Probably not a predator, but most likely a Chinese copy of a Honda engine. Could be good, and could be not so good.

 

We don't hear of many predator or any chonda quality complaints around here, so I wouldn't be worried.

 

lol. “chonda”. Thank you.

 

I'd thought the Predator engines were pretty good quality for the price. Granted they're not equal to Honda but hopefully no one expects that for half or a third the price of a Honda. But they're not junk that will blow up the week after the warranty runs out either.

 

The 306cc engine seemed good on the previous SHO, so hopefully this version holds up.

 

We will see. LCT made the 306 but they don’t have a 301. Looking at more pictures, this engine looks A LOT like the predator 301 with a shield over it to make it more snow worthy. Can’t say for certain, but people should know Ariens changed it.

 

Can’t say for certain, but people should know Ariens changed it.

Yeah, we've discussed it...

It now has a 301cc engine that appears to be a Predator engine.

The "new" Ariens midsize engines are 252cc and 301cc. Loncin also supplies Toro with those sizes...

通机首页

www.loncinindustries.com

Update: Perhaps actually a RATO engine?

http://en.ratogh.com/lists/19.html#about

 

Yeah, we've discussed it...

The "new" Ariens midsize engines are 252cc and 301cc. Loncin also supplies Toro with those sizes...

通机首页

www.loncinindustries.com

Ok. I looked around but didn’t see anything.

 

It looks like Ariens is well into the process of switching over to Loncin engines on their Deluxe series machines from LCT.

Currently the Ariens website shows 2 model #'s for each Deluxe series machine, one with the LCT and one with the Loncin engine.

Deluxe 28 SHO
921048 306cc LCT
921072 301cc

Deluxe 24
921045 254cc LCT
921069 252cc

Deluxe 28
921046 254cc LCT
921070 252cc

 

Nice. It’s probably been a month since I was in their site and I do recall there being more than one selection of the 28 SHO. When I clicked on one of them, the details were not there. I chalked it up to a website development issue. I’m good with it. Warranty is the same and if I don’t like it, I’ll throw a 369cc in it in 5 years.

 

This one I hadn't seen either, a 389cc on a 2025 Platinum 24"?

Is this a new engine Ariens uses only for their big box stores sales? Think they've always been 369cc's in the past..........

 

Perhaps Ariens is in the process of switching to Loncin engines across their entire snowblower line, which makes sense to have one engine supplier.

Have never seen a 389cc before, only the 369cc on the Platinum 24 SHO, which is still shown on the Ariens website, which probably needs updating.

 

Have never seen a 389cc before

That's the displacement of the Honda GX390; and the Loncin G390FA and the RATO R390

Rato R390 – Engine Specs

www.engine-specs.net

...

https://www.loncinindustries.com/en/engine/ProductDetail.aspx?catid=8-15-16-30-51-2146779935

 

Well that stinks. LCT is made in China but at least it's an American company. One of the reasons I went with Ariens instead of Toro.

 

I’m with you on trying to stick with USA made products. I would have been searching stock for the 306 had I known. But, I think Ariens might still be made more in the USA than Honda. Idk because my 24 Ridgeline is one of the most American made vehicles around. But that’s cars…anyway I’m not going to sweat over it and looking forward to the next big snowfall.

 

Thank you all for the information. Now I’m starting down a rabbit hole of small engine design and mods. Pray for me that I make it back out.

 

Husqvarna also used the LCT engines but I believe last year or the year before they started switching to these same engines Ariens is now switching to.

 

Wonder if LCT is going out of business. I would imagine electrics have had an impact.

 

This guy is claiming his dealer contacted Ariens and the new engines are made by Rato.

 

This guy is claiming his dealer contacted Ariens and the new engines are made by Rato.

Good to know! I like RATO as a brand even more than Loncin. They're both based in Chongqing. However, RATO does not list a 252cc engine?

Engines – Rato-Europe

www.rato-europe.com

通机首页

www.loncinindustries.com

 

Interesting. I’ve used it 4 times but only up to 6”.
So far, the 301 always starts in two or less pulls, idles smooth, and shoots snow wherever I want. (I’m figuring out choke position coming out of a heated garage).
Side note - poly shoes changed the game on my asphalt driveway.
Anyway, if it doesn’t want to handle the big stuff when it comes, the engine will eventually get mods or replaced. I like the machine so far.

 

Interesting. I’ve used it 4 times but only up to 6”.
So far, the 301 always starts in two or less pulls, idles smooth, and shoots snow wherever I want. (I’m figuring out choke position coming out of a heated garage).
Side note - poly shoes changed the game on my asphalt driveway.
Anyway, if it doesn’t want to handle the big stuff when it comes, the engine will eventually get mods or replaced. I like the machine so far.

Hi:
Please tell me what type of poly shoes you got and where you got them. Thanks

 

Rato engines – Engine Specs

www.engine-specs.net

 

A few of their links need updates. For example:

Clicking on the LCT / Ariens AX engines link takes you to Service - Liquid Combustion Technology, LLC

Searching for the OP's engine model number listed in the manual (08201510) on LCT's website doesn't return any results, probably because it's not an LCT

Additionally, the parts manual for OP's snowblower 921074 suggests looking up parts.ariens.com for engine parts diagrams:

...but parts.ariens.com currently has an expired SSL certificate, so it's essentially down.

@CCRAW by any chance can you post a photo of your engine's model number?

 

A few of their links need updates. For example:

View attachment 236270

Clicking on the LCT / Ariens AX engines link takes you to Service - Liquid Combustion Technology, LLC

Searching for the OP's engine model number listed in the manual (08201510) on LCT's website doesn't return any results, probably because it's a Loncin engine.

Additionally, the parts manual for OP's snowblower 921074 suggests looking up parts.ariens.com for engine parts diagrams:

View attachment 236271

...but parts.ariens.com currently has an expired SSL certificate, so it's essentially down.

View attachment 236273


@CCRAW by any chance can you post a photo of your engine's model number?

View attachment 236272

Here it is.

 

Hate the cheap key thing.
Like the idle.
Giving 19 ft pounds of torque vs 17.2, from 369cc to 389cc

 

I have had 3 Compact 24's and 2 of then had blown Briggs engines so they got new Predator 212cc engines. My Deluxe 28 250cc Briggs was a complete dog on that machine so I replaced the 250 with a Predator 414cc I got used for $200. It was like I supercharged that Deluxe, and if I had to buy a new engine it would have been the 301 Predator. Those HF engines kick butt.

 

Project farms testing showed close to Honda performance, not as efficient, but who's counting?
At a third the price, thats a lot of gas and oil.

 

Toro has been using Loncin engines for years on their mowers and snow blowers. I don't know that those have had any more issues than the LCT engines on Ariens machines.

 

Though it’s looking more like it is a RATO R300 engine per previous posts. My engine model is a R300s. All good to me. It blows snow.

 

Pretty common in the snow blower retail world for dealers/stores (especially after several snow starved winters) to sell stock that hasn't sold in previous years as new machines.

What is the DOM of the machine, which is listed on the ID tag

 

model # 921048 serial # 222149 looking at the date after the wisconsin address it shows 2022 for the year so I guess that it was made in 2022. that would explain the 2021 year for the motor.

 

looking at the spec sheet for the Rato engine it shows the 301 engine getting 12hp@3600 rpm while the 306 LCT engine is 10hp@3600 rpm. how do they get 2 more hp out of a smaller displacement engine?

 

The same or similar way they used to sell the exact same engine at different HP ratings.

 

I don't know what is worse Toro or Ariens.

Toro Let's put a 265cc on a 28" and call it heavy duty.
Toro Let's discontinue the 305CC on the 28".
Toro Let's discontinue the 265CC and put in in a 252CC and call it heavy duty.
Ariens Let's put a light all the way in the back.
Ariens Let's introduce EFI only to get rid of the EFI.
Ariens Let's not make a 28" in a platinum verision.
Ariens Let's put two lights on our machines and upcharge.
Honda Let's not make a higherpowered 28"
Toro Let's not make a highpowered 24"

Anyone else feel my pain? Or are these 1st world problems.

 

I don't know what is worse Toro or Ariens.

Toro Let's put a 265cc on a 28" and call it heavy duty.
Toro Let's discontinue the 305CC on the 28".
Toro Let's discontinue the 265CC and put in in a 252CC and call it heavy duty.
Ariens Let's put a light all the way in the back.
Ariens Let's introduce EFI only to get rid of the EFI.
Ariens Let's not make a 28" in a platinum verision.
Ariens Let's put two lights on our machines and upcharge.
Honda Let's not make a higherpowered 28"
Toro Let's not make a highpowered 24"

Anyone else feel my pain? Or are these 1st world problems.

Outside of the highest end, most expensive machines, pretty much every brand is building what they think they can sell the most of, and what they can build for a price enough people are willing to pay. But that means that a lot of what they build doesn't always perfectly match what those of us that are picky and have high expectations would want.

Heck, I think it's a little crazy that nobody puts more than 13 hp on any of their 32 or 36 inch blowers as an option. I have that much power on my 28 and I've never once thought I'd want less, and plenty of times I've said I wouldn't mind a bit more so I could work faster. It's crossed my mind a few times to hunt down a hydro drive 32 and put one of the Predator v-twins on it.

 

A reason for the light on the console is so they can light over the top of stuff better and you can see what's going on with the blower. Many blowers have been that way for decades and I have never had an issue with it. Two lights are better but personally I've never had a need for it.

I have never heard anybody complain about the performance of the Toro 828 and 928 either. Toro sells the 1428 if you want big power.

Like rslifkin said, they are building what they can sell. Ariens has 18 2-stage options by my count, Toro 14. That's already a lot of models. If you have too many there is no way dealers can stock everything each person is looking for.

 

The problem is the word "think". Toro has one 24" model. Ariens has like about six 24". Makes no sense. They are building to price points and not making a usefull selection.

8-9HP motors will not play well in snow above 6"-8". Yes, I changed my main jet, and raised the RPM. rslifkin said he does not want anything smaller than 13hp on 28" with good reason. If you are in heavy snow or get a lot of snowfall it's not enough power to do the job quickly.

The 1428 is the best value machine has Toro ever made and I think the best in the market segment. I am looking at this, but also looking at Arien's because of the potentially more robust all metal construction. I don't see a direct comparision with the 1428. The pro 28 is quite a bit more pricier, and the deluxe does not compare. So it's a toss between a 2025cc 389cc 24" or the 1428.

I don't know why they don't consolidate 24 and 28 inches into 26 or offer less 24 and more plat. 28.

How is the LED on the console compare to that of the Toro? The Toro LED is very good.

Another reason why I am loooking at Arien's is the chute control. The joystick is not precise as I would like. I don't know how the plastic will last in 10-20 years. I know all first problems.

 

The problem is the word "think". Toro has one 24" model. Ariens has like about six 24". Makes no sense. They are building to price points and not making a usefull selection.

8-9HP motors will not play well in snow above 6"-8". Yes, I changed my main jet, and raised the RPM. rslifkin said he does not want anything smaller than 13hp on 28" with good reason. If you are in heavy snow or get a lot of snowfall it's not enough power to do the job quickly.

The 1428 is the best value machine has Toro ever made and I think the best in the market segment. I am looking at this, but also looking at Arien's because of the potentially more robust all metal construction. I don't see a direct comparision with the 1428. The pro 28 is quite a bit more pricier, and the deluxe does not compare. So it's a toss between a 2025cc 389cc 24" or the 1428.

I don't know why they don't consolidate 24 and 28 inches into 26 or offer less 24 and more plat. 28.

How is the LED on the console compare to that of the Toro? The Toro LED is very good.

Another reason why I am loooking at Arien's is the chute control. The joystick is not precise as I would like. I don't know how the plastic will last in 10-20 years. I know all first problems.

Of course everything is built to price points, that's how you sell it. But just because they don't have something specific that you would like doesn't mean they don't have a useful selection. Ariens is the best selling brand after all, you don't get there by offering stuff people don't want.

As far as 8-9 HP "not playing well" in more than 6" of snow, here's a 9 HP Toro in much more than that. Doesn't look to me like it's struggling.

 

I agree, type of snow is a big factor in how much power you need. A hydro drive may also be able to get away with less power as you have better ability to just go really slow in tough spots, whereas 1st gear with a disc drive is only so slow before you have to start taking partial width passes and doing other things to limit load on the machine.

Power need is also a matter of expectations. In any given snow situation, more power means you should be able to keep moving faster without over-loading the engine. Of course that assumes you've got enough impeller speed to process the incoming snow fast enough and not just overflow the bucket before you're using all of the engine output (in lighter snow processing capacity may be the limit, but in heavy snow you'll usually be power limited instead).