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Woodsie

520H / Harbor Freight

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Ed Kennell

:text-thankyoublue: again Woodsie for the great pictures and detailed description of your installation.

 

I am still wondering about the PTO axial thrust issue.   Do you have any concerns or comments since yours has been in use for several months?

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ACman

I bought two in September , a 3.5hp for $79 , and a 6.5 for $99 just to have around . They told me if I bought the warranty anytime with in the two years for any reason they would replace the engine . I buy the warranty on all my air tools . ( they all come with 90 day warranty )It may only be a $10 grinder , but for 2 years I can walk in and get a new one . They want happy people coming in there doors . I hate buying China made things but if your on a budget you can't beat the price . It's sad that you can't walk into Sears and buy a American made Craftsman tool . Buy the way the 3.5 hp fits in a RJ frame like a glove ( don't worry I found  my $99 k91 ). 

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WHX??

Great  posts guys, My question is  it really that expensive to go thru and rebuild an Onan? I sure would have guessed less than 600.

Signed 

Nervous new P220G owner

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DougC

Before I retired I watched a young man just getting started  buying tools  tell the SNAP-ON and MAC TOOLS  man he would never pay that kind of money for air tools when he could buy the Harbor Freight with warranty, wear them out and return them for a free replacement. That's when I started shopping there. It's one place, depending what you buy, you can actually get more than you paid for.

9 minutes ago, WHX6 said:

Great  posts guys, My question is  it really that expensive to go thru and rebuild an Onan? I sure would have guessed less than 600.

Signed 

Nervous new P220G owner

 

www.onanparts.com has great prices so I hear.

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Woodsie

I mowed my acre yard all year.  no problems.  As far as the axial thrust, we will see I guess. Thats how ya learn.

The only shop around me that would even touch machining the heads for bigger valve seats, wanted over $500.

Just the setup time was huge. My Onan had a lot of hrs. and oil leaks.  If I was a machinist I probably woulda rebuilt.

I have a new motor even tho its HF.  New starter, charging system, exhaust, ignition, blah blah.....It even has an oil cooler.

I can go thru 3 of the HF motors for the price of 1 new kohler, honda, or briggs.

Besides this is a hobby for me.  Was a fun project and really EZ actually, once I bit the bullet and 

bought the motor.  

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ericj

i had bought several onans with valve seats out of them. i take them to napa and for about $ 100.00 they buy a new bigger valve seat and machine it to fit my block after cleaning the block to clean it up. i have had about 4 done so far . no problems with the first 2 valve seats. the 2nd motor had intake and exhaust seats out and when i got the motor running it unfortunately had a knock to it so i pulled it till i have the time and money to look at it. the other 2 motors are still sitting on the bench waiting to be installed on stalled projects and one of them still needs finished putting back together. haven't touch them all summer hoping to get to them this winter. i did bench fire the one motor and it sounded good and will bench fire the other one when it is done.

 

 

 

 

 

eric l

Edited by ericj
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Ed Kennell

Eric, do you take the entire motor to NAPA  with just the heads and valve seats removed?    Does NAPA measure the block, machine and install the new seats?   Is this done in Red Lion?

I don't have a valve seat  problem with my 220, and don't expect any since it is vented for good cooling and only used for snow blowing, but it's good to have a plan...just in case.

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Woodsie

Man if you can get those valve seats redone for $100, I'd be putting out a nationwide WTB add for dead P220's.

Around where i live it was 5 X that.  Hence the $600 Harbor Freight route.

 

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Digger 66

I'd like to hear it .

 

Looks like a top-notch job ! 

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ericj
On 12/6/2015, 8:33:41, ekennell said:

Eric, do you take the entire motor to NAPA  with just the heads and valve seats removed?    Does NAPA measure the block, machine and install the new seats?   Is this done in Red Lion?

I don't have a valve seat  problem with my 220, and don't expect any since it is vented for good cooling and only used for snow blowing, but it's good to have a plan...just in case.

i strip the motor down and drain the oil and take it into the napa on industrial highway. i take the heads off and usually  have the bad valve out and they reinstall the valves and reseat them. they measure and machine the seats to fit your block. by the time we catch a bad valve seat it has usually worn past the piont of installing the replacement seats from onan even the biggest one they sell which is only .10 or .20 oversized

 

 

eric j 

On 12/6/2015, 9:10:28, Woodsie said:

Man if you can get those valve seats redone for $100, I'd be putting out a nationwide WTB add for dead P220's.

Around where i live it was 5 X that.  Hence the $600 Harbor Freight route.

 

 that's how i ended up with 3 onans stetting on my bench. i take all the dead onans i can find as long as they are cheap, use them for parts or repair if i can

 

 

 

eric j

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baerpath

Yup every Onan I get heads to Eric. I keep telling him there is no such thing as a good P series

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USHorse

Nice job Woodsie!  You make it sound so simple.  But some of us desk jocky's get nervous....question- on the new sleeve, did u machine the keyway the entire length mirroring the HF shaft keyway?  

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Woodsie

 

I made the sleeve a little longer than the HF shaft.

Sorry i didnt take a length.....

The keyslot in the sleeve matches the keyslot in the shaft not clear to the end.

In other words i did not slit the sleeve the whole way.

You need a higher key than 1/4" to sit deeper into PTO pulley also.

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bomber19

You can by the sleeve and key on Ebay. Just search 1" to 1 1/8" sleeve adapter.

 

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USHorse

Bomber19......thanks for the info.  Just a few days after my post I stumbled across 2 sellers on Ebay that make them.  One on order.  I was surprised that I did not find a reference in RS as I was researching. Probably my research techniques not so good.... much like my Christmas present selections for my wife (ha, ha).

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BESTDOGEVER

You  can  make them up with a 1"×11/8 bronze  bushing  and  cut a slot  with  an angle grinder  then you need a1/4×5/16 key that  c a n be made from  a 5/16 square  key  and  the  grinder 

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Brian01

I just wanted to chime in and say, that engine makes that thing look like a BEAST! Well done and congrats!

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bds1984

I came across one at my local HF, the oil filter actually said 3/4 x 16 so filters are easier to come by... I totally expected them to be an odd thread size and difficult to find.

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Woodsie

So any of you guys started this project yet? Or at least bought the motor.

Be an awesome winter project.  Go for it.

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Red-Bovine

I did the Honda Conversion a few years ago. It was pricey ($1800.00), but did include all the parts needed to convert like the adapter sleeve and a motor mount. It also included the wiring harness and voltage regulator. The only fabrication was to weld an extension to the clutch bracket to fit the bolt holes on the Honda, similar to what Woodsie needed to do. The HF looks like a good alternative if you don't mind doing a little more fabrication. My conversion was very fast as I did it over a two day period, about 12 hrs. I've been very happy with the conversion. I did not like the supplied muffler and later installed the OEM Honda muffler. It did require cutting into the hood, but it fits better and is quieter.

Honda Mattic 001.jpg

Honda Mattic 003.jpg

 

 

520H conversion 013.jpg

520H conversion 006.jpg

Honda Conversion done 017.jpg

Edited by Red-Bovine
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Brian01

Honda is a dang good engine.

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Aldon

I'm going to resurrect this thread. 

 

Anyon who has installed a HF22 HP, what is your experience with fuel consumption. Can it be compared ballpark with any of the Kohlers?

 

trying to decide if I can go with a smaller fuel tank than stock on my project without too much negative impact.

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Red-Bovine

Can't speak for the HF engine, but the Honda engine is more economical. Not sure exactly how much, but it seems at least 20% better.

 

Red

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Kurt-NEPA
1 hour ago, Red-Bovine said:

Can't speak for the HF engine, but the Honda engine is more economical. Not sure exactly how much, but it seems at least 20% better.

 

Red

Red - how is you Honda doing?  I probably have a repower in my near future for my 88 520H.  I would really like a Honda, but it sure is hard to justify the price. 

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Red-Bovine

It seems to be doing just fine. We use the unit mainly for lawn sweeping, spreading, spraying, and snow blowing since we purchased a Ferris IS2100Z Zero Turn for mowing a couple years ago. The kit we got with the Honda motor from Repower made the conversion very easy. Just the clutch bracket needed a simple extension welded on to bolt it to the motor.

 

Red

Edited by Red-Bovine
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