As you probably know, there are two grades of Hondas: The GX commercial series and the GC homeowner/chinamart version.

The GX is a good engine, but you pay for it.

The GC is a complete, utter, irredeemable piece of shit. Plastic cam, driven by a timing belt from a plastic gear on the crankshaft. The crankshaft gear is "timed" by a rib on the gear fitting into a keyway on the crank. The rib wears out or breaks off and BOOM, the cam is out of time.

By the time you remove the engine, split it, replace that stupid gear with another plastic piece of shit that will break in a few hours, button everything up and put the engine back on the machine, you've spent more money than a new Predator engine would cost.

Never, EVER buy ANYTHING with a Honda GC engine on it. If someone tries to GIVE you something with a Honda GC engine on it, take them off your Christmas Card list, pinch a loaf in their coffee cup, sign them up for AARP and give their name, address and phone number to the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Lol. You are correct I have multiple Honda GX engines on water pumps. They have over a million gallons of water on them each of pond water.

So you're saying that you're not a fan of Honda GC engines?

quote:

Originally posted by BigSwede:
So you're saying that you're not a fan of Honda GC engines?

How very perceptive of you. I was afraid I'd been too subtle.

Does this apply to even the newest GC200 engines?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Does this apply to even the newest GC200 engines?

As far as I know, it applies to ANY GC engine. I could be wrong about that tho.

Interesting, considering the excellent long-term reputation of Honda's residential lawn equipment.

I guess the average homeowner just isn't as hard on their stuff as you are.


Also, the GC series is US-made, while the GX series is imported. So it appears that folks buying American-made are actually getting the inferior product in this case?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Interesting, considering the excellent long-term reputation of Honda's residential lawn equipment.

I guess the average homeowner just isn't as hard on their stuff as you are.


Also, the GC series is US-made, while the GX series is imported. So it appears that folks buying American-made are actually getting the inferior product in this case?

This was a pressure washer someone dropped off for me to fix. They decided not to bother when I explained the situation to them.

The GC engine is a throw-away designed down to a price point. People get all hot and bothered about the Honda name (which used to mean something) and don't realize what they're getting. Typical US marketing bullshit.

Same is true of what used to be great names: Troybilt, Toro, Cub Cadet...now all owned and built for the throw-away marked by MTD/Yardman.

Wife took our Honda GC power washer for a swim one day, cleaning around the pool, I thought it was done.

Pulled the plug, pulled the carb, drained the fuel, turned it over several times, watched a spray of water come out the plug hole, drained the oil, changed it, cleaned out carb, new plug, and it fired up on the first pull.

Still running I think 4 years or more later...

Maybe those plastic bits are good since they don't rust from being exposed to the bottom of a pool.

MTD at one time was a good product. finally retired my MTD mower/yard tractor at the ripe old age of 35yrs servive. Too many products today are being sold on the brand name and are a price point sale . Shareholders only care about profits and share dividens. ....................drill sgt.

GC is their residential use engine.
GX is rated commercial.

Honda reduces the warrantee of its GC to just 3 months if used in a commercial setting... while the GX carry a 3 YEAR warrantee in the same use.

Do you really need to know more?

A home gamer may be perfectly fine with a GC but as they say... you get what you pay for.

Exactly why, when I needed to replace my pressure washer I avoided anything with a GC on it.

I ended up with a Genreac with their own motor on it and have been more than pleased

The thing that really sucks is when, back in 2001, Honda switched their HRM215 mowers from GX to GC engines, and also dropped the blade clutch for a shutdown blade brake, they kept the price the same. They greatly cheapened their mowers while dropping off some of the best features.