# What is the difference in engine?



## michaelthomas (Oct 13, 2006)

I am looking for a new 8-10hp engine for my splitter and have found a few briggs and strattons that would foot the bill.  I am wondering why the snowblower engines are so much less expensive than say the Vanguard series.  Here are the descriptions and the pricing:

8 HP - Powerbuilt series - has recoil and 12 volt electric start - 3 amp alternator - 3/4" dia. x 2-1/2" keyed crankshaft - d/t 3/8-24 - ball bearing on PTO side - manual throttle and choke with stop - Lo-Tone muffler - color black.  $479

12 HP - Intek "Snow" Series - Recoil & electric start - easy start primer - dual alternator - dura-bore - cast iron cylinder sleeve - overhead valve design - remote or manual throttle - 3/4" dia. x 2.5" crankshast - has 3/16" keyway and d/t.  $349

8 hp vs 12hp for $139 less?  Does a snowblower engine have different attributes that would make it a less effective engine on a splitter?  Can anyone elaborate on the differences between these 2 engines?  Thank you


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## kd460 (Oct 13, 2006)

Not sure if this is the entire answer, but, I do know that there has been recent "clean air" requirements enacted for small engines. Seems like the 2 stroke engine has higher emissions and allot of places are getting rid of the "older ones" as they do not meet the requirements.  So that might be part of the answer. KD


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## Roospike (Oct 13, 2006)

michaelthomas said:
			
		

> I am looking for a new 8-10hp engine for my splitter and have found a few briggs and strattons that would foot the bill. I am wondering why the snowblower engines are so much less expensive than say the Vanguard series. Here are the descriptions and the pricing:
> 
> 8 HP - Powerbuilt series - has recoil and 12 volt electric start - 3 amp alternator - 3/4" dia. x 2-1/2" keyed crankshaft - d/t 3/8-24 - ball bearing on PTO side - manual throttle and choke with stop - Lo-Tone muffler - color black. $479
> 
> ...



* "Powerbuilt"* is the basic bottom of the line engine with alum cylinder. The 12 v starter is always more as well as the installed alternator.

Now *"Intek"* is kinda funny and i had to call Briggs & Stratton on that one. Most of the time Intek means steel sleeve in the cylinder for longer life & a few upgraded add on's.......There are some Intek engines that are just the up graded model from the flat head thay sold for many years but do NOT have the steel cylinder sleeve.

The is also an *Intek I/C* and the Intek I/C is Industrial / Commercial engine and the I/C is going to have the long life engine with the steel cylinder sleeve.

*"Vanguard series"* is the top of the line for briggs and is built to last the longest and is made for Industrial / Commercial and had a lot of upgraded parts added as well as the steel sleeve in the cylinder. 

I would *not* go with the powerbuilt series if you can help it. There not bad but just not made to last as long as the other brands. If you go with the Intek or Intek I/C with the steel cylinder sleeve( the engine i use in everything - Intek I/C ) make sue you take the model and serial # and call briggs per there web site phine # to make sure it is a true steel sleeve cylinder engine. 

The *Snowblower series* style engine is designed to stay warmer running in the winter and there are some guards in place to keep snow out of air intakes.+ some have the big "D" starter handle on the pull start for starting with gloves on. I would ONLY run a snowblower series engine in the winter only.

Hope this helped ya .......


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## MikeS (Oct 13, 2006)

All I can think is that Briggs is name brand.
Perhaps, snow blower knows it will be cold out, so it has less cooling fan.  but that would be a small difference.
does the intek have BB on output?  both have fancy electronic ignition?  is the intek chinese?

Splitter is easy job compared to snow blowing.  splitter gets a break each time you have to place a log, snow is constant, heavy load.

governor may matter to you, also.  you rev up a snow machine and feed it snow.  the splitter should automatically deal with the drastically variying load.

Personally, I would go cheap, but i am wizard of tuning things mechanical...


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## michaelthomas (Oct 13, 2006)

Why would you run it in the winter only?  Are the heating shields going to be the only difference between this engine and a non snow blower engine?  Would I see much difference between an 8 hp utility engine vs a 12 hp snowblower engine?  or is horsepower horspower?  Could the heat retaining shrouds be removed in warmer weather?  Do snowblower engines have an airfilter?


I would ONLY run a snowblower series engine in the winter only.

Hope this helped ya .......[/quote]


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## Corey (Oct 13, 2006)

Roospike seems to have a direct line to B&S lots of good info there.  As to why you would only run a snow blower in winter/cold temps...give it a few more seconds of thought and the answer should become clear .  

One thing that hasn't been mentioned - (I read about this when looking for my splitter engine - it may be urban legend, but seems to make sense).  Some engines that are designed to spin a heavy load (lawnmower blade, snow blower paddles?, etc) have a lightweight aluminum flywheel because the mfr expects the spinning mass of the attachment to give enough flywheel effect.  Engines that spin items with low rotating mass (hydraulic pump, pressure washer, etc, or engines that can be clutched away from their load) have a heavier cast iron flywheel that supplies the required mass for proper operation.

Corey


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## BrotherBart (Oct 13, 2006)

kd460 said:
			
		

> Not sure if this is the entire answer, but, I do know that there has been recent "clean air" requirements enacted for small engines. Seems like the 2 stroke engine has higher emissions and allot of places are getting rid of the "older ones" as they do not meet the requirements.  So that might be part of the answer. KD



But both of those engines are overhead valve four stroke engines. The only difference I have ever seen for snow-blower engines is that the recoil starter housing is designed to hold heat in instead of move it out, so the recoil starter doesn't get iced up. Might cause it to run a little hot in warm weather.

Hmmm...

Are these prices both from the same vendor?


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## kd460 (Oct 13, 2006)

I see. For some reason I was thinking "2 stroke" for the snowblower engine. Don't know why I made that assumption. Maybe cuz my snowblower is a 2 stroke, I dunno. Maybe one to many beers last night? KD


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## michaelthomas (Oct 13, 2006)

Yes they are from Pat's Small Engine Plus online.  Seemed like a great price considering the HP.  If it got hot in the warm weather can shrouds be removed to increase air?



			
				BrotherBart said:
			
		

> kd460 said:
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## sedanman (Oct 21, 2006)

Snowblowers don't have air filters. There is no dust when the earth is covered in snow. An air filter could get wet and choke a snow engine to death.  Replacement 'snow" engines are not eqipped with air filters.  You don't want to be running a splitter without an air filter.


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## michaelthomas (Oct 21, 2006)

I ended up getting an 8 hp B&S Intek I/C engine with a fuel pump so I can use an external fuel tank.  It is electric start with electronic ignition and electronic governor.  I got it on E-bay new for $250.  It should do everything I need it to for quite some time.  Anybody have any info on this engine.  All the info I could find said that it was a strong durable engine.


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## Roospike (Oct 21, 2006)

michaelthomas said:
			
		

> I ended up getting an 8 hp B&S Intek I/C engine with a fuel pump so I can use an external fuel tank.  It is electric start with electronic ignition and electronic governor.  I got it on E-bay new for $250.  It should do everything I need it to for quite some time.  Anybody have any info on this engine.  All the info I could find said that it was a strong durable engine.



* 8 hp B&S Intek I/C engine W/* fuel pump , electric start . 

Yep That Intec I/C engine is a good one and you should get many , many years of use out of her.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 23, 2006)

I had to rebuild a Vanguard on a generator.  I'm pretty sure it seized because it was run w/o oil (ebay).
I wound up replacing the connecting rod and getting the crankshaft buffed.  There are no replaceable bearings on the aluminum rod.  It runs now.
What I learned, besides that ebay thing, was that parts are very expensive and it doesn't take much to make the engine a writeoff.


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