By Dustin Sheldon on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Does anyone know which is more reliable? How about cold weather starts? My 18hp Briggs started with no problems at 30 below F. Can the Kohler do that too?

By John on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I was talking to my friend who owns a small engine repair shop about who makes the better engines. He rated them as follows Briggs IC ( not the vanguard), Kohler, Briggs vanguard (the vanguard is made in Japan) and then the best being the liquid cooled kawasaki. These were the 4 engines that I asked about as they are what came in the argo in the years that interest me.

By Dustin Sheldon (Montana6x6) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the reply! So Briggs Vanguard is better than Kohler?

By dakota on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I believe these engines to be equal . Now that they all run modern electronic ignitions. Back in the days of pionts either being not maintained, or adjusted in the first place would be the cause of hard starting problems. I have always found the kohler carbs to be less finkiky than the brings ( compairing I/c to Magnum models) unfortunatly I don't have enough hours on my vangaurd to have an opinion yet. But sofar it has perforned perfictly . Also just a note from an ex- small engine dealer . These engines are only designed to last 1200hrs of opperation no matter who makes it. Some live longer than that, some never make it close

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

According to a Briggs manual I have. The Vangard engines are tested for 2000 hours under full load and the I/C engines are tested for either 1000 or 1500 hours.

By Dustin (Montana6x6) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Alright, Thanks all for the info!!

By dakota on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What Briggs manual do you have ? The 1200hrs rating is an industry stanard the manufacures have been using for years.I have never seen this standard published, by any industrial engine manufacturer.

By David Sanders on Unrecorded Date: Edit

( Liflod ) If that is the case with the Vangard engines,,,then the 25 hp Kolier motor,,with the "nikilsil linner " on the bores,,ought to last much longer still!

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The book is not a Briggs manual. It is a book titled " Small Engines" by R. Bruce Radcliff. Published by American Technical Publishers, Inc,. It is authorized by Briggs and Stratton.

It says the consumer engines are life tested at 500 hours full load,full speed, the I/C engines at 1000 Hours full load,full speed and the Vangaurd is tested for 2000 hours full load, full speed.

By David Keeso (Argomag) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

IF these engines are rated at 500 hours at full load and full speed, does this mean that they will die after this time? 500 hrs. are not very high. My kohler magnum in my ARGO MAGNUM is at 609 i think and it is running strong. the guy that services our machine has two ARGOs, one magnum 6x6 and another that is basically a 6x6 conquest. The new one, the conquest is probably already close to 850-900 hrs. He services it regularly but it is almost always used for tough work in the bush. IF you look at the brochures for the ARGO he is the one who hauls the work trailor, and chipper on the back- his name is Terry Sugg. But back to the question, why so low hours?

By dakota on Unrecorded Date: Edit

first reason is emissions standards. second why build an enginethat will last 2000hrs for something that will only get 500hrs in ten years of use , this keeps cost down for things like a lawn mowers. the engine is actually only built good enough to make it out of warrenty with as few problems as possible. If it lives longer great , if not o-well it's out of warrenty now. time to buy a new engine. this is true with all manutfactures, from Briggs to Caterpiller.

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The 500 hours is for consumer type engines like push lawn mowers.I agree with dakota on the cost and sales price of an overengineered engine. But when you are going to compare a run of the mill Briggs vs a Vangaurd or I/C you know why the better engines cost more. I also sent an Email to Briggs and asked them about the life testing of their engines. I will post it when I get a reply. If you think aobut it, you probably only use a push lawnmower for about 25 hours a year if that. 4 hours a month for 6 months out of the year. 500 hours divided by 25 , the engine should last for 20 years!

By Glen on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Just so you know the Vanguard and Kohler Command V-Twin engines are tested for 2000 hours, under load. Either engine, properly maintained should last that long.

By Eugene Kochnieff on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi All,

This thread about engine life is interesting.

I would expect that the life testing you are discussing here is actually burn in testing.

These engines last much longer than 500-2000 hrs.
as long as they are well maintained (oil changes good oil etc)many of these engines are used commercially 4+ hours a day 5/7 50weeks a year.

That adds up to 1000 hrs/year and they keep going for many years.

By Markski on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi guys, I'm a former Max dealer in Iowa and still am an authorized B&S and Kohler dealer and I prefer the Briggs engines if for no other reason than they are easier to repair, easier to get parts for, and less expensive to buy and repair. Briggs does bend over backwards to lend support to the dealers while Kohler....well, let's just say I haven't even Seen a Kohler representative for 2 years? I still have 2 Max units and they both have the 18hp Vanguard engine in them. That's a fabulous engine and in my opinion every bit as good as the Kohler Commands. You can buy a complete new engine from Briggs for less than the price of a Kohler short block if you ever need to. As some of you know it's a bugger to get the starter off of it unless you have a special socket and I saw where someone had an engine that would quit after running for something like 25 minutes or so, I wondered if he ever found the problem. One thing to check is that the fuel cap is venting, otherwise the engine will eventually starve for fuel, even with the fuel pump. Neither engine will last for very long if you don't keep clean oil and filters in them. That means clean air and fuel filters too!
Oh yeah, remembered anther post from sometime ago here that was about a Vanguard engine that was ruined because of an airlock problem after changing oil - it's true the early Vanguards (10 years ago or so) had a problem with that and somewhere I have a service bulletin explaining the proper oilchange procedure to prevent that. Check with your local Briggs dealer and see if they know about it if you have one of those early engines. Well, I've kind of gone on and on but to get back to the original topic, if it were me I wouldn't pay any extra for a Kohler engine and personaly I would rather have the Briggs. Have some fun and play safe!

By Glen on Unrecorded Date: Edit

2000 hours are what the test engines are tested for before being released to production. They are both good engines, but the Kohler has much better throttle response due to an accelerator pump carb.