How to Re-Power a Cub Cadet Garden Tiller with a Harbor Freight Predator Engine Swap
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2017
- Our garden mainstay for the last several years has been our Cub Cadet tiller with a six horsepower Honda engine. This year the engine broke a connecting rod. We bought a new 6.5 horsepower Predator engine from Harbor Freight and now we have a tiller again.
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My son bought one of those motors for his old tiller, same experience runs good,
I repowered my old tiller with a new Briggs engine, same issue with shaft sticking out past the guard, I installed the guard and marked the approximate location of the shaft,
Used a metal cutting hole saw and cut the hole out in the guard for the end of the motor shaft, worked fine,
You need that guard in place, safety and can catch vegetables leaves in the belt pulley.
I’ve had the same. Honda for 12 years on a pressure washer and had no problems. I run Ethanol fuel though it and let it sit without with that fuel in it. Great engines
My Karcher pressure washer has an almost identical engine, also starts on first pull and seems well made and very powerful. I think you have winner there!
Nice video, just picked up a engine for my tiller, but just to let you know the knoch in the shaft is a keyway and the pin is called the key. Happy New Year!!!
Good video nicely made well explained and to the point. well done.
Thanks, I hope it helps!
I have a Yard Machines tiller with a 5hp Briggs flathead motor that had a little bit of rust in the tank when I got it, tried to clean it out, but it keeps plugging the carb and I'm getting tired of messing with it. I used this as an excuse for why I didn't get my garden planted last spring, and that I'll fix it over the summer before it comes time to prep the plot for winter, but here we are it's still not working. I just picked up a predator 212cc/6.5hp for a go kart project, they currently have them on sale from $125 to $100. From what I've seen people do to these poor engines in go karts and mini bikes, I think they will end up being really reliable for yard work. I filled mine with oil and ran it for maybe 2 hours to break it in, then reset valve lash (exhaust was a little loose) and did and oil change. A fair amount of "sparkle" came out with the initial oil change. Then I've beat on it in the go kart for maybe 3-4 hours now and I just bought some magnetic oil drain plugs and changed oil again, only a couple little sparkles now. Only other thing I'm thinking of adding, is you can buy a larger "honda style" cartridge air filter box upgrade for like $15, gives you a filter with much more surface area. I'm thinking of just getting one of these for the tiller, and I'm sure with the same upgrades as the go kart engine it will be plenty reliable.
I just bought an old tillsmith tiller with that Briggs and same problem. I wasnt running good when I bought it,but I figured I could fix it. Cleaned the tank and put a new carb on it,but it surges like its lacking fuel. I tried to till with it,but its underpowered and cutting out. I'm thinkin of just getting a predator and being done with it. The tiller is solid and may do really well,if it ran right. Howd yours turn out?
I'm disappointed about the Honda engine blowing up. Usually they last a long time.
I wish cub cadet could put the Briggs and Stratton back their tillers.
I'v got one with a Briggs and Stratton, it worked the first time then 6 months later would not start with gas would run with eather 180 dollars to fix then 6 months later dead.
We’re you happy with the performance of the tiller having put a larger engine on it? Was the tiller over powered?
Thanks
How's the throttle cable connected?
What department in Tractor supply did you find that collar? I need to go in the morning to find one. Otherwise I'll have to turn one on the lathe.
I found it in the back along with the hitch pins and cotter pins. Thanks!
Thanks, I appreciate the response. I saw your video and decided not to trash my tillers. I have two of these. One is a cub cadet and the other is a husky. both identicle. I found the service manuals for the cub cadet so you can buy replacement parts if you need the url.
We have one of these tillers and did this, had to unhook the oil shut off but it just keeps on trucking, started first pull after sitting all winter. What's your model number on the tiller? I need it for parts for mine, mine's older and rusty.
My tiller is a Cub Cadet RT-65. Thanks!
Is your tiller an RT65?
I've heard you should NOT break in a new engine with synthetic oil. You must use a conventional oil to allow the piston rings to "wear in" properly. After the 3-5 hour break in period the old oil can be replace with the synthetic.
I've never heard that. I have heard that you need to run a new engine at variable RPM's (fast-slow-fast) for the first hour or two to seat the valves and rings properly.
212cc predator actually retail price is $120.
I got this one on sale at one of Harbor Freights tent sales for $99.
got mine for $97 over the weekend. Was on sale.
We have that same tiller, and recently had the same thing happen to our Honda engine! We were going to order a new honda engine, but then watched this video. So, how has this harbor freight engine been working for you?
It's doing great so far. I've put about 4 hours on it and it has never failed to start on the first crank (when I have everything set correctly). I run it at about 2/3 speed and it has never bogged out, not like the Honda which used to bog out often on full speed. I'm keeping Mobil 1 synthetic 10W30 in it and non-ethanol gas and of course keep it under cover when not in use.
Ok, for the price, sounds like a pretty good deal! Thanks for sharing this! I think I'll pick one up this weekend!
hm i have heard that predator engines are clones of hondas and parts swap.