24hp B&S vs 20hp Kohler?

[art]

The kohler engines seem to have more lugging ability then the briggs. I'd give series to series about 250 hours more hours on a kohler engine given proper maintence.
I guess my next thought would be how much power do I really need?

 

[Sledge740]

For the word better it depends. Yes, the 24 HP twin will likely feel a lot more powerful than the 20 HP single. Longer lasting can depend on the model of the engine. Kohler Commands and Briggs Vanguards are rated by their manufacturers to have lifespans more than double those of their economy models, the Kohler Courage and Briggs Intek. So it depends on which models you are comparing for projected lifespans, but the fact is these engines are all very reliable, even the economy models should give 600-700 hours of service with proper maintenance. -Fordlords-

Broke down to 8hr days, that is less than a 100 days. If I buy a lawn tractor for $1500., thats $15. a day.

 

[IH3444]

It's a no brainer. The twin. Power pulse every crankshaft revolution. The upper end engines for both brands are excellent. The cast iron sleeve is the best way to go.The Briggs has a slightly longer stroke. Calculated torque is probality higher, but real feel is undetectible. If you run a good oil in it such as Mobil 1, fully synthetic you will increase it's lifespan considerably. Plus it will run cooler in the summer at WOT for mowing.

 

[zmaker]

I agree with IH3444, especially about using a good synthetic oil. I did a bunch of research on oils for our size engines, and synthetic oil is a clear winner. However...it may be TOO good in some instances. Especially during break-in.

A Kohler engineer and I were discussing engine oils and I stated my opinion about changing to synthetic oil after initial break-in (5-10 hours or so.) He and I have both learned that synthetic oil is too slippery for proper ring seating during break-in. Besides, we should drain the initial oil in just a few hours to get rid of any break-in metal particles, and any particles left over from manufacturing, so why pay the extra for synthetic for break-in.

His comment is that their engineers have found that their engines continue to develop more horsepower even after 100 hours of use. The rings seat even better. So, he suggests that using synthetic oil may not allow the engine to develop its full horsepower potential. Go figure!

Lots more about oils, we can discuss in another thread. Thanks.