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Honda HRX-217HXA won't start. I changed the oil by tilting the mower on it's side. I pulled the spark plug to change it and there was oil on the threads of the spark plug. Any help is appreciated, new home owner and would like to maintain my lawn for the first time!
Optional Information: Make: Honda Model: HRX-217HXA Already Tried: Changed oil, new spark plug, added gas.
Hi and welcome to JustAnswer. My name is XXXXX XXX I'll will help you find a solution to your question. You have let excess oil run into the cylinder head which prohibits the combustion chamber from getting sufficient spark/fuel/compression ratuios to start the engine. Possibly you have introduced some oil into the carburetor as well.
This is a fairly simple fix. First you need to clean the chamber of all oil. To do this, get some carburetor cleaner and spray it directly in the spark plug hole which leads into the combustion chamber. Spray a generous amount into the hole and then begin to pull mower starter rope.
The excess oil will spray from the hole so have a towel laid out to catch the overspray. Keep pulling the rope several times then respray the cleaner. What you want to do is clear the excess oil.
I removed the spark plug and tried to get the excess oil to spray but didn't have any luck doing so. Would I have to have the clutch/blade handles in when doing that or neither?
You need to engage the brake handle and pull the rope just like when you start it.
just do it without the spark plug inserted. The compression from the piston coming top dead center will push out the excess.
Once you do this, your next step is to clean the carburetor. Its also really simple if you follow this procedure:
Which one is the brake handle? There's only Clutch and Blade control handles.
when you ostand behind the mower there is the handle to push the deck and also a slimmer hadle the disengages the engine brake. Its the one that you release to shut off the engine
it is #5 in this diagram:http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Honda/Lawn%20Mower/0/HRX217%20HXA%20LAWN%20MOWER,%20USA,%20VIN%23%20MAGA-1000001/HANDLEBAR%20%282%29/parts.html
the clutch and brake are the same
Ahh okay, that's what I thought you were referring to. So I'm going to go home after work, remove the spark plug, spray a bunch of carb cleaner, and pull the rope a bunch of times... Correct?
That is correct. The carburetor cleaner will break down the oil so it will all soray out..but it will go far and wide so have a towel so yo udont ruin your garage floor or grass.
Here are instructions to clean the carburetor:
To clean the carburetor correctly, first remove it from the body paying close attention to here the throttle and choke linkages are. Take a picture or draw a diagram. Once removed, take the small screw from the bottom of the bowl, and separate the bowl from the carburetor body. You most likely will see debris, water, or varnish of some kind in the bowl (if you don't spill too much when removing the bowl). Dump and clean the bowl and proceed to clean the carburetor body. It will need to be soaked in carburetor cleaner for at least one hour. Remove all plastic/rubber gaskets and o ring seals BEFORE soaking! Good carburetor cleaner can be bought for about 20 bucks at the parts store, NAPA or Berryman are good ones. Once soaked, wash in warm soapy water, rinse, and blow dry with compressed air. Make sure to blow out all visible passages and ensure the entire carburetor is thoroughly dry before reassembly and reinstallation.
And to clean the carburetor which I'm awaiting the procedure for that but i keep interupting you.
And there it is.
you see it?
Yeah it's there.
here is the carburetor breakdown as well to ensure you reassemble it correctly:http://www.boats.net/parts/search/Honda/Lawn%20Mower/0/HRX217%20HXA%20LAWN%20MOWER%2C%20USA%2C%20VIN%23%20MAGA-1000001/CARBURETOR/parts.html
Its a pretty simple fix. Any other questions? Follow these instructions and the mower will run like new. OK?
Will do, I appreciate your help. I'm not quite sure how this works with the "Accepting" thing, but am I able to accept after I work on it? Or would I be able to accept now, and if I have additional comments we could continue this conversation at a later time. Seems like a weekend project for me as I get home fairly late from work.
Accept now
If you need me again we will keep the thread open so we can still talk and you wont be charged.
In other words, by Accepting now you will STILL be able to ask me questions DIRECTLY and there is no charge.
Awesome, thanks again. Can't wait to get this thing working so I can show up the neighbors and have the better lawn.
LOL. I know what you mean, glad I could help.
Experience: I own/operate a Small Engine shop in RDU area
Took everything out and cleaned it up, put it back together and when I turn the gas valve on it leaks gas. It was doing this too after I changed the oil, then it stopped leaking. Now after I took it apart and back together it's leaking again. Any ideas?
Hey there. If the carburetor is leaking fuel then you either have the float or bowl gasket installed incorrectly. You need to check the float to make sure it is moving freely and check the gasket to see that it is is good shape and not getting pinched when you attach the bowl,
Was the float the white plastic piece when you take the bowl off? I'm starting to wonder if my Dad messed with anything when he had it, cause I know for a fact I assembled everything correctly. I do recall the gasket from the carb going into the spark plug chamber area being damaged but it wasn't leaking from there.
Yes, the float what the plastic unit that looks like a toilet seat and has a needle shaped piece attached. Its likely the float is sticking which will make the carburetor leak fuel, the gasket im referring to is the one between the carburetor body an and the bowl.
I'll have to find out where the leak is even coming from, it was getting dark yesterday so I had to wrap it up. I wonder if by chance the float is upside down? Would that be a possibility or is it a one way in/out only? Sent my Dad a text to find out if he did any maintenance on it, just so I can get the scoop. But I'm 100% sure it's assembled the same exact way as it was when I disassembled it. What causes the float to stick? And what would I do to fix it if that's the case?
Well the float and needle that attaches to it wont allow it to to go in upside down. The dowel the holds the float may cause it to stick, rthere may be debris in the opening where the needle seats or the float may just be shifting to one side.