Intro and used engine price question.

#1
Greetings and intro from Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin! My name is Bruce and am new to OldMiniBikes. I've liked mini bikes since childhood but I'm just starting out at owning one. I have a Wards Cat Duster that I'm fixing up. I would like to get an idea what to pay for a used engine. There is a tiller down the street for 75 dollars with a nice running 5 horse Tecumseh on it. Is that a good price for an engine for a future project? I'll post some photos later of my project. I've been learning a lot from OldMiniBikes and enjoy the various departments and photos. Glad to have found OldMiniBikes!
 
#2
Welcome to OldMiniBikes Bruce ... If it's a flat head I would jump on it :thumbsup: ... If it's an OHV engine I would make sure it's not a short crank engine ... Not desirable for a clutch set up ...
 

Scottessey

Active Member
#6
Welcome to OldMiniBikes Bruce. I might have just been lucky lately, but I was able to find a few for less. Just for comparison...I picked up 3 engines in the last month. This is what I paid. 3hp Craftsman(Tecumseh) for $20, not running(needed a carb clean). 5hp Briggs for $35, running. 5hp Tecumseh for $40, running. If it's worth your time to hawk craigslist, you may find something a few bucks cheaper, or you could talk the guy down a bit. btw...to be fair, mine all needed a good clean and paint job. If it's really nice, $75 could be right on.

Good luck with your CAT. Looking forward to seeing the pics! :thumbsup:
 
#7
Bruce, Welcome to OldMiniBikes :thumbsup: If it a runner it is worth the money, I usually look for low hour vintage stuff and will pay a bit more for those if you ever have a question ask the board many people here are happy to lend a hand. On your tiller it can be a H or a HS series engine depending, on the year look for a number on top of the blower housing or a tag on the side. Good luck with the project!!
 
#8
Which is preferable- H or HS? I researched the difference and it said the H is a big block and HS is smaller with shorter stoke but revs higher. Is either stronger or more dependable? The engine was sprayed poorly with white paint over some crud, chips, and scratches so it needs to be stripped and detailed but I enjoy that kind of work.Thank you all for the advice. -B
 
Top