Best engine??

[WHNJ701 4,165]

Wow! No predator fans our there, haha

[Gregor 4,846]

Just put a Predator on my 656. It's ran perfect for 2 days now.

[ebinmaine 67,707]

38 minutes ago, jabelman said:

Wow! No predator fans our there, haha

Here ya go bud:

 

 

33 minutes ago, Gregor said:

Just put a Predator on my 656. It's ran perfect for 2 days now.

 

 

[Horse Newbie 7,075]

5 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Aye!!!

Aye!!!

[rjg854 11,389]

Those 8hp Kohler's are a dang fine engine too, and besides starting very easy, they are great on fuel consumption. I've got ones that are 50 + years old and as far as I know they have never been opened up. So it's anyone's guess how many hours are truly on those engines.

[Bens vintage tractors 1,542]

7 hours ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

Just because someone else had problems with an Onan doesn't mean they are worse than Kohler either???... I don't constantly chase problems with MY Onan, and this will be just like the classic Ford vs Chevy ect... We all know who "circles" every mistake they ship out the factory... And what small engine manufacturer just about lost everything over they're so great KT17 series 1 ? But I can honestly say I have owned/used both and yes I can say for ME Onans hands down and tomorrow it could throw a rod but at least I never had a head scratcher like the damn k301 Kohler in my kid's CC lately.   I'm done here my experiences are mine and have been great with the ONAN vs Kohlers for me... Anything I don't HAVE to work on IMO is a better option period.

@WVHillbilly520H hey listed I’ve never seen a Chevy ambulance or a tow truck.. they aren’t reliable enough to be used as those... just saying. And I’d rather a kohler that’s my opinion..

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

35 minutes ago, Bens vintage tractors said:

@WVHillbilly520H hey listed I’ve never seen a Chevy ambulance or a tow truck.. they aren’t reliable enough to be used as those... just saying. And I’d rather a kohler that’s my opinion..

Probably because those Bowties are too fast for you too see them hooking burning blue ovals away and carting the victims from the trauma site where they fell out before it caught fire... Are you done yet Mr Reliability? 

[Bens vintage tractors 1,542]

2 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

Probably because those Bowties are too fast for you too see them hooking burning blue ovals away and carting the victims from the trauma site where they fell out before it caught fire... Are you done yet Mr Reliability? 

@WVHillbilly520H

you are hilarious. Don’t remember the 11.2 million dollar bailout? Hmmmm weird 

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

7 minutes ago, Bens vintage tractors said:

@WVHillbilly520H

you are hilarious. Don’t remember the 11.2 million dollar bailout? Hmmmm weird 

I worked in the automotive industry for 22+ years I know a few things that wasn't always out front in fake news media, Oh I didn't forget, but just remember who was first to belly up to bar , then instead of a government backed backruptcy/restructuring still took a govt loan... Pot calling the kettle black. 

[Bens vintage tractors 1,542]

18 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

I worked in the automotive industry for 22+ years I know a few things that wasn't always out front in fake news media, Oh I didn't forget, but just remember who was first to belly up to bar , then instead of a government backed backruptcy/restructuring still took a govt loan... Pot calling the kettle black. 

@WVHillbilly520H first page says it all. Also this has nothing to do with wheel horses. Last I checked this was the wheel horse page not a truck page. Why don’t you bring you junk chevys and your stupid comments else where. 

[ebinmaine 67,707]

15 minutes ago, Bens vintage tractors said:

junk chevys and your stupid comments

With all due respect please keep the negative adjectives out of the discussion. 

[cschannuth 3,816]

12 hours ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

Key words "until" and I got 2 Kohlers with broken rods 1 with a huge vent in the side of the block but MY Onan is still going strong since the day I bought new,  MECHANICALLY I have had no issues with MY engine... 

 

Hell in 20 years I might not be running and BTW I haven't done anything mechanical to my Onan, it did kick out an ignition nodule but that's electronic... Again lets go mow my hill sideways for hours/years and get back to me on how well that Kohler is still running ?  

I’m with you. My 1994 and 1997 520’s had nothing done but oil and filter changes with zero issues. And my 10 year old Predator still starts on the first pull every time.   But in the spirit of getting along with everyone, I like Fords, haha. 

Edited December 12, 2020 by cschannuth

[Bens vintage tractors 1,542]

4 minutes ago, cschannuth said:

I’m with you. My 1994 and 1997 520’s had nothing done but oil and filter changes with zero issues. 

@cschannuth congrats. But when an onan breaks its expensive to fix.. I really enjoy my 520 loader that still has its onan...

[Horse Newbie 7,075]

57 minutes ago, cschannuth said:

, I like Fords, haha.

I like Chevy, Ford, Dodge, Briggs, Kohlers, Onans, Predators...whatever keeps the wheels rolling...but I own Chevy, Onan, Briggs, Kohler...all running and turning wheels...

[cschannuth 3,816]

1 hour ago, Bens vintage tractors said:

@cschannuth congrats. But when an onan breaks its expensive to fix.. I really enjoy my 520 loader that still has its onan...

I can appreciate that but as I said early on in this thread, my 25-45 year old Briggs and Onans are still running like the day they were produced so I haven’t experienced any repair costs.  None of my Kohler tractors can make that claim. I like them just as much but they haven’t held up as well. I guess my experience has been rare. 

[Horse Newbie 7,075]

28 minutes ago, cschannuth said:

guess my experience has been rare. 

Yep...you never know...never seen a brand that didn't have "authorized service centers" just in case their "best" products fail.

Keep it serviced, respect it...don't abuse it, and a person can definitely change their luck.

I take care of my equipment and tools.

I don't even leave wheel barrows and shovels outside.

Now I have an 81 Toyota 4 x 4 Hi-lux that is currently outside, but as soon as I start restoring it, it will be inside...

Basically I look at it like this...if man made it, it ain't infallible.

Edited December 12, 2020 by Horse Newbie

[Bens vintage tractors 1,542]

38 minutes ago, cschannuth said:

I can appreciate that but as I said early on in this thread, my 25-45 year old Briggs and Onans are still running like the day they were produced so I haven’t experienced any repair costs.  None of my Kohler tractors can make that claim. I like them just as much but they haven’t held up as well. I guess my experience has been rare. 

@cschannuth hey we all have different experiences and opinions...

[cschannuth 3,816]

40 minutes ago, Horse Newbie said:

Yep...you never know...never seen a brand that didn't have "authorized service centers" just in case their "best" products fail.

Keep it serviced, respect it...don't abuse it, and a person can definitely change their luck.

I take care of my equipment and tools.

I don't even leave wheel barrows and shovels outside.

Now I have an 81 Toyota 4 x 4 Hi-lux that is currently outside, but as soon as I start restoring it, it will be inside...

Basically I look at it like this...if man made it, it ain't infallible.

In defense of the Kohlers, I didn’t buy those tractors new. My other tractors I or someone in my family did buy them new or just gently used. I am a nut when it comes to taking care of things also. There’s no reason why a piece of equipment can’t look brand new, or close to brand new, after 40 or 50 years if it’s taken care of and kept inside.

[Horse Newbie 7,075]

@cschannuth  My 94' 520H had been sitting outside a couple years I guess when I bought it in 2017...brought it home, cleaned it a little -engine fins, between the frame rails, rolled it inside my tractor building, and just recently got it in my shop and started going through it.

I'm amazed how well it cleaned up.

257 hours on the meter when the meter stopped so not sure of the hours...she's running, all wires checked and repaired, new plugs, carb, battery, fuel pump, fuel line and filter, fuel pet cock, air filter and pre-cleaner, coil, oil and filter, hour meter, carb, hydro oil and filter, dash bulbs, fuse block, lifters adjusted, muffler blasted and painted...

And tomorrow I'm dropping off my wheels and hub caps to be blasted and powder coated.

Then I will have to work on the mower deck...

I'll give her what she needs to get her back to work, and she'll never sleep outside.

Edited December 12, 2020 by Horse Newbie

[tom2p 2,394]

again - we've discussed this in other threads - never could understand sitting a 520 outside ... or any tractor of value - but especially a tractor that could set you back close to $6K ... ? ...

 

that's a lot of money now - and back then obviously a lot more  ... (might be equivalent to around $10K today ?)

 

[tom2p 2,394]

On 12/10/2020 at 11:47 AM, clueless said:

Kohler single cylinder flat head engines, like my man said "easy to work on and rock solid dependability". Come on guys can any of you honestly say that about the Onans .

apples and oranges when comparing a single to a twin for ease of maintenance 

any twin will be more difficult to work on 

 

[tom2p 2,394]

On 12/10/2020 at 2:14 PM, WVHillbilly520H said:

Yes,  because I haven't really had to work on the Anniversary 520H I bought new, and as of late 3-4 Kohlers owned by kinsfolk are with issues 🤔... That may change but as of now...

same here 

 

I've had one Onan powered 416-H for close to 20 years and now around 1000 hours with zero issues ... zero as in 0.00 ...

 

and it has been run hard with (unfortunately) lack of proper maintenance ... oil / filter changes too often stretched ...  has not had a valve adjustment ... has not been decarbonized ... tins etc have not been removed to clean engine fins etc ... 

 

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

On 12/9/2020 at 10:46 PM, Bens vintage tractors said:

The k series kohlers are the best engines in the wheel horses (my opinion) here are a couple of my all original horses 

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

My first horse had a 16 horse Briggs. It ran every time with no issues. Those opposed twin Briggs’s are great and foolish me sold it cause it wasn’t a real Wheel Horse, it was a Work Horse! Now I own Kohlers and Onans. Besides the absolutely junk Kohler fuel pumps I like them all.

[ebinmaine 67,707]

10 minutes ago, WheelhorseBob said:

fuel pumps

Which ones have you had bad times with?