Honda Introduces Two New Families of Compact Multi-Purpose 4 Stroke OHC Engines: the GC and GCV Series

April 15, 1997, Japan

News Release

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

GC160

GCV160

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
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
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)