Onan opposed cyl 16hp

geb

I have this motor (was told it was a 16hp???) and don't know anything about it, I also have a 16hp used Vanguard (running but with some smoke) and a new 420 cc Lifan from home depot. I found the Onan and Vanguard after I bought the Lifan, I will rebuild the two cyl motors if I use them. Problem is which motor is best to use. Also would like some input on the Onan please

BGW

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branson

I just asked about one last week check the threads. onan and koler opposed twins are not meant to rev over 3500

Streetbu

Break out your piggy bank if you want to rebuild the Onan, Short blocks are $3K!

geb

So much for the Onan!!!!!!!

sho305

I put a new performer 20 in my lawnmower some years ago, the onan is nice for that it has a lot of torque. But it does not like to rev so I'd not use it for a cart unless it was not a performance application. Even then you may have to work the clutch to shift at slightly lower rpm. It was similar price as a vanguard at the time but I didn't have all the parts to change it to a v-twin or I might have. Now I'd like to put a punsun in it if they are ever legal in the US, it would take a lot less fuel and make more power.

The clone strengths are its cheap(!) and new and they run nice for what they are. I love the 420 in my cart it has much more than stock power. You can mod them all kinds of parts out there just look up gx390 performance. My block is completely stock and I've hit 37mph gps on 22s with my cart, even counting all mods, the whole exhaust and air intake and all that, I still have less than half the price of a new 20hp vtwin. Sure a 20 vtwin would have more power its a lot larger than my 13hp stroker.

The vtwin vanguard is a nice engine really the only other as nice is the kawasaki, but you can mod the B&S a lot they race them all over so its the one to use. New they are expensive as most big brand engines are. Most twins have a pressure oil system that helps a lot, compared to a typical single cylinder. They last longer and easier to run high rpm and more power....though a clone will run well with a good rod in it.

branson

why is the punsun illegal I found them on eBay. is it some kind of emissions regulations

J.Cribbs

Here's an Onan opposed twin we put in a buddys ezgo it's ok but I wouldn't recommend it, it was very sluggish I have a v-twin in mine and it will blow his away, we ended up removing the flywheel and mounting an electric fan to that side of the engine an probably doubled the power and it still sucks

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sho305

Maybe you can now? They have been using them for many years overseas not here because of the epa. Some say epa protecting other diesel makers, I mean you pretty much can't buy any small diesel here (air cooled) until the Chinese ones or they cost 3X what they are worth. There is a whole site in the UK of people putting them in old motorcycles lol, they get 100mpg with them or something. They are not fast but one cheap ride/hobby considering cost of fuel there.

Onan is a great engine for what it is, a flathead! It has great power idle-3K rpm or so, and thats why its not so great for what we want. Look at the intake its tiny. I would only replace it with a diesel vtwin because they take about 1/3 the fuel in most lawn equipment and one I looked at was over 20 hp so its more power than my 20 onan, likely much more torque just because its a diesel.

That is why I said you may need to mod the clutch for an onan, most GC set to shift around 3800rpm (in my experience more like 4K with a bigblock) and the onan is out of power by then. You need to keep it under 3500 I would guess and you will get more power from it. They are smooth and responsive at the lower rpm. My lawnmower I gps'd at 14mph or something and if I put the hydro all the way ('high gear') at idle and then gas it, it gets up to speed in no time a few seconds. But it does not have that much power at high rpm and its set to 3600 max. I can slow the blades much easier at high rpm actually, but the deck is a little large for 20hp.

ricefarmer09

I have an EZGO 1200 with a shot Robins engine. I also have a 18HP Onan on a JD lawnmower that I could replace the Robins with. The only question I have is where to find a clutch to fit the Onan? I haven't really looked at the original clutch and it may work but what I'm reading is that most likely it won't. I don't really care about the top speed and would really like some low end power as I would probably be working this unit more than racing around on it. The Robins engine I believe was a 9HP but I can't remember now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

cgtech

Onan is a great motor, for it's designed purpose. A stationary power source. They are pretty bulletproof. We lived stranded on top of a mountain in our broke-down rv for 9 days waiting for someone to bring us parts. Onan CCKB generator ran non-stop. We had lights, heat, cool, fridge, bathroom/shower. Not too shabby for "we're stuck here" (the best "stuck here" I have ever had). It's pretty hilarious trying to put oil in it while it's running! It's best suited for applications like generator, welder, pump motor. I once traded a really sweet 24hp model Onan for a 1970 Corvette big block 454, yeah, I made out on that deal. Those onan motors command real money, and are expensive for parts. BTW, anyone have a propane carb for one, I need one for my generator.