Harbor Freight Honda Clone (Predator) Engine Unboxing, First Impressions, and Startup

Just hauled this home from Harbor Freight today. It's a 6.5 horsepower 212cc engine - a Honda clone. I needed an engine for my mini chopper project that could deliver lots of torque and power while remaining compact. I saw this all over the internet, and, for the price, I decided to pick one up and see how it did. This is the first time it has run in my possession. It only took 2 pulls to start - not bad. More to come; stay tuned.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• honda
• clone
• engine
• motor
• harbor
• freight
• go
• cart
• mini
• bike
• chopper
• first
• start
• unboxing
• review
• outdoor
• power
• hp
• predator
• greyhound
• cold
• briggs
• stratton
• techumseh
• kohler

[bbishoppcm]

It's saddening to see a quality American-built engine that just needs a carburetor being replaced with a Chinese copy of a Japanese engine... 

[radicalnegative1]

@bbishoppcm I have since repaired the Briggs. The sad part is that a carb kit, rings, and gasket set for the Briggs costs more than a new Harbor Freight engine.

[Bamchucknorris]

@radicalnegative1 Well that's a testament to its quality.

[radicalnegative1]

@Bamchucknorris That's true but, even though Harbor Freight engines might die after a year, it's probably worth it for someone to just go buy another one. Unfortunately, this is most likely why people trash good engines. The same goes for Briggs, Kohler, Honda, etc. I personally think they're all terrible engines. When someone wants advice on an engine to buy, I won't recommend a new one. They're all profit-driven pieces of crap. The best engine one could buy is probably an old Wisconsin engine.

[shoprat17]

Haven't had to buy a new engine yet, have enough of them old briggs just layin around got plenty to pick parts off...

[Bamchucknorris]

@radicalnegative1 I know how you feel about the impeccable quality of older engines; but hondas (from my experience with the gx200, 390, and 670,) are pretty robust motors. I run a 16 hp mild gx200 and the stock honda crank,head, and block are bulletproof. Clones on the other hand, not so much. I've seen plenty of clone cranks snap around the journal, rods let go, blocks cracked and leaking oil. It not all about profit. Its really a matter of "you get what you pay for".

[motocross19916]

i bought one of these for a go cart build for somebody and i havent heard they had any problems yet and it has balls

[bbishoppcm]

@grego10r Briggs, Tecumseh, Kohler, Clinton... these engines were built to last. Forever. They were rock-solid and very simple in design; feed them clean fuel and change the oil regularly, and they'll go for DECADES. My American-built lawnmower is 24 years old and still runs as good as it did 24 years ago; it has a Briggs and Stratton Quantum engine on it.

[grego10r]

@bbishoppcm where is American quality u jokeing yes thers is none

[evinsteven13]

I got mine for 80, and paid 20 extra bucks for no questions asked warranty. put it onto a kittycat snowmobile and it rips