' run out to see how horrible it is.
anderkart
Moderator
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.
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.
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
AZUSA:Powered by LAWN-BOY
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.
Why so? I suppose that if it is properly lubricated and cool (relatively), it would take a while to wear. Gears, good ones anyways, are typically made of a hardened alloy so as to reduce wear on it. Also, if you were to increase the valve spring strength, the plastic may not be able to hold up under the extra force and break or bend or some other undesirable effect.
- Status