# Predator 301cc Engine



## storm2410 (Aug 23, 2014)

Has anyone used the Predator 301cc to repower their blower? I know the 212cc is the engine of choice for repowers. I have a Troy Bilt storm 2410 with a working Powermore 179cc engine. I'm looking to repower it with either the 212cc or the 301cc Predator engine. Let me know your thoughts on which I should use


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The 212cc is more than enough power for that small Troy Bilt. I would be afraid of breaking something if going any bigger. Remember, the 179cc on there is more like 5hp, the 212cc is more like 7hp and the 301cc is probably more like 9hp.

As for the 301cc, I don't think it has been out that long and I haven't heard much about them.


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## storm2410 (Aug 23, 2014)

if I changed the pulleys for the auger would it be able to handle a 8hp engine? I was thinking of getting the pulleys from a storm 2625. That unit has a 243cc engine on it. The auger pulley on the 2625 is 8.1 x .5. Don't know the size of the 2410 pulley. If you don't think that the bigger pulleys would fit then I'll just go with the 212cc


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

You can change pulleys if you want. You are still going to end up with more power than that machine can handle. Heck, the 212 is enough to break the gearbox if you are not careful.


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

storm2410 said:


> if I changed the pulleys for the auger would it be able to handle a 8hp engine? I was thinking of getting the pulleys from a storm 2625. That unit has a 243cc engine on it. The auger pulley on the 2625 is 8.1 x .5. Don't know the size of the 2410 pulley. If you don't think that the bigger pulleys would fit then I'll just go with the 212cc


 You'll be real happy with the power of the predator 212cc. I own three of them And the 212 predator makes at least as much power as my Briggs 8hp did on the Gilson made Montgomery Wards 8/26


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## storm2410 (Aug 23, 2014)

Will go with the 212cc then. Gustoguy do you think it will be an easy upgrade since the Troy Bilt and MTD machines are identical?


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

storm2410 said:


> Will go with the 212cc then. Gustoguy do you think it will be an easy upgrade since the Troy Bilt and MTD machines are identical?


My 5hp Tecumseh was a dual shaft engine so it was bit of a difficult swap. If yours is a single shaft then it will be a piece of cake.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

I agree with Shryp and gustoguy, the 212cc will be more than enough power for that blower. They are easy starting have good power and don't eat a lot of fuel. If yours is a dual shaft now you will have some modifications to do. If yours is a single shaft it may be a direct drop in situation belt and all. I have done several harbor freight re-powers. 3 with the 212 cc and one with the 340cc 11hp which is on my current blower. All have performed very well. I still have 3 of the 212cc engines new in the box from when they were closing them out. I got them for 50 dollars each plus 6 dollars shipping for a total of 56 dollars delivered to my door. Carl.


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## storm2410 (Aug 23, 2014)

It's a single shaft 179cc powermore engine. Only worry I have is shaft length on the predator. My current engine has the drive pulley,spacer, & the auger pulley on the shaft from the engine. Don't know if the predator has a long enough shaft to accomodate all the parts from my current engine. Most swaps I see only have the drive and auger pulleys swapped over. Do I need the spacer or can I get away without using it


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

The spacer IS required to keep the belts aligned with the lower driven pulleys.


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## storm2410 (Aug 23, 2014)

Grunt said:


> The spacer IS required to keep the belts aligned with the lower driven pulleys.


If the shaft on the Predator is too short, can I use a shaft extension to make up the rest of the length I need to mount the parts? If not then how would I go about mounting those parts to the shaft


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

Measure the length of your current shaft then look up the data on the predator. I think the predator is around 2.5"


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## Reiniken (Sep 28, 2015)

To answer the original question, YES, you can use a Predator 301cc engine as a replacement for the Tecumseh 5.5hp. I am currently running that exact setup on my MTD 22" blower. My transmission has had ZERO issues and has 5 forward/2 reverse modes. I read about many people having problems with the blower having 5 reverse/2 forward modes. "Flipping" the transmission requires 2 things: (1) removing the friction disc setup and reinstalling it the opposite direction, & (2) installing a new shift rod that is the complete opposite of what your blower has installed. You can complete step 1 but cannot complete step 2 without a custom shift rod assembly. Since the friction disc is now located on the opposite end of the shaft, you need a shift rod that pushes it back toward the middle of the shaft, not into the sidewall of the chassis. Installing my assembly rod completes the conversion as if it were factory. In the pictures, the red assembly rod is the factory rod and the black assembly is my modified, one-piece rod. It is exactly the same except the reversed so that you can complete the mod. There is no need rig the shift selector panel with "stops" preventing you from using all the gears. My assembly rod allows you to use the blower the SAME EXACT way you did before you installed the Predator engine. Here is why the 301cc Predator engine is perfect: It has a 1" shaft that is the exact length that you need for your belts. There is no need to rig your engine with flimsy shaft extensions. All you have to do is go to www.Phoenix-Mfg.com and buy two 1" bore diameter/3"OD v-drive pulleys (part #230010). The cost is $12 ea. Attached are pics of the blower before last winter. The setup worked flawlessly through last winter here on the East Coast and that engine is a beast. Destroys the crappy Tecumseh that is had. I also have (2) MTD track driver snowblowers that originally had the Tecumseh HMSK90 engines and replaced them both with the 301cc Predator engines. Add one of the impeller kits with the 301cc and you'll be throwing snow further than your neighbor's $2,000 Honda.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

storm2410 said:


> It's a single shaft 179cc powermore engine. Only worry I have is shaft length on the predator. My current engine has the drive pulley,spacer, & the auger pulley on the shaft from the engine. Don't know if the predator has a long enough shaft to accomodate all the parts from my current engine. Most swaps I see only have the drive and auger pulleys swapped over. Do I need the spacer or can I get away without using it


Try and locate the engine specs for the one you have, and get a replacement with the same output shaft. Shaft length, diameter, keyway, and bolt size are all important considerations, so as to keep the "modifications" to a minimum.


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