Looking for input on future engine upgrade/replacement

[Two Trax]

Good day - It's a Sunday morning and hopefully everyone is enjoying the day. I have read several threads here on this subject but did not find the answers to my questions.

First of all there is no immediate need for me to replace the engine on the mill I recently bought. BUT I have come across a very good opportunity to purchase a brand new Briggs Vanguard 35 hp motor at a very attractive price. 

It has been my experience that it often pays off to take advantage of good buys when you may not need the item right now rather than trying to buy something when your back is up against the wall.

The mill is a TimberKing B20 with the 25 hp Kohler. It has a 1 1/8 shaft. The Briggs has a 1 7/16 shaft. No problem there as I have a friend with a lathe and a bridgeport. Weight seems like it would not be an issue. May have to drill new mounting holes. Unsure of shaft height differences, maybe a little work getting everything lined up, clearance etc.

I have not sawn a lot of material yet but it seems that when sawing bigger oaks, it makes that Kohler work pretty good. For those with experience on higher horsepower mills, would going to a 35 hp engine make a big difference? My gut tells me yes. Is this engine reliable in sawmill applications? Seems Kohler pretty much owns the sawmill turf, why?

Lastly I would very much like a diesel, but much higher cost and it seems like a lot of mods needed to handle the extra weight, stub shaft fabrication for pulley etc. I read where Ladylake put an Isuzu on his mill and likes it a lot. I am unsure at this point I would ever do enough sawing to justify the cost and effort.

So what do you guys with much more experience think?

[SawyerTed]

If I recall correctly, in comparable size engines, Kohler produces higher torque with less hp than the Briggs and Stratton.  It may be worth comparing both hp and torque values.  To me on a sawmill, torque and operating rpm is more important than horsepower.  Torque will aid in maintaining blade speed when load is heavy- hardwoods and knots etc.

[barbender]

There's a lot of variables in engine selection, but "it just has too much power" said no one ever😁

[ladylake]

 I've run my brothers 34hp HP Kohler TK 2000, saws a lot faster in the wide cuts than the 27hp Kohler my B20 came with. More difference than you would think, way more torque being 999c vs 750 cc.  Steve

[Two Trax]

Some good info, any input on reliability of the Briggs Vanguard big block on a sawmill?

[motzingg]

Their higher hp vanguard models are pretty well built, iron liners, full pressure lube, etc.   In the last few years they have been trying to get out of competing with china on the low end stuff and put some good design $$ into the higher end market that Kohler has previously owned. 

I have run all of them on lawn care equipment, kawasaki and honda are generally the best if you take care of them, the kohlers seem to hold up to abuse better, the briggs are somewhere in between, had some good ones and some bad ones. I think Kohler gets the small manufacturer market because they support their product well and if you're 'bob the sawmill manufacturer' the last thing you want is *pithed off customers calling with problems with engines you didn't make and don't want to spend your time supporting. 

Whenever i see a cheap engine, i grab it, never know when you'll need it. More is generally better but going too big on most things will start to tear stuff up downstream.  I went from a 16 hp to 24 hp on a big commercial walk behind mower once, after that it started destroying spindle bearings once a month or more. 

[barbender]

That's the nice thing on a bandmill, other than the weight of the engine being a consideration, the hp goes right to the blade.