Honda GX31?

[Greybeard]

Picked up a GX31 last week. A friend bought it at a Garage sale, thinking of me, and I felt obliged to buy it from him. Paid $70 and it appears to never have been mounted. It was a replacement "tiller" engine with a fuel tank-setup for a vertical mounting. What I can find on the net, this engine may be used in "any" position.
Am I taking a chance if I mount this in a horizontal crank, horizontal barrel position? Or is there a limit to this "any position" stuff?

 

[happyvalley]

Heck of a good price so I don't think you can go wrong. The 31 was phased out in favor the the 35, but all of the mini GX series were used on OEM equipment in both axis, hence their 360 position claims. Seems to me if by mounting it horizontal the oil reservoir ends up below the cylinder, it's better off anyway.

 

[MotorBicycleRacing]

Am I taking a chance if I mount this in a horizontal crank, horizontal barrel position? Or is there a limit to this "any position" stuff?

The tillers run with the centrifugal clutch facing down which puts
the oil compartment on the top.

They also use them on brush trimmers.
Here is how the oil system works.

 

[Greybeard]

My thinking was to try a friction drive on one of my alloy mtn bikes. At 68 I don't ride them that much anyway. My thought was if this engine can be mounted in any position, then why not lower the profile by also running the engine with the cylinder in the horizontal as well. Depending on where the pickup is in the tank, I could also use the original vetical shaft tank. I've ordered a Staton friction kit to use with this thing.

Im prolly getting too many bikes as I've got a '53 Panther, and an alloy Felt cruiser under contruction using GXH50s. They are sharing the shop with a nearly completed '37 Chev 2dr sedan.

 

[silvaire]

The information that you can run the Honda GX31 in any position is correct.

However you choose to position the engine though, just be sure that you will still be able to tilt the engine to a horizontal position (and hold it steady) so that you can check the oil level.

With the GX31 in the Honda Harmony tillers, you have to tip the tiller over forwards onto its nose in order to check the oil - a little unorthodox perhaps, but certainly doable.