Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Called Briggs with the spec # on the Simplicity I am looking at . The guy was very nice!! Called me back and spent a lot of time  but couldn't find the exact # I gave him. He said he was 90% sure the spec# I gave him  is an aluminum bore engine. What he was able to give me was the Phone # for Simplicity which I couldn't get on Friday. For you Simplicity fans the #is (262)284-8669.Hit 2 on your phone after you get through to get to the tech dept. Real interesting conversation with that gentleman.

1)All the engines in the large frame line are the same except for the 13hp unit."If you buy the the 9560E,1060DLXE,1170Eor 1280E you get the same engine."

When I asked him why he said it's more cost effective to power everything with the 12hp engine than to buy different engines for each model. He was very specific about saying the engine is the 12. The stickers are different.

2)" All the engines are aluminum bore models because they are the same engine" Simplicity chose to go with aluminum bore because they run cooler and in an environment absent of dust and dirt the cast iron isn't necessary.Today"s Aluminum alloys wear very well under winter conditions according to their tests."

3)"I should consider using the Briggs synthetic oil because it doubles  the life of the warranty. There is a chemical dye in the oil that colors the internal parts of the engine. If you have a failure they check for the color and you get a replacement." Sounds like a good deal to me.

4)He suggested using Simplicity part #1704636 to lubricate the gearbox. Infomed me that it is really a Snapper lubricant and that when Simplicity bought Snapper they found it worked very well. Said it doesen't thicken in the cold as much as other gear oils.

I pressed him a little on the aluminum bore issue reminding him that Simplicity used cast iron bore Tecumsehs before Briggs bought the company. He said that the purchase by Briggs had nothing to do with it.Simplicity started using Briggs three years ago when the Snow Intek first came out. He reminded me this was before Simplicity was bought by Briggs.When I asked him why the change he said there were too many issues with the Tecumseh carburetors .

 I went to the Briggs web site and spent some time looking at their replacement engine spec. book. Sure enough there are 9,10 and 11 hp. engines of the same displacement. To further confuse/enlighten me they listed engines of the same horse power that have different displacements.And to further confuse the issue Briggs does not list a 12 hp engine. 

I have a headache,

Marc

First how about the coincidence that different companies do this Downlabeling almost in the same range of horsepower as the other company.  (Different engine manufacturer also)

Second  What do they stand to loose if they label them correctly

Third  Where is the emission police here.  (you got a person who needs an 8, sell him a 12.  all the expensive emission junk on the 12 ain't gonna make up for that)

Maybe someone ought to call the emission police to get their take on this

Why don't they just badge them all as 12 horsepower. (the truth, no guesswork, no potential rip-off, less problems)

You know the old saying, telling one little lie just leads to another, and another etc.

So what do they loose if they tell the truth.  One thing for sure is profit.  They loose money.  If they lie they sell more options on higher end models.  Here is an example quoted from Robmitts

           Lets say someone does not want handwarmers, and does not care about the tire size. But their main and only     concern      was available power. If they pay more for the power because the machines are badged the way they seem to be, they are being deceived

So the customer who needs more power, but can't actually afford it, has to seemingly buy the bigger model and gets hand warmers and drift cutters jammed down his throat  because he thinks he is getting more power . when he is not. Great marketing technique, 

Yes it gets them more money

Does it keep the cost down for all? 

It may keep the cost down, but what they are doing in this case is robbing from the poor and giving it to the rich.

     (gotta be a politicion involved somewhere) J/K

Does anybody else see other detramints to them (the manufacturers) actually advertizing them correctly.

Another big problem I have is I really don't see how they could be doing this unless it is a hidden secret agreement across the board between companies.  Things are so competitive that all would have to happen is for one company to do it in a different range of HP than another.  So the dealer selling a customer a 5hp unit may say hey this is really a 8  so don't go to the other brand cause ours has more horsepower, and your actually getting it for free.  

Ben07

For info on Briggs and Tec engine parts by spec and model number, go to " Outdoordristributors.com"

I checked what the difference was by part nunber between a Tec OHV 9 and 11 HP.

I checked on the parts I thought would effect HP

Checked the following parts: Crankshaft, piston assmbly, Con rod, Head, Camshaft, Valves in and out, and carb.

They were perfect matches, same part numbers for the 9 and 11.

So I must assume Tecumseh is doing the same as Briggs!!!

So my new blower with a 9 HP label on it is really an 11 ! ! 

When I put on the adjustable carb, should make it a11.5 HP engine.

Sherri

If you don't have free speech, what do you have?

in canada your new snowblower would be a snapper with a 24 inch cut,and it would say 9 horse.

later chris