with snowblowers does the .5 horse mean electric start?
April 24, 2011 by chec
Filed under Snowblower engine
i was told a 5hp engine is the same SIZE enging as a 5.5hp.. that if a snowblower says a .5 horse (3.5 or 4.5 etc etc..) it is just identifying an electric start on the unit.
Not true. 3.5 simply means 3 1/2 HP.
That’s funny. It’s not a model number if they say 3.5 horse power they mean that it is 3.5 horse power. Actually they mean break horsepower but that is a longer story. As a side note horsepower isn’t totally related to engine size, engine design has a lot to do with it. Also horsepower doesn’t mean power (well not all that has to do with power) the engine may produce that power at an RPM that isn’t reasonable. For you, look for high horse power and a model that has an over head cam…. usually abbreviated OHC or DOHC. You could just go out and pick a Toro. The transmissions are normally bigger. Most of those have the Tecumseh snow king motor. Same as most of the models (MTD) from lowes and home depot but a better design. Well I’m rambling.
Nope….. electric start will say “electric start” on it…….nothing to do with the horsepower rating.