@WOC: New Honda V-Twins

At the 2019 World of Concrete show in Las Vegas, Honda is introducing new additions to its GX Series of V-Twin general-purpose commercial engines. Expanding the lineup are four new Honda V-Twin engines, the models iGX700/iGXV700 and iGX800/iGXV800. The engines are equipped with fuel injection technology and an integrated electronic self-tuning regulator (STR) governor that delivers drive-by-wire remote control capability to manage key aspects of engine operation.

Available later this year, the four new models are all air-cooled, four-stroke, overhead valve designs with 42 or 48 cu. in. displacement, Power outputs are 13 and 15 kW (17.67 or 20.39 hp) at 3600 rpm.  

The new Honda V-Twin engines, available in both horizontal and vertical shaft configurations, share the same footprint as existing models. The electronic governor allows the engine to regulate power when the load changes for the commercial applications including concrete and construction equipment (power screeds, hydraulic power units, concrete saws, ride-on concrete trowels, vibratory rollers, generators and pressure washers) and commercial turf equipment (zero-turn radius mowers, lawn tractors, garden tractors, utility vehicles, trenchers, stump grinders and chipper/shredders).

Like the current Honda GX630/GXV630 and GX690/GXV690 models, the new iGX700/iGXV700 and iGX800/iGXV800 engines feature other design elements, including a hemispherical combustion chamber, an integrated cylinder and cylinder head, forged steel connecting rods and a 9.3:1 compression ratio, that Honda said contributes to high efficiency as well as low noise and vibration.

In addition, the integrated cylinder and head eliminate the need for a head gasket, resulting in better cool and performance. The integration of electronic fuel injection (EFI, see discussion below), along with the advanced combustion chamber design and the integrated Digital Capacitive Ignition (CDI) with variable timing, results in enhanced fuel efficiency and operation, Honda said.