13 Different Small Engines Harbor Freight's 212cc Predator Can Replace

Whether you need it for a lawn mower, a generator, or a pressure washer, buying a new engine can be an incredibly costly endeavor. To get one you know is reliable and works well with the equipment you have, you could spend several hundred dollars for a replacement. This is particularly true if you are looking to get a name brand replacement like Honda or Yamaha. However, you do not necessarily have to get an engine that will cost you an arm and a leg. There are engines out there at far more affordable prices that will provide you exactly what those premium engines out there will get you.

Case in point, you have the Predator engines that are made and sold by Harbor Freight. For those looking to save a good deal of money, these Predator engines make for an excellent alternative if you are in the market for a new one. Take, for example, Predator's smallest engine. This is a horizontal shaft engine with 212cc of displacement that will give you a sturdy 6.5 hp and 8.1 lb-ft of torque to run whichever outdoor tool you need. An engine like this could run you several hundred bucks, but instead, Harbor Freight sells this Predator engine for just $149.99. That is a much lower price, and if you can't pass up that deal, it is the perfect size and functionality to replace a great number of name brand engines that are out there, providing you with quality along with savings.

To start alphabetically, we look to the Briggs & Stratton company for the first two engines that the Predator 212cc could replace. Firstly, there is the Briggs & Stratton XR750, another horizontal shaft, single cylinder engine for all your gas-powered machine needs. Where the Predator outshines this particular engine is in its power. The Briggs & Stratton XR750 comes with 163 cc of displacement, which allows it to generate only 5.0 hp, while Harbor Freight's engine has 6.5 hp. The Predator also outperforms the XR750 in torque, generating about 8.1 lb-ft compared to 7.5 lb-ft. 

In terms of build, the two are not all that dissimilar, both utilizing cast iron for their respective cylinders. Currently, the XR750 is retailing for a whopping $533.96. At the current price of the Predator, you could buy afford three and half models of it and still not go over the price of a single XR750. That is a staggering amount of savings for an engine that is more powerful.

The Predator is also a solid replacement for the larger Briggs & Stratton XR950, which puts up a much better fight when it comes to comparing specs with the Predator. It features the same 6.5 hp rating, but it does manage to outperform the Predator with torque, generating around 9.5 lb-ft. Somewhat strangely, the Briggs & Stratton XR950 costs a bit less than the XR750, retailing for $527.33. Even though it performs remarkably well — if not better than — the Predator engine, you are still getting roughly $400 in savings if you go with the engine sold by Harbor Freight.

For our next three engines, we will be looking at one of the top brands in the game for machine engines: Honda. Along with cars, jets, and more, Honda has carved out a space for itself as a great place for power tools and outdoor machines. The first engine from Honda we are going to look at is the GX120. This is a very small engine, which only has a displacement of 122 cc. This small volume allows for just 3.2 hp and 5.5 lb-ft of torque. In terms of pure horsepower, the Predator more than doubles what the Honda GX120 is capable of. Meanwhile, the Honda GX120 retails for $399.99, more than double the normal retail price of the Predator.

Honda also has a slightly larger model called the GX160. Despite the engine's larger size, the GX160 still falls quite short of the Predator with its power capabilities. This has the same 163 cc of displacement as the aforementioned Briggs & Stratton XR750, but the Honda even falls behind that when it comes to power, generating just 4.8 hp and 7.6 lb-ft of torque. Honda retails this engine at the same $399.99 price as the GX120, which certainly makes you wonder if it is overcharging for the smaller engine.

Lastly, there's the larger GX200. You are looking at 196 cc of displacement, and this gets you 5.8 hp and 9.1 lb-ft of torque. The GX200 outpaces the Predator with torque. However, it still falls behind when it comes to horsepower. Like the previous two Honda engines, the GX200 still has essentially the same cost at $397. While it is helpful that Honda does not further gouge the price with each larger engine, you're still paying far more than you would for a Predator from Harbor Freight.

The next two engines come from Kawasaki, and aside from that, they have one majorly important thing in common that you should know before getting one as a replacement: neither engine continues to be produced. These engines are the Kawasaki FJ130D and FJ180D. So, these may be the engines currently in your lawn mower or pressure washer, but if you want a direct replacement, you might have a tough time finding one. The best place to start would be at Harbor Freight with its Predator engine, simply because it is a more powerful engine than either of them.

Starting with the smaller FJ130D, this is a 133 cc engine that can generate only 3.8 hp and 5.8 lb-ft of torque, placing it just a little further ahead of the aforementioned Honda GX120. Then there is the FJ180D, which has a max power of 5.5 hp and 8.1 lb-ft of torque. While that is certainly closer to the Predator, particularly in matching its torque performance, that still is a step-down from the budget-friendly engine. Pair this with the fact that finding one of these Kawasaki will quite difficult, and choosing the Predator for $149.99 seems like a no-brainer.

Finally, we arrive at some engines that put up stiff competition against the Predator engines with the Kohler brand. The first engine that Harbor Freight recommends replacing from Kohler is the CH260 Command Pro engine. Right off the bat, we have fairly comparable engine displacement, as its 2.8 in. bore and 2.1 in. stroke gives this 208 cc that falls just a few digits short of the Predator, causing it to fall slightly behind in gross horsepower with 6 hp compared to the Predator's 6.5. However, the CH260 vastly outpaces the budget-friendly engine when it comes to torque, as it's able to generate 10.2 lb-ft. In a major spike, the engine retails online from various places for around $560, and many retailers don't even list prices on their websites, instead asking for the customer to call for a quote. Depending on what store you're purchasing from, the Predator could save you over $400, and the only downside is a little less torque.

Part of the reason Kohler's CH260 is so expensive at various retailers is because Kohler has upgraded the engine to a new model, the Command Pro CH270. This engine has the same displacement, weight, and size as the CH260, but it gets a boost in its power. This model has the identical 6.5 hp as the Predator and bumps up the torque to 10.5 lb-ft, putting it a good deal ahead of the model sold by Harbor Freight. The price drop from the CH260 is quite a lot, as you can find the CH270 retailing for $479.99. With the power increase, you then have to ask yourself whether that increase is worth the over $300 extra you would be paying for the name brand replacement.

These CH models from Kohler are not the only ones that Harbor Freight recommends replacing with the Predator engine. You can also utilize them for machines that have been using the Kohler RH models, such as the RH255. This engine is smaller than the CH models, as well as the Predator. With a bore and stroke of 2.7 in. by 2.1 in., the RH255 has an engine displacement of 196 cc. As you would expect from the smaller size, it's able to handle less horsepower than the CH model, maxing out at a very respectable 5.5 hp. However, this thing is a torque machine, generating 10.5 lb-ft. Because this is an older model that has been updated like the CH260, finding one of these will be a little challenging, and finding one where the dealer has an advertised price may be even harder. Swapping it out for an exact replacement is going to cost you more money simply because it is outdated.

The Kohler RH265 is that newer, updated version of the RH255. It features the same 196 cc of displacement, but Kohler was able to increase its production with the biggest jump coming from horsepower, which is now 6.5 hp. The already impressive torque numbers get a slight bump as well, increasing to 10.7 lb-ft. In effect, this is a slightly more powerful engine than the Predator in a smaller package. You can find the RH265 retailing for $369.95, which is quite a bit less than many of these engines. The Kohler RH265 could actually be quite the steal if you need a name brand, but the $149.99 Predator is still the best bang for your buck.

The last company on the list is Yamaha. Its first engine is the Yamaha MZ175. With a displacement of 171 cc, the maximum power you can get is approximately 4.7 hp, but its rated power is actually closer to just over 4 hp. The torque on the Yamaha engine isn't all that great either, being listed at 1 kgf/m (approximately 7.2 lb-ft). You would hope that the horsepower and torque would be able to better compete with the likes of the Predator, but that just isn't the case. You'll also have a big problem actually finding one. While parts for the engine are available from various sellers, purchasing a full MZ175 will require you to do quite a lot of digging, and if you are in the United States, it wouldn't be surprising if you have to find a way to import one from another country.

The Yamaha MZ200 is far more available, but that doesn't mean it fully meets the standards of what you want from an engine like this. Granted, the MZ200 is a more powerful engine than the MZ175 with its 192 cc of displacement, generating a maximum of approximately 5.6 hp and 8.7 lb-ft of torque. So, it slightly outpaces the Predator when it comes to torque but falls behind on horsepower. You can find it retailing for around $375, more than double the price of the Harbor Freight Predator.

Ultimately, you are paying so much more for all of these engines because of the brand. The Harbor Freight Predator stacks up as well as — or better than — all of them, and will save you a great deal of money to boot.