honda motor vs clone motor

#1
i have 2 honda gx 160s. actual hondas, not clones.

whats the upsides to the REAL deal as compared to the clones?

whats better or worse?
 
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#2
Upside and rear deal?

Sounds like......

Not sure what you are trying to say.
Although some of might be flattered and perhaps even a bit currious, I am not a man to mess around with that sort of back door shenanigans.
Also my wife would find it very objectionable.

They are good engines.
Use them.
When they wear out they become parts for a clone build.
Heads are useful for sure as are the flywheels
 
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#3
lol i meant to say real deal.

between this site and a few others ive been on, it seems like there are some who shine a light to the gx engines and knock the clones.
 
#4
lol i meant to say real deal.

between this site and a few others ive been on, it seems like there are some who shine a light to the gx engines and knock the clones.
Well side by side a REAL Honda is a better engine in all respects.
But clones are so cheap that they are cost effective.

Clones also forced Honda to get real witht he price.

In the 80s a G200 rod cost as much as Clone does today....

REal GX engines cost a lot less today than they did just a few years ago and the clones are getting to the point where they are pretty good engines in their own right
 
#6
are the oem honda flywheels known for going kaboom like the clones? according to nrracing the honda flywheels are a LOT stronger
The design of the flywheel is as much a problem as the material.

Honda fly wheels are probably better made but not intended to be spun at high rpm.

The nice thing about the GX160 flywheel is its 4 deg advanced timing over the GX200.
That is all.....
 
#7
I doubt you would have any flywheel probs unless you changed to a pretty stiff spring. Thousands of people have been revving them to 6,000 rpm without a problem.

There are a few other reasons that flywheels will come apart.....then the issue is it actually cracks and comes out towards whatever is in its path. Cast iron is a lot more prone to cracks than steel. Aluminum is the best.

But rpm alone is from everything ive read... usually not the cause of flywheel failure.
 

Motra

Active Member
#8
Clones also forced Honda to get real witht he price.
Honda was real with their price, they offer a premium product. Clones (well, actually the cost of Chinese products) forced Honda to move their manufacturing to China; along with Briggs and Kohler and Yamaha and everybody else.
 
#10
Honda was real with their price, they offer a premium product. Clones (well, actually the cost of Chinese products) forced Honda to move their manufacturing to China; along with Briggs and Kohler and Yamaha and everybody else.
Your memory is short.

GX motors used to cost hundreds more.
And back in the 80s when you add the effects of Inflation were like 1000 in todays dollars, at least up here in Canada.....
 
#12
Honda was real with their price, they offer a premium product. Clones (well, actually the cost of Chinese products) forced Honda to move their manufacturing to China; along with Briggs and Kohler and Yamaha and everybody else.
Two years ago when I was in the market for a new mower, I e-mailed B&S, Kohler, and some others. At the time B&S told me that all their engines were made in the U.S. except for some of the Vanguard models that were made in Japan. Kohler told me some of their engines were made in the U.S. and some others were made in China. They were also expanding their plant in Yazoo Mississippi to bring some of the work back to the states. Of course this is all before the economy tanked, so things could have changed. The funny thing is all the Honda small engines for the U.S. market are made in North Carolina.

Bottom line on the Honda vs. clone discussion is simple. The design is essentially the same, since the Chinese stole the design from Honda. However, I think it's safe to say the real Hondas are way better engineered and manufactured. Probably better quality materials too. When you buy one it runs as expected. If I were to guess, I'd say the real Honda engines have a new failure rate of a couple of percent, if that. Just from reading on this site, I'd guess the failure rate on new clones is more like 25-30%. Of the four Greyhounds I purchased from Harbor Freight, one wouldn't run at all. There's a reason clones are cheap. The materials are cheap, the labor building them is less than reliable, and QA/QC is all but nonexistant. For cheap fun, it's hard to beat a clone, but if I wanted something I could rely on, I'd pick a Honda.
 
#13
Two years ago when I was in the market for a new mower, I e-mailed B&S, Kohler, and some others. At the time B&S told me that all their engines were made in the U.S. except for some of the Vanguard models that were made in Japan. Kohler told me some of their engines were made in the U.S. and some others were made in China. They were also expanding their plant in Yazoo Mississippi to bring some of the work back to the states. Of course this is all before the economy tanked, so things could have changed. The funny thing is all the Honda small engines for the U.S. market are made in North Carolina.

Bottom line on the Honda vs. clone discussion is simple. The design is essentially the same, since the Chinese stole the design from Honda. However, I think it's safe to say the real Hondas are way better engineered and manufactured. Probably better quality materials too. When you buy one it runs as expected. If I were to guess, I'd say the real Honda engines have a new failure rate of a couple of percent, if that. Just from reading on this site, I'd guess the failure rate on new clones is more like 25-30%. Of the four Greyhounds I purchased from Harbor Freight, one wouldn't run at all. There's a reason clones are cheap. The materials are cheap, the labor building them is less than reliable, and QA/QC is all but nonexistant. For cheap fun, it's hard to beat a clone, but if I wanted something I could rely on, I'd pick a Honda.
Honda could care less about you.

If that is the way you actualy feel.
DON't by a Honda or Clone.
Buy a Briggs.

Some of the parts might be made in China.
Indeed the whole engine might be, but you can sleep soundly knowing more very rich people will get a dividend check in the USA by buying a Briggs than Honda.
 
#15
well i bought my actual honda engines as a pair from a yard sale for $30 bucks for both. so i could care less where they were made as long as they are good engines. they are both off powerwashers and have been powering my go karts for almost 2 years now without a single issue.

and i had no ordered pistons yet as i was debating on a stock piston or over bore. ive been trying to read up to figure out what i want to do.
 
#16
Honda could care less about you.

If that is the way you actualy feel.
DON't by a Honda or Clone.
Buy a Briggs.

Some of the parts might be made in China.
Indeed the whole engine might be, but you can sleep soundly knowing more very rich people will get a dividend check in the USA by buying a Briggs than Honda.
Huh? You lost me. I think clones are great; well designed, plentiful, cheap, all kinds of parts available. Great for a hobby. I put one on a pressure washer I cobbled together. Now that the B&S 5hp flattys are no longer manufactured, they're gonna get harder and harder to find over time. Though I suppose there are a zillion of them out there. However, if I made my living with equipment running small engines every day, I think I'd want Honda or B&S powering that equipment. That's all.
 
#17
I don't think anyone is doubting the quality of the foreign or clone engines. But what I think Oldschool is eluding to is that buying these engines over a Briggs sends money out of the U.S..

And my money is betting that any U.S. manufacturers are getting smart and returning their operations back stateside. They must be realizing that Americans need the jobs before they can buy their products.
 
#18
But what I think Oldschool is eluding to is that buying these engines over a Briggs sends money out of the U.S..

And my money is betting that any U.S. manufacturers are getting smart and returning their operations back stateside. They must be realizing that Americans need the jobs before they can buy their products.
I was saying is its better for domestic fat cats if you buy from B&S rather than enriching the foreign fat cats.

My personal feeling is the domestic fat cats have lost a considerable amount of wealth in stock market ponzi skemes and bank investements that needs to be replaced.....
 
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