Soooo. 14hp Kohler vs 13hp Honda Pony Motors. opinions??

Did you not just read what heavy hammer wrote about his Honda?

 

Nothing is 100 percent guaranteed except for death and taxes. Honda motors are 99.9 with minimal maintenance

 

Hondas are almost bulletproof. Biggest killer is not shutting the fuel off and letting it burn off whatever's in the line. If you don't, it goes straight into the crankcase. That and making sure its not sucking any dirt in.

 

I run 10W30 engine oil in the Honda, and Petro-Canada Hydrex MV Arctic hydraulic oil, year round.
My logic for that is;
-It will always flow when it's cold!
-Yes, the hydraulic system may run slower in hot climates due to the thin oil, but it will still work. (I don't really notice much difference at all)
-Yes, it will leak easier than thicker oil, but any leak require attention anyhow IMHO.
-You are just running a pony motor, not a huge hydraulic pump running constant service, so you aren't going to work the system long or hard enough to ever actually get the oil too hot/thin to actually worry about. (I've used mine in Cali, TX, FL...and up on the ice at -52C, no problems)

 

I was curious as to what hydraulic oil you used. Starting a pony motor in those extreme temperatures would almost warrant a clutch system so that one could start the pony motor an let it warm up without turning the pump.

As you say, you don't need to get 10,000 hrs. out of the system as it just doesn't run that much; it just needs to run when you need it.

 

I run 10W30 engine oil in the Honda, and Petro-Canada Hydrex MV Arctic hydraulic oil, year round.
No clutch system, just the coupler from pump to motor. P-C Hydrex MV Arctic is used in the airline industry in the avionics and landing gear systems. Anything in the type of service MUST flow at altitude temps which are colder that -60C, I don't find much resistance difference pull starting my Honda in the cold. Using this oil is probably the reason why I can always start it, the pump isn't clogged with molasses thick crap that won't let the motor spin fast enough to start...
And using oil that is designed to flow when it's cold means I don't have to let the Honda run for a while turning the pump to warm the hyd oil enough to flow. I just start it, give the motor maybe a minute or so to warm up a little, more if it's retardedly cold, and use the controls. They are only fractionally slower when the temps are extreme, for the atypical lower 48 climate, you'd have a hard time noticing any difference winter to summer.
Oh, but be prepared, aircraft grade hydraulic oil isn't cheap. My whole system used 3 1/2 pails from bone dry when I rebuilt the wagon. In the low hour service we use it for, it never really needs to be changed so that helps alleviate some of the sticker shock.

 

We were running ATF instead of hydraulic fluid in ours.

 

Mine had ATF in it when I bought it. That definately runs slower when it's cold out. Also made starting the Honda in the cold more difficult. I hated it because of that. The convenient thing is, you don't need to pack spare, it's available anywhere!
I pack 4 gallons of spare Hydrex because it's not.