Anyone put Honda engines on their Snapper?

[LawnBoy97]

I have a Snapper 21500PCR (1981 model Robin 4s) on which I installed a Honda GCV190 engine. The engine was donated by an older Honda HRX217TDA which had a worn out 3- speed transmission. I liked the Honda mower but it was not worthwhile to attempt a fix - just too difficult and expensive to change out the tranny, so I scrapped the mower for parts. Only had to drill one hole on the deck and the engine fit right in. I shortened the four Honda mounting bolts as they were a little too long. Reused the Snapper throttle cable, but I had to drill a tiny hole on the Honda engine throttle arm so that the cable end would fit (see picture) but it works well enough. Kept the Honda blade adapter and dual blades because they worked so well before. Snapper belt fit right on Honda pulley. Also used the Honda front tires, and as you can see, I treaded the rear tires with mountain-bike tires per a YouTube video - I wanted to see if I could eliminate the unsightly ruts which the stock Snapper tires leave on my lawn - it is an improvement and also gets great traction now. And as for the old Robin engine - sold it, did not like the weight, noise, or performance of the Robin. And how does the Snapper/Honda perform?? Totally awesome. It is not deterred one bit by grass condition or terrain - nothing can stop it.

Do you know what the shaft size is and what type of paint you used? And very nice by the way.

 

[timc1018]

I looked at the clone before going to fleabay for my Honda engine.

Predator Engines 5.5 HP (173cc) OHV Vertical Shaft Gas Engine

I couldn't use this one since it has a 7/8" shaft and mine required the 25mm shaft. I've used three horizontal shaft clones and would buy one again with no hesitation; they all started easily and ran very well.

As long as you match the shaft diameter for your drive pulley and blade adapter, it should be an easy swap. The MTD I have has an older Honda GCV160 7/8" that I pulled off of my pressure washer after the pump failed.

I know this is an old thread, but I've spent the last several days researching the Honda engines (GX and GS) that will work. I have a Snapper P216012, Model year 2000, that came with a Briggs (12H802-2611-B1). The shaft is 3.15 (80.1mm) Long, 1.0" (25.4) Diameter, with a 3/8 x 24UNF Tap. The GSV190LAN1L has a straight 7/8 (22.2mm) shaft that is 3.37" (85.5MM) long. Same tap. The GXV160UH2A12 Has a Shaft that is stepped from 1" to 7/8 (25.4mm to 22.2mm), 3.15 (80.1mm) long. I looked up parts diagrams (ereplacement and parts tree) for Snapper push mowers that came with the straight 7/8 shaft as well as the commercial push mowers that came with the GXV engines to order the correct Crank Drive Belt Pulley and the correct Blade Hub Mount. Since the Crank is longer on the GSV, I'll need to put a spacer in-between the engine and chassis if I go with that engine. Still undecided hence reason I ordered one of each. On the GXV, Snapper used the spacer between the engine and chassis for engine components clearance, then they added washers inbetween the Blade Hub and the crank to extend the length of the Blade to chassis due to the engine being raised due to the spacer, as the GXV and the Briggs both have the same length crank. Since the GSV crank is 4.9mm longer, I figured I'd use the spacer on that engine to raise the blade to keep blade to chassis length the same. My overall point being, Snapper used so many different engines on their "standard" HiVac chassis, that all you have to do is find the Engine/Chassis combination from the parts diagrams that have the same crank dimensions as the engine you want to install, and you can make it work. I'll lknow for sure in a few weeks when I get everything configured, as I am sure I'll run into a few bugs....I'm leaning towards the GXV just because (IMHO) it's a cool engine.

 

[LukeWalker]

I know this is an old thread, but I've spent the last several days researching the Honda engines (GX and GS) that will work. I have a Snapper P216012, Model year 2000, that came with a Briggs (12H802-2611-B1). The shaft is 3.15 (80.1mm) Long, 1.0" (25.4) Diameter, with a 3/8 x 24UNF Tap. The GSV190LAN1L has a straight 7/8 (22.2mm) shaft that is 3.37" (85.5MM) long. Same tap. The GXV160UH2A12 Has a Shaft that is stepped from 1" to 7/8 (25.4mm to 22.2mm), 3.15 (80.1mm) long. I looked up parts diagrams (ereplacement and parts tree) for Snapper push mowers that came with the straight 7/8 shaft as well as the commercial push mowers that came with the GXV engines to order the correct Crank Drive Belt Pulley and the correct Blade Hub Mount. Since the Crank is longer on the GSV, I'll need to put a spacer in-between the engine and chassis if I go with that engine. Still undecided hence reason I ordered one of each. On the GXV, Snapper used the spacer between the engine and chassis for engine components clearance, then they added washers inbetween the Blade Hub and the crank to extend the length of the Blade to chassis due to the engine being raised due to the spacer, as the GXV and the Briggs both have the same length crank. Since the GSV crank is 4.9mm longer, I figured I'd use the spacer on that engine to raise the blade to keep blade to chassis length the same. My overall point being, Snapper used so many different engines on their "standard" HiVac chassis, that all you have to do is find the Engine/Chassis combination from the parts diagrams that have the same crank dimensions as the engine you want to install, and you can make it work. I'll lknow for sure in a few weeks when I get everything configured, as I am sure I'll run into a few bugs....I'm leaning towards the GXV just because (IMHO) it's a cool engine.

Which engine did you end up using? I got a GSV190LAN1L to replace a GCV160 engine with a bent crankshaft on a Honda deck, but now need to find a 7/8" replacement drive pulley and blade adapter.

 

[drmerdp]

I’m in the process of accumulating parts for a gcv160 swap on a hivac model P21507B. The current Briggs quantum has a 2 7/16” long 25mm shaft. And my donor gcv160 has a 3 5/32” 25mm shaft. There are all sorts of engine variations that sat upon essentially the same deck for decades. And people have successfully repowered with Honda engines but Im Curious about one particular dimension of fitment.... Blade to deck lip clearance. Mine is 1/2”. All said and done I’m going to shoot for this ~1/2“ gap but just how critical is it?

Through my extensive research I come up with a single 25mm blade hub and a single 7/8” blade hub thats used on hi vac models dating back 30 years. Is this correct? It appears that a 3 5/32“ briggs was used in conjunction with the same blade adapter as my 2-7/16” Briggs quantum. The 25mm hub which I removed and measured is NOT hollow all the way through and essentially spaces the blade ~7/8 lower then the end of the engine crankshaft. My Honda engines‘ 3 5/32” shaft will be too long so I ordered the engine spacer (7300969AYP) that comes on a CP215520HV and I just have to see how things mock up. This site has been extremely useful and previous threads have been a great deal of assistance. So I’ll chime back in with more details when I have the rest of my parts.

Ideally I want to install a GCV190 but only after I confirmed the fitment of my spare gcv160. The extra lift winglets and Thatcherizer attachment is really stressing out the old Briggs.

 

[drmerdp]

Which engine did you end up using? I got a GSV190LAN1L to replace a GCV160 engine with a bent crankshaft on a Honda deck, but now need to find a 7/8" replacement drive pulley and blade adapter.

Im pretty sure that the 7021707YP is a 7/8” x 1-7/8” pulley. My machine with a 25mm shaft has a 2-1/8 OD Im not aware of a 7/8”ID x2-1/8” OD pulley.

The 7/8” blade hub is 7012927YP

 

[timc1018]

I completed the swap the second thread below has more info on what I did.

Considering a Honda GXV160 Repower

www.mylawnmowerforum.com

Looking to repower my Snapper with GXV160

I have a 2000 Snapper HiVac, model P216012 with a tired Briggs 6.0 consumer engine. I want to repower with the Honda GXV160, and see there are several different variants of that engine. I found one at Northern Tool, (GXV-160-UH2-A12) for $369, but it has a tappered 1 > 7/8 shaft. The GXV that...

www.lawnmowerforum.com

 

[slomo]

Do you know what the shaft size is and what type of paint you used? And very nice by the way.

Last I heard, a very close Snapper red was by Krylon in Cherry red rattle can. Anyone else have a better opinion?

slomo

 

[slomo]

I too love the simple toggle kill switch. I have two older white handlebar Snapper's that need this. Great mod that looks factory.

slomo

 

[slomo]

My opinion on repowers, for my grass, I need a minimum Briggs 190cc or a Kawasaki FJ180V. Tifway Bermuda and Zoysia are ultra dense. All other engines I have used struggle on my grass. Honda GXV160 Commercial, very weak. Kawasaki FC150V about the same as the Honda but smaller in CC's. That little guy is a guzzler. Like a dummy, to clean out the garage, I sold my Snapper Commercial with the stump puller Kawasaki FJ180V, palm to face. That was the king of push mowers for me anyway.

slomo

 

[Timbo37]

I repowerd one of my snappers using the GCV190 (w/windup choke) from a old generic personal pace type mower (not Toro) with good results, it was nice light weight and reliable but it requires more throttle for torque than the briggs and Kaw.