Any Experience New Honda 200 CC Engines?

[Normstorm]

Bought top of the residential line Honda HRX with 200 cc Engine (NOT electric start) Bought it to mow 8,000 Sq Ft of horrible "lawn" at rental house. Seattle so there's maybe 3 mows a year where the grass is even "semi-dry". Usually 6-7" Soaking wet grass on really rough dirt. Area was never smoothed out or planted for an "actual lawn". Anyhow - Mower seems pretty powerfull and will even mulch it up under tuff conditions. I noticed immediatly the engine is quieter than any other I have owned. When I put the engine into idle B4 turning it off it doesn't seem like it runs very smoothly. Kinda shakes the whole machine. Now after about a year and maybe mowing this area of crap grass 8 -10 times? Engine is harder to start (6-8 pulls) and I plan to shoot it with starting fluid every time. Main reason I bought it was to be able to start engine ONCE and not be pulling cord multiple times. I gave my super old honda with GVC160 engine to my sister and it still starts on 1-2 pulls? Could be over 20 years old! Same for my old craftsman with a Honda engine 1-2 pulls every time.

Also bought a used similar HRX mower with GVC160 and it has to be shot with starter fluid every time also. So I don't know? Kinda thought I was avoiding all kinda problems buying these two mowers and now I'm not as impressed as I was 6-8 months ago. Noticing that first post I come across here is about Honda "auto choke problems" so that's disapointing! Once they are running WAY better than anything I have owned. Should have invested in blade clutch engine on all time system 10 years earlier. Game changer! Just wish they would start easily. The two older mowers start easily using the same crapy water infused "car gas" so I don't know why the new ones would have trouble with 10% Ethenol Car Gas.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I would check to be sure your choke valve is closing fully, remove the air filter cover and filter and you should see it right behind the air filter, if it's an auto choke engine, it should be fully closed when the engine is stone cold, if it's manual choke, put it in the choke position and be sure it is closed all the way,

 

[trekgod3]

I've had my hrx with the 200cc engine for almost 2 years now. Bought December of 2018. Haven't had any issues at all with the engine. Starts on the 1st or second pull. Plenty of power, runs smooth, no shaking or vibration. I've only ever used ethanol free rec90 gas in it and genuine honda oil.Changed the oil twice so far. I live in south Florida and use it to cut my yard and my mom's yard, so it gets used maybe every other week. Great mower overall except for the rear wheel height adjusters which are horrible, but I finally disassembled them and bent them back into shape so they work better.

 

[Normstorm]

Thanks Guys. I started using the $20 per quart non ethenol gas from H Depot in my line trimmer that I only fire up twice a year. So far so good. I guess I will have to start schlepping around a 5 gallon gas can to a gas station a few miles away that suposedly sells ethenol free Gas. I thought that was illegal in WA state so I don't know how they can do that?
TrekGod - I just noticed while I was pulling the cord 20 times that at least one of my nexite decks has NUMBERS molded into it for the rear wheel adjustment! Now if they werent the same gray color you might even be able to see them! "Oh Honda".

 

[trekgod3]

Thanks Guys. I started using the $20 per quart non ethenol gas from H Depot in my line trimmer that I only fire up twice a year. So far so good. I guess I will have to start schlepping around a 5 gallon gas can to a gas station a few miles away that suposedly sells ethenol free Gas. I thought that was illegal in WA state so I don't know how they can do that?
TrekGod - I just noticed while I was pulling the cord 20 times that at least one of my nexite decks has NUMBERS molded into it for the rear wheel adjustment! Now if they werent the same gray color you might even be able to see them! "Oh Honda".

Yup, the numbers are inch increments i believe, pretty hard to see

 

[bertsmobile1]

Don't buy more fuel than you can use in a month
It goes off quickly .

 

[stygz]

Mine has overall been good. I do get a slight racing of the engine at full throttle when the blade is not engaged.
I have also noticed I will get a small puff of smoke when I first start up the mower when it sits for a week or so. I use the Honda 10w30 oil. My 190cc did not do this.
I have about the same size lawn as the OP

 

[Normstorm]

Someone should invent and patent an Auto Choke "Plug" for Honda. The older HRX choke plate is wide open when cold. Too lazy to fix WAX thing so have used various stuff to jamb choke closed so it will keep running after starting it with starting fluid with the air cleaner removed. Cedar Branch twigs, Alum Foil "ball", Pc of copper house wire bent, as soon as I find the perfect thing that fits in there w/o slipping out I will let everyone know! The year old HRX 200cc Choke Plate is closed when cold. Fires right up using Starter Fluid. W/O Starter Fluid it took about 7-8 supper hard pulls B4 it started. At least they made the air cleaner "hatch" super easy to remove by hand!