"Worn Out Retread" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a new snow blower and have discovered that the power
rating of the engines are no longer in "Horse Power" but in "Foot Pounds"
if given at all. Sometimes all that is given is the CC's of the engine.

Even the people selling these machines don't know what the "Horse Power"
ratings are so that old geezers like myself can understand what is going
on. Does anyone have any general rules regarding the conversion of Foot
Pounds or CC's to Horse Power?

Horsepower to CC is highly variable and not a good measure of power. My
cars have different engines. The 3800 cc is 190 HP but my 3300 cc is 234
HP. I suspect smaller engines are similar.

Foot Pounds is actually more useful as it is the torque to the shaft that is
doing the work. That said, none are truly meaningful in the whole scheme of
things. What good is high horsepower ratings with a poorly designed snow
throwing system?

Check out some models here
http://www.dontshovel.com/snow_blower_comparisons.html
http://www.consumerdemocracy.com/phe...spx?catId=9996

If I was buying a new machine, I'd base my decision on features, size, drive
type, and what is important for my situation. The manufacturer will couple
the right sized engine to perform with the design of his machine. A half HP
difference is going to be not noticed, but a clogged chute will **** you off
every time.