OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Question On Scott Bonnar Cylinder Mowers Honda Engine to Suit Model 45

HI guys, I am nearing the end of my resto of the 20 inch single deck 45. I will be ordering a new motor this week, so just wanted to run some thoughts past you all. Machine came with the "Kirby" intact, but munted!! I have used Hondas and Kohlers in my landscape business last 15 years with no problems.

Will a Honda GX120 "bolt straight on". I will give them the old motor and tell them to match.

I read clearing the handle bars can be a problem with the older mowers.

Happy to pay $$$ for the Honda, as you get what you pay for. Your thoughts appreciated.
Just waiting on reel, bed knife and chroming to be finished, Thanks Llew

Hi Llew,

The GX120 will fit straight on.

If you have any clearance issues which I'm sure you won't with it being a 20 inch machine. If you do require them some special handle adapter plates are available nowadays so that late model engines can be fitted to Series one machines and series two machines that had Kirby's fitted as original equipment.

Cheers,
BB

Brilliant. Thanks BB. I will put up pictures when totally finished.
Do you know if these Hondas are made in Japan?

Tiawan I think

Hi Llew,

All the non significant stuff including all their lower level cars is now made in Taiwan.

Cheers,
BB

Hi Llew,

Do you still have the old Kirby laying around ?

Cheers
BB

Llew,
Just one thing about the Honda GX120, you'll need to order it with the 3/4" imperial PTO shaft, not the 18mm metric one.

The Kirby PTO shaft size should be 3/4", so the old clutch half will fit.

Gadge is 19mm 3/4"

/itm/HONDA-GX120-ENGINE-BRAND-NEW-GENUINE-KEYED-SHAFT-19MM-PICK-UP-OR-POSTED-/321943243680?hash=item4af5500ba0:g:5t8AAOSw14xWPGsm

G'day Norm,
Close - 3/4" is 19.05mm. Honda designation is 'Type Q' PTO, as per their drawing below.

Norm to convert imperial to metric you can bookmark a page on the internet on your phone or remember that 1" is 25.4mm
so
3/4 inch
25.4 divided by 4 (dividing one inch into quarters)
1/4 inch is 6.35mm
times 3 (to give 3 quarters of an inch)
19.05
Alternatively, some drill bit manufacturers have printed conversion charts available for the garage wall.

Slash, I usually work to the nearest 1/4" I can't read those millimeter things they are too small

yep sure do

Hi Norm im having trouble opening that link. Can you check and resend thanks Llew

The link above isn't the complete URL. But the price does look good, even with freight. Looks like a 'grey import' though, so no Honda Aust warranty on it.

Try this one;
www.ebay.com.au/itm/HONDA-GX120-ENG...FT-19MM-PICK-UP-OR-POSTED-/321943243680?

Hi Gadge,

I'm pretty sure that Kirby's aren't 3/4 size shafts. Most HK motors are 5/8 in size, but these Chondas are generally 19mm shafts, thus an upsized clutch half will be required.

Cheers,
BB.

Bloody hell Norm, the nearest 1/4"? You sound like a boilermaker measuring in thumbs and fists!

No worries BB,
I stand corrected - looked up a few old ODK posts, and the only one which mentioned HK30 shaft size said that it was 3/4".

Hi Gadge,

Basically how it worked was that both engine suppliers, that being Kirby and later on Briggs offered SB engines that would've been over stocks at a discounted prices from time to time, most engines had 5/8 shafts while motors that were being cleared at a cheaper price were generally 3/4 shaft units, thus the two different size clutch halves so as to benefit from the savings.

Cheers,
BB

G'day all,
Ah righto then, looks like it can be a bit of a lucky dip, on which size a particular machine has.

And on Honda countries of manufacture, their website says that the GX series are made in three of Honda's six small engine plants; Japan, Thailand and China - http://engines.honda.com/oem-resources/manufacturing-locations

Thanks guys for all the info. Will be sticking with the real McCoy Honda. Rang Haughton Honda and will order soon. Thanks again.