16 HP Tecumseh rebuild tips (hot rodding)

[MIteyMT]

I am not a great small engine guy, but I have some training and experience with old american engines, and I have a few hot rod tips that I am pretty comfortable with.
What can I get away with on this 16hp OH160. Some thoughts I had:
Will it overbore to a OH180 piston?
Oversize valves?
Super stiff valve springs?
Windage tray do any good?
How about a little port and polish on the head?
I am not experienced with small engines, and I don't want to change it to the point where I am screw it up and it won't act right.
What are the top ways to get performance out of these little buggers without sacrificing service length?
Also, looking high and low for an OH180. Anyone ever have one in an argo? I can't afford to repower, so I want to do what I can with what I have
Got all the pins out, and going to bolts in the axles, BTW, and I got a little electrical conduit to rework the cover. She will be ready to bust up some Caribou

[MIteyMT]

No tecumseh rebuilders out there?

[smog]

Well not much spare parts for the TEC anyway.

IF it was mine, I would get a honda GX390 clone in the 15hp variety then follow the (very cheap) mods from the Karting guys. they get more than 20hp out of the GX390 13hp engine and it's still reliable (keep in mind it's a cheap disposable engine)

right now I'm doing the karting engine mods to a honda vtwin clone. Shaving 0.1" off the heads, using a 10$ flywheel key to get 8 degree advanced timing and changing the governor spring for a 5000 rpm screaming vtwin.

just got a new comet clutch 94c from MFGsupply so the vtwin will go in the 8x8 somewhere next week so I can make a cold air intake and a nice low tone muffler for this engine. (it will replace a Kohler K582S 23hp cast iron chunk)

[smog]

a 16hp honda clone can be found for less than 300$ and will replace the old engine easily (300$ is probably close to the total price to redo the original engine)

here is one example but look around for better prices

16HP Gas Engine With Electric Start

[Don]

Engines and parts for the OH180 are very hard to find, as you're finding out. I don't think they produced nearly as many of them as they did the 160, and the builders of pulling garden tractors snapped up what they could years ago as well. I'm no expert on four-strokes, but I remember some of the builders using the head from a 180 on the 160 to make it breath better.

[MIteyMT]

wow, I did not know they had engines that cheap. I have an exhaust problem too, maybe it will be worth it to switch to the cheapie. Thank you very much

[smog]

wow, I did not know they had engines that cheap. I have an exhaust problem too, maybe it will be worth it to switch to the cheapie. Thank you very much

the 15/16/17hp honda copy will be on par with the OH160 and as your argo got a 2 speed transmission, it will be slow but ok.

[rkthev]

Do any of these import clone engines have alternators? I never see alternators listed in the specs.

[LarryW]

I asked the guy who I bought mine from and he said it did but I ran it with no battery for a long time. When I added a battery it wouldn't charge. I know I had some electrical shorts and not sure if I fried anything then. I didn't know much at all then and still only now a little with the charging system. I ended up putting a alternator of a automotive in mine. So to answer your question yes but I cant prove it. Mine is a powermax which I believe is a duromax now.

[smog]

most have a 3 amps battery "charger"

[MIteyMT]

In response to the engine working well in my argo with it's two speed tranny. When you say it will be slow, are you saying slower than it is now. Will I get less rpm out of the honda clone than what I am spinning in my oh160? I like the engine I have, but as I said it has an exhaust problem, and I know it won't last forever. Do these little hondas have less torque?

[smog]

In response to the engine working well in my argo with it's two speed tranny. When you say it will be slow, are you saying slower than it is now. Will I get less rpm out of the honda clone than what I am spinning in my oh160? I like the engine I have, but as I said it has an exhaust problem, and I know it won't last forever. Do these little hondas have less torque?

the honda clone (15 or 16hp) will put out the same performance as the OH160. BUT as you got an older argo, I would retune the clutch and driven pulley so it engage a bit higher (closer to the original before the springs started to sag) On most clones you can readjust the governer for a good 4000 rpm that will push them closer to the 18 hp. and if you are into performance, you can get a 10$ flywheel key so the timing get a 8 degree advance; then you can get the head cut 100 mils to kick up the compression ratio. This engine can get close to 20hp safely while the kart guys go over 25hp all the time.

affordablegokarts: GX390 PERFORMANCE PARTS

[MIteyMT]

I am taking a good hard look at these. The link posted above for the 350 dollar engine is the best deal I have been able to find. I might actually be able to repower this way, I am working on it. The Tecumseh is not weak, it is just old, and I don't like going in where I go knowing that if my motor dies, my argo may stay there!

[MIteyMT]

Just for argument, what about this diesel
Amazon.com: 10 Hp Diesel Engine Electric Start Plus Recoil Start: Home Improvement
The horsepower is ten, but it's a 418 cc diesel. I expect diesel horsepower to be lower than gas in tractors, pick-ups, and what not, but in this application I can't figure out how to think about it
Would this make my argo a dependable dog? I am already speed limited by the tranny.

[smog]

no go on the diesel; it's not made to be throttled. It's a constant rpm engine that will be OVERLOADED by the argo weight. Forget about it; I had one on an hydrostatic lawn tractor and is was just enough for the 44 inches mower; not enough for the 44 inch snowblower.

and the vibration from the engine will be hard on your fillings.

and if you need top dependability; don't hot rod the 15hp honda-clone.