Honda Horse

[Wheelbearing 49]

Alright I ordered it.  Enough with my Onan bitching and moning.

Honda GX690 22Hp.  

 

[papaglide 542]

WOW! 

[GlenPettit 1,716]

That will really give you a lot of dependable power,

be sure to show us some pictures when it's powering your Wheel Horse . . . .

[Wheelbearing 49]

More pics.  Interesting thing the Onan P220-G is 782cc @20Hp. 

The Honda is only 690cc @22Hp.  Over head valves make all the difference. 

[MalMac 1,331]

Does the Honda have a roller main bearing on the PTO Side or sleeve type?

[Wheelbearing 49]

Does the Honda have a roller main bearing on the PTO Side or sleeve type?

Ball bearings

[MalMac 1,331]

Thanks, after I posted I realized I said roller instead of ball. Never seen a engine with roller bearings.

[KC9KAS 4,741]

"You meet the nicest people on a HONDA"....Oh wait a minute, that is for HONDA motorcycles....Oh well, Wheel Horse people are nice too!

Keep us posted on your transplant.

[edwroy 138]

Have a 1991 520H - Onan engine valve seats gave up. Repowered it with  a Honda GX670 - twin 24Hp 5-6 years ago. Mow with a 60 inch deck. It's a cutting fool!  

[can whlvr 993]

this is only a 13 pull start with out charging but its really strong and reliable

[Jake Kuhn 1,555]

Very nice, one of my dad's friends did a honda transplant in his john deere 420. That is a really nice unit with the honda in it now!

[varosd 1,185]

 

Does the Honda have a roller main bearing on the PTO Side or sleeve type?

Ball bearings

 

"Hey! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State."  Fletch

 

Anytime I can quote from the movie Fletch, I will!!!

 

I agree that a step by step pictures,videos of your re power could be uploaded to the instructions section of RS. hopefully I won't need it!!

[Jack Fate 7]

only reliable power now days & much better on gas 

 

Cheers 

[Zeek 2,286]

When you get her all set up we can race

 

Edited May 29, 2013 by Zeek

[MarkPalmer 81]

I repowered my Cub 682's less than stellar KT17 series 1 with the 18 HP Honda GX610 V-twin in 2005.  I have just over 500 hours on the engine now, and I have not had to do a single repair or replace a single part on it short of the air and oil filters.  The engine starts instantly, has plenty of power, runs smooth and quiet, and does not miss a beat.  The only thing there was no major improvement on over the KT17 is the fuel useage, the Honda drinks about the same amount of gas, as in a lot of gas.  The little 8 HP engine on my W/H can mow the lawn 3 times on the same amount of gas as one mowing with the Cub 682.  The Honda is a great engine though when you need the power. 

 

-Mark-

[Wheelbearing 49]

Have a 1991 520H - Onan engine valve seats gave up. Repowered it with  a Honda GX670 - twin 24Hp 5-6 years ago. Mow with a 60 inch deck. It's a cutting fool!  

Its interesting Honda stopped making the 24hp gx670. Now they have a 660 they call 21Hp.  and the 690 with 22Hp.  I wonder if they over rated the 670 or under rated the 690.  Or did Polution controls take the power away from the newer motors?  I can't wait, I still don't have any tracking info.  Northern tool says its being factory shipped. I have it being sent to my work because its being truck shipped.         

[Chevydave 25]

I have the GX-670 in a 416-8.

I read that they overated the engine HP and I believe there was a class action suit.

I think it came in around 20 hp although it was rated at 24.

I am suprised the GX-690 didn't come with the external oil cooler.

The 670 has a finned oil cooler that set about 8 inches behind the hood.

The coil is probably about 6 inches square.

[MarkPalmer 81]

There was a BS class action suit a few years ago regarding peak vs. nominal operating HP that involved several small engine manufacturers, Honda was one.  This is why you rarely see any new small engines with the horsepower printed on the engine label, only the displacement is shown which will mean nothing to the average consumer.  Lawyers have caused more aggravation regarding power equipment than the equipment itself. 

 

-Mark-

[leeave96 487]

I know several folks have repowered their Onan powered 520-H tractors with Honda engines, but I still feel it's relatively new - as far as seeing lots of the conversions done and the long term success of them (which I have no doubt the Honda will give many hours of reliable service).

 

It's great to see these repowers documented here on the forum for everyone to see, reference and learn from - much thanks!

 

I know I blather a lot about Matt's foot control conversion, but that combo with the swept forward axle, reduced effort steering and tighter turning radius make the 520-H a very nice tractor combo.  I could see mowing with this combo for many years to come and would have no hesitation on my part to repower.

 

Thanks for sharing these Honda repower experiences!!!!!!!!!

 

Bill

[MarkPalmer 81]

The only thing I see that might be a problem with the Honda engines is repairing or rebuilding them in the future.  Yes, they can be rebuilt.  But Honda has a policy of only supplying parts for 15 years after model obsolescence.  You figure if you run 100 hours a year, after 15 years the engine will only be at 1500 hours, and they are rated for 2000 hours life.  So bottom line is it will be unlikely that parts will be available come rebuild time.  It’s kind of the same boat people are floating in with their original Onan engines now.  The company stops making engines, parts are too tough to find and too expensive at the time when they become necessary.  Look at all the people who bought Honda lawn tractors years ago when they made them.  At the snap of a finger in the board room they stop making them, and the parts dried up in a hurry.  It made a lot of easily repairable tractors totally worthless.  I guess you take a gamble with anything today. 

 

 

-Mark-

[Keith 21]

The only thing I see that might be a problem with the Honda engines is repairing or rebuilding them in the future.  

 

As long as the Honda GX series remains popular it should be like finding parts for a Chevy 350 after GM no longer makes them.  I think that Honda will eventually supercede the GX with newer technology because of the growing acceptance of the clones.   I see a bigger problem with the EPA piling on technical requirements that would obsolete current motors, making it no longer profitable for Honda and other manufacturers to support the older models.  There is a plethora of Honda clone parts makers, should be a shake out of the clone makers as they develop better US support and their reputation of their own brands.  Right now the clones are so cheap that many throw them out when they experience minor problems.    Other popular once US made manufacturers sell Honda clones.  The Harbor Freight Predator is made by Chongqing Rato Power,  The Home Depot Honda clone is made by Lifan.  About 100 companies manufacture Honda clones but most focus on the older and smaller Honda designs.  Lifan is introducing a 28 HP motor.

[Wheelbearing 49]

The only thing I see that might be a problem with the Honda engines is repairing or rebuilding them in the future.  Yes, they can be rebuilt.  But Honda has a policy of only supplying parts for 15 years after model obsolescence.  You figure if you run 100 hours a year, after 15 years the engine will only be at 1500 hours, and they are rated for 2000 hours life.  So bottom line is it will be unlikely that parts will be available come rebuild time.  It’s kind of the same boat people are floating in with their original Onan engines now.  The company stops making engines, parts are too tough to find and too expensive at the time when they become necessary.  Look at all the people who bought Honda lawn tractors years ago when they made them.  At the snap of a finger in the board room they stop making them, and the parts dried up in a hurry.  It made a lot of easily repairable tractors totally worthless.  I guess you take a gamble with anything today. 

 

 

-Mark-

 

I've worked on Honda 4 wheelers from 1986 thats 27 years old and i can still get rings for it.  Heres the funny part. Yes some parts are Obsolete.   Heres the funny part.  The only thing that had to be done was replace the rings.   No boring the cylinder.  When I took the rings out I gapped the old rings .125" the new ring gap was .015.   Still ran burned oil.  the cylinder was flaw less.  After replacing the rings it ran like a top.    Crazy

[leeave96 487]

My Brethren with the old iron Simplicity Sovereign tractors - the late models had either Kohler Commands or Kohler Triad engines in them - 18 hp.  From what I gather reading on the simpletractor website is those guys don't rebuild these aluminum block twin cylinder engines - just replace them.

 

I also think these twin cylinder engines are a totally different beast from the simple cast iron Kohler engines - which I would rebuild.

 

So - yes, there is a shelf life to any engine, but I think going into it (for me), once I deviate from the original factory engine, repowering again with a Honda or something else wouldn't be a problem and I would kind of know this going in.

 

This is another reason to keep more than 1 or 2 or 3 or 4.... tractors in the fleet.  Rather than put 100 hrs on a tractor, divide the hours amongst the fleet.  That way the tractors will last a lifetime and the beneficiaries of the estate can repower...

[MarkPalmer 81]

....... divide the hours amongst the fleet.  That way the tractors will last a lifetime and the beneficiaries of the estate can repower...

 

That is exactly the philosopy I use, and I think a lot of others here use also

 

-Mark-

[MarkPalmer 81]

........... Kohler Triad engines in them - 18 hp.

 

Triad.  Now there's a swear word I haven't heard in a while

 

-Mark-