Predator 5.5 HP 173cc OHV Vertical Shaft Gas Engine - Certified for California; Fuel Shut Off and Recoil Start

This predator 173cc vertical is well build, powerful clone of Honda Gxv160 due bigger displacement cc and hp which predator may be alittle faster but not very much. Torque is about same as Honda Gxv160, and predator have balls just like gxv160 but can't compare to Kohler courage XT8 or Kawasaki Fj 180v Kai. Here disadvantage are: fuel tank is smaller than most commercial/residential mower which only last 40 minutes, and it take several pull start to get it on instead of one pull like kohler xt8. Overall, this is well build for commercial use. I use kohler engine oil in this thing and doing great. Just need buy larger gas tank for this engine. Now since April 15 2016 now it start one pull start and ready to go. I fully break it in complete. Doing really well on overgrown grass too. So I give it 5 stars by now instead of 4 stars. So far it is 1 year and 2 months still run like brand new. I put on self propelled 21 commercial. I got kit for it and run perfectly. Thank so much.. now I forgot to add comment I found engine oil that have same (API) as Kohler and Honda engine oil SJ and cheaper too. castrol gtx magnatec 10w30 synthetic blend that what I use this year in 2016 and present, run smooth in predator 173cc and Kohler XT8.

I've gone through three of these motors in less than two seasons! After several years of very good service I replaced the Briggs & Straton motor that finally died with one of these Predators on a Homelite walk behind weed trimmer. Unfortunately I did not purchase an extended warranty with the first Predator which lasted not quite an entire season, but by the time I installed the Predator and used it again the next season a year had already passed so I was plumb out of luck and had to eat that one. I then purchased a second Predator from Harbor Freight at a great price of $89.00 after a 20% off coupon. This time however I opted for the 2 year extended warranty.After less than 10 hours use (and I'm being generous) I blew that engine as well. The manager at Harbor Freight was very sympathetic and he swapped out the motor for a new one without my having to go through the warranty process for which I was very greatful.Well Predator #3 lasted about as long as Predator #2. I was attempting to mow down some very high grass and weeds, a chore that I have done for years with the Briggs & Stratton when the engine started to bog down and was running very rough. Within less than a minute I noticed the muffler glowing red hot to the point that it ignited the solid rubber wheel which momentarily caught fire but quickly extinguished itself. I never saw anything quite like that happen before.I was never able to restart the motor again. Unlike Predator #2, I was able to pull on the starter rope quite easily. In fact, so easily that I think the compression ring let go. In any event, it's three strikes and you're out.I know that the price is very attractive, but I would highly recommend against purchasing this engine. If it can't carry the load of a belt driven weed wacker, I shutter to think as to what would happen if it were mounted on a direct drive lawn mower.

No fuel shot off as advertised.

Outstanding performance so far this season. I replaced a blown GCV190 that was beyond help. Install wasn't too bad. Most everything lined up just fine. Had to get an adapter for the shaft to fit the blade/pulley mount. All of the factory controls hooked up to the engine without issue and function perfectly. Performance wise the Predator 173 is on par with the Honda GCV190. It's close enough that you have to scratch your head and think for a bit about which is better. The Predator will gobble and mulch tall thick grass that you couldn't expect ANY mower to eat. But it does. I'm not a huge fan of the primer bulb but the engine starts easily without any drama. Takes a pull or three but it fires up and runs all day. The more I use it the easier it starts. The fuel tank is on the small side however the fuel consumption is amazingly good. I have a 1/3 acre lot and it'll mow that on a tank. I get 45 minutes to an hour or so on the tank. I used O'Rielly's 10w-30 for the first few hours of break in and then Mobil 1 5w-40 after that. Next season I'll put whatever leftover 30 or 40 weight oil I have laying around in it. EDIT. Full season done and the mower now starts better than the Honda it replaced. This thing runs better than it has any right to for the price I paid for it. It is without doubt the easiest starting push mower I've ever owned. Power, performance, fuel economy, all top notch. Vibration and noise are both pleasant. I really like using this thing.2023. This engine has been mowing my yard for 5 years now. It starts as easy now as it did when I bought it. Absolutely no issues to report. None. One of the best vertical engines money can buy in my opinion.

I really wanted this engine to work for me as it is less than 1/2 the price of the name brand replacement. First engine shrieked like a banshee when started -- couldn't let it run more than a couple of seconds. Something wrong with the pull-starter. With the starter off, engine ran fine when started with a drill. I tried everything with the starter -- lubed it up, polished the flywheel bits that contact the starter pawls but always the same. Not going to spend more time trying to fix a brand new engine. Exchanged for another. That engine sounded better but would only run for a minute or so, then oscillate speeds and shut down. Restarted it would do the same thing again. Twice is too much-- I don't have time to do quality checks for the factory and it is a pain to get the engine all bolted up and filled up just to have to unbolt, empty and repack and ship back for a refund.