TCS Chief

[Zee]

Any of you run a TCS Chief that has the Honda gx690 engine?

What is your experience with that motor?


http://www.carpet-cleaning-equipment.net/tcs_chief.shtml

 

[Desk Jockey]

Isn't that the motor piglet just replaced on his unit?

 

[hogjowl]

No, mine was the Kohler on the Chief II.

Over on the JW board, I saw a thread where a guy was talking about his problems with the various different engines he'd run over the years. His issues were the same as mine. No more than 2500 to 3000 hours on each engine. (I know, all you guys get 5000 and 6000 hours on yours. Uh, huh ...)

I've never owned a Honda engine, but don't expect it to be a miracle worker lasting thousands of hours.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Air cooled I'd think 3000-4000 any more than that and you'd better have plans for the day she gives up. That's a lot of work for an engine that wasn't designed for the long haul.You'll need liquid cooled if you want to double or triple that life but then your costs are more up front.

Which is better? It depends on how you see it pay now or pay later. Either way you have to pay.

 

[hogjowl]

I'm probably going direct drive next time.

 

[joeynbgky]

I have two chiefs witj the gx690... one is hmm 6 or 7 years old with. 5223 hours in the original engine! The other chief honda has 845 hours. And they are reliable little things. I only had to replace the dipstick, cause it wore out from using it alot I suppose

 

[knoxclean]

We run one. Not a problem with it . I think it is closing in on 2000 hrs

 

[GeneMiller]

We run one. Not a problem with it . I think it is closing in on 2000 hrs

I'm like Marty on those engines they never last very long. The liquid cooled are more but besides longevity they are a lot quieter. You won't need hearing aides so soon.

Gene

 

[joeynbgky]

Mine has 5223 well 5241 as of today air cooled

 

[Loren Egland]

Add an oil cooler and you will likely get longer life out of an air cooled engine. It will run about 30 degrees cooler. Seems to work for the Kohler engines on the Powermatics.

 

[joeynbgky]

This engine has a built-in oil cooler on the side

 

[Dolly Llama]

you should be getting 4000 hrs on most air cooled engines
that's pretty common for a TM


..L.T.A.

 

[hogjowl]

It's not unusual for us to have 2 months of temps in excess of 95 degrees. Going to be 100 and 101 for three days next week. I can't keep ceiling liners in my van and we can't touch any metal tools we take out of the van on jobs, without gloves.

I'm thinking the heat is killing mine.

 

[joeynbgky]

Hmm. When we do turns. Our vans stay parked in the same spot running for 5 hours straight. Temps in the 95 to 102 range and high humidity amd no problems. But I have the #3 lg maybe the 4 puts out to much heat in the van

 

[Loren Egland]

This engine has a built-in oil cooler on the side

What I was referring to was a water cooled rather than air cooled oil cooler. All you need is an oil line that travels through some cooper coils in a small fresh water box. Simple and trouble free. The Powermatics have used this approach for decades.

 

[GeneMiller]

you should be getting 4000 hrs on most air cooled engines
that's pretty common for a TM


..L.T.A.

Depends are were you live and how hard and long you run them. Never got anything close to that. I don't believe I ever came close to 3k. Every thing in the van absorbs the radiant heat and pretty soon the engine is sucking serious hot air. Heat and vibration are the number 2 killers. If I was running a van still it would have a power vent taking advantage of the natural rise of the air. Currently I have 2 4' doors opposite each other which is a huge improvement on heat control.

gene

 

[hogjowl]

I installed a power vent. It lasted two days before the electric motor burned out.