Off Brand engines?

[Ron H]

I hope this is the right place for this question.

For years nearly all brands of power equipment came with either a Briggs & Stratton or Tecumseh engine. Kohler, Wisconsin and a few others were sometimes used in larger or commercial equipment. In recent years Honda engines have become quite popular.

I was checking the net a few days ago for a log splitter. There were the usual Briggs & Stratton and Tecumseh, but I ran across some oddball engine brands that I've never heard of and a web search didn't have much on them. My guess is that they are Chinese made knockoffs of the old standards like Briggs & Stratton and Tecumseh where maybe patents have expired.

A couple of the engine brands were Viper, Speeco and Blue Max. Our local Home Depot had some "Homier" splitters with an unknown engine on it. I'm sure there are others.

Do any of you guys recognize any of these engines? Anybody know how reliable they are? What about the availability of basic maintenance items like air claner elements and spark plugs?

This is the first time I've even heard of these engines. I'd sure like to hear from folks with any information on them.

 

[ILENGINE]

Viper is earthquakes own engine (chinese made) the other engine I am seeing in my shop more frequently is loncin which is also chinese made. LCT is becoming more popular and now tied in with tecumseh under the lauson company which are warrantied through tecumseh dealers.

 

[possum]

Earthquake has called that engine different names over the last several years, some years back seems like they called it a Tecumseh viper. I saw a mud motor some time back with a motor called Lifan, Chinese motor cycle company I was told. Generac generators are in box stores with engines called Generac on the paperwork but are Chinese engines or look just like them. I looked over a lineup at Menards and right in a row was MTD Pro with Chinese Kohler, Yardman with Honda, followed by Yardman with MTD Powermore Chinese engines and I could tell no real difference in the Kohler and the Powermore. Troybilt tillers with Troybilt branded Chinese engine and snow blowers with Chinese engines as well by MTD. I dont know where the weed whacker engines come from. Outfits like Craftsman will label any engine with their label no matter where it comes from. I dont even know where Toro gets their small snow blower engines from anymore lol. I suppose it is like autos these days, where its made or who it came from does not matter as long as it runs and parts are available.