robin subaru engines

[john swenson]

hey friends, anyone have experience or know the reputation of the 22 h.p. twin cylinder motor ? are they a good motor? thanks john boy va.

[Noel Woods]

Subaru bought the rights to Generac recently. If I recall though, the 22hp was Subaru's in house "big" motor for the last few years. I know the guys at my friend's small engine repair shop think highly of the Subaru motors, and they seldom see any for breakdown.

If you are looking for an upgrade for your Max2, it should be more than up to the task. Check the dimensions first though as I think the mounting is different than B&S. I also think the Subaru is taller than average, and am not sure it will fit in the engine bay without mods.

[msafi65]

I've been told the Subaru FI motors are engine driven and don't require a battery to operate. That was from a salesman though and the spec sheets don't confirm that. I've checked the dimensions ect and think they are very comparable in size to Briggs and kohler. They be e very large crank bearings and are known for being very reliable in the construction environment. I haven't been able to get a price that will compete with Briggs or kohler probably just my local dealer.

[john swenson]

thanks guys for the response. the motors are about $ 1200. i believe they have a good reputation. will do some more research to see the compatability to fit a max 2. just feeling things out. john boy va

[Rickb]

I am also very interested in upgrading my Bigfoot/Vanguard with a Subaru motor as I have heard great things about Subaru motors.....asked for some input on this topic in another thread some time ago, but did not get much back. My research shows that the specs for this motor are very similar to Briggs 16HP/18HP including RPM's, shaft diameter, length, key way, and thread however was not able to verify shaft height vs. Briggs. I did confirm that the mounting bolt pattern on the base is different than the Briggs.....just not sure how much fabrication is required to get around this???

I am trying to confirm the following before I buy one these motors:

1. How much (and how difficult) fabrication will be required to mount the motor - bolt pattern and shaft location adjustments (height and front to back shift);
2. Can I simply bolt on my stock clutch from my Bigfoot and Vanguard;
3. How much fabrication is required for exhaust and engine bay mods?; and
4. What's involved in switching to remote throttle controls.

I am comfortable make some tweaks, but a little gun shy about doing an major overhaul to make this engine fit and operate properly.

Would appreciate any input that you may have on this topic....I know that this has been done, so would really like to get feedback from someone has has been down this road.

Thanks, Rick