Briggs & Stratton’s new Professional Series engine meets unique challenges of zero-turn mowers

At GIE+EXPO 2010, Briggs & Stratton Corporation showcased its new Professional Series engine, which is designed to meet the unique challenges of zero-turn mowers by providing commercial-grade features that protect the engine from dirt and debris while ensuring exceptional performance and durability.


“Zero-turns demand an engine designed to fend off the dust and debris that assault a rear-mount engine,” said Eric Loferski, product marketing manager for Briggs & Stratton. “Keeping the incoming air that reaches the engine clean was priority one for the Professional Series engine. Then, we added other commercial-grade features that make the engine more durable for long life and help make it easy to start under all working conditions.”


Briggs & Stratton’s patent-pending integrated Cyclonic Air Management System provides a five-step debris management process to keep grass, dust and debris out of the engine, extending engine life. The process provides maximum air cleaning and greater debris protection when compared to panel-style air filter systems. Under normal mowing conditions, the Cyclonic Air Management System works so efficiently, it extends the cyclonic air filter maintenance interval to 250 hours — about two to three times longer than panel-style air filters.


Here’s how it works:

Stage 1: A rotating screen in the Cyclonic Air Filter throws large pieces of debris away from the engine through centrifugal force. Particles that make it through the screen are chopped into fine particles.
Stage 2: A fan forces fine particles into a deflector under the blower housing, ejecting them down and away from the engine.
Stage 3: A series of baffles and an ejector further process the air before it reaches the air cleaner housing.
Stage 4: Air spinning in the air filter forces any particles to the outside of the housing where they are ejected through a duck bill-shaped valve.
Stage 5: The cyclonic action of the air in the air cleaner cover deflects any remaining particles away from the filter. Minute particles are then trapped by the filter, preventing them from entering the engine.

Engine protection continues with commercial-grade rubber lip seals around the double-barrel carburetor to prevent the possibility of debris entry. During annual maintenance, easy-access engine panels above the cylinders make it simple to remove any debris that may collect on the cooling fins during the mowing season.


Pushing a zero-turn mower to its maximum capacity also requires safeguarding the engine from heat that causes engine wear. The Professional Series engine has an innovative cylinder head with cooling arches that help the engine run cooler. Crankshaft journals and connecting rod bearings are super-polished to a mirror-like, round finish that further reduces friction and heat, and helps extend engine component life.


Added durability comes from the engine’s tough, commercial features, including the newly designed, ribbed cylinder block structure and commercial-grade sump gasket for superior oil sealing under the toughest mowing conditions.


Consistent starting under heavy loads and on cool, early-spring and late-fall days is another engine attribute. The Professional Series engine has a high-output starter and mechanical compression release that increases cranking speed to help make starting hassle free.


For more information, visit www.briggsandstratton.com.

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