# Huskee 22 Ton replacement motor...



## VAfarmer38 (Jan 11, 2016)

I've had my splitter for a few years now and the motor finally bit the dust yesterday.  It has the Briggs & Stratton 675E series which is the 190cc model.  I can get the exact same motor (minus the E which best I can tell is for EPA regs in California) from Northern for $170.  I don't have a problem with the price but was curious as to any experience anyone has with going with a different brand (Kohler, Honda, etc) or if I should just stick another Briggs on it.  Thanks in advance.


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## Jags (Jan 11, 2016)

For ease of a direct swap, it is hard to beat the replacement briggs.  However, if you get the specs on output shaft height, length and diameter along with matching mounting holes for the pump mount and motor mount, any engine will work.  It doesn't need to be brand specific.
Many folks have had good luck with the Chonda clones.
All that said, for the pretty low price of the direct replacement, I think I would go that direction. You could get into $70 worth of headache pretty quick if something doesn't match up.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 11, 2016)

Jags said:


> For ease of a direct swap, it is hard to beat the replacement briggs.  However, if you get the specs on output shaft height, length and diameter along with matching mounting holes for the pump mount and motor mount, any engine will work.  It doesn't need to be brand specific.
> Many folks have had good luck with the Chonda clones.
> All that said, for the pretty low price of the direct replacement, I think I would go that direction. You could get into $70 worth of headache pretty quick if something doesn't match up.


That's what I'm going to do.  Northern has them in stock so I can grab one this evening and swap them out.  Thanks.


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## cachunko (Jan 11, 2016)

I'd do a direct swap and pay a little more just for the ease of it.  That being said, I currently have a Harbor Freight predator engine and that ran flawless for a few years now.  Not sure if one of those would bolt up easily or not, but I have their 212cc motor and paid $100 for it.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 11, 2016)

cachunko said:


> I'd do a direct swap and pay a little more just for the ease of it.  That being said, I currently have a Harbor Freight predator engine and that ran flawless for a few years now.  Not sure if one of those would bolt up easily or not, but I have their 212cc motor and paid $100 for it.


Are you running that motor on a Huskee Splitter?


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## cachunko (Jan 11, 2016)

A speeco, but the same thing I believe.


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## Jags (Jan 11, 2016)

cachunko said:


> A speeco, but the same thing I believe.


Be careful.  They have swapped engines a couple of times over the years.


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## cachunko (Jan 11, 2016)

Jags said:


> Be careful.  They have swapped engines a couple of times over the years.


Mines home made.  It was originally a 3 point hitch type splitter for use with tractor hydraulics.  Well the tractor that I had to use sucked.  So I made it into a tow behind style and put a motor and pump on it.


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## KenLockett (Jan 11, 2016)

If I could get away from the BS engine I would in a heartbeat.  Thing is a BEAR to start in the cold and has no choke mechanism.  I would get a Kohler or Honda engine depending on how easily it matches up on bolt pattern/drive linkage, etc.


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## blades (Jan 11, 2016)

cold starts - well don't forget that in addition to pulling over the motor itself is the pump and cold hydro fluid. when its this cold out a tarp and an electric heater blowing on the oil tank can help quite a bit. ( reason they used to build a charcoal fire under the heavy  oil burner equipment back in the day.)


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## Jazzberry (Jan 11, 2016)

Mine has a Kohler (2 years old) but my friend has a Briggs on his (nine years old) and its been flawless. Did something cause yours to go out? Wondering if you did the 5 hour oil change procedure?


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## trailrated (Jan 11, 2016)

Yea whats a "few years old now" ? When I hear a few years I'm thinking about 3. That BS engine shouldn't have quit after 3 years if taken care of.


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## hman (Jan 11, 2016)

I would go with a Honda GC engine. I have one on a Northstar splitter.Very easy start,easy on gas and it has a 3 year warranty on it.


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## Ashful (Jan 11, 2016)

Haven't priced the Honda engine to fit this splitter, but I have priced similar sized Honda motors for other applications.  I'm guessing he can replace that Briggs 3x, before he's into the cost of a Honda replacement.  That's a lot of years.

I do hate the lack of a choke, but the hard pull when cold is going to be the same with any motor... it's the hydro pump, not the motor.  My Briggs-powered Huskee usually starts second or third pull when cold (eg. 0 - 10 F), and then I just have to get on the primer bulb to give it a squirt every few seconds until it starts pulling fuel on its own.  I can tolerate that 20 second headache a few times per year.


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## hman (Jan 12, 2016)

That is why I suggested the GC engine.The GC engine is close to the Briggs motor in price with a 3 year warranty.The GX engines are alot higher in price.


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## KenLockett (Jan 12, 2016)

Ashful said:


> Haven't priced the Honda engine to fit this splitter, but I have priced similar sized Honda motors for other applications.  I'm guessing he can replace that Briggs 3x, before he's into the cost of a Honda replacement.  That's a lot of years.
> 
> I do hate the lack of a choke, but the hard pull when cold is going to be the same with any motor... it's the hydro pump, not the motor.  My Briggs-powered Huskee usually starts second or third pull when cold (eg. 0 - 10 F), and then I just have to get on the primer bulb to give it a squirt every few seconds until it starts pulling fuel on its own.  I can tolerate that 20 second headache a few times per year.


For me it's more like 10-15 minutes when it is really cold out.  Runs like a charm when it is warm out.  The thing starts but wont stay running.  Starting process exactly like you state below but just takes LOTS longer.  Used to think it was the Ethanol fuel but use non-ethanol now.  And yes preheating the engine with an electric heater and cover does make a difference.  Either way very finicky in the cold.


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## KenLockett (Jan 12, 2016)

AND I baby the thing.  It has never even been left out in the elements but stays in my barn and appears to be almost brand new.  So I haven't abused it and did the 5 hour oil change, etc.  Only had to replace the spark plug last year.


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## Beer Belly (Jan 12, 2016)

Mine blew up, and I brought it to a certified dealer to try and warranty it....about a year old...warranty denied due to lack of servicing (my bad), and dealer said the motor with the correct shaft was almost impossible to find and quoted $500....I needed the splitter and gave the green light...then came here and found out I got screwed...but it was a quick turn around, and thats what I needed.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 12, 2016)

Jazzberry said:


> Mine has a Kohler (2 years old) but my friend has a Briggs on his (nine years old) and its been flawless. Did something cause yours to go out? Wondering if you did the 5 hour oil change procedure?


Haha, I'd rather not say.  Let's just say it may have been due to forgetting the splitter was back there one day when I was leaving a gas station.


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## VAfarmer38 (Jan 12, 2016)

I ended up grabbing the B&S 675 from Northern last night and will swap them out in the next couple days.  I had a really good coupon for Northern and they had them in store so it was a bit of a no-brainer, and like I said, the motor has been on it's last leg ever since my little mishap.


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## rippinryno (Jan 12, 2016)

I've got b&s, kohler, and tecumseh engines with thousands of hours on them that are over 20 years old.  Wondering if maintenance was done properly, not just oil changing, but simply checking the fluid levels is huge.  Also, running bad gas that's lost it's octane is a problem .


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## Jazzberry (Jan 13, 2016)

By the way my Kohler starts the first time almost always but never over 3 pulls even in cold down to about 25` or so anyways.


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## Ashful (Jan 13, 2016)

How easily an engine starts has very little to do with build quality or longevity, and everything to do with tuning and maintenance.  Among my OPE, I have a Kohler, Kawasaki, Subaru, B&S, and Yanmar... they all start easier than my neighbors engines of the same or better brands.


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## KenLockett (Jan 13, 2016)

Ashful said:


> How easily an engine starts has very little to do with build quality or longevity, and everything to do with tuning and maintenance.  Among my OPE, I have a Kohler, Kawasaki, Subaru, B&S, and Yanmar... they all start easier than my neighbors engines of the same or better brands.


If you don't mind me asking what tuning can be done on the TSC Huskee Speeco BS engine?  From a maintenance perspective I run Royal Purple Synthetic oil and have changed regularly.  Don't know what else I can do.  Splitter probably has less than 25 hours on it but has always been difficult to start in cold.  A lot of the reviews have stated the same.


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## Ashful (Jan 13, 2016)

KenLockett said:


> If you don't mind me asking what tuning can be done on the TSC Huskee Speeco BS engine?


Not much, other than a good plug with proper gap, air cleaner, a clean carb, and good fuel.  I was referring as much to other engines, like my Kohler K301, which are more subject to a regular tune-up.  My biggest problems with the newer motors (eg. my Tecumseh) is carb fouling, since they can't be disassembled, cleaned, or tuned.


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## williaty (Jan 14, 2016)

I bought a DHT with a Kohler last year. The engine sometimes isn't horrible to start, but just as often I'll spend 10 minutes and 100 pulls trying to get the thing to light up. Once it turns over the first time, it's never a problem to keep it running if you start backing the choke off right away. Warm, cold, hot, doesn't matter, it's sometimes fine and sometimes HORRIBLE. Well, if it happens to stall, it will be 100% HORRIBLE to restart, that's a guarantee.

Is there anything tuning wise that can be done to these Kohler engines to make them start on the 2nd or 3rd pull rather than the 90th pull?


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## jeff_t (Jan 14, 2016)

VAfarmer38 said:


> I ended up grabbing the B&S 675 from Northern last night and will swap them out in the next couple days.  I had a really good coupon for Northern and they had them in store so it was a bit of a no-brainer, and like I said, the motor has been on it's last leg ever since my little mishap.



I'd really like to know how this works out. SpeeCo told me the engine was made specifically for them. Output shaft and something else, I believe. But my splitter is eight years old and might be different.


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## Beer Belly (Jan 14, 2016)

jeff_t said:


> I'd really like to know how this works out. SpeeCo told me the engine was made specifically for them. Output shaft and something else, I believe. But my splitter is eight years old and might be different.


I was told the same thing, but I know others here have done the swap


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## Jazzberry (Jan 14, 2016)

williaty said:


> I bought a DHT with a Kohler last year. The engine sometimes isn't horrible to start, but just as often I'll spend 10 minutes and 100 pulls trying to get the thing to light up. Once it turns over the first time, it's never a problem to keep it running if you start backing the choke off right away. Warm, cold, hot, doesn't matter, it's sometimes fine and sometimes HORRIBLE. Well, if it happens to stall, it will be 100% HORRIBLE to restart, that's a guarantee.
> 
> Is there anything tuning wise that can be done to these Kohler engines to make them start on the 2nd or 3rd pull rather than the 90th pull?





I don't know if yours is the same model as mine but I couldn't ask for anything better than the way my Kohler starts and runs.


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## Halligan (Jan 15, 2016)

Here's a little hint for the Briggs Powered TSC/Husky/Speeco splitter. I've had the same issue starting the briggs only to have it die on me due to lack of choke. What I do now is this: If you look on the bottom of the air cleaner cover you will see the holes where the air enters the filter. What I do is block those holes with my finger as soon as the engine starts basically choking it for a second or two and the engine won't die and it runs fine.


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## DodgyNomad (Jan 17, 2016)

trailrated said:


> Yea whats a "few years old now" ? When I hear a few years I'm thinking about 3. That BS engine shouldn't have quit after 3 years if taken care of.



Agree.  Something doesn't add up here.  I have a 4 year old Speeco with that same little briggs in it that starts on the first or second pull every time, and doesn't smoke/use oil or show any signs of wear, and I now have split over 100 cord with it, mostly oak.  Break your new motor in right, change the oil after a few hours, then let it warm up a bit before going WOT and putting a load on it.  I idle mine every so often also just to give it a break.

I fully expect to split another 200 cord out of mine over then next several years before even needing to consider freshening mine up.  Use ethanol free, change the oil often with Rotella T, and it should last year a LONG time.


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## duramaxman05 (Jan 17, 2016)

I have repowered several different things from generators to spitters to water pumps. Tulsa engine warehouse and surplus center is the places i use for engines. The main this is shaft size and length and the bolt patter on back of engine. I would look at a briggs vanguard if i was going with briggs. I have no luck with any of the newer ones and the inteks. The older briggs were good to but had the updraft carburetor. Its hard to beat a kohler command pro and gx series honda.


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## Ashful (Jan 17, 2016)

DodgyNomad said:


> Agree.  Something doesn't add up here.  I have a 4 year old Speeco with that same little briggs in it that starts on the first or second pull every time, and doesn't smoke/use oil or show any signs of wear, and I now have split over 100 cord with it, mostly oak.  Break your new motor in right, change the oil after a few hours, then let it warm up a bit before going WOT and putting a load on it.  I idle mine every so often also just to give it a break.
> 
> I fully expect to split another 200 cord out of mine over then next several years before even needing to consider freshening mine up.  Use ethanol free, change the oil often with Rotella T, and it should last year a LONG time.


You haven't been reading.  OP stated he had a trailering accident.  Sounds like he jack-knifed it while backing up, or something of the sort.


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