Best riding lawnmower engine

[Tom43]

Dear Forum,
What are the pros and cons between Kawasaki, Briggs, Kohler,and Honda on current riding lawnmowers?

 

[suptscottyb]

Everbody will have a favorite, I've got an older Kohler that won't die - front end, steering, brakes, etc. are all worn out, but the motor is goin' strong. Honda motors? You can't beat em. But can you afford em?

 

[old]

My self I prefer the Kohler then next down the line the briggs. Kohlers seem to just keep on kepping on even when left out side in the weather as do the briggs. Have a kohler on a troy bilt tiller and its been on it for 20 plus years and has been left out side most of its life and a simple carb water drian out every spring and its running like a champ again for the summer. Never have figured out why I always have to drain the carb of water in the spring but its always been that way no matter if kept in a shed or left out side
Hobby farm

 

[Fawteen]

I have had poor luck with the Kawasaki singles. I've had two of 'em trash the connecting rods for the counterbalance.

Traded tractors on one of 'em (to a water-cooled Kawasaki V-twin, which I love) and swapped a Honda into the other after checking what Kubota wanted for a replacement engine.

 

[Jimmy King]

I had a 15 hp Kohler on a 42 inch Husky 8 years old 500 hrs on it. It didn't use a drop of oil and always started right up. Some body stole it about 4 th of July week. I have a 24 HP Briggs Intek 130 hrs on it and it is toast on a 48 inch Craftsman. Started drinking oil in year 2 and crapped in year 3.

 

[HENRY E NC]

I have a 2001 craftsman with a BS 21 HP that keeps on running year after year. I use it all winter and summer. It does duty when I take my BC named Buddy on his 2 mile trek almost every day of the year beside using it to bushhog my yard every couple of weeks. I always use synthetic oil in it. Must have several thousands of hours. Every once in a while is starts loping for a few days but always settles back down. If I had my preference I would have picked a Honda but $$$ got in the way.

 

[Don-Wi]

My brother has a kawasaki air cooled on his skag and he's paranoid about throwing a rod (he's heard rumors it happens, no forst hand knowlege of it) and we've got a Kawasaki V-twin liquid cooled in our JD. Both run strong, so I can't say anything bad about them.

I'd rank them:
1) Honda
2) Kawasaki/Kohler
3) Briggs
4) Tecumseh

Kohlers are pretty good engines yet as far as I know, and you just can't beat a Honda engine.

Donovan from Wisconsin

 

[OliverGuy]

I've got most of those engines in our equipment for our crews (we've got a landscaping business). Older Kohlers with the metal shrouds were hard to beat. The newer Kiohlers have had some problems. I talked with an engineer from the factory and they test theirs with the anticipation of getting only 1500 hours out of their twins. I usually get 2200-2500 though. I've got three Kawaski 12.5hp singles on some walk behinds that have 10,000-12,000 hours and have NEVER been apart. That's impressive to me. I don't think the Kaw twins I have will last any where near that though. I think Briggs is OK and Tecumseh is on the bottom. I shorten the maintenance intervals on all ours slightly mostly to make me feel better, but it seems to work.

 

[Anonymous-0]

We have a Yamaha lawn mower that is about 12 years old or so, still ran like a champ but parts are near impossible to find these days as they quit making them.

We currently run a Craftsman with a 26 horsepower Kohler - so far so good with 28 hours on it in two years. I changed the oil to synthetic and hope to get at least a couple thousand hours out of it... My father-in-law has the Bob Vila special with a 24 horse Briggs on it with around 280 hours - engine is going strong, but the front end is slopped out and other problems...

I personally prefer Honda engines, then Kohler, followed by Briggs and Tecumseh at the very bottom.

 

[TomNTex]

I've got four JD mowers with the Kawasaki engines. Two of them are 93 models and have never had any problems to speak of. I have put many many hours on these mowing my 5 acre golf course. I am very impressed with the Kawasaki engines. I also run honda engines on many other pieces of equipment. Both are great engines along with the Kholer or Onan. I will never ever buy anything with a Briggs or Tecumseh engine if I have a choice. Just way too many bad experiences.

Tom

 

[Anonymous-0]

1. Honda if affordable to you
2. Kawasaki
3. Kohler
4. Briggs

 

[buickanddeere]

Not so much which manufacture but which model/type of engine that manufacture builds.
Usually water cooled run quieter, last longer and burn less fuel.
Twins run smoother & cause less driveline stress.
Overhead valve run more efficient.
A two cylinder engine with a single barrel carb sometimes isn't the best.
Generac made an outstanding 45 degree air cooled single. They never were as popular or got as much praise as they should have. The Briggs OHV engines are related to the Generac units.

 

[Luke S]

You guys can keep all you air and water cooled gasers. My Kubota Zero turn has a 21hp three cylinder water cooled Kubota diesel that I'll put up against anything out there as far as hours run with fewest problems.