# Tecumseh Snow King or Briggs which is better?



## Winter

I just bought a used 2008 Pro 13 HP 32LE 75th anniversery Ariens as a older guy had it not used much ,even the muffer was still silver. It is like show room condition . It has the Tecumseh snowking 360 CC in it and wow used it today and almost could throw the snow over my house!
It has a cast iron Bore,what does that mean? Must be good?
Starts so easy! Very quiet as last week had a old 1999 Crafstman and needed ear plugs to use it, so loud! It was a 11 hp 31 inch and would bog down in a foot snow bank,junk!


----------



## docfletcher

Cast iron bore means the bore or hole the piston moves up & down in is either cast iron as in a cast iron block. Or which is more likely a cast iron sleeve pressed into a block made of some other material, such as aluminum. Either way is very good.

I'm sure one the folks here that works on those Tecumseh engines could be more specific.

Congratulations are your very nice find.

Which is better??? I don't know. I've had both and liked both.


----------



## td5771

both briggs and tecumseh made engines with a cast iron bore. The aluminum block is cast, then machined and the iron sleeve is pressed into the aluminum block.

It wears a lot better than other metals.

The new engines are ohv, overhead valve engines, quieter. the older ones were flathead engines typically louder.

I bet that 11 hp "junk" could be a powerhouse if gone through to get it back up to par.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog

_*"old 1999 Crafstman and needed ear plugs to use it, so loud! It was a 11 hp 31 inch and would bog down in a foot snow bank,junk!"

*_I have two from the 70's, 10hp 32" 3 stage and they both do quite well. As Td5771 said, it's more likely the machine has been neglected, blame the owner not the machine.

Congratulations on your purchase, sounds like you got a deal.


----------



## Shelbybob

Ford or Chevy?


----------



## scrappy

My avatar says it for me.


----------



## Normex

Winter said:


> I just bought a used 2008 Pro 13 HP 32LE 75th anniversery Ariens as a older guy had it not used much ,even the muffer was still silver. It is like show room condition . It has the Tecumseh snowking 360 CC in it and wow used it today and almost could throw the snow over my house!
> It has a cast iron Bore,what does that mean? Must be good?
> QUOTE]
> 
> Bought the same except a DLE and 30" with hardly any use.
> As mentioned with many, starts first pull.


----------



## UNDERTAKER

BRIGGS engines are the only type I will run up here in the FROZEN TUNDRA. those tecumsaparts were always gutless wonders up here.


----------



## scrappy

POWERSHIFT93 said:


> BRIGGS engines are the only type I will run up here in the FROZEN TUNDRA. those tecumsaparts were always gutless wonders up here.


Yeah. Can we agree to disagree. 

Now we have offshore crap. Thank the free trade agreement.

i'm cool yep cool i am Nothing like a side popper tec It just has a cool flat head sound.


----------



## micah68kj

Winter said:


> I just bought a used 2008 Pro 13 HP 32LE 75th anniversery Ariens as a older guy had it not used much ,even the muffer was still silver. It is like show room condition . It has the Tecumseh snowking 360 CC in it and wow used it today and almost could throw the snow over my house!
> It has a cast iron Bore,what does that mean? Must be good?
> Starts so easy! Very quiet as last week had a old 1999 Crafstman and needed ear plugs to use it, so loud! It was a 11 hp 31 inch and would bog down in a foot snow bank,junk!


Shh! Not too loud. There are folks that don't know that there are good Tecumseh engines out there. 
Truth is there are good and bad engines made by all manufacturers. The most problematic engines I ever had to deal with were Briggs engines. I've had a minor problem or two with Tecs, Kohlers and bigger problems with Briggs. Have owned about equal numbers of all. Probably more Tecs than anything.


----------



## Ryan

huh. I have had problems with the Tecush, but rarely an issue with the Briggs.


----------



## Normex

+1 with Micah, there were so many more winter engines made by Tec and they reacted badly with a thrown rod because oil was not checked, added, or changed. Nevertheless it turned to part of their downfall and many many of them still work hard to this day after 40+ years of use.


----------



## motorhead64

I own all the engines mentioned here. All perform as they they are required. My oldest Tecumsehs are actually Lausons. Lauson claimed to be the oldest small engine manufacturer in the US, later bought out by Tecumseh. One is 54 years old, one 53. Both run strong. My oldest Kohler is a 7 hp that powers my B60 Wheelhorse parade tractor. It would pull a house off its foundation in low low gear. My oldest Briggs is a 4 hp that drives an Ariens cultivator...it's about 40 years old. None of these engines were well cared for, but because of their simple designs and their quality materials, they were able to be saved from the scrap heap and restored to operation. Any motor that is not maintained properly can become a lemon. MH


----------



## suspicionofignorance2

Wondering if the crappy reformulated ethanol fuel we had to use this past decade had anything to do with Tecumsehs loosing power or just generally falling out of favor..after all, they were the "only' snowblower eng mfr...and flathead design wasn't best for this fuel...My limited ownership showed me doing valve jobs [relapping] on two that were not very high hours...Ran great once full compression restored...As for throwing the rods...yup...but would it have been any better if Briggs flathead was in use...Don't know..All were built with Tec..


----------



## Normex

suspicionofignorance2 said:


> Wondering if the crappy reformulated ethanol fuel we had to use this past decade had anything to do with Tecumsehs loosing power or just generally falling out of favor..after all, they were the "only' snowblower eng mfr...and flathead design wasn't best for this fuel...My limited ownership showed me doing valve jobs [relapping] on two that were not very high hours...Ran great once full compression restored...As for throwing the rods...yup...but would it have been any better if Briggs flathead was in use...Don't know..All were built with Tec..


 Tecumseh engines got antiquated with their flat head design and closed manufacturing in 2008, those engines that still runs today run with ethanol, though the carbs gums up bad if left for long periods and this applies for all engine brands.


----------



## dbert

Shelbybob said:


> Ford or Chevy?


My thoughts exactly. 
At my house Tecumseh outnumbers Briggs by 10 to 1. Actually its 12 to 1.
Not because I have a preference as much as that seems to be a common ratio for the vintage I own. The Briggs is on a newer Ariens Compact.
Oh, and one Yanmar.


----------



## micah68kj

A very rough estimate but there were probably 10 Tec Snow King engines for every Briggs installed on snowblowers. If I had to pick an engine to buy and those were my only choices it would probanly be Briggs. I like Briggs engines more than I like Tec engines but there were *so many* tec engines out there, and still are, that performed so well. They get a bad rap just because they dominated the snowblower field for so many years. If an engine tossed a rod 10 to 1 it was gonna be a Tec. It's a bad rap they simply don't deserve. Guys replace their old, worn out Tecs and brag about how much better the new engine runs. Well hey, it jolly well should run better. It's new. Quit raggin' on tec's and let's talk about something else.
Who built engines for Maytag washers? Remember those old kick start washing machines?


----------



## GustoGuy

Both Tecumseh and Briggs and Stratton had a virtual monopoly for years. Tecumseh Engines were probably on 80 plus percent of the snow blowers out there with the other 20% being Briggs. As to summer engines Briggs had 80% of that market. I have Briggs engines on both lawnmowers and I never had any problems with them. I think Tecumseh engines had more temperamental carburetors than Briggs. The larger Snow King Tecumseh engines were known to throw rods. I allmost never hear of a Briggs engine with a busted connecting rod


----------



## GustoGuy

micah68kj said:


> A very rough estimate but there were probably 10 Tec Snow King engines for every Briggs installed on snowblowers. If I had to pick an engine to buy and those were my only choices it would probanly be Briggs. I like Briggs engines more than I like Tec engines but there were *so many* tec engines out there, and still are, that performed so well. They get a bad rap just because they dominated the snowblower field for so many years. If an engine tossed a rod 10 to 1 it was gonna be a Tec. It's a bad rap they simply don't deserve. Guys replace their old, worn out Tecs and brag about how much better the new engine runs. Well hey, it jolly well should run better. It's new. Quit raggin' on tec's and let's talk about something else.
> Who built engines for Maytag washers? Remember those old kick start washing machines?


Well even when the Tecumseh 5hp was brand new it never ran as quietly or as smoothly as the Honda clone still does 2 years latter. I bought the MTD Brand new so I know how it ran when it was brand new. You mention that your Ariens Sno-Tech runs really smoothly too. That LCT engine is based on the Honda inspired design OHV engine too. Plus it has a Honda design inspired muti-baffle muffler which is so much better than the old Tecumseh mufflers. Modern OHV engines are much better than antiquated flat head engines. More fuel efficient less polution since the L-head design could not meet modern emmision standards and the L-head design had to be phased out.


----------



## HCBPH

Engine design has changed over the years, anyone remember the flathead Ford? It had the V8 market for years (actually decades), hot rodded to the hilt and made incredible power for what it was once it had a few tweaks done to it. Designs like the small block OHV Chevy put the nail in the coffin for the flathead other than those devoted people who loved it. If you have the coins, you can still get a built flathead today if that's your inclination.

Small engines are no different. There were good solid designs that when available did the job. Like anything else, conditions change and that also applies to small engines. Like a Tecumseh, if I had a flathead an it worked for me then there's no inclination to change it out. If it broke and I couldn't get a replacement then I'd look at alternatives (such that they are).

All kinds of things affect engines from alcohol in the gas to parts availability and non-lead fuel. Tecumsehs were pre-gasahol and it's no different than when lead was removed from gasoline, it caused the need for hardened valve seats. Like it or not it's something that has to be lived with and handled in some manner.

Ah for the days of 30 cent regular and Supershell, much simpler days. We may wish for those days but they're gone, that's reality.


----------



## RIT333

HCBPH;395329
Ah for the days of 30 cent regular and Supershell said:


> I don't know - Saudi is moving us there, and then when they have us "over a barrel", we'll be back up to $5 gas. They are playing out a strategy to get us by the balz.


----------



## db9938

Between the tar sands and the Bakken reserves, I don't know that they can compete. especially at this rate of production. Never mind the fracking tech that has just came in vogue. I'm not saying that we will see .30 gas, but prices are becoming more reasonable and I'm thankful.


----------



## GustoGuy

db9938 said:


> Between the tar sands and the Bakken reserves, I don't know that they can compete. especially at this rate of production. Never mind the fracking tech that has just came in vogue. I'm not saying that we will see .30 gas, but prices are becoming more reasonable and I'm thankful.


I think that Saudi Arabia and the USA government is trying to keep the worlds oil supply high to put more downward price pressure on Putin since the Russian economy biggest export is petrochemicals. The Russian economy is being hit way harder than our economy is with the 1-2 punch of low oil price and economic sanctions. Don't go out to buy the Cadillac Escalade since it will not last too long before prices go higher again.


----------



## db9938

Oh I completely agree. Political pendulums swing faster than than the wind direction changes. 

The one question I have, has our neighbors to the north seen a reduction in fuel costs?


----------



## SteelyTim

In Buffalo, we're at about 2.80/gal. Nobody can explain WHY we're ALWAYS higher than the rest of the country, but we are.

If 1.99/gal hits here and stays, I'm gonna ditch the Cadillac DTS and buy a 1970s Chrysler New Yorker


----------



## Shryp

We are $1.99 +/- 10 cents here.


----------



## suspicionofignorance2

The low price gas is just what our Fed Gov wanted...as they squandered the monies for infrastructure repairs on "other" stuff, they've been waiting for a slippery way to inject a whopping "fed gas tax increase' without the backlash, to once again pay for the bridge replacements, etc.....I think that's whats coming, and soon...we will shrug it off, till the oil prices rise back up to where they were....Then...Yikes ! Also, If I recall correctly, somewhere around $4.75 / gal is where the incentive to buy a hybrid vehicle with the added sticker costs breaks even on costs of ownership...Soooo, if gas next year is over $5/gal....Gov't will accomplish the push away from gasoline power...I'm waiting to see the 2016 battery powered snowblowers ..Ha!


----------



## sscotsman

SteelyTim said:


> In Buffalo, we're at about 2.80/gal. Nobody can explain WHY we're ALWAYS higher than the rest of the country, but we are.


Tim, it's very well known why we pay so much more than other states!
NY state taxes..
50 cents per gallon in state taxes...#1 highest rate among all 50 states.
it's no mystery. 

State Gasoline Tax Rates, 2009-2013 | Tax Foundation

We are also blessed with the highest property tax rates in the USA..
I love my native state, but im no fan of its government.

Scot


----------



## AriensPro1128

How did a political discussion end up in a Snow King vs. Briggs thread? I see enough of this on other sites. I have always enjoyed the peace and quiet here. Please stop. Thanks.


----------



## sscotsman

AriensPro1128 said:


> How did a political discussion end up in a Snow King vs. Briggs thread? I see enough of this on other sites. I have always enjoyed the peace and quiet here. Please stop. Thanks.


This discussion naturally morphed into politics because politics is a major factor in why Tecumseh stopped making engines, why Briggs has moved production to China, why ethanol is in gas, and why gas costs what it does..politics is all over this hobby!  whether we like it or not.

normally, as a moderator, I would be tempted to shut down political discussions..but in this case, its all civil, arguably related to the topic, and it doesnt bother me when discussions naturally morph and change..within reason....so, no harm no foul, yet.

Scot


----------



## 1894

SteelyTim said:


> In Buffalo, we're at about 2.80/gal. Nobody can explain WHY we're ALWAYS higher than the rest of the country, but we are.
> 
> If 1.99/gal hits here and stays, I'm gonna ditch the Cadillac DTS and buy a 1970s Chrysler New Yorker


 2nd highest gas tax in the country may have something to do with that  

http://www.taxfoundation.org/sites/taxfoundation.org/files/docs/Gas%20Taxes%20Apr%202014.png

Edit : Sorry Scot , didn't see your link before I posted , looks like Calif. beat us out in gas tax this year.


----------



## 94EG8

Modern OHV Briggs & Stratton snow engines are better than Tecumsehs. Even the OHV Tecumsehs. They run smoother, start better, and don't tend to blow up.



db9938 said:


> Between the tar sands and the Bakken reserves, I don't know that they can compete. especially at this rate of production. Never mind the fracking tech that has just came in vogue. I'm not saying that we will see .30 gas, but prices are becoming more reasonable and I'm thankful.


It's not cost effective to frack or pull oil out of the tar sands at $60/barrel for a lot of oil producers. Some long established operations yes, but for most no.

To those complaining about the price of gas, just remember that it's 3.67 a gallon over here right now, and much higher in other parts of the world.


----------



## X10StingRay

Back to Techumseh vs. Briggs: 

I loved B&S as a kid, just because they were easier for me to work on, and my Lil' Indian mini bike had a B&S 5 HP on it. Over the past few years working on quite a few small engines, the Tecumseh got in my blood, as Ariens has been my focus. 

I've got a PILE of blown up Tecumseh engines, and it's all due to owners that didn't keep the oil level up. Any small engine with an aluminum cylinder wall (vs. cast iron or cast iron sleeved) uses more oil due to piston ring seal properties. But, I've got a few Tecumseh HMSK iron sleeved blocks the rods went through due to running out of oil. 

To answer an earlier question, due to seeing a block that a rod busted out part of an iron cylinder liner on an 8 HP Tecumseh Snow King, I could see the large cast ribs on the O. D. of the cast iron cilinder liner, meaning that they had that in place when they cast the aluminum block around it. 

Snow blowers engines are victim to lack of maintenance, and harsh conditions, especially cold starts. People don't want to take their gloves off to get the dipstick out, or they're just not aware of the importance of the oil in the engine.

Another oil consumption problem is the intake valve guide. Tecumseh added a valve seal to the intake valve when they started their latest Snow King design, or the 'HMSK' engines. They knew it was an issue, and they addressed it.

I lost my faith in B&S when I worked on an Intek 6.5 a couple years ago that just wouldn't start. This is an OHV engine, and when I finally discovered the valve timing was way off, I opened the crank case and found the plastic gear on the camshaft slipped on the steel body/shaft. It had plastic cam lobes, also. They use this design in many of their engines, including large V-Twins, and it's a major problem for them, as they fail frequently. 

But, it's their attempt to keep costs down to remain competitive. I was saddened when Tecumseh folded, but it's how the corporate cookie crumbles. 

As of tomorrow, 1/1/2015, all of Tecumseh wharehoused inventory is suppose to be 'terminated'. Dealers were informed of this many months ago, so they could 'stock-up' if they desired. 

Buy ethanol free gas if you can......

Happy New Year!


----------



## ChrisJ

X10StingRay said:


> Back to Techumseh vs. Briggs:
> 
> I loved B&S as a kid, just because they were easier for me to work on, and my Lil' Indian mini bike had a B&S 5 HP on it. Over the past few years working on quite a few small engines, the Tecumseh got in my blood, as Ariens has been my focus.
> 
> I've got a PILE of blown up Tecumseh engines, and it's all due to owners that didn't keep the oil level up. Any small engine with an aluminum cylinder wall (vs. cast iron or cast iron sleeved) uses more oil due to piston ring seal properties. But, I've got a few Tecumseh HMSK iron sleeved blocks the rods went through due to running out of oil.
> 
> To answer an earlier question, due to seeing a block that a rod busted out part of an iron cylinder liner on an 8 HP Tecumseh Snow King, I could see the large cast ribs on the O. D. of the cast iron cilinder liner, meaning that they had that in place when they cast the aluminum block around it.
> 
> Snow blowers engines are victim to lack of maintenance, and harsh conditions, especially cold starts. People don't want to take their gloves off to get the dipstick out, or they're just not aware of the importance of the oil in the engine.
> 
> Another oil consumption problem is the intake valve guide. Tecumseh added a valve seal to the intake valve when they started their latest Snow King design, or the 'HMSK' engines. They knew it was an issue, and they addressed it.
> 
> I lost my faith in B&S when I worked on an Intek 6.5 a couple years ago that just wouldn't start. This is an OHV engine, and when I finally discovered the valve timing was way off, I opened the crank case and found the plastic gear on the camshaft slipped on the steel body/shaft. It had plastic cam lobes, also. They use this design in many of their engines, including large V-Twins, and it's a major problem for them, as they fail frequently.
> 
> *But, it's their attempt to keep costs down to remain competitive. I was saddened when Tecumseh folded, but it's how the corporate cookie crumbles. *
> 
> As of tomorrow, 1/1/2015, all of Tecumseh wharehoused inventory is suppose to be 'terminated'. Dealers were informed of this many months ago, so they could 'stock-up' if they desired.
> 
> Buy ethanol free gas if you can......
> 
> Happy New Year!



That's the problem though. How can any decent company remain competitive to the Chinese Honda ripoffs? How will Honda even survive when you can buy a cheaper copy of their engine for half the price!?

The issue is, those engines are likely not as good as the real McCoy but people don't care.

I own a Honda GX200 powered pressurewasher and a Honda GCV160 powered Honda Lawnmower. My only two American engines are an older early 90s Briggs 8HP cast iron sleve on a generator which runs amazing and my HSMK80 on the Ariens. Both seem like really solid engines but the Briggs 8HP, that is an impressive running engine I don't care how loud it is.

I have a feeling the Tec will start far easier when it's 10F outside, but the Briggs definitely runs better.

Now, if someone asked what I thought of any Briggs I've owned that had a plastic carb, I'd say it was garbage. In fact the only Briggs engine I've had that was made after the early 1970s that I liked is the one on the generator and to be honest I have a feeling that's actually a 1960s design. Honestly I'd say that Briggs is the best running small engine I've ever owned and that's including the GX200.

It's identical to this 










Now to be honest I have not tried any of the recent better Briggs engines. I had one on a really cheap Bolens lawn mower from 2006 and it was awful. Awful starting, awful running, absolutely no power etc.


----------



## nt40lanman

I'm gonna go with Micah68. I find it HIGHLY unusual to see a Briggs on a blower. Tecs were everywhere. Mine have always run great because I drain carbs and change oil. Of course a brand new clone runs better!! In 20 years, I'll buy one of whatever is new and talk about how all the 20 year old clone engines are junk. Or maybe in 20 years the 20 year old clones won't run as good as my 60 year old Tec.

As for the politics or downfall of domestic engines, that falls squarely on us. We, the American people want to have our cake and eat it too. You just can't have American made AND super cheap. You have to pick one. Maybe if we had all stuck with American or the trade policies were different, things would be different now.


----------



## 1894

Can everyone else read the text on this page without scrolling back and forth to read each line except me ?


----------



## detdrbuzzard

we think that $99 dollar HF motors are cheap price wise but I bet some guy in china making chineese wages wouldn't agree


----------



## Lakota

SteelyTim said:


> In Buffalo, we're at about 2.80/gal. Nobody can explain WHY we're ALWAYS higher than the rest of the country, but we are.
> 
> If 1.99/gal hits here and stays, I'm gonna ditch the Cadillac DTS and buy a 1970s Chrysler New Yorker


Some reasons were given.
Were at the end of the supply chain, lack of competition, close to Canada and their high gas prices, our prices are a bargain to them and high taxes.


----------



## Normex

1894 said:


> Can everyone else read the text on this page without scrolling back and forth to read each line except me ?


 Without knowing your OS, I'll take a stab for Windows, on your right bottom of the page you can change the zoom level downward and see if it helps.


----------



## Shryp

1894 said:


> Can everyone else read the text on this page without scrolling back and forth to read each line except me ?


http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/384913-post6.html


----------



## db9938

I have stated before, and I will have to add here, I recently (this fall) worked on a 7.5HP B&S OHV Troy-bilt lawnmower. The engine was a little particular to having the cover in place, but I think that this was due to the thermistacally controlled governor through the heat transferred through the muffler. It was a first for me, and to be quite honest, it was also the easiest engine to service, with just four nuts that secure the recoil starter and the shroud. 

Now is this a NA engine, or at least designed in NA, I have no idea. But it is an engine that is easy to service in the future.


----------



## 1894

Normex said:


> Without knowing your OS, I'll take a stab for Windows, on your right bottom of the page you can change the zoom level downward and see if it helps.


 Yes , it is windows 7 . I can change the zoom to 65% and it almost fits the screen , 50 % and it fits. Both of those 2 settings the text is too small to read .



Shryp said:


> http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/384913-post6.html


 Yep , tried that @ 1024 , tried 800 , the pic still comes up @ 
1,787px × 1,341px . so it doesn't shrink it at all. 

I'll just skip the threads with pics over 1,024 wide .

Thanks for trying though


----------



## 1894

Please move my posts to the help section . I don't want to clutter up this thread .


----------



## Bror Jace

My Dad has a 2006 Ariens 11528 with a Tecumseh and I have a 2011 Ariens 28” Deluxe with a B&S 250cc. Similar machines with the different brand engines in question.


I can't exactly use them back to-back but I have logged about 50+ hours with Dad's machine and 20+with mine (more recently).


My impression? The Tecumseh engine was rougher, louder and a bit more powerful. The Briggs (OHV) is quieter, smoother, but seems to lack some of the grunt of the Tec.


Fort what it's worth.


----------



## ChrisJ

Bror Jace said:


> My Dad has a 2006 Ariens 11528 with a Tecumseh and I have a 2011 Ariens 28” Deluxe with a B&S 250cc. Similar machines with the different brand engines in question.
> 
> 
> I can't exactly use them back to-back but I have logged about 50+ hours with Dad's machine and 20+with mine (more recently).
> 
> 
> My impression? The Tecumseh engine was rougher, louder and a bit more powerful. The Briggs (OHV) is quieter, smoother, but seems to lack some of the grunt of the Tec.
> 
> 
> Fort what it's worth.



Are the differences big enough to matter, or can you use either perfectly fine?


----------



## Normex

Bror Jace said:


> My impression? The Tecumseh engine was rougher, louder and a bit more powerful. The Briggs (OHV) is quieter, smoother, but seems to lack some of the grunt of the Tec.


 You are not comparing quite apple to apple with these engines.
The Tecumseh is an L Head and has 358cc and the Briggs 250cc with OHV.


----------



## ChrisJ

Normex said:


> You are not comparing quite apple to apple with these engines.
> The Tecumseh is an L Head and has 358cc and the Briggs 250cc with OHV.


Interesting.

That Briggs claims 11.5 ftlb of torque @ 2800 rpm which is basically 6hp. Looks like 10.6ftlb @ 3400 which is 6.8hp and 6.9hp @ 3600.

I can't find a power curve for the Tec 8HP but something tells me the Briggs falls short and is able to because they all went to torque ratings instead.

Also, those are gross ratings which in this case means no muffler. Honda seems to be the only one nice enough to give actual net ratings which include a muffler and if applicable air cleaner.

So that Briggs likely gives 6.5HP @ 3400-3600 with a muffler.

Seems undersized for a 28" machine doesn't it? I thought Ariens 28" machines used to run the 10HP or 11HP Tecumseh?


----------



## ChrisJ

Just looked up the normal Briggs 1150 and it actually produces more power than the snow version.

Of course, again that's without an airfilter or muffler. Wonder how they compare as they are actually used (Air filter + muffler vs muffler for snow version).


----------



## bombidude

They are both good.. When they run!


----------



## Bror Jace

_"You are not comparing quite apple to apple with these engines.
The Tecumseh is an L Head and has 358cc and the Briggs 250cc with OHV"_

I had no idea if it was a fair comparison or not. I know the machines are the same brand and very similar in size. Many small features are different between them. But I assumed the engines would be very close in hp and/or torque. I don't have access to Dad's machine so I could not look up specs on the Tec. I'm surprised to hear that it's THAT much bigger. Even being an older design, that's a lot of motor.

My B&S gets the job done, but I have to be patient with the machine.


----------

