Is the Honda GCV160 reliable? Any pros/cons about this motor? Does it have a real carburetor on it, or is it a Governor-Spring carb like on lots of the Briggs and Stratton engines? Any info would be appreciated.
The Honda GCV160 (and larger GCV190) engine have been made by Honda for 20+ years.
All-aluminum, overhead-valve, overhead-camshaft design
Four-stroke, regular unleaded gasoline and are splash-lubricated with SAE 10W-30 oil
Internal timing belt that last for the life of the engine
Cast, machined, and manufactured at the Honda plant in Swepsonville, North Carolina
Honda make hundreds of thousands of these engines for hundreds of other companies (OEM) who use them for mowers, pressure washers, go-karts, log-splitters, construction equipment, etc. And of course, Honda lawn mowers too, but most of them are used on non-Honda equipment.
The carburetor is a venturi-style with integrated choke plate, interchangeable main jet, pre-set mixture screw, and fully EPA and California ARB emissions approved. A new GCV carburetor has a list price of $15
A mechanical decompressor reduces recoil starting effort
Flywheel weight type mechanical governor
Some models offer fully automatic choke, others with manual chokes
Some models with fixed throttles, others manual throttles
Some models designed with blade brake clutches, others stop engine and blades together
There is also a commercial version, the GSV190, which features a ball-bearing supported crankshaft, two-stage air cleaner