The Engine is Going Pro
October 31st, 2008:
This autumn, Briggs & Stratton will begin production of the Professional SeriesT overhead valve (OHV) engine at its plant in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. The Professional Series is the latest addition to Briggs & Stratton's small, vertical shaft engine lineup. Before the Professional Series hits the market in 2009, dealers and consumers will be able to preview the engine at the upcoming 2008 GREEN INDUSTRY and Equipment Expo that will be held in Louisville, Kentucky this October.
The road to development of the Professional Series started two years ago as a series of brainstorming sessions. At the time, the engineering team at Briggs & Stratton was looking for ideas to improve upon the popular 800 SeriesT engine, also known as the IntekT. Instead, a new, lightweight and powerful OHV design emerged and the Professional Series took on a life of its own. According to Mike Plutte, Product Manger for Briggs & Stratton's Small Engine Division, "Our foal for the Professional Series was to utilize our extensive engine experience to develop an exceptionally smooth, lightweight, yet powerful engine that provides effortless stating and extremely quiet operation."
The Professional Series will offer consumers and professionals commercial-grade features and benefits including easy starting, smoother and quieter operation, longer engine life and overall durability. The Professional Series weighs less than 25 pounds and delivers more gross torque power per pound than comparable OHV engines. Innovations in the design of the reciprocating components of the engine not only lowered the overall weight, but will also help to reduce wear and tear on the engine.
Another unique feature of the Professional Series is the air management system that includes a commercial-grade, dual-sealing air filter. The air filter element is an oval, automotive style cartridge that uses both a racetrack seal and a radial interface seal to percent debris from entering the engine. The filter combined with the ducted, air cleaner enclosure helps keep debris out while allowing clean air to circulate. "Most consumers will be able to get up to 200 hours of service on this filter before it has to be replace. That's more than four times the life of the typical panel filter," said Eric Loferski, Product Marketing Manager for Briggs & Stratton.
The Professional Series will be offered at two levels of displacement - 190 cc and 175 cc - and will include the ReadyStart® Starting System as a standard feature. ReadyStart is an innovative, automatic choke system that senses the temperature of the engine and delivers the right amount of fuel to the carburetor. Engines with ReadyStart can be started by pulling the rewind, or with electric start, and do not require manual priming or choking. The Professional Series will also be covered by the Briggs & Stratton Starting PromiseT, a special two-year warranty that guarantees the engine will start on the first or second pull.
Written By: Ryan Schwab
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