the price of gas engines amazes me

[DaMadman]

I just had the 5.5 HP Briggs engine on my roto-tiller throw a rod. It is cheaper for me to go buy a new tiller than it is to buy a replacement motor from some place like northern? Go figure.

 

[kubotabilly]

It's the ole' microwave - VCR syndrome. When they break, it's cheaper to go buy a new one than repair the old one.

Bill

 

[Scrounger]

Check out the price of a Honda 5.5 or 6.5 and you'll need oxygen to get over the price. I have one on a COleman power washer and the motor is $300 more than the whole washer was. Nutz.

 

[eazyduzzit]

It's been that way for years. Back in the late 80s my uncle bought a cheap push mower for $79. He was mowing and ran over something metal that was hidden in the grass and cracked the block. He was priced a new block for $120.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Back in the late 80s )</font>

And it's been that way a lot longer than back into the '80s. In 1954, I hit a big bone a dog had left in tall grass in a lady's yard; stopped my little power mower with a Clinton engine instantly and bent the crankshaft. And even then, it was cheaper to buy a new mower than to fix that one.

 

[Ozarker]

I had the same problem this year with my tiller. I managed to get a used engine from a local shop for $100.

 

[Inspector507]

Manufacturers buy engines by the truck/train car load. They get a good price on them. When you need a block or engine, you're going to pay to have them order it.

 

[DaMadman]

Did your's throw a rod too?

 

[_RaT_]

Your obviously talking about a very cheap rototiller, since Northern sells B&S 5.5 HP horizontal engines for as little as $224.99. A decent tiller designed to last will cost considerably more then just a bare engine. Of course, it really depends to on the quality of the engine, the quality is all over the place. I have yet to have a quality Kohler, Honda or Robin throw a rod. I have had them eventually wear out.

 

[SPIKER]

one thing with tillers people tend to raise them (one way or other to keep tines off ground & then run them to drive to-fro with them) this causes oil to run away from areas needing lube, this causes them to blow up more than any other type of lawn equipment per capata, (lots less tillers than mowers but running elcheapo mower on hill sides & ditch lines can do same thing essencially.

some places carry knock off motors pretty cheap, we have a surplus store who sells engines at about 1/3 the cost of a dirrect replacement which may have a mfg defect or a dented part ect. also look at sears for returned mowers ect which have been repaired also a good cheap source for engines. ect.

MarkM