repower c-85

[dgjks6 6]

Well - my wife said I have to get rid of it, but after much soul searching I decided to stand up to her and tell her "No" - I am going to keep the c-85 and put in a new motor - if she will let me.

But my question is this. My goal is to use my 312 for a snow blower or plow and the other (re-powered c-85) to run the one the 312 is not. Is an 8 horsepower motor enough to run a plow or a blower, or should I get a bigger motor? I see a ton of K-181's on ebay for cheap.

[Kelly 1,029]

An 8hp will plow, but not so good for a blower, if your going to buy a engine go bigger, they will bolt right in, we just repowered a C-85 with a 14hp, had to make some wires longer, and change the choke and throttle cables, everything else bolted right up.

[pfrederi 17,741]

For one winter I used a C-81 with a blower. It worked...but the motor was definitely struggling and I was in Low range 2-3 most all the time. I have also tried a C175 on the blower (she is a beast High range all the time) and last year used a Charger 12 Auto. Went a bit slower but she handled it well enough.

[TT-(Moderator) 1,131]

I just bolted an 18hp B&S Vanguard V-twin on a C-85 using all WH parts. I did it mainly to check the condition of the engine (sort of a test stand), but once I got it running, I hooked up the PTO clutch, etc. enough to try it on a 48" mower deck. I mowed a full swath of weeds/grass taller than the hood and it barely bumped the governor.

Kinda looks like it belongs there, huh?

I won't tell you that the Vanguard twins are the best engines out there, but we do have a few in service where I work. One has just over 2800 hours on it and has never had anything done to it except 100 hour oil & filter changes.

[bo dawg 516]

That's cool You ought to keep it like that TT.

[can whlvr 993]

I must agree to go bigger,i had a 308-8,now repowered with a honda 13 and there is no comparison,this machine is much stronger now and i could let the grass go a little longer before i had to cut it.I couldnt afford a big kohler at the time,so a brand new pull start is what she got.I am on my second honda now (loose air cleaner) ,the thing i like about it is no batterys,starters wiring problems,safty switches,ignitions etc,and it allways starts first pull,one draw back,no lights.

[dgjks6 6]

I kinda like the honda repower. There are some cheap motors just like that on ebay now. And I will not have to buy a new battery or worry about the electronics.

Can I get some moe pictures? Like how the PTO hooks up and drive belts hooks up. Do they come with the same size drive shaft?

[can whlvr 993]

The honda was almost a direct bolt in other than the fact that the crankshaft on the honda is flared right beside the bearing where the shaft comes out,so i dremeled the pulley,plate hole to fit the flare on the crank,and i had to remove the head lights because the exhaust blows out the front,no big deal because the pull start doesnt run lights anyway ,this motor is a torque monster and i dont like to admit it but is even stronger than my 14 kohker,they just dont last as long,but if you take care of it i had one go 10 years of extreme use untill i didnt tighten the air cleaner and that was the begiining of the end for thet motor.Here is a few more pics.