# New Ariens HP Question



## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

i have a very old early 90's maybe craftsman snowblower, 5HP 23 inch

it runs great but isn't very powerful, and struggles in heavier snow, so im looking for an upgrade,

i have been looking at new snowblowers, but most dont list their engine HP...only engine size CC....why?

the one i have been looking at is this.....



https://www.homedepot.ca/product/ariens-classic-24-inch-2-stage-120v-electric-start-snowblower-with-208cc-ariens-ax-engine/1001057170



will this be more powerful then what i have?

also.....are Ariens good quality blowers, who make their engines? i have always liked briggs or techumsea engines


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

That’s the bottom end of Ariens lineup, for close in price you can find the Ariens deluxe 24 with the 254cc engine for close in price if you catch it on sale. They can’t list HP because too many companies lied about HP and it was never accurate so now they only list CC’s 208cc is roughly 6hp and the 254cc is closer to 8hp I have a deluxe and another I put a 254cc on and both have plenty of power for 24” blowers.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Oh sorry forgot the rest of your questions, Ariens make very good quality, Tecumseh went out in 2008 and LCT purchased them and are the makers of the engines on most Ariens and Husqvarna snow blowers and like ALL the others are unfortunately manufactured in China including most Briggs engines also. Sad but hopefully some bring manufacturing back but they are well made to the specs Ariens requires so there good running engines.


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## jerryvvv (Apr 23, 2020)

Dauntae said:


> That’s the bottom end of Ariens lineup, for close in price you can find the Ariens deluxe 24 with the 254cc engine for close in price if you catch it on sale. They can’t list HP because too many companies lied about HP and it was never accurate so now they only list CC’s 208cc is roughly 6hp and the 254cc is closer to 8hp I have a deluxe and another I put a 254cc on and both have plenty of power for 24” blowers.


thanks for the info,

my fear is buying a new snowblower, and having it be not much more powerful then the one i have now, which would be a waste of money,

i don't want something top of the line, but i want an improvement

if i buy the 208cc which you say is 6HP that doesn't seem much more powerful then what i have now,

my current blower runs fine but it seems weak, it will only throw the snow about 6 feet, and when its heavy i need to go so slow, or the engine will die


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

if the old machine is in good shape, and not a dual shaft engine, a $99 predator and a DIY impeller kit will really wake it up.


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

..........just noticed that the op Jerry is in canada......the princess auto equivalent of the predator is the 208 cc powerfist, a bit more expensive up here, but not bad when on sale. ( couldnt figure out how to edit my other post )


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Also if your old one is in decent shape a impeller kit would def help throw the snow and stop the bogging it down, once it starts icing up it put a LOT of drag on the engine, impeller kit would stop that from happening.


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## notabiker (Dec 14, 2018)

Yup, my TruTest (1980 I think) had a 5 hp B&S engine on it and it's either 22" or 24". It performed about as admirably as yours though I could probably get ten feet with the chute off the right and six with it left!! I went through the engine and nothing was worn out, it was just that gutless. And if it goes by current specs where everything was derated then the 5hp was probably 4hp or lower when new. 

I originally put my pressure washer engine (honda gx200) on it and it made a heck of a difference! The predator is a clone of that engine I believe so I would pop across the border and hit up harbor freight or your local equivalent and just repower it for cheap. Some summer you can pull the rest of the machine apart and toss in new bearings and bushings where needed and be good to go for another decade. Bonus is the old machine probably has much thicker steel in it compared to the new ones.

So, new engine and while your fiddling about you might as well put an impeller kit on there and that should really help.


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