*Horse I btw

 

I got no replies BUT i do have a ton of info. Bought a Harbor Freight 6.5 HP predator for $119. I wanted to get their 8hp but i needed a 3/4" shaft.

the 6.5 is a DIRECT bolt on except one item - you have to get a new bolt for the end of the motor shaft. I haven't verified the bolt type yet.

Also you have to over-fill the oil a bit and unplug the yellow wire sticking out of the side of the engine. This is the low oil sensor and when the tillers digging deep it cuts the engine. Overfilling a bit allows oil to still be picked up at a slope.

I ran the thing without the bolt on the end of the shaft just to see how it would do. This 6.5 feels like it has 20% more power than my 8 hp did when it was running at its best!

Best part? Sold the old 8HP on Craigslist for $100.00......

 

Why not keep the 8hp,and just rebuild it ??

 

I guess it's two reasons really. One is time - with three little girls at home under 6 years old and a 65+ hour a week job time is at a premium.

The other is time and money. I paid $126 with tax for the Harbor Freight 6.5. I sold the old one for $100. Net cost $26.

If I would have been smart I would have just done this in the first place as I've got $50 in parts easy for the Briggs 8HP and she's still not running perfectly.

I guess it's kind of the lazy answer but it just made sense for me at this point.

 

Point taken ! LOL!
Little kids have a way of using up time ......as a father,and Grandfather,...I can relate !

 

I want to do the same swap, only I have the Kohler 7hp engine. I am having an issuegetting the drive pulley off the engine shaft. Did you have this problem?

 

I want to do the same swap, only I have the Kohler 7hp engine. I am having an issuegetting the drive pulley off the engine shaft. Did you have this problem?

Two issues come to mind for you and the previous posters. First is that the drive pulleys are cheap. Replace it and get on with your life.

Second is the report that small engines have been seriously over rated for horsepower for years. Note the the new Briggs don't list their horsepower? Now all they show is the engine displacement. The Harbor Freight 6.5 horsepower engine may very well have more horsepower than the 8 HP Briggs.

 

You might check the pulley for set screws.
Many Kohler engines use them.
They usually have one in the V,and one in the collar.