[Silvercreek Farmer]

Other than the obvious, what's the differences between the engines? Is one better than the other? Why?

 

[GT_80]

I think the bigger displacements were OHV motors do to the geared starter- they run smoother, and to me start easier than the non OHV motors. I think they are better built than equivalent HP kohlers, other than maybe the carburetors on them- but, if you keep up with maintenance, everything should run well for a long time. I have never driven a OHV Tec, but I have seen and heard several run, and I love them. If I had one, I would consider sticking that in my Jolene.

 

[Small Fry]

From what I have see it depends on the years. The old castiron ohv Tecumseh 's had some problems. If they didn't loose a valve seat they lost the ACR. They run strong and hard up to that point. The castiron L heads didn't have those problems.

Don't know about the later models.

 

[Ralphst16]

I own both, early 70's cast iron models. The ovh is a 16 horsepower model in my tractor. I really don't have any complaints about it except that it's a little noisy, but I think they were all like that. It's still running strong after almost 40 years. The non ohv engine is a 6 horsepower model on an old tiller I have. It was running really strong up until a couple years ago. I need a carb for it, but I remember using it when I was younger and it would pull so hard I was barley being able to control it. So I would say they are both good engines if taken care of properly.

 

[TAHOE99]

As I recently bought an OH160, I've been doing some reading and finding out as Small Fry stated, they are prone to dropping valve seats. Due to the two different metals( aluminum head/steel seats) if they get hot, the seat can drop out of head due to different expansion rates. I have one of both HH120 & Oh160, neither has ran since I got them, but I will hopefully find out in a few days how the 16 runs:fing32:

SF, what's the ACR? my mind isn't working this morning. :dunno:

 

[rhenning]

GT 80 the OH engines do not have bigger displacements as the OH140 is the same as a HH100 and the OH160 is the same as a HH120 in cubic inches. The extra HP comes from the over head valve system and bigger carb on the OH series motors. Roger

 

[Ralphst16]

ACR is automatic compression release

 

[TAHOE99]

GT 80 the OH engines do not have bigger displacements as the OH140 is the same as a HH100 and the OH160 is the same as a HH120 in cubic inches. The extra HP comes from the over head valve system and bigger carb on the OH series motors. Roger

I was reading something on Simple Tractors about my 12 hp old Briggs in my dad's AC, they do the same, a 12 hp could be changed in to a 16 by head and carb change pretty easily.

ACR is automatic compression release

Thank you sir, learn something new everyday :thThumbsU

 

[oldyella]

I have an oh160 in my '74 st14. During the summer of 1990 the old oh140 dropped a valve seat. I pulled the head and staked the seat back in and ran it the rest of the season., but that fall it quit again with a big cloud of smoke and then acted like no compression. That winter I bought a new oh160 from small engine distributors and more or less restored the tractor. I've been running the oh160 since then (my only tractor up 'till 1998). Since I bought the '98 gt the st14 has been semi-retired, but that Tec engine still runs strong and so-far no valve seat trouble. They may have improved the head on the newer engine?
The 16 hp. suburban will out-work the Kohler command in the '98 gt. from my experience.