From the Washington Post comes clarification in simple terms: .... In some cases, the lawsuit alleged, identical engines were labeled with different horsepower ratings, leading consumers to believe they were getting more power by purchasing more expensive models.
Briggs advertised one engine as having 6.75 horsepower and yet told the Environmental Protection Agency the same engine had 3.6 horsepower, an 88 percent overstatement, according to the lawsuit.
At least since 1997, the engine manufacturers Briggs, Tecumseh, Kohler, Toro and Kawasaki have reported horsepower ratings to the EPA that were significantly lower than the ratings advertised to the public, the lawsuit said.
For Briggs, it wasn't an attempt to mislead anyone, according to Thomas R. Savage, a senior vice president at the company.
There are different testing protocols for the EPA than for the general public, Savage said. The EPA ratings are based on a "composite" of test results at different engine loads, while results for the public are based on an engine's full-power capabilities.
An Illinois judge dismissed the suit in March, but it may resurface.
"It's still not totally resolved because the judge did not tell us what portions of the suit he dismissed with prejudice or not. So in effect, it allows the lawyers to come back," said James E. Brenn, Briggs's chief financial officer.
Over the years, manufacturers in the intensely competitive small-engine business have used horsepower ratings as a marketing tool.
"Horsepower sells," said Jeff Hebbard, a vice president at Ariens, a manufacturer of lawn tractors and other outdoor power equipment in Wisconsin. "It doesn't always sell for the right reasons, but it does sell."
The horsepower race sounds like what has occurred with electric motors, where power claims have been embellished, said Kevin Brady, a Minneapolis lawyer and engineer not affiliated with the horsepower lawsuit.
"You can exaggerate a bit and not get in trouble," Brady said. "It's called puffing."
Jim Nicholson states what follows: In reality hook it to a dyno and crank it up to the max and load it till it produces a real graph of HP and torque. Look at the graph. It will not tell you which one will last longer, it will tell you which one is more powerful. If you also measure the fuel used while on the dyno at every point on the graph, and assuming the fuel is correct for the engine, the coolant temps are correct, and the engine lubrication is nominal, and atmospheric pressure and humidity are controlled as well as ambient air temperature, and the engine is connected to intake filtration as it would be in the equipment, it might provide real information. I know a guy that claims to be able to jump flat footed over a 5 foot fence. I think he exaggerates some. Jim
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - An AC Model M Crawler - by Anthony West. Neil Atkins is a man in his late thirties, a mild and patient character who talks fondly of his farming heritage. He farms around a hundred and fifty acres of arable land, in a village called Southam, located just outside Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. The soil is a rich dark brown and is well looked after. unlike some areas in the midlands it is also fairly flat, broken only by hedgerows and the occasional valley and brook. A copse of wildbreaking silver birch and oak trees surround the top si
... [Read Article]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
