# Tecumseh vs. new chinese



## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

I was just wondering if anybody knows if there's a noticeable difference in power in a old 8.5 Tecumseh compared to the new Chinese made lct engines? I'm asking because I used to have a 12 year old 8526 Ariens,but I sold it and I'm in getting a new Ariens deluxe 24 with the 254cc.i was wondering if the 1 or so hp less in the new Snowthro,will be a big power loss..thanks


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

the 8.5 tech was probably overrated by at least 1 hp, maybe more. the chonda will make more hp per cc . jmo


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

i think that without putting both motors on a dyno it would be hard to tell


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Can find parts for tecumseh


-efisher-


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

e.fisher26 said:


> Can find parts for tecumseh
> 
> 
> -efisher-


Why are parts for the lct engines not available? How do dealers and small engine repair shops repair them? Or are they like tvs now a days once they break you junk them?


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

Bingo, a cubcadet I got had a Chinese on it, changed it it right quick to a Tecumseh 


-efisher-


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## ih8thepackers (Jan 4, 2014)

e.fisher26 said:


> Bingo, a cubcadet I got had a Chinese on it, changed it it right quick to a Tecumseh
> 
> 
> -efisher-


Just wondering how long before parts for tecumsehs start drying up


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

ih8thepackers said:


> Just wondering how long before parts for tecumsehs start drying up




The world may never know


-efisher-


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## Cardo111 (Feb 16, 2015)

I have never heard of parts availability issues with LCT engines. They are supported by Lauson power products and their extensive parts network.


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## DuffyJr (Oct 15, 2015)

This is not a direct comparison to an old Tecumseh but I can say that my new Toro lawn mover with the 159cc mulches better than the Toro I had before which had a B&S 190cc. My backyard has some pretty thick grass and my new mover doesn't bog down like the old one did. I'm guessing this has to do more with the 159cc being OHV.

Want to mention to that the old mower was a Toro recycler 22 inch and the new one is Super Recycler which is 21 inch. I suppose the extra inch would make some difference plus the deck design is different, the new one has these pyramid shaped things that are suppose to direct the clippings back into the blade.


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## DennisP (Jan 10, 2016)

DuffyJr, actually it is a combination of a few things, first off being an extra inch of blade to swing around make a difference in the amount of swung mass and the associated torque resistance at the tip while cutting up grass. Next is the fact that the B&S engine was probably no-where near what it was supposed to be at for RPMs. I have personally retuned about a half dozen lawn mowers this last year for neighbors/friends and in almost all cases those with B&S motors (including my own Brute brand mower) were all off from the expected RPMs. Once they were reset back to "spec" they ran great, and when they were spun up to 3600rpm (most were set to 3200 at the factory for "safety reasons" of the blade tip speed with a "legal" limit of 3300 rpm for a 22" blade mower) for maximum designed engine output they were totally different mowers at that point. Especially if used with high-lift blades for either bagging or mulching. My own Brute with a gold mulching blade was night and day in regards to how fine it mulched and how much I could cut at once when bagging.

The mowers with the RPMs set to the factory engine spec of 3600rpm also sounded like totally different mowers. You could tell the engine was running where it was designed to run at, smoother, more even, more powerful.

What is interesting is that once the RPMs were set to "legal" limit or above, all issues that are normally attributed to carbs seemed to go away (hard start cold, hard start hot, surging, bogging, etc), as well as the plugs all looked better when pulled after heavy use.

I have found that most newer Chinese engines are set properly at the factory. I have yet to find one that was set at too low an RPM. I may add that I have yet to find a Tecumseh engine that was set at too low of output, as long as the owner didn't mess with the governer or if the carb wasn't all gummed up, and once the carb was cleaned/replaced they all ran at the expected RPMs.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

DuffyJr said:


> This is not a direct comparison to an old Tecumseh but I can say that my new Toro lawn mover with the 159cc mulches better than the Toro I had before which had a B&S 190cc. My backyard has some pretty thick grass and my new mover doesn't bog down like the old one did. I'm guessing this has to do more with the 159cc being OHV.
> 
> Want to mention to that the old mower was a Toro recycler 22 inch and the new one is Super Recycler which is 21 inch. I suppose the extra inch would make some difference plus the deck design is different, the new one has these pyramid shaped things that are suppose to direct the clippings back into the blade.


Yep, that is not an apples to apples comparison. The Super Recylers are a great mower, however, the "normal" Recylcer mower from Toro is good, but nothing special.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

e.fisher26 said:


> Can find parts for tecumseh
> -efisher-





ih8thepackers said:


> Why are parts for the lct engines not available? How do dealers and small engine repair shops repair them? Or are they like tvs now a days once they break you junk them?





Cardo111 said:


> I have never heard of parts availability issues with LCT engines. They are supported by Lauson power products and their extensive parts network.


Speaking to this, I have found LCT parts and support to be excellent. Had an issue with the gas tank on a 208cc chipper engine, I emailed them a few pictures, they express mailed me a new tank at zero cost to me. To Japan no less.

It's been a great little engine too, broke in with a lot less debris in the oil than you see in a B&S. I've been pleased with the power it puts out and it always runs real good.


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## DennisP (Jan 10, 2016)

Yanmar Ronin said:


> It's been a great little engine too, broke in with a lot less debris in the oil than you see in a B&S. I've been pleased with the power it puts out and it always runs real good.


I have to ask, what is with all the crap in a new Briggs engine that you see doing the first oil change???

With that they should specify a break-in of an hour max and then an oil change, not this change it after 5 hour stuff in the manuals.

I was absolutely shocked how bad the oil looked in my Brute mower when I changed it. I have ZERO doubt that is why the engine smokes a little on startup after three years. It doesn't smoke while running though and has good power, but still.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

DennisP said:


> I have to ask, what is with all the crap in a new Briggs engine that you see doing the first oil change???
> 
> With that they should specify a break-in of an hour max and then an oil change, not this change it after 5 hour stuff in the manuals.
> 
> I was absolutely shocked how bad the oil looked in my Brute mower when I changed it. I have ZERO doubt that is why the engine smokes a little on startup after three years. It doesn't smoke while running though and has good power, but still.


Couldn't agree more.

When running in any new engine I never go by the manual, I go by what the engine tells me, erring on the side of caution. No way that any two are exactly equal across the board off the line, and unless you have a rummage around the crankcase contents early and often you just don't know.

The B&S 190cc (126T02) Quantum that lives on the pushmower showed flakes and grey goo almost at once, after maybe 20 minutes or so. Changed oil, an hour later more flakes, less goo, lather/rinse/repeat. Better after that, mowed a couple times and just saw a few shinys, one more change. Ran the rest of the season and the end-of-year change was pretty clear. Changed EOS again the next year, oil looked like new. Been two seasons on the current fill, and except for the slightest normal bit of color you'd expect to see it looks great. I'll change it again before I mow in the spring.

Result? Engine is real nice. Zero smoke at any time, used maybe a shotglass-full of oil over two seasons. Plug (replaced the Champion early on to an NGK BR2-LM (5798), eliminates any and all engine miss) stays clear and clean, and compression feels great (haven't measured). Heaps of power.

Moral of the Story: Some pencil-pusher in an office 'way over there' doesn't have a clue, and perhaps this throw-away society we now find ourselves living in has led companies, and individuals as well, to take the easier road.

In the end it's up to the guy with his hands and eyeballs on the machine to make sure it's all done right. IMO it does make a difference, and not a small one.

Edit/addendum: After these flat-tappet engines start to run clean, I switch to diesel 10-30, which I always have some of hanging around because a diesel Hilux, and the Yanmarrrrr. The Vanguard on the little red mower (recent acquisition) got a heapin' helpin' too, and it sounds super now. No catalytic converter to ruin and the extra zinc provides some nice slippery goodness.


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## DuffyJr (Oct 15, 2015)

At the time I didn't understand why but when I bought my first nice mover back in the early 90's, a Snapper high vac with a 5hp B&S the guy told me not to pay attention to the manual and change the oil after the first couple uses then again after a few more uses. He always said to use B&S 30 oil so I did all but a couple times. When I sold the mower 15 years later it was starting to puff a little at start up and I could tell once running the exhaust smelled bad but couldn't really see any thing.

I'm a believer in these oils that are designed for small engines. I used the B&S up until I bought my newest mower when I started using Kohler 10w30.


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