Troybilt, thanks for the advice

fixerupper · May 30, 2020

I don't remember if I posted this on tools, I asked for advice for a replacement engine for a Troybilt tiller. Some of you suggested predator and a couple of you mentioned Kohler. Kohler is more solid and trustworthy but more expensive by quite a bit so money talks and I went the Predator route. I put the Predator on this afternoon and it was a breeze, no harder than replacing the belts. One of you guys mentioned predator at a $99.99. On the Harbor Freight website for the Sioux City store it was $119.99 price tag but I still pulled the trigger. Yesterday I saw a Harbor Freight ad with this same engine listed at $99.99! Oh well, if it blows up tomorrow I have lost $20 more than I would have at $99.99 but if it runs 20 years the extra $20 doesn't mean much.

old · May 30, 2020

Yes the Kohler is a high dollar engine. I think my dad paid $100 per HP when he had me replace his engine but that was 40 plus years ago and I still use it

ArleninOr · May 30, 2020

If it goes on sale they will usually refund you the difference if it is within 30 days.

Bill(Wis) · May 31, 2020

For anyone wishing to replace their TroyBilt Horse tiller engine, Fox Lawn & Garden located in Shenandoah, VA is offering a Kohler
CH-270 TBH 7hp engine designed as a direct bolt in replacement for $279.95. $489.95 for the electric start model. Worth looking
into?

Gambles · May 31, 2020

At $120, you still did okay. In the future, go to just about any hunting or farming magazine and there will be a 2-page section in it that will have the Predator coupon to give it to you for $100. Getting off the subject, but a couple of years ago I looked and looked for the coupon to get me the 22-horse vertical V-twin for $549. Finally found it and it now replaces a Kohler Courage (Google it. What a lemon) engine. Harbor Freight has had a lot of their prices inching up lately. That 22 horse engine is now listed at $999.99 for their normal price.

TomA in CA · May 31, 2020

No problem starting the preditor, one pull usually does it

David G · May 31, 2020

I put B&S on mine, it was probably $400, think you did good at $100.

JDEM · May 31, 2020

I don't know about Kohler being better anymore. I have several Predator engines and love them. They are set up better then the new Kohler
Courage engines and also have better customer product support. I had to call Kohler recently about a new wood-splitter I have with their
engine. They were awful. I wish know I chosen the Honda engine instead. It was the same price with Honda and Kohler and I chose Kohler
because they used to make great engines.

rlp in Co. · May 31, 2020

I have three of those 6.5 HP. engines. They
have a cast iron sleeve that makes them
last much longer than the old small engines
used to. Tbhe fault that I had with 2 of
them, is the gas shut off started leaking.
I could find no place to buy the gaskets so
I had to get two new carbs. $15 each! I
replaced a 7 HP. Wisconsin engine on my MF
garden tractor with one and it uses half or
less gas to mow with!

rew1953 · Jun 2, 2020

I replaced my 8 HP Horse B&S motor with an "exact fit", and it was, 7,5 HP B&S for $150. It is a manual pull. The electric start version was over $200. The manual pull starts on the first pull every time for the past 3 yrs. I sold the complete electric start system on CL for $125, so the new motor cost was $25.

FYI. The new motor instruction book came with a warning in 1"block letters on the second page that the rear times must be propped on an 8" block when adding or changing oil to get the proper level of oil in the motor. If this is not done, the motor will not start due to the low oil level sensor in the new motor. This was not in the original 1974 owners manual and I wound up throwing a piston thru the block. I always checked oil with the tines on the ground, so starving the motor of oil probably caused the motor failure. This must be a common problem or they would not publish that type of warning with the new motor.

WGM · Jun 3, 2020

Kohler built the Courage engines to compete the Predator engine. Kohler Command engines are nearly bullit proof.

Bret4207 · Jun 4, 2020

(quoted from post at 17:52:42 05/30/20) I don't remember if I posted this on tools, I asked for advice for a replacement engine for a Troybilt tiller. Some of you suggested predator and a couple of you mentioned Kohler. Kohler is more solid and trustworthy but more expensive by quite a bit so money talks and I went the Predator route. I put the Predator on this afternoon and it was a breeze, no harder than replacing the belts. One of you guys mentioned predator at a $99.99. On the Harbor Freight website for the Sioux City store it was $119.99 price tag but I still pulled the trigger. Yesterday I saw a Harbor Freight ad with this same engine listed at $99.99! Oh well, if it blows up tomorrow I have lost $20 more than I would have at $99.99 but if it runs 20 years the extra $20 doesn't mean much.

Just change the oil a couple times right off. They tend not to be any too clean inside. Other than that, I'd rather have a Predator than a B+S or Kohler small consumer engine these days.

Troybilt, thanks for the advice

fixerupper

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old

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ArleninOr

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Bill(Wis)

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Gambles

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TomA in CA

Member

David G

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JDEM

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rlp in Co.

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rew1953

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WGM

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Bret4207

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