# Tecumseh "Xtra Life" and "Heavy Duty" VS Standard Engines



## Sign216 (Feb 14, 2017)

What's the difference between Tecumseh's "Xtra Life" and "Heavy Duty" versus their standard engines?

Cast iron bores? Some other components?


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

$200 ??

Good question !


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## Sign216 (Feb 14, 2017)

I just checked, and my HSSK 50 Snow King engine came with iron bores. 
Although iron (steel) bores on other makes are the extra-life model, it looks like they are standard on the old Tecumsehs.

So it must be some other feature.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Could very well be the old I/C designation. I don't mess around with those engines.*


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

Sign216 said:


> I just checked, and my HSSK 50 Snow King engine came with iron bores.
> Although iron (steel) bores on other makes are the extra-life model, it looks like they are standard on the old Tecumsehs.
> 
> So it must be some other feature.


My HM80 has an iron bore but bushings for the crank and sissy valve springs.

I see a ball bearings for the crank on some random XL part breakdowns. 

I'd like to think that they'd also have stiffer valve springs and heavy-duty keepers on the flatheads... and would a billet connecting rod be too much to ask? :icon_smile_big:


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

classiccat said:


> My HM80 has an iron bore but bushings for the crank and sissy valve springs.
> 
> I see a ball bearings for the crank on some random XL part breakdowns.
> 
> I'd like to think that they'd also have stiffer valve springs and heavy-duty keepers on the flatheads... and would a billet connecting rod be too much to ask? :icon_smile_big:


 *A Billet connecting rod ohhhhhhhhhhh the in humanity of it all.:icon_smile_big::icon_smile_big:*


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## Sign216 (Feb 14, 2017)

classiccat said:


> I see a ball bearings for the crank on some random XL part breakdowns.


Ball bearings might be the different feature for XL engine, although I can't believe they used plain bearings for the crank on other models. Is that true? Those are for hi-pressure oil lube, not the splash-lube these engines have.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Predators have ball bearings on the crank....and never throw a rod...even if you act stupid. Tecumsehs are good if you want to flip a blower....you want to run one...go high tec. That said how can you wear out a Tecumseh on a blower? I can't do 10 hours a year snowblowing....that is the only reason they are still alive..50 years 500 hrs tops....Oh yea...look at all the low hr Tecumsehs that threw a rod.....


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## classiccat (Mar 1, 2014)

Here's one from a tiller (~ 3:39 mark):

https://youtu.be/cjKruxKR4QE?t=3m39s


^^^ and check out that ring end gap! 


Here's a 1975 HH60:




^^^ looks like a brass bushing for the crank.


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## AriensProMike (Dec 2, 2014)

They are compete cast iron blocks or at least the early ones are. The HH series are.
I believe "extra life" was the way they marketed it. They usually came on rototiller. Hope that helps answer your question.


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## Blosumsno (Dec 7, 2016)

My 2003 Snapper 2-stage has a Tecumseh OHSK55 (OHV) and I believe it has an iron bore. I used to have a 1995 Snapper Ninja push mower with a Tecumseh TVXL840 5HP 2-stroke engine and it was advertised as Xtra Life, had Iron bore and a larger cartridge air filter but I can't recall if it other upgrades, lasted around 14 years until I got the oil mix a bit light and lost compression-repowered with a Predator vertical.

But I'm not as familiar with Tec's horizontal engine's XL designation. Had the Smapper blower since new and not a lick of trouble but now with some 1.5 year old gas and some fresh mixed in it was surging at idle the other day, under load was fine. Guess spring project is to clean carb.


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