Harbor Freight into a PT422

MossRoad · Mar 18, 2016

Oh, I understand about the drought. That's gotta be tough. May you have gentle, long lasting rains with breaks so it soaks in VS run-off and mud.

I gotta say, we take our water for granted here in northern Indiana. It's never more than 40' down and its everywhere! The great lakes and Mississippi watersheds overlap here in South Bend, IN. Its a continental divide, of sorts. Surface water either goes to the gulf of Mexico or the north Atlantic. You wouldn't think that in Indiana, but that's where it all goes.

Anything in purple goes to lake Michigan. Pink goes to lake Erie. Both of those go north and east. Everything else (yellow, green, gray) ends up in the Mississippi.

farm boy00 · Mar 18, 2016

That's good to you that's it's helping. Here screwed up winter, only had half the snow needed (im a plower) and has been muddy and a slop hole on our farm with 3x the rain we get usually.

5030 · Mar 18, 2016

That HF engine is a Lifan FYI. I'm about to get one to repower my gas Bobcat that has a Kohler twin with a serious rod knock.... I've bought three others so far, a 6 horse for my pressure washer (that had a Briggs that puked), a tiny 79 cc one (smallest and cheapest Pred you can buy) for my Troy-Bilt Pony cultivator tiller to replace a smog producing Tecumseh (burned as much oil as gas) and finally a 6 horse for my 2 year old Rear Tine MTD tiller than came with a Hoinda that was a piece of junk (not the tiller, the Honda).

All have been flawless. The only odd thing I found with the 6 horse engines is, if you fill the gas tank to the very top, they will sputter a bit, other than that, they all start 2 pulls, don't eat oil and are miserly on gas...and don't run on either....

Phils · Mar 27, 2016

An update:

As anticipated, I moved the ignition switch to the dash. I used the HF switch as it seems heavier duty than the stock PT one.

I like the choke and throttle where they now are. I was having problems with the LONG stock cables and both were overdue to be replaced or cleaned and lubed.

With a better muffler, I was hearing noise from the engine cover rattling. I slipped two vinyl grommets over the rear hinge pins, making a tighter fit, and the noise disappeared.

I did some extended mowing and the engine runs MUCH cooler than the Robin. Mostly that's due to a better designed exhaust, I'm sure, but not having the side screens must help too. MOST "real tractors" are designed the same way with the motor accessible and just covered by a hood.

On hindsight, I should have removed those side screens long ago. Besides better cooling and airflow, not having to tilt the hood to check oil level is better. I did some brush hogging in tough brush and had no problems with brush poking the engine or moving the throttle.

Today (while moving the ignition switch) I discovered that I can remove the battery now without undoing anything other than the two terminal bolts and the hold down clamp. That was a pleasant surprise.

Phil

MossRoad · Mar 27, 2016

Sounds like a good deal all the way around. :thumbsup:

woodlandfarms · Mar 27, 2016

Given that I run in trees the engine cover feels pretty neccessary, and I am not as sold as you are that it causes heat retention. But that is for science to figure out, you feel it is lower so it is... I wonder, in terms of giving the engine a little protection, if you could run a few bars along the cover, like a brush guard.

This is a way cool swap BTW, Those little predators have got a huge following as an inexpensive yet reliable engine. If you blow it, you still have two more to go buy before you equal one robin.

Phils · Mar 27, 2016

woodlandfarms said:
Given that I run in trees the engine cover feels pretty neccessary, and I am not as sold as you are that it causes heat retention. But that is for science to figure out, you feel it is lower so it is... I wonder, in terms of giving the engine a little protection, if you could run a few bars along the cover, like a brush guard.

This is a way cool swap BTW, Those little predators have got a huge following as an inexpensive yet reliable engine. If you blow it, you still have two more to go buy before you equal one robin.

I don't believe those screens "make the difference" in heat retention, just that they have to restrict airflow somewhat and removing them HAS to help.

The BIG deal is the exhaust. Only the people with the Robin and that hacked together exhaust "system" can really appreciate the difference. Most of my planning for the conversion was figuring out a way to make a decent exhaust. I was still planning on porting it out the side like stock, but a trusted friend made such a good case for keeping the stock exhaust, I found it simpler to move the gas tank. Then I was gonna cut a hole in the screen for the exhaust. Then removing the whole side seemed better, also solving the "how/where to mount the choke" problem. It was, as usual, something that evolved.

I sure agree on the price for these motors. If there were a big number of bad reviews, the choice might be harder.

I didn't have an engine hoist, so I used my HF hydraulic press.

Phil

cqaigy2 · Mar 28, 2016

Another good idea to remember, i have one of those HF presses.

Frank Sorbello · May 1, 2016

Did you use the same engine stand?

QRTRHRS · May 20, 2016

I am debating replacing the 23hp Vanguard on my zero turn with that 22hp HF engine. Is there a spec sheet for the HF engine that shows the dimensions? On my application, the rear of the shaft drives the magnetic clutch and the front drives the hydraulic pumps.

I was hoping to get the season out of it before it died but when I started it yesterday, it sounded like had a valve issue. I pulled a cover and found both valve pushrods bent. I straighted them out the best I could, adjusted them and adjusted the other bank for good measure. It started but the other bank was not firing. The coil for that side went bad. Along with that, it uses and blows oil so if I can do a quick and reasonably priced swap to get though the season then that sounds like a plan.