Honda mower engine occasionally slows, shakes, & smokes on start-up

[robert@honda]

How does one make certain the area is clean ? Where is this "area" ? How does on know it's a sticky choke before bring it to a dealer ?

Here's a page from the shop manual on how to troubleshoot the ACS (automatic choke system).

You can get a full (177 lavishly illustrated pages) paper shop manual on Amazon or eBay. Link: Honda HRR2167VKA Shop Manual

 

[MowerMark]

Robert, you are awesome but this looks intimidating for my feeble mind. Will study it later. Is disassembly required ? Will trying any of this void the warranty ? Do you make house calls ?

 

[PhilsSmallEngine]

WD40 is ideal and so is Castrol spray lubricant. They aren't the best lubricants, but they clean parts and completely burn off. As long as you see a warning that they're highly flammable (the more warnings the better), they usually burn completely. I like the Briggs & Stratton 100041 carburetor cleaner as it seems to be a bit more gentile with plastics and rubber seals than something like Gumout. It also attacks varnish very quickly. The B&S can also be used as a cleaner for the linkages, but don't use it on a warm engine.

Follow Honda's specifications for short term and seasonal storage of your equipment. Let your manual be your guide. They didn't write it for themselves. It isn't even in broken English anymore. The only thing they do not specify is fogging the carburetor/intake/engine for seasonal storage. That is an old trick for storing hotrods and I've used it quite successfully with my Tecumseh. I bet I'm the only one who has a 25 year old Tecumseh that gets used every year and hasn't had the carburetor taken apart further than pulling the main jet (and removing the chunks of debris). I may clean it because my fuel usage was a bit high last year compared to years prior. Seafoam, Amsoil, doesn't matter. It's the same basic stuff and ignore the promises they put on the can. You just need it to help prevent the carb from get gummed up and a little oil into your engine. The instructions are on the can and it's really easy to do. You can find Seafoam fogger in most auto stores or you can read about it on their site.

The shots from the tech manual is top flight. If I remember correctly, you only need a 10mm wrench or socket to get the airbox off and get to the carb and its linkages easily. I think it's 2 10mm bolts and 1 10mm nut at the bottom of the box.

 

[MowerMark]

WD40 is ideal and so is Castrol spray lubricant. They aren't the best lubricants, but they clean parts and completely burn off. As long as you see a warning that they're highly flammable (the more warnings the better), they usually burn completely. I like the Briggs & Stratton 100041 carburetor cleaner as it seems to be a bit more gentile with plastics and rubber seals than something like Gumout. It also attacks varnish very quickly. The B&S can also be used as a cleaner for the linkages, but don't use it on a warm engine.

Follow Honda's specifications for short term and seasonal storage of your equipment. Let your manual be your guide. They didn't write it for themselves. It isn't even in broken English anymore. The only thing they do not specify is fogging the carburetor/intake/engine for seasonal storage. That is an old trick for storing hotrods and I've used it quite successfully with my Tecumseh. I bet I'm the only one who has a 25 year old Tecumseh that gets used every year and hasn't had the carburetor taken apart further than pulling the main jet (and removing the chunks of debris). I may clean it because my fuel usage was a bit high last year compared to years prior. Seafoam, Amsoil, doesn't matter. It's the same basic stuff and ignore the promises they put on the can. You just need it to help prevent the carb from get gummed up and a little oil into your engine. The instructions are on the can and it's really easy to do. You can find Seafoam fogger in most auto stores or you can read about it on their site.

The shots from the tech manual is top flight. If I remember correctly, you only need a 10mm wrench or socket to get the airbox off and get to the carb and its linkages easily. I think it's 2 10mm bolts and 1 10mm nut at the bottom of the box.

You are awesome, and write well. Will my seven year warranty be voided by doing the above ?

 

[robert@honda]

Robert, you are awesome but this looks intimidating for my feeble mind. Will study it later. Is disassembly required ? Will trying any of this void the warranty ? Do you make house calls ?

With some mechanical skill, it is straightforward job. Some basic hand tools (metric) and the shop manual will take you far, even lacking experience. Removal of the air cleaner is necessary, but take your time and follow the procedures and you'll do just fine.

Doing your own service work will NOT void the warranty. However, let's say you change the oil in the mower, but don't put enough back when refilling, and the engine seizes up from a lack of oil. Such damage is not a factory defect, and repairs to the engine would not be covered under warranty. Further, let's say you did the oil fill wrong, and a wheel adjuster breaks. There's no likely reason the adjuster broke because of the incorrect oil fill, so Honda would probably pay under warranty to repair the adjuster.

Some Honda dealers do provide on-location service, but for a fee. Contact and discuss with your local dealer for details.

 

[MowerMark]

With some mechanical skill, it is straightforward job. Some basic hand tools (metric) and the shop manual will take you far, even lacking experience. Removal of the air cleaner is necessary, but take your time and follow the procedures and you'll do just fine.

Doing your own service work will NOT void the warranty. However, let's say you change the oil in the mower, but don't put enough back when refilling, and the engine seizes up from a lack of oil. Such damage is not a factory defect, and repairs to the engine would not be covered under warranty. Further, let's say you did the oil fill wrong, and a wheel adjuster breaks. There's no likely reason the adjuster broke because of the incorrect oil fill, so Honda would probably pay under warranty to repair the adjuster.

Some Honda dealers do provide on-location service, but for a fee. Contact and discuss with your local dealer for details.

I'd be delighted to pay for a house call for warranty service. So does one just call any and all authorized Honda service places ? Or do you have a listing of these?

 

[exotion]

That's the way to go. I never registered my Honda prolly won't I just do my own work

 

[robert@honda]

I'd be delighted to pay for a house call for warranty service. So does one just call any and all authorized Honda service places ? Or do you have a listing of these?

Not all dealers, in fact, just a few, offer on-site service. With spring (mowing season) rapidly approaching, it may be very difficult to have somebody come out, and you'd have a much easier, faster and less costly time by taking the mower to a dealer. Note that warranty does NOT cover transits of equipment or technicians. Honda's warranty explicitly requires you to bring the mower to the dealer, but some dealers may come to you for a fee ($$$). Use this link and enter your ZIP code to find dealers in your area:

Find A Honda Dealer

 

[MowerMark]

That's the way to go. I never registered my Honda prolly won't I just do my own work

By purchasing at Home Depot and paying a small fee and registering @ Honda, my mower has a SEVEN YEAR warranty. Yippeee ! Just would like to pay extra to have a skilled person repair it at my home or at least pick up and bring back the mower when repairs needed.

 

[MowerMark]

As follow-up, I did nothing and the problem disappeared within two weeks. Strange, since it was occurring quite often for months. This Honda lawnmower is so impressive. It always starts with just one pull.