Thanks for all the great info! I unfortunately am saddled with the Kohler RH on my Country Pro wood chipper so am currently looking for an aftermarket air filter kit to put on. Can you recommend one and/or recommend a replacement engine to swap in?
You can technically use a Honda clone air filter housing. You might have to change the length of the studs for the carburetor though. You can replace it with a Honda GX engine or a Briggs Vanguard which are also good engines. Whatever you put on there, make sure it has ball bearings on the crankshaft. Both of these engines have them.
I just worked on a new kohler air compressor left out on a fuel trailer and the exhaust valve was open and water fills the muffler the engine was seized and he broke the rope. I saved the engine but the crap muffler and air filter need something better.
Thank you. This is exactly the information I was looking for. I was looking at a Ryobi pressure washer that someone was selling for a good price. I was initially interested because the Kohler RH 196cc engine looked like a Honda Clone. But I couldn't find any info on its actual build quality, ie. Type of cylinder (sleeved or not), crank (eventually found out they're not using a forged crankshaft), was it on proper bearings, etc. This video provided everything I wanted to know. I will 100% now be staying away from these.
Man, that breaks my heart to hear that Kohler is going the cheap route. I have a John Deere riding mower with a Kohler engine that is 18 years old and runs as good as the day I bought it! Guess I'll really have to do my homework when it comes time to replace it. Thanks for the video.
I have a 6-month-old RH265 with a broken crank shaft. It is in a Yardmax chipper like the one in the video. Is there a Honda or other brand engine that will bolt in to replace it?
Thanks for this informative video. I am here in Canada and was looking at buying a Home Hardware Benchmark wood chipper. The Benchmark line for the most part is good quality. Given that the chipper has a Kohler engine I figured, " What could possibly go wrong?" After watching this video, I'll take a pass on the chipper and look at a Champion. I had a Champion generator for years without problem. Guess you get what you pay for.
Now you gotz me fired up! Those engines that've been around and have the issues 'ironed out'? They will eventually get a cost reduction effort. They'll go to cheaper valve guides or valve material, as-cast gasket surfaces, remove a ball bearing and use parent metal, go to plastic gears, put a non-functional oil filter on a splash lubed engine.....so they can charge more....... The unit cost will drop, but they will raise the price of the engine. It's those pesky corporate margin's. Not long term customer 'loyalty'. The only reason Onan caught those significant shortcomings on new units is they demanded quality audits. MBA's have waived those in many companies because it adds a small cost.
I have one of these garbage engines on my Dirty Hand Tool chippers and hate it. Can't fire it up this year(have fuel, spark and compression) I did see some slight metal shavings on the plug. It's never started easy and always seemed to take 100's of pulls. Never swapped and engine before but am considering the 6.5hp predator (Honda clone). Any thoughts on it being able to just swap right in? Never gone through a swap before.
Yep. Many years ago I worked in the engine group for Onan. Unfortunately, aka Cummins Power Gen. I and another fellow were tasked with bringing in a Chinese generator product. 6500 watt units were under $100. Many units wouldn't function. First thing we did was rule out the use of Chinese electrical switches, spark plugs and bearings. Then there was some political work to ensure Honda wouldn't sue due to the rip-off of their design. I think Honda gave up trying to stop the rip off. And all the ''ethical' US corporations went on a feeding frenzy supporting illegal patent infringement. MBA's don't care, it's all about the short term buck. One time a batch of units came in with rusty gas tanks from the factory. The factory managed to remove the zinc plating by washing them out with chemicals that stripped zinc. One time, a batch came in with valve covers all loose. Bolt was tight. The found a new supplier who saved something on the order of a penny par bolt but made them all wrong. Never buy a Cummins branded generator. They've been in that market at least 7 times and always bail on it so you're stuck.
I can't figure out the linkage for the governor and carburetor smh..
@TheBeast-tj9qo Did you ever find the solution to this? Looks like mine doesn't have some springs.
Thanks for all the great info!
I unfortunately am saddled with the Kohler RH on my Country Pro wood chipper so am currently looking for an aftermarket air filter kit to put on.
Can you recommend one and/or recommend a replacement engine to swap in?
You can technically use a Honda clone air filter housing. You might have to change the length of the studs for the carburetor though. You can replace it with a Honda GX engine or a Briggs Vanguard which are also good engines. Whatever you put on there, make sure it has ball bearings on the crankshaft. Both of these engines have them.
I just worked on a new kohler air compressor left out on a fuel trailer and the exhaust valve was open and water fills the muffler the engine was seized and he broke the rope. I saved the engine but the crap muffler and air filter need something better.
Thank you. This is exactly the information I was looking for. I was looking at a Ryobi pressure washer that someone was selling for a good price. I was initially interested because the Kohler RH 196cc engine looked like a Honda Clone. But I couldn't find any info on its actual build quality, ie. Type of cylinder (sleeved or not), crank (eventually found out they're not using a forged crankshaft), was it on proper bearings, etc. This video provided everything I wanted to know. I will 100% now be staying away from these.
Man, that breaks my heart to hear that Kohler is going the cheap route. I have a John Deere riding mower with a Kohler engine that is 18 years old and runs as good as the day I bought it! Guess I'll really have to do my homework when it comes time to replace it. Thanks for the video.
I have a 6-month-old RH265 with a broken crank shaft. It is in a Yardmax chipper like the one in the video. Is there a Honda or other brand engine that will bolt in to replace it?
Thanks for this informative video. I am here in Canada and was looking at buying a Home Hardware Benchmark wood chipper. The Benchmark line for the most part is good quality. Given that the chipper has a Kohler engine I figured, " What could possibly go wrong?" After watching this video, I'll take a pass on the chipper and look at a Champion. I had a Champion generator for years without problem. Guess you get what you pay for.
Which is better to choose kohler sh265 6.5 vs vanguard 6.5? Is it worth paying extra for vanguard?
I would pick the Vanguard. They are excellent engines. They are definitely worth the money.
Engine Karen ladies and gentlemen
Can you replace that Kohler rh 265 muffler with anything other than oem? Would the Honda mufflers work? 196cc
Yes it will work. You might have to modify things a bit but as far as I know it should just bolt right up.
Now you gotz me fired up! Those engines that've been around and have the issues 'ironed out'? They will eventually get a cost reduction effort. They'll go to cheaper valve guides or valve material, as-cast gasket surfaces, remove a ball bearing and use parent metal, go to plastic gears, put a non-functional oil filter on a splash lubed engine.....so they can charge more....... The unit cost will drop, but they will raise the price of the engine. It's those pesky corporate margin's. Not long term customer 'loyalty'.
The only reason Onan caught those significant shortcomings on new units is they demanded quality audits. MBA's have waived those in many companies because it adds a small cost.
I was looking at a cheap simpson pressure washer that had this kohler engine on it....good thing i found this channel lol. gonna go honda instead
I have one of these garbage engines on my Dirty Hand Tool chippers and hate it. Can't fire it up this year(have fuel, spark and compression) I did see some slight metal shavings on the plug. It's never started easy and always seemed to take 100's of pulls. Never swapped and engine before but am considering the 6.5hp predator (Honda clone). Any thoughts on it being able to just swap right in? Never gone through a swap before.
Yep. Many years ago I worked in the engine group for Onan. Unfortunately, aka Cummins Power Gen. I and another fellow were tasked with bringing in a Chinese generator product. 6500 watt units were under $100. Many units wouldn't function. First thing we did was rule out the use of Chinese electrical switches, spark plugs and bearings. Then there was some political work to ensure Honda wouldn't sue due to the rip-off of their design. I think Honda gave up trying to stop the rip off. And all the ''ethical' US corporations went on a feeding frenzy supporting illegal patent infringement. MBA's don't care, it's all about the short term buck.
One time a batch of units came in with rusty gas tanks from the factory. The factory managed to remove the zinc plating by washing them out with chemicals that stripped zinc. One time, a batch came in with valve covers all loose. Bolt was tight. The found a new supplier who saved something on the order of a penny par bolt but made them all wrong.
Never buy a Cummins branded generator. They've been in that market at least 7 times and always bail on it so you're stuck.
shhh... too late for me
I'll hazard a guess and say that it's made in China.