Honda Engines launches two all-new GC Series engines for pressure washers
Honda Engines is launching two, all-new GC Series engines designed specifically to increase the performance of pressure washers, enhancing the user experience and making jobs easier.
Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines will replace the GCV160 and GCV190 models and provide best-in-class power and improved torque for premium residential applications.
The all-new, high-performance engines are designed with innovative Honda design features, including an improved combustion chamber shape, advanced auto choke design, integrated fuel-off position, and a larger fuel tank opening for easier fueling, making these pressure washer models convenient to start, use and operate.
The new GCV170 and GCV200 models are more streamlined and more compact than other engines in the same class and incorporate the CycloFlow design, strengthening turbulence in the cylinder and providing more stable combustion. The result is greater resistance to lower quality fuel and ease of starting, along with a smoother idle.
The newest Honda pressure washer engines, assembled at the Honda Power Equipment Manufacturing, Inc. facility in Swepsonville, North Carolina, meet the SAEJ1349 net horsepower standard, which rates engine power in real-world operating conditions with the muffler and air filter in place.
The Honda GCV200 pressure washer engine will be available later in 2020; the Honda GCV170 pressure washer engine will be available in spring 2021. Both will be for sale to power equipment OEMs.
Here’s a closer look from our friends at Honda Engines in Alpharetta, Georgia:
Honda Engines, a business unit of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is launching two, all-new engines designed specifically to increase the performance of pressure washers — enhancing the user experience and making jobs easier. Replacing the Honda GCV160 and GCV190, the all-new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines deliver more: more power and more torque for premium residential applications, along with a range of technological attributes, innovative features and a simple design that make the new models even more reliable and easier to operate and maintain.
With the launch of the all-new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 models, the best line of general-purpose residential engines just got even better. The power behind any pressure washer is its engine, and the core of the new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines is true power output. Both engines offer best-in-class power and torque that deliver peak performance in the toughest of operating conditions. More power and torque from the engines (GCV170: an increase in torque of 18 percent and a nine percent horsepower gain over the GCV160; GCV200: an increase in torque of 13 percent and 10 percent horsepower gain over the GCV190) allow the pump of a pressure washer to produce a steady, even amount of high pressure to the hose and cleaning attachment while reducing the need for the operator to repeat spray.
“The Honda GC Series, part of our legendary family of premium engines for residential applications, provides efficient power, superior fuel efficiency, and quiet operation for customers who rely on their outdoor power products to get jobs done,” said William Walton, vice president, Honda Power Equipment. “When it comes to pressure washing, the new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 models enhance our current GC Series, offering a host of added benefits — delivering more power and torque than earlier models and innovative design features that provide for an easy, enjoyable operating experience for consumers.”
Net Horsepower Ratings Reflect Real World Conditions
Both all-new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines meet the SAEJ1349 net horsepower standard, which rates engine power with the muffler and air filter in place. This net standard rating accurately reflects real-world operating conditions.
Because pressure washers often are operated in tough outdoor conditions — after long periods of storage, in temperature extremes, with high loads, and with frequent stopping and starting — the power and torque of the pressure washer engine are factors that affect performance. In addition to higher net power output, both engines also offer class-leading torque, delivering more power to the pump, resulting in more consistent pressure and cleaning capability. Further, the new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines offer overhead valve (OHV) design that increases combustion efficiency, allowing for lower compression ratios and greater power output.
A Closer Look at the All-New Honda GCV170 and GCV200 Engines
Reliable Power in a Pressure Washer Package
The new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines are designed with a number of innovative features that make them consistently reliable, season after season:
- Honda Cycloflow technology enhances the air-fuel mixture and makes it easier to start the engine and idle smoothly while making it more resilient to poor quality fuel. New V-shaped valves and a pent-roof shape of the combustion chamber enable air in the cylinder to flow more smoothly. A longer stroke also enhances turbulence in the cylinder, which helps the mixture of air and fuel.
- A Fuel Off position allows the user to stop the flow of fuel to the engine when the pressure washing is complete. The Fuel Off position allows the engine to run until the majority of fuel in the carburetor is consumed, preventing sticky carburetor buildup that makes for cleaner storage and easier future starting.
- The addition of Auto Choke and relocation of the wax thermostatic element from the top to the side of the cylinder improves heat transfer and makes for easier engine starting in all conditions.
Simple and Easy Operation
Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer models are configured to make engine operation more convenient and efficient, enhancing the overall experience of using a pressure washer:
- The new engine design reduces the number of steps required to start the engine by 75 percent over previous models.
- A simplified engine layout with user friendly features, including a quick-drain oil tube, a larger fuel tank opening, easy-access spark plug, captive carburetor bolts and a finger-operated filter cover make quick work of disassembly with fewer tools and quicker repairs.
- A new muffler structure and resin protector reduce engine noise and improve operator comfort and safety.
- Enhanced balance of the crankshaft reduces engine vibration.
Style Matters
Honda designers pay attention to every detail of every engine, inside and out. The new Honda GCV170 and GCV200 pressure washer engines feature:
- A robust, polygon-square shape with a sleek, flat top that leaves room for pressure washer manufacturers to include their brands and logos.
- The engine shape is designed to fit neatly into the frames of pressure washers.
Both all-new Honda engines are assembled in the USA at the Honda Power Equipment Manufacturing, Inc. facility in Swepsonville, North Carolina using domestic and globally sourced parts. This Honda center of excellence is involved in the continuous development of world-class power equipment products. While providing product engineering, prototype development and testing, the associates work closely with suppliers to further the company goals of technologically advanced products and local parts sourcing.
The Honda GCV200 pressure washer engine will be available later in 2020, and the Honda GCV170 pressure washer engine will be available in spring 2021. Both models carry a two-year non-declining warranty. Parts and services will be widely available via the Honda national network of dealers.
Technical Specifications – Honda GCV170 PW Engine
The all-new Honda GCV170 pressure washer engine, a powerful addition to the Honda GC Series, is designed specifically for premium, residential pressure washer applications. The GCV170 delivers more power and more torque as compared to the GCV160 engine it replaces. Innovative Honda design features, including an improved combustion chamber shape, advanced auto choke design, integrated Fuel Off position, and a larger fuel tank opening for easier fueling, make the GCV170 engine convenient to use and operate. The new engine is more streamlined and more compact than other engines in the same class, while the configuration of the Honda GCV170 incorporates the CycloFlow™ design, which strengthens turbulence in the cylinder and provides more stable combustion. The result is greater resistance to lower quality fuel and ease of starting, along with a smoother idle.
| Engine Model | GCV170 |
| Engine Type | Air-cooled 4-stroke single cylinder gasoline engine (OHV) |
| Bore x Stroke (mm) | 60 x 59 |
| Total Displacement (cm3) | 166 |
| Maximum Power Output* (hp /rpm) | 4.8 / 3,600 |
| Maximum Torque (lb ft /rpm) | 8.2/ 2,500 |
| Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 |
| Carburetor | Horizontal type butterfly valve |
| Ignition System | Transistorized magneto |
| Starting System | Recoil |
| Speed Control System | Mechanical |
| Choke Type | Automatic |
| Lubrication System | Forced spray |
| Spark Plug | NGK : BPR5ES |
| Governor System | Centrifugal flyweight type |
| Air Cleaner | Dry (paper filter) |
| Length x Width x Height** (inches) | 16.34 x 12.99 x 13.11 |
| Engine Oil Reserve Capacity (qt) | 0.42 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (gal) | 0.24 |
| Fuel | Automotive grade unleaded gasoline |
| Dry Weight (lbs.) | 22.3 |
*The SAE J1349 standard measures net horsepower with the manufacturer’s production muffler and air cleaner in place. Net horsepower more closely correlates with the power the operator will experience when using a Honda engine powered product. The power rating of the engines indicated in this document measures the net power output at 3600 rpm (7000 rpm for model GXH50, GXV50, GX25 and GX35) and net torque at 2500 rpm, as tested on a production engine. Mass production engines may vary from this value. Actual power output for the engine installed in the final machine will vary depending on numerous factors, including the operation speed of the engine in application, environmental conditions, maintenance and other variables.
**Total height varies depending on model type; the height indicated here is based on the N5 type crankshaft.
Technical Specifications – Honda GCV200 PW engine
The all-new Honda GCV200 pressure washer engine, a powerful addition to the Honda GC Series, is designed specifically for premium, residential pressure washer applications. The GCV200 delivers more power and more torque as compared to the GCV190 engine it replaces. Innovative Honda design features, including an improved combustion chamber shape, advanced auto choke design, integrated Fuel Off position, and a larger fuel tank opening for easier fueling, make the GCV200 engine convenient to use and operate. The new engine is more streamlined and more compact than other engines in the same class, while the configuration of the Honda GCV200 incorporates the CycloFlow™ design, which strengthens turbulence in the cylinder and provides more stable combustion. The result is greater resistance to lower quality fuel and ease of starting, along with a smoother idle.
| Engine Model | GCV200 |
| Engine Type | Air-cooled 4-stroke single cylinder gasoline engine (OHV) |
| Bore x Stroke (mm) | 66 x 59 |
| Total Displacement (cm3) | 201 |
| Maximum Power Output* (hp/rpm) | 5.6 / 3,600 |
| Maximum Torque (lb ft /rpm) | 9.4 / 2,500 |
| Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 |
| Carburetor | Horizontal type butterfly valve |
| Ignition System | Transistorized magneto |
| Starting System | Recoil |
| Speed Control System | Mechanical |
| Choke Type | Automatic |
| Lubrication System | Forced spray |
| Spark Plug | NGK : BPR5ES |
| Governor System | Centrifugal flyweight type |
| Air Cleaner | Dry (paper filter) |
| Length x Width x Height** (inches) | 16.34 x 12.99 x 13.11 |
| Engine Oil Reserve Capacity (qt) | 0.42 |
| Fuel Tank Capacity (gal) | 0.24 |
| Fuel | Automotive grade unleaded gasoline |
| Dry Weight (lbs.) | 22.3 |
*The SAE J1349 standard measures net horsepower with the manufacturer’s production muffler and air cleaner in place. Net horsepower more closely correlates with the power the operator will experience when using a Honda engine powered product. The power rating of the engines indicated in this document measures the net power output at 3600 rpm (7000 rpm for model GXH50, GXV50, GX25 and GX35) and net torque at 2500 rpm, as tested on a production engine. Mass production engines may vary from this value. Actual power output for the engine installed in the final machine will vary depending on numerous factors, including the operation speed of the engine in application, environmental conditions, maintenance and other variables.
**Total height varies depending on model type; the height indicated here is based on the N5 type crankshaft.
How does one find out what washers will be available with these engine models?