Honda Introduces Two New Families of Compact Multi-Purpose 4 Stroke OHC Engines: the GC and GCV Series
April 15, 1997, Japan
Tokyo, April 15, 1997 - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. introduced today its GC160/135 and GCV160/135 families of compact, multi-purpose 4 stroke OHC engines. These engines combine class-leading lightweight construction, low operation noise, clean exhaust emissions, and overall economy at world-competitive prices. The GCV160 will be made available for sale at all Honda power product dealers nationwide on July 1, followed by the GC160 on August 1. The remaining GC/GCV135 engines will make their appearance on the market two months later on October 1.
This GC/GCV engine series was developed to enter the 12 million unit mostly-for-home-use small, lightweight tools presently dominated by vertical type engines equipped with side valve combustion chambers. This engine series is composed of two vertical-type engines (GCV160/135) and two horizontal, multi-purpose versions (GC160/135) to constitute a family of four engines.
GC160
GCV160
- Distinction between vertical and horizontal types is made based on the PTO (Power Take-Off) shaft's angle.
- Vertical type: engine with a vertical power pick-up shaft. Being laid on its side, this type of engine is best designed to fit lawn mowers and other similar tools.
- Horizontal type: engine with a horizontal power pick-up shaft. Mostly found in multi-purpose fixed type electric power supply machines and other pumps.
To the same kind of performance that has earned the air-cooled, OHV, GX engine series the approval of many professional users, this new engine series adds class-leading lightweight construction, quiet operation, easy start-up, outstanding fuel economy and low emission levels (passing the stringent CARB/EPA requirements) at very competitive prices.
This engine series boasts a number of proprietary world first technologies with its OHC construction featuring an internal timing belt, and its "Uni-block cylinder" structure. These human-oriented, environment friendly engines were designed to power lawn mowers and other home-use tools.
The main characteristics of this new engine series are:
- The adoption of a lightweight, low noise OHC construction, featuring an internal timing belt allowed optimum location of the valves in the combustion chamber.
- The adoption of a Uni-block Cylinder layout and an Oblique-split crankcase structure, together with thorough commonalization and integration of parts between the vertical and horizontal versions, have allowed for both light weight and low cost engines.
- Easy start-up procedures have been made possible with the adoption of horizontal cross-flow ports and a new mechanical decompressor.
- The same horizontal cross-flow ports were combined with a compact OHC design and a bath-tub type combustion chamber, laying the ground for high maximum power and flat torque characteristics as well as low fuel consumption and clean exhaust emissions.
Although this four-model strong GC/GCV engine series will only gradually appear on the market, plans for these four engines in 1998 and beyond call for combined yearly sales of 1 million units on a world-wide basis (on-board units included).
- Total Yearly Sales Plan in Japan:
| GC/GCV series | 30,000 units | |
| (Including on-board units) | 40,000 units |
- Total Yearly Export Plans:
| GC/GCV series | 130,000 units | |
| (Including on-board units) | 440,000 units |
SPECIFICATIONS
| Model Name | GC160 | GCV160 | |
| PTO Shaft | Horizontal | Vertical | |
| Length | mm | 275 | 366 |
| Width | mm | 369 | 331 |
| Height | mm | 331 | 280 |
| Dry Weight | kg | 11.5 | 9.8 |
| Construction | force-fed air-cooled 4-stroke, single cylinder OHC engine |
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| Engine Capacity | cc | 160 | |
| Bore x Stroke | mm | 64 X 50 | |
| Compression Ratio | 8.5 to 1 | ||
| Max. Power | PS(kW)/rpm | 5.0(3.7)/3,600 | 5.5(4.1)/3,600 |
| Rated Power | PS(kW)/rpm | 4.0(2.9)/3,600 | 2.8(2.1)/3,000 |
| Max. Torque | Nm(kg-m)/rpm | 10.3(1.05)/2,500 | 11.4(1.16)/2,500 |
| Gasoline Tank | liters | 2.0 | 1.1 |
| Oil Tank | liters | 0.6 | 0.55 |
| Ignition | transistorized magneto | ||
| Starter | recoil type (with mechanical decompressor) | ||
| Model Name | GC135 | GCV135 | |
| PTO Shaft | Horizontal | Vertical | |
| Length | mm | 271 | 350 |
| Width | mm | 365 | 331 |
| Height | mm | 315 | 275 |
| Dry Weight | kg | 11.3 | 9.6 |
| Construction | force-fed air-cooled 4-stroke, single cylinder OHC engine |
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| Engine Capacity | cc | 135 | |
| Bore x Stroke | mm | 64 X 42 | |
| Compression Ratio | 8.5 to 1 | ||
| Max. Power | PS(kW)/rpm | 4.0(2.9)/3,600 | 4.5(3.4)/3,600 |
| Rated Power | PS(kW)/rpm | 3.1(2.3)/3,600 | 2.3(1.7)/3,000 |
| Max. Torque | Nm(kg-m)/rpm | 8.6(0.88)/2,500 | 9.7(0.99)/2,500 |
| Gasoline Tank | liters | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Oil Tank | liters | 0.6 | 0.55 |
| Ignition | transistorized magneto | ||
| Starter | recoil type (with mechanical decompressor) | ||