# Ariens Ax Engines



## BeerGhost (Dec 17, 2013)

Do the LCT engines have a cast iron or steel bore ?


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

they are build just like the honda gxs which they are cloned from, which has a castiron bore and dual ball bearings on each side of the crankshaft


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

BeerGhost said:


> Do the LCT engines have a cast iron or steel bore ?


LCT engines have a cast iron sleeve and two bearings for the crank, hope this helps you.


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## BeerGhost (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks guys
I seen the new Briggs Have a "Kool bore" so I am thinking that is an aluminum bore?
How does it hold up with steel rings rubbing it?


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

BeerGhost said:


> Thanks guys
> I seen the new Briggs Have a "Kool bore" so I am thinking that is an aluminum bore?
> How does it hold up with steel rings rubbing it?


Of course an aluminum bore is less durable to heat temperatures that snow blowers may encounter when the temps are in the forties and if the oil gets dirty if not changed as per the engine manual.


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## AriensSnowman (Dec 9, 2014)

BeerGhost said:


> Thanks guys
> I seen the new Briggs Have a "Kool bore" so I am thinking that is an aluminum bore?
> How does it hold up with steel rings rubbing it?


Any of the new Briggs don't hold up period. They are destroying their brand with the quality of the engines they have been producing. The repair shop I do welding for has told me some of their engines come with plastic valve guides! Their shop has more Briggs than any other brand in it by a big margin.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

AriensSnowman said:


> Any of the new Briggs don't hold up period. They are destroying their brand with the quality of the engines they have been producing. The repair shop I do welding for has told me some of their engines come with plastic valve guides! Their shop has more Briggs than any other brand in it by a big margin.


That is too bad. Must be a CEO cost cutting decision so he can pay himself much more money. Look at LCT Chinese engines. They seem to be holding up well and are on the Ariens machines. Also look at the Chinese made Loncin engines used by Toro seem to hold up well. The problem with American companies is American Bureaucracy and American board of director cheapness. Cut money and destroy the reputation of the company only to destroy American jobs so they can move even more stuff overseas than they have already did. Yes I know Briggs engines are made in China. The Board of directors is using cost cutting measures to ensure more short-term profit for themselves. A corporate raider is a better term for these people.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I blame the American consumer more than corporate management.
the corporations move production to China as a *reaction* to the American consumer demanding everything be cheaper and cheaper and cheaper..
Walmart also plays a major role in all of this.

and a clarification: Ariens AX engines are not Honda clones.

Scot


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## 43128 (Feb 14, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> I blame the American consumer more than corporate management.
> the corporations move production to China as a *reaction* to the American consumer demanding everything be cheaper and cheaper and cheaper..
> Walmart also plays a major role in all of this.
> 
> ...


they are technically clone engines scott but are heavily modified with changes to the bore and connecting rod and a ton of shrouding, and a slighty different carb.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

43128 said:


> they are technically clone engines scott but are heavily modified with changes to the bore and connecting rod and a ton of shrouding, and a slighty different carb.


That is incorrect..technically they are not clone engines. They are not Honda clones, or clones of anything, they are LCT's own design. 

Scot


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

The relationships are very convoluted, but LCT engines (Ariens) are the descendants of Tecumseh designs..or at least Tecumseh engineering..it has never been clear how much Tecumseh DNA current LCT engines have in them..but there is a definate relationship:

Tecumseh Snow King engine revival; and Ariens, Stens, LCT, CPC

Scot


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> The relationships are very convoluted, but LCT engines (Ariens) are the descendants of Tecumseh designs..or at least Tecumseh engineering..it has never been clear how much Tecumseh DNA current LCT engines have in them..but there is a definate relationship:
> 
> Tecumseh Snow King engine revival; and Ariens, Stens, LCT, CPC
> 
> Scot


Though LCT are descendants of Tecumseh it is where it stops as with my engine specs sizing LCT are far from offering a direct replacement for my Tec 11hp or any size close to it, the only direct replacement is a 254cc LCT for my 358ccTec, the DNA evolution of the Tecumsehs have suffered a big hiccup with their demise and born again with new parents and not even cousins.


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## HillnGullyRider (Feb 9, 2014)

0


Normex said:


> Of course an aluminum bore is less durable to heat temperatures that snow blowers may encounter when the temps are in the forties and if the oil gets dirty if not changed as per the engine manual.


Aluminum bore does not necessarily equate to junk. I know for a fact that Yamaha uses Aluminum bore on certain MC cylinders, and these have piston speeds 3 times higher than your average OPE engines. With the modern bore coatings they outlast and run much cooler than iron bores. Now, whether or not the Chicoms have swiped this technology just as they have swiped everything else, is perhaps the better question.


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## Pathfinder13 (Feb 28, 2014)

sscotsman said:


> I blame the American consumer more than corporate management.
> the corporations move production to China as a *reaction* to the American consumer demanding everything be cheaper and cheaper and cheaper..
> Walmart also plays a major role in all of this.
> 
> ...



I have to agree with that ! ..and watch the %^&* hit the fan when our gas prices climb back up to almost double. Give us a taste of something good and cheap and it's hard to go back. I may have to dump my 4600 lb SUV for that Mini Cooper someday.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

HillnGullyRider said:


> 0
> 
> Aluminum bore does not necessarily equate to junk. I know for a fact that Yamaha uses Aluminum bore on certain MC cylinders, and these have piston speeds 3 times higher than your average OPE engines. With the modern bore coatings they outlast and run much cooler than iron bores. Now, whether or not the Chicoms have swiped this technology just as they have swiped everything else, is perhaps the better question.


True as Yamaha is in a class by itself and in reality we were talking about less high brand models that not too many have aluminum only bores nowadays.


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## candive (Jan 19, 2015)

*Engines*

Has anyone tried of repowering with a Honda GX engine?
I only have experience with the innards of Tecumseh and frankly I am not very impressed with them. If they really are the best out there (besides Honda) there isn't much choice. Cheap or cheap.
An overhead valve configuration brings the the snowblower engine into the 21rst century. Cleaner burning, more efficient however this is all good on paper but if there is no quality in the build what is the point? 
There really isn't much choice in engines.
Cheers


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

candive said:


> Has anyone tried of repowering with a Honda GX engine?
> I only have experience with the innards of Tecumseh and frankly I am not very impressed with them. If they really are the best out there (besides Honda) there isn't much choice. Cheap or cheap.
> An overhead valve configuration brings the the snowblower engine into the 21rst century. Cleaner burning, more efficient however this is all good on paper but if there is no quality in the build what is the point?
> There really isn't much choice in engines.
> Cheers


 Yes. It is real easy to use a Honda engine to re-power a snow blower. I used Harbor Freight Predator 212cc engines with great results. Smooth running easy 1 to 2 pull recoil start and quiet mufflers. All 3 of my engines have been running very reliably. As to quality of these engines the casting of the engine block according to NR racing appears to be nearly as good as genuine Honda engines. The flywheel is not as well made as a real Honda engine but the crankshaft and bearings and the casting of the block appear to be of decent quality.


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