# Hemi swap on a 924 series, but with a small twist



## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

This Ariens 924039 was a curbside pickup back in May. 924039 means it has ball bearings for the axles, 8hp engine, with a differential. It's kind of a neat machine.

Its original Tecumseh HM80 has compression, and it will be revived for another project in the future. However, as I currently have a surplus of suitable running OHV engines, the Tecumseh was removed this afternoon.










The "new" engine is a Loncin G200F 196cc Hemi from a Generac pressure washer with a September 2012 date code.










The engine swap is a straightforward process. You have to knock off the factory engine mounting studs as the old 8hp Tecumseh used the "rear" mounting holes, and the new engine uses the "forward" holes:










I was able to remove the factory pulley from the Tecumseh engine, and it slipped onto the Generac engine with the use of a 3/4" to 1" crankshaft adapter sleeve from eBay vendor *agatam15*



















Everything lines up and you can use the stock belts and belt keeper+hardware. I only had to bend the eye bolt for the chute crank rod slightly so that the chute crank rod would clear the valve cover.

Next on the to-do list is to free up the drive system, as it's currently stuck in one forward gear. I have a set of 3-lug wheels with X-Tracs on them already installed that I'll probably end up using.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Nice ....


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Could have sold that baby carrier bike easily .....


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Nice. 👍 

I had my eye on the rolling hangar thing... that'd be perfect for hanging and painting small parts.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, I agree .... I would have grabbed it all ......


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

Oneacer said:


> Could have sold that baby carrier bike easily .....


that would make a dandy welding cart !!


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Here's where I am with this snowblower... I've owned about ten 924 series machines, and this is the first one where the friction disk hub is frozen to the hex shaft:










I'm waiting for the heat+penetrant combo to work its slow magic. If that doesn't work, I'll have to dig up my air hammer.


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## 2AriensGuy (11 mo ago)

Nice !!!


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I ran into a bit of a snag while trying to remove the friction disk slider hub from the hex shaft. My MAPP gas torch just didn't deliver enough heat, and soaking it with PB Blaster for days at a time couldn't free it up either.

As I had accumulated quite a bit of Amazon rewards points over the last several years, I decided to splurge on an induction heater.

Not just any induction heater, but the Inductions Innovations Mini Ductor Venom HP that has 1800W of power. It's made in the USA and comes with a 2-year warranty. There are cheaper ones for less, but they typically top out at 1000W, and their reviews were iffy. I didn't buy it just for this project, I am hoping to use it for both snowblower repair and car repair projects eventually.

I am happy to report that the induction heater got it done with ease. I heated up the hub for about a minute and then moved the assembly to a makeshift extraction station (I stack up two 15" alloy wheels with a suitable center hub diameter). With the friction disk slider hub resting on the alloy wheel and the hex shaft pointed to the ground, I put a socket over the hex shaft, and then I was able to pound out the hex shaft with a 4 lb sledge. The beauty of the induction heater is that you are able to localize the heat to the part you are heating up, and you don't have to deal with open flame.

I seem to have misplaced a few parts like a couple of roll pins, so this project will be ever so slightly delayed. I should have it wrapped up by the end of the month.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

A You Tuber here in Ontario called Eliminator Performance has several videos on using a similar unit. Appears to be a great tool, especially if you are working on automotive or OPE on a regular basis. 

Him and his father own an OPE repair shop and he has made some very good instructional videos for OPE repairs.














https://www.youtube.com/c/EliminatorPerformance/featured


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Ziggy65 said:


> A You Tuber here in Ontario called Eliminator Performance has several videos on using a similar unit. Appears to be a great tool, especially if you are working on automotive or OPE on a regular basis.
> 
> Him and his father own an OPE repair shop and he has made some very good instructional videos for OPE repairs.
> 
> ...


Yup, that top video is what convinced me to get that same unit, and I used the same techniques shown in the bottom video to remove a stubborn wheel from my Toro 6521 earlier today.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The missing parts have been sourced and installed, and now this snowblower starts/runs/shifts/drives as expected!

In case anyone was interested in the technical specs of the Generac 196cc engine... It's made by Loncin (the same manufacturer as the Hemi Predator) and has a 68x54mm bore+stroke. The block is etched with "200F" (whereas the Hemi Predator 212cc engine is known as the G210FA).










I was able to locate an owner's manual from Loncin for it, and the dry weight is listed as being just 36 lbs. That represents a 20 lb weight savings over the HM80 that it replaced. The snowblower does feel pretty nimble when I push it around. 

I also replaced the iffy spark plug with an NGK BPR6ES plug which I usually do with all Honda clone engines.










I would like to test with it blowing some snow at least once before I sell it.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

db130 said:


> The missing parts have been sourced and installed, and now this snowblower starts/runs/shifts/drives as expected!
> 
> In case anyone was interested in the technical specs of the Generac 196cc engine... It's made by Loncin (the same manufacturer as the Hemi Predator) and has a 68x54mm bore+stroke. The block is etched with "200F" (whereas the Hemi Predator 212cc engine is known as the G210FA).
> 
> ...



This probably isn't really relevant to the discussion, but I think as of recent no one actually knows who makes the hemi Predator engines. I think there was a rumor that it was Loncin but I recall that changing?


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Really? I thought this was old news, that the non-hemi version is made by Rato and the hemi version is made by Loncin.

The Hemi Predator from 2015 on my 6521 says "Loncin Motor Co., LTD" on the flywheel cover.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

db130 said:


> Really? I thought this was old news, that the non-hemi version is made by Rato and the hemi version is made by Loncin.
> 
> The Hemi Predator from 2015 on my 6521 says "Loncin Motor Co., LTD" on the flywheel cover.
> 
> View attachment 200048



I don't know,
I could be remembering wrong but when I bought my 420 hemi I'm pretty sure it had become a "no one really knows anymore" But I don't remember where, or how or why I came to that conclusion.

My 420 from this time last year has no indication of who made it.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

@ChrisJ For what it's worth, I looked at the pics of your 420 hemi, and I think it's a Loncin-made unit for numerous reasons:

1) It has the same vent hose from the gas tank that goes into the top lid of the airbox, just like on my Hemis
2) The muffler cover is flat with vertical cutouts. The muffler also has a spark arrestor
3) The top of the airbox and the gas tank have similar looking ridges, and the gas caps have the same 5-star shaped indents for fingers
4) When compared to the stock pic of a Loncin G420F engine, its valve cover looks identical to your 420cc hemi
5) Both the G420F and your 420 hemi have that rectangular canister below the valve cover





































You are welcome to draw your own conclusions regarding your 420cc, but as far as I'm concerned, Loncin made my Hemis.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

db130 said:


> @ChrisJ For what it's worth, I looked at the pics of your 420 hemi, and I think it's a Loncin-made unit for numerous reasons:
> 
> 1) It has the same vent hose from the gas tank that goes into the top lid of the airbox, just like on my Hemis
> 2) The muffler cover is flat with vertical cutouts. The muffler also has a spark arrestor
> ...


You do certainly provide a lot of evidence suggesting you're right.

What's your overall opinion on your engine (s)? Build quality etc.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

> What's your overall opinion on your engine (s)? Build quality etc.


I've purchased four 212cc Predators since 2015, and I've also recently picked up the pair of 196cc Generac engines with pressure washer frames still attached to them.

I find them to be solid engines overall. I believe quality could be improved in the following parts:

1) better quality recoil string
2) better quality paint on the muffler cover
3) spark plug
4) the protective rubber outer layer over the ignition coil wire usually cracks over time. you can kind of see it here










These issues can be remedied and should not be considered a dealkiller, especially when they were ~$100 USD at the time of purchase. I'm about to hit the 7th year of ownership on the 212cc Hemi that's on my Toro 6521.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I think my Ariens with the Predator 212 on it is now around 8 years in service, still runs like day one ....


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

Oneacer said:


> I think my Ariens with the Predator 212 on it is now around 8 years in service, still runs like day one ....



I started my 420 a week ago with the pull starter just because and started and ran normal.
But still seemed like the idle circuit is just a tad lean even with it in the 70s out., I guess that's not entirely surprising without an air filter.

But I think I'm gonna end up trying to enlarge the idle jet just a hair... because I'm me.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

This 924039 now has the spare wheels with X-Tracs installed. The rims themselves are a bit crusty, but they hold air and the X-tracs have had minimal use under my ownership.










I may install a taller chute at some point, and I still need to free up the differential lockout hub.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I surely would have painted the rims before putting those nice XTrac on them .... ☺☺


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Those twin stick are nice .... I sold a couple over the years ....


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

As an aside... The original HM80 engine is getting some love from me so that I can use it on a future project. It is aesthetically challenged, but it has spark and compression, so I think it's worth saving.

I got rid of the clunky throttle cable setup that sits atop of the carburetor in favor of the newer carburetor design with the throttle plate mounted on the side of the flywheel. I also changed out the fuel line and installed NOS Tecumseh governor linkages and NOS choke pieces:

p/n for the throttle plate: 34677
p/n for the throttle knob: 35440
p/n for the governor linkages: 33878 / 34667
p/n for the updated carburetor: 632334A
p/n for the choke bracket/choke rod/choke knob: 34587B / 34586 / 35438 

You have to drill an extra hole on the flywheel cover for the throttle plate, and another on the carb cover for the choke knob shaft to poke through:










The benefit of this conversion is that you no longer have to rely on a remote mounted throttle lever, and the adjustable carburetor is $10-$15 all day long on amazon/ebay.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

My hmsk80 has been sitting on the shop floor.
My opinion is you can't polish a turd.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

I believe you when you say yours is a turd. Can't save them all.

It is kind of a crapshoot as some of these engines are now coming up on 45-50 years of service, and we typically don't know their service history. However, I've owned several 70s vintage HM80s and some of them run beautifully after minimal prep work.

Two seasons ago, I had a $25 1976 twin stick with show up at my door with a bunch of pieces missing:










I was going to give up on that engine, but I already had all of the pieces that it was missing. Sure enough, it ran so well afterwards that I put put it back in service and installed it on a snowblower that was 27 years younger:

*







*







I also have the 1978 HM80 which was sitting on my 1976/1978 924026 until earlier this year:










It is possibly the best running Tecumseh I've ever owned, and I've probably owned 20-30 (and counting). Even the exhaust smells clean, like an OHV engine. It is now sitting on a Bolens 824 snowblower that's probably 8 years newer than that engine.

Oh and what does that 924026 have for an engine now? A late 1980s HM80 with solid state ignition.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

Not surprisingly, this HM80 is another clean-running specimen with many years of service left (I had to mount it on an makeshift engine stand so that I didn't have to hold the engine down with my foot while I was trying to start it). I also had to swap out the gas tank with a spare one that didn't have old gas in it.


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## ChrisJ (Nov 27, 2014)

@db130
I think my opinion of beautiful running is different than other's.
But I also get it if someone's trying to restore an older machine. I completely get it.

If anyone's interested I'd probably be ok with donating my HSMK to someone that has a use for it. The OEM adjustable carb I put on it I bought new I think for $90 back in 2015. There's most likely nothing wrong with the engine, I'm just too picky and needed a lot more power.



Here's two older videos of my HMSK running.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

A while back, I made one good snowblower out of two Bolens 824s, and I had a tall chute from that build that had been painted black and white back in 2015. That tall chute complements the existing color scheme on a twin-stick, and it is a 100% bolt-on replacement:











It's about 6 inches taller than the stock Ariens chute.


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The crusty rims were bothering me, and as I happened to have a nicer pair of rims and an extra set of unmounted Snow Hogs from a mid 2000s MTD snowblower that I parted out earlier this year, I was sufficiently motivated. I do not have a tire changer, but I do have a pair of 10" tire spoons and a pair of vice grips. 

The Show Hogs that are being dismounted in the picture below were older specimens that were dry-rotted. I used my vintage Hein-Werner floor jack and my car's hitch receiver to pop the bead.










Warming up "new" tires against my electric baseboard heater for a few minutes made them soft enough to use tire spoons. I then slathered on some bead sealant, removed the core from the valve stems, and used the ratchet strap method for the bead to seat. 24 hours later, the both tires appear to be holding air:


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## Rooskie (Feb 12, 2015)

This is a great idea and text with the picture is unnecessary!


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Makes life so much easier .....  Probably have a Black Friday coupon ....


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## db130 (Feb 16, 2013)

The rims with the Snow Hogs were installed today, but while I had the snowblower up in the air, I also freed up the differential lock lever with the Venom induction heater. It's all buttoned up. The only thing remaining I'd like to do is a DIY impeller kit. 










The other two twin-sticks came out to investigate their new stablemate, and after a sniff and greet session, they agreed for a group photo:


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## Geno (Nov 29, 2011)

Best old Ariens. tough as nails. owned many.. still run same one now for about 15 years. modded but basics still intact.


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