Troy-Bilt Horse engine swap

kubota4me · May 21, 2014

I am thinking about putting this motor on my TB Horse - 6.5 HP (212cc) OHV Horizontal Shaft Gas Engine EPA

Is this the correct engine and will I be able to use my bumper on my Horse with it? Any foreseeable problems or issues making this engine work on my Troybilt Horse tiller manufactured in 1988? Thanks!

bcp · May 21, 2014

It worked on mine , about the same age, with a bumper.

Bruce

tcreeley · May 21, 2014

Is that a 1 shaft or two shaft engine? I think my Troybilt econo horse has a 6 hp engine with two shafts - forward + reverse.

TROY-BILT ECONO-HORSE TILLER CATEGORY

Available replacement parts listed below, please click product number to view more information about each replacement part.

Original Model: HH60 & various other

This tiller uses a 3/4" main shaft and a 5/8" PTO shaft. The Econo Horse has a 2nd PTO shaft to run the reverse gear on the tiller.

NOTE: If you would like you can use one of the engines listed without the extra PTO shaft if you don't mind giving up reverse.
There are no engines still being made that will allow the reverse to work on this tiller.
Repower Troy-Bilt Econo-Horse Tiller

stevenlee · Jan 13, 2016

I'm currently using the Harbor Freight 6.5 hp engine but seriously want to upgrade to the 8hp model they have for the much needed torque boost. Looks like it would take some modification as the shaft length is about an inch longer. The double pulley for the 1-inch crankshaft I do have. Has anyone else thought about this?

bcp · Jan 13, 2016

Must be different soil. I can't even slow down my HF 6.5 with any work load. Same with the old Tecuseh.

Bruce

5030 · Feb 4, 2016

Little update.. I replaced my oil burning Tecumseh on my Pony with a Pred and I'm about to replace the crappy Honda GC on my Cub Cadet rear tine with a Hatz Diesel. That Honda GC motor is a piece of junk.

TomSeller · Feb 4, 2016

My 80s Tecumseh on my TroyBilt Horse is running strong without appreciable oil usage and I hope to keep it that way. My best advice is to level the ENGINE when checking the oil, then use good quality oil. Check levels as a matter of habit. I like old school and I always keep my eye open for a Kohler TroyBilt (again old school) horse.

sixdogs · Feb 5, 2016

5030 said:
Little update.. I replaced my oil burning Tecumseh on my Pony with a Pred and I'm about to replace the crappy Honda GC on my Cub Cadet rear tine with a Hatz Diesel. That Honda GC motor is a piece of junk.

Post any pics you may have. That sounds great.

TomSeller said:
My 80s Tecumseh on my TroyBilt Horse is running strong without appreciable oil usage and I hope to keep it that way. My best advice is to level the ENGINE when checking the oil, then use good quality oil. Check levels as a matter of habit. I like old school and I always keep my eye open for a Kohler TroyBilt (again old school) horse.

Nothing beats that old school Koehler and nothing sounds like it either. The only way to kill it is to run it out of oil. I've owner several over the years and with a tune up they start on the first half pull and never quit. Since there are so many of the tillers around to assure spare parts, I'll bet the same ones will still be around and working many decades from now. That is, of course, if people are still around.

5030 · Feb 5, 2016

I have a K241S Kohler on my welder-generator, it has to be 40 years old. I had to get a new carb for it, the OEM carb was a single adjusting screw affair, a predecessor to the EPA compliant no adjustment screw carbs we have today but that one never worked right so I picked up a 2 screw one from flea-bay.

It runs like a top and I like to listen to the wump-wump as it chugs along and the whine of the balancer shaft gears... Nice engine. I'm sure it will outlast me.......

On the flip side the Honda I have on my Cub Cadet tiller (which tills much better than a Troy-Bilt because the tines are reverseable), I sold my Horse and kept the Pony for cultivating.... is a piece of junk. It's gonna get a Hatz diesel this summer.

I realize Honda wanted to build a consumer cheap motor but it's too cheap. Even a Lifan/Pred is a better engine.

pauliefitch · Apr 2, 2016

Re: Troy-Bilt Horse engine swap asking and telling some questions

thanks

5030 · Apr 2, 2016

That is too big a motor for your tiller in the first place.

sixdogs · Apr 2, 2016

Others will have to answer your question but I have one of my own. Is 11 or 13 horsepower too much for a Troybilt Horse? You probably have a lot of rocks in your soil and all that jamming and bouncing around might break something? I don't know but am just posing the question. Hope that's OK.

pauliefitch · Apr 2, 2016

thank you

5030 · Apr 2, 2016

pauliefitch said:
thank you, any and all comments crtitiques, and scathing editorials are always welcome. saves me from trial and error paid with cash, material, time.

You posted it, not me. Usually when you post something for all to see, you get comments pro and con. Don'r see any scathing comments except the engine is too large for the unit.

I do have a question however and that is, I want to know how you'd 'machine a keyway' in a crankshaft on an assembled engine, I'm puzzled over that. I gotta hear that one...

pauliefitch · Apr 2, 2016

thanks

bcp · Apr 2, 2016

I have had one nearly 30 years, with a Tecumseh, and now a HF 6.5hp engine. I have never had any shortage of power. Neither engine has ever lugged or stalled. I have rocky ground but that just makes the tiller jump. I can bury the tines to full depth and the engine doesn't even slow noticeably. I don't need a larger engine.

Bruce

pauliefitch · Apr 2, 2016

thank you

5030 · Apr 2, 2016

pauliefitch said:
you are correct, there was no scathing editorials, doesn't mean they cant occur, I was just trying to be humorous, and to let people know I am not worried about tone, just to learn, no matter what form it comes. anyways, yes clamping a mounted drive shaft properly on a mill would suck, using a clam- on key way cutter would be better, if you can get the clearance, or even hand cutting a key way is also possible, or go with grub screws. with a matched inlet on the shaft.
but thankfully that is not my only option. which is why I posted the info I did, to get feedback. so thanks

Do you have a link to a 'clamp on keyway cutter' that I can see? Reason I ask is, I'm a Journeyman Tool and Die Maker and I own and operate a short run machine and fabrication shop and I've never seen one so I'm curious. There are only 2 ways I know of to develop a keyway, milling it or broaching it and neither can be applied to an assembled engine.

Just curious and I'm always open to new ideas.