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Jim

wrote:

The horsepower misrepresentation that Briggs
and other small engine makers
engaged in occurred from 1994-2008
the misrepresentations ended when Briggs stopped using hp ratings

So their torque ratings are more to be trusted than their HP? Why? IF
it WAS actually fraud, it is just as easy to misrepresent torque.
Any of the numbers I've seen, torque vs HP, work out REAL close.

Yes their torque ratings are more to be trusted, but only because their
previous misrepresentation had made their horsepower rating highly
suspect. Since they have been under court order to only put on the label
what an independent SAE tester determines is the power rating briggs has
not revealed the horsepower ratings. So if they came out real close for
you it's because your calculations made them come out real close.

(at 3600 RPM) The only reason it could have been construed as
fraudulent would be if the rated RPM was higher than the operating RPM
- which it has been since 1996 or there-abouts. The 6HP engine was
only 4.5 or 5 because it didn't run at it's rated RPM.

I own a lawnmower that I bought new in 2002. It has the same block,
piston, crank, valves as what used to be called a 3.5 hp. It had a label
on the shroud that said 5.5 hp. According to the lawsuit Briggs also
labeled that same basic engine as a 4hp, 4.5hp, 5hp, and 6hp engine.

Read the court documents. It has nothing to do with RPM. It has nothing
to do with safety or emissions. They simply changed the external
appearance of some engines and labeled them as having more horsepower.
The 3.5 is the only specific engine size that I remember, but there was
a number of different larger engines where they did similar
misrepresentations . And other small engine makers were in on it also.
But it sounds like Briggs was the first and most egregious violator.

They got caught and one of the consequences was they discontinued using
horsepower ratings and now use torque ratings.