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Honda Mower Seized Piston

#1

N

NJDan

Hi. My first post in this forum!

I ran my Honda HRX217HZA with the GC190 engine dry of oil stupidly about a month ago. It seized up and I thought I was done until I started googling it. Apparently a lot of times the piston can be freed with some penetrating oil and a wrench. I removed the spark plug and the top cover where the pull cord is housed. This exposed a nut that is connected to the motor shaft. I was able to free up the nut and everything turns as it should. The pull cord now pulls. However, I am not getting any spark so nothing is happening.

In the process of figuring out the spark problem I noticed that I do not see any piston movement while turning the motor. I look into the spark plug hole with a flashlight and nothing moves. Does this mean I have a sheared part between the motor and piston, or is this normal? I'm not going to pursue the spark issue if I have a stuck piston.

Thanks for any comments!

Dan


#2

StarTech

StarTech

Kinda doubt you have a horizontal engine on that mower. Anyway using a 6" wooden dowel in the spark plug hole slowly turn the engine by and you should feel the piston moving. If not then it is likely you have a broken connecting rod.


#3

N

NJDan

StarTech said:
Kinda doubt you have a horizontal engine on that mower. Anyway using a 6" wooden dowel in the spark plug hole slowly turn the engine by and you should feel the piston moving. If not then it is likely you have a broken connecting rod.
Click to expand...
Yeah I put a screwdriver in there and nothing happened.


#4

B

bertsmobile1

The pull start is slipping & not turning the crankshaft.
We get different models down here so we do not have to suffer those idiot blade brakes that make the whole mower taller , top heavy & hard to use so we can turn the blade plate to free up an engine or to check if the crankshaft is moving,
The starter works on a cup which is either sandwiched between the nut & flywheel or is keyed into the flywheel.
The flywheel is held to the crankshaft by a taper & positioned with a shear key.
Your flywheel probably broke free of the taper when the engine siezed
So pull off the blower housing then grab the fins and turn the flywheel
While doing so watch the end of the crankshaft to see if it is moving.


#5

N

NJDan

bertsmobile1 said:
The pull start is slipping & not turning the crankshaft.
We get different models down here so we do not have to suffer those idiot blade brakes that make the whole mower taller , top heavy & hard to use so we can turn the blade plate to free up an engine or to check if the crankshaft is moving,
The starter works on a cup which is either sandwiched between the nut & flywheel or is keyed into the flywheel.
The flywheel is held to the crankshaft by a taper & positioned with a shear key.
Your flywheel probably broke free of the taper when the engine siezed
So pull off the blower housing then grab the fins and turn the flywheel
While doing so watch the end of the crankshaft to see if it is moving.
Click to expand...
When I turn the blades the nut in the middle also turns. Originally originally nothing would turn so I so I put a socket on the nut and made it turn which was not too difficult to do. I'm not sure if that addresses what you were saying.

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#6

B

bertsmobile1

Well if the crankshaft is turning but the piston is not moving then the connecting rod is broken


#7

N

NJDan

bertsmobile1 said:
Well if the crankshaft is turning but the piston is not moving then the connecting rod is broken
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, I guess that's what happened. The shaft was frozen solid until I got it freed up with the socket wrench. Maybe the broken part was keeping the shaft in place until I moved it.

How difficult is it to replace a motor? These mowers aren't cheap and if I can find a replacement motor for a few hundred and it isn't too crazy to swap one out then maybe that is an option?


#8

B

bertsmobile1

First step is always to pull it out and pull it apart.
Then evaluate a repair against a replacement
Some times you get lucky.
Hardest part is getting the flywheel & the blade mechanism off.
Do both before you pull the engine out


#9

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

This a pretty good how to on the GCV's


#10

N

NJDan

bertsmobile1 said:
First step is always to pull it out and pull it apart.
Then evaluate a repair against a replacement
Some times you get lucky.
Hardest part is getting the flywheel & the blade mechanism off.
Do both before you pull the engine out
Click to expand...
Thanks for the suggestions. While I'm capable of DIY projects I've never disassembled a mower like this before. Are there any good references/step by step type info available to help things go more smoothly? Or, do I just start taking everything apart until the motor comes out? lol


#11

N

NJDan

Scrubcadet10 said:
This a pretty good how to on the GCV's
Click to expand...
Thanks! We were both posting at the same time so this helps answer my last question.


#12

N

NJDan

OK so I'm trying to take this lawn mower apart and after 2 bloody fingers and a strained wrist I am learning that there are some specific tools required for engine work lol.
I tried removing the crank shaft nut with my impact drill but no go. I am trying to avoid buying an impact driver but that seems to be the only way to get it off. I can buy a quarter inch driver for pretty cheap and use it for other things but will it be strong enough to remove the nut? The half inch driver is a beast but for $249 I don't see myself using it ever except to remove a tire.

I am also going to try and tap the fly wheel off before buying a puller because it seems like a lot of people are removing the flywheels with a not so gentle tap.

I am willing to invest a little to get the mower apart and see if it is fixable but I want to be reasonable about it too.


#13

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

to get the flywheel nut off, block the blade underneath with a 2x4 or similar object. to keep it from spinning. May need a cheater pipe or breaker bar to bust the nut loose.
Removing the flywheel, I thread the nut back on, to where its flush with the top of the crank threads, use a object suitable for prying, to pry up on the flywheel, then I like to use a block of wood on top of the flywheel nut to prevent damage to the threads, and strike it with a hammer until the flywheel pops off its taper on the crankshaft.


#14

B

bertsmobile1

And 1/4" drive impact guns are a toy at best and a joke at worst so leave them on the TV adds spruking them to the public who have no idea.
A top end 3/8 driver ( $ 300+ ) is barely strong enough to be of any use
Even a lot of 1/2" ones do little more than round off heads .I have the highest power air gun I could get in 2011 and even it falls short .
However there is little that can not be done with noting more than a good set of strong spanners & 6' of water pipe or just a spanner & a big mallet .


#15

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

This sucker is where it's at (650 ft lbs of breakaway torque) so far it hasn't let me down, and it's super portable....https://www.lowes.com/pd/Kobalt-24-volt-Max-1-2-in-Drive-Cordless-Impact-Wrench-1-Battery-Included/1000738134
It doesn't wince at flywheel bolts or nuts.


#16

shurguywutt

shurguywutt

Here is another option if you want to go electric. But I think Bert's got the cheapest solution with using an "old school pipe extension" to a wrench or breaker bar.

https://harborfreight.com/85-amp-12-in-variable-speed-impact-wrench-with-rocker-switch-64120.html

Make sure you are strong and have room because it weighs 8 lbs ROFL.


#17

N

NJDan

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I picked up a half inch socket wrench (beefier that what I had) and found a 6' pvc pipe for a cheater bar... yes I said pvc. It actually worked! I didn't try to block the blades because this mower has a blade clutch and I didn't want to mess with that. After unsuccessfully trying to remove the flywheel with the hammer I'm going to pick up a puller. It didn't come loose after a few tries and I'm afraid of messing up the threads if I haven't already.


#18

StarTech

StarTech

I when first got my 1150 Air Cat it couldn't even loosen the lug nuts on my pickup. Now of the were a couple couplers, and 100 ft of air line involved. The problem was line restiction introduced by the couplers and plugs. They supposedly "M" style which mean they reduce the 3/8 line to under 3/16" This cause the psi at the tool to drop to 20 psi which is well below the 90 psi needed and that was without a load when operating the impact. I am using "V" style couplers and plugs and have near full line pressure at the end of the 100' 3/8" line under load.

There is still cases where even 1300 ft-lbs break away is not enough on some decks. On those I use a 5 ft cheater bar and all my strength to row boat the nuts and bolts loose. There are also times where an impact simply will not work loosening the fasteners. One example is the removal of the fan on a Stihl backpack blower.


#19

R

rustycat

NJDan said:
Hi. My first post in this forum!

I ran my Honda HRX217HZA with the GC190 engine dry of oil stupidly about a month ago. It seized up and I thought I was done until I started googling it. Apparently a lot of times the piston can be freed with some penetrating oil and a wrench. I removed the spark plug and the top cover where the pull cord is housed. This exposed a nut that is connected to the motor shaft. I was able to free up the nut and everything turns as it should. The pull cord now pulls. However, I am not getting any spark so nothing is happening.

In the process of figuring out the spark problem I noticed that I do not see any piston movement while turning the motor. I look into the spark plug hole with a flashlight and nothing moves. Does this mean I have a sheared part between the motor and piston, or is this normal? I'm not going to pursue the spark issue if I have a stuck piston.

Thanks for any comments!

Dan
Click to expand...
The engine is junk now with a busted connecting rod with a hauled crankshaft


#20

StarTech

StarTech

rustycat said:
The engine is junk now with a busted connecting rod with a hauled crankshaft
Click to expand...
Just because the connecting rod is broken doesn't mean the engine is toast. I have repair many Briggs engines that had broken rods. It just depend what internal damage have been done. Most crankshafts just need a Muriatic Acid bath to remove the aluminum transfer. These are splash lubed engine so the top and bottom crankshaft bearings should be fine; unlike, the GXV620 had top bearing failure that I repaired earlier. Usually splash lube system loses the connecting rod first.

Rod at full throttle usually does the most damage but that depends on where the rod broke.


#21

N

NJDan

Well I'm still trying to get the dang flywheel off. I have some time today so I got a bigger wrench and a better cheater bar. I'm using a 3 prong puller and I feel like I'm going to break something. I have the nut removed - not sure what else could be wrong. Why are these flywheels bonded so strongly to the motor???


#22

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Try lightly tapping on the flywheel and puller with a hammer, while the puller has pressure on the flywheel. sometimes it needs a jar to release from the tapered crankshaft end.


#23

StarTech

StarTech

It is normal for them to stick a little. Matter of fact if you working some the specs I deal with like 300 ft/lbs or higher it then joints can be cold welded.

First make sure you using grade 8 (10.9 for metric) screws. Tighten the puller forcing screw up really good and tight then using a heavy brass hammer strike the end of the forcing screw. It may take repeats of tightening and smacking but it should bounce the flywheel off the taper.


#24

N

NJDan

Well the flywheel came off. It just needed a longer cheater bar. I am trying to remove only what is necessary to figure out if the engine is recoverable. I haven't done this before so I will have some stupid questions if some of you will help me out. For instance do these plastic restraints need to be cut off or can they be removed and reused?

Attachments





#25

M

mmoffitt

Not to beat you up but, boy you are tough on equiptment. Before starting any piece of equiptment look it over and check the oil before proceeding. If you need to refill the gasoline tank while using recheck the oil . Same with an automobile when you fill the tank,pop the hood give a look see and check the oil.
Maybe better luck in the New Yearwith a new mower Be well!


#26

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Oh darn, he ran one mower engine low on oil.


#27

S

SamB

bertsmobile1 said:
And 1/4" drive impact guns are a toy at best and a joke at worst so leave them on the TV adds spruking them to the public who have no idea.
A top end 3/8 driver ( $ 300+ ) is barely strong enough to be of any use
Even a lot of 1/2" ones do little more than round off heads .I have the highest power air gun I could get in 2011 and even it falls short .
However there is little that can not be done with noting more than a good set of strong spanners & 6' of water pipe or just a spanner & a big mallet .
Click to expand...
While I agree with most of the assessments on impacts, a QUALITY air impact will do everything needed to be done on lawn equipment and then some. Note I say 'quality' -impact wrench. This may be a moot point as they are disconiued but used ones are around. A Snap-On IM32 butterfly impact with 90+psi will twist a 3/8 grade 5 bolt in two. If one has and uses air tools in their shop,they will never regret buying an IM32. While other 3/8 inch impacts are toys,this one is a serious pro tool. These sold new for near $400 and when bought used,can usually be sold for as much or even more that the used purchase price,too.

Attachments





#28

S

SamB

NJDan said:
Well the flywheel came off. It just needed a longer cheater bar. I am trying to remove only what is necessary to figure out if the engine is recoverable. I haven't done this before so I will have some stupid questions if some of you will help me out. For instance do these plastic restraints need to be cut off or can they be removed and reused?
Click to expand...
Those pieces on the wires can sometimes be re-used if the 'christmas' tree part isn't too beat up. If they will not go back into the hole they came out of and hold securely they must be replaced,otherwise ruining the wires is a likely possibility. What I do in such cases is to use a zip tie on the wire(s). A lot of times ,if clearance is an issue,I'll take a zip tie,run it through the hole and around the wires and then back through the hole and then through the zip eye,being sure the zip eye itself is big enough to not go through the hole.


#29

S

SamB

bertsmobile1 said:
Well if the crankshaft is turning but the piston is not moving then the connecting rod is broken
Click to expand...
Lack of oil galled the crank and broke the rod,maybe?


#30

StarTech

StarTech

SamB said:
Lack of oil galled the crank and broke the rod,maybe?
Click to expand...
Usually that what happens. Without oil on the journal the aluminum rod starts to melt transfering aluminum to the crankshaft journal. Even if oil is refilled the aluminum transfer just keeps getting worst via fiction. Until it reaches a point of either super heating the rod (melting the rod) or seizing the rod (which snaps the rod).


#31

W

whitejww

By the time you purchase an impact tool you should look for a replacement engine. Two years ago I picked up a Honda mower for $20 that had an issue with the valves. I was going to break it down and repair it until I came across a new Honda engine on eBay that I purchased for $104USD delivered. Way cheaper than buying tools and an easy fix.


#32

N

NJDan

mmoffitt said:
Not to beat you up but, boy you are tough on equiptment. Before starting any piece of equiptment look it over and check the oil before proceeding. If you need to refill the gasoline tank while using recheck the oil . Same with an automobile when you fill the tank,pop the hood give a look see and check the oil.
Maybe better luck in the New Yearwith a new mower Be well!
Click to expand...
I know it was a bonehead oversight. I think checking the oil every time I mow the lawn is a bit much, though. Sometimes you have to learn by making a mistake. My only defense is that 2021 has been a very challenging year for me and checking my lawn mower's oil wasn't on my radar. It will be from now on, though. I should have taken note of the oil collecting on the front deck of the mower and the dirty oil on the valve cover nuts.


#33

N

NJDan

whitejww said:
By the time you purchase an impact tool you should look for a replacement engine. Two years ago I picked up a Honda mower for $20 that had an issue with the valves. I was going to break it down and repair it until I came across a new Honda engine on eBay that I purchased for $104USD delivered. Way cheaper than buying tools and an easy fix.
Click to expand...
Hope I get that lucky! Either way I have to take it off the mower deck so I might as well pull it apart and see what happened.


#34

StarTech

StarTech

I have a customer that I think finally learned to check the engine oil level anytime he fills up the tank on his mowers but it took loosing five $1000 + engines to do it. Heck on one it was obivious that was a major oil leak as the whole rear of the ZTR was covered in dirty oil.

Even keeping the oil check it is important to notice if the oil level is changing a lot between checks and to find out why.


#35

N

NJDan

OK finally got the engine apart and it looks like the connecting rod snapped. What do you guys think?

Attachments









#36

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

Connecting rod is definitely a goner....
crankshaft journal appears to have a few deep gouges in it... but it may be holes in transferred aluminum from the rod.


#37

N

NJDan

Scrubcadet10 said:
Connecting rod is definitely a goner....
crankshaft journal appears to have a few deep gouges in it... but it may be holes in transferred aluminum from the rod.
Click to expand...


#38

N

NJDan

The gouge in the crankshaft is raised above the surface kind of like a crater. I assume the piston is stuck, which is what caused the problem. Question is whether this is salvageable or if I should be looking for a new engine.


#39

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

If you want to, try and clean up the crank journal with muriatic acid. But it must be used with extreme caution, and preferably, outdoors.


#40

B

bertsmobile1

You can also boil it in Lye
Aluminum id dissolved by both acids & alkalis but it has to come out & get scrubbed every now & then
I have used both methods but lye is now scheduled so it is hard to get down here
Cranks generally clean up good enough to reuse
The top bush is what generally prevents the engine being rebuilt
After that is is damage to the bore either by the rings or by the short end of the con rod flailing around inside .


#41

StarTech

StarTech

Scrubcadet10 said:
If you want to, try and clean up the crank journal with muriatic acid. But it must be used with extreme caution, and preferably, outdoors.
Click to expand...
Definitely an outdoor job with a good moving air away from yourself. Also note Muriactic Acid will produce some pretty nasty fumes in the present of moisture. Plus once the item is cleaned, the acid must be neutralize using water and the item must be immediately coated in oil to prevent flash rusting.

Fumes are heavy so they will linger if not blown away.


#42

B

bertsmobile1

StarTech said:
Definitely an outdoor job with a good moving air away from yourself. Also note Muriactic Acid will produce some pretty nasty fumes in the present of moisture. Plus once the item is cleaned, the acid must be neutralize using water and the item must be immediately coated in oil to prevent flash rusting.

Fumes are heavy so they will linger if not blown away.
Click to expand...
Also very corrosive so if you do it under an awning, expect the awning to rapidly corrode
Ditto for metal cloths lines
The prime gas that comes off is AlCl which is an acid flux
There will also be some hydrogen which likes to find some oxygen & go bang
Usually I would use water to wash then dish washing solution ( alkaline ) the very hot water so when it comes out it will dry very quickly
Spray WD 40 ( or similar ) through the oil holes then the oil , grease ( petrolium jelly works well ) of your choice as per Stars instructions above.

For those who do it regularly , this is all second nature & we forget to give detailed instructions to those who do not
Rust is the oil holes is a big problem
Not sure if your crank has oil holes or is just splash but better safe than sorry.

And we really need to see the bore
If it is trashed then cleaning the crank will only get you $ 5 more as a used crank on craigs list .


#43

N

NJDan

Yes, not much use in cleaning the crank if the cylinder is not good. I removed the crank to get a better look and the piston is near the top of it's compression, exposing much of the cylinder walls. It actually looks very good. I have not removed the valves yet. What is the best way to free up the stuck piston so we can see the condition of the cylinder?


#44

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

NJDan said:
Yes, not much use in cleaning the crank if the cylinder is not good. I removed the crank to get a better look and the piston is near the top of it's compression, exposing much of the cylinder walls. It actually looks very good. I have not removed the valves yet. What is the best way to free up the stuck piston so we can see the condition of the cylinder?
Click to expand...
So far PB Blaster/ Liquid wrench or Marvel Mystery Oil has been my go to for unsticking pistons.
but seeing that the bore in the GCV's are aluminum, i have a feeling the piston may be hiding some bad news behind the skirts.


#45

N

NJDan

Scrubcadet10 said:
So far PB Blaster/ Liquid wrench or Marvel Mystery Oil has been my go to for unsticking pistons.
but seeing that the bore in the GCV's are aluminum, i have a feeling the piston may be hiding some bad news behind the skirts.
Click to expand...
Could I stick a screwdriver down the spark plug hole and try to hammer it loose?


#46

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

I wouldnt use any thing metal, for risk or putting a hole in the piston, of course its not very likely the piston is salvageable, but it may be. i use a wooden dowel and lightly tap it. Preferably as large as possible to spread out the impact over a broader area.


#47

M

mmoffitt

StarTech said:
I have a customer that I think finally learned to check the engine oil level anytime he fills up the tank on his mowers but it took loosing five $1000 + engines to do it. Heck on one it was obivious that was a major oil leak as the whole rear of the ZTR was covered in dirty oil.

Even keeping the oil check it is important to notice if the oil level is changing a lot between checks and to find out why.
Click to expand...
Roger That! Check that oil often! a lot cheaper to top up than replace equipment...and yy is the oil level low or High for that matter..Root Cause or it will happen again! Be well Sir Happy New Year


#48

N

NJDan

Well the wooden dowel worked surprisingly well!! The piston came right out and there was more oil in there than I would have thought. A quick feel of the cylinder and it seemed fine. Piston is clearly toast.

Edit: It occurs to me the piston did not seize up. Based on how easy the piston came out and the lack of any real damage to the cylinder, I'd guess the journal seized first. Is that something that happens?

So if I can get the crankshaft back into shape with acid or lye then all I need is a new piston and connecting rod correct? ( Not including all of the ancillary gaskets et cetera).

Attachments







#49

N

NJDan

I actually have the muriatic acid and I've been cleaning the journal which looks like it will be a good shape. However I'm still not sure if this crankshaft is going to be usable. For instance I scored the top of it with a pipe wrench while trying to get a nut off the bottom of the mower. Since this is where the flywheel sits with a keyway it is not rubbing against anything so I'm assuming it will be OK.

I also have a crushed thread which should be no big deal. It's the pipe wrench damage going to be a problem?

Attachments





#50

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

I would take a flat file and smooth out any raised area's on that taper for the flywheel... as well as clean up the edges of the key slot, don't go crazy, ;) doesn't appear to be any damage to the keyway so it should be okay as long as you get the nut tight enough going back on.
If i remember right the actual torque spec for the flywheel nut is 38 ft lbs.


#51

N

NJDan

Scrubcadet10 said:
I would take a flat file and smooth out any raised area's on that taper for the flywheel... as well as clean up the edges of the key slot, don't go crazy, ;) doesn't appear to be any damage to the keyway so it should be okay as long as you get the nut tight enough going back on.
If i remember right the actual torque spec for the flywheel nut is 38 ft lbs.
Click to expand...
Thanks. I've managed to get this far without spending much on tools I'm going to use once, but I think I need to invest in a torque wrench. That comes in handy from time to time.

After I get the crankshaft in good shape I need to take stock of how to rebuild this thing. I need to do some major cleaning of everything, for sure, and need to source new parts - piston assembly, assorted gaskets, etc. I guess I need to take apart and inspect the valves to be sure nothing is damaged there, too.

Is there a recommended place to get parts online, for price and quality, OEM?


#52

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

My go to's are
Parts Tree (Austin, Texas)
Jacks Small engines (Maryland)
Pro Parts Direct.net (New Hampshire)
Also, you might look into your local auto part store rent a tool, You pay the price of the tool as a deposit, you use the tool, and return it, and get your money back. they should loan out a good torque wrench.
I don't think you'll need any gaskets, at least on most GCV'S the Crankcase and valve cover are sealed with RTV silicone ( i use permatex ultra black) i would advise replacing the PTO (blade side) oil seal.

That's one that bugs me about the design of these GCV's... any work that involves removing the valve etc, you have to tear down the engine since there is no Cylinder head bolted on to it, it's just made onto the engine block.


#53

StarTech

StarTech

Just make sure you look up the parts for the mower instead just the engine. Parts are serial dependent. The HRX217 did come with at least two different engines.


#54

N

NJDan

I'm going to remove the valves today and start looking at cleaning things up. I noticed that the cylinder head is kind of black. Should that be scrubbed clean and if so how without damaging it?


#55

N

NJDan

So I removed the valves today and spend a few hours on youtube looking at the wrong way to clean the valves... everything from bench grinders to chemicals. One of the valves is black and I thought I'd give it a gentle cleaning with the red scotch brite and WD40. That seems to be pretty safe if you don't overdo it. I also have a Dremel with a wire wheel. Too much? I'll probably try the scotch brite pad with a drill to gently clean the cylinder head, which is very caked up with carbon. I would be careful not to mess with the seats too much, hoping to avoid having to lap them.

Also, will the valves need lapping or is that overkill for a lawn mower engine? I want to do the job right but at the same job anything I buy to do this will probably only be used once for this engine, unless I get into the small engine repair biz.


#56

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

its best to lap them so they seal good.
its a pretty simple process.


#57

N

NJDan

Scrubcadet10 said:
its best to lap them so they seal good.
its a pretty simple process.
Click to expand...
So I'll add compound and one of those suction cup gizmo's to my shopping list.


#58

N

NJDan

Quick question: I was having a conversation today with a Toyota maintenance instructor about my little engine rebuild. We got onto the subject of how the rod bearing on the crankshaft is lubricated in this engine. As there are no holes or grooves in the journal I wasn't sure. I haven't purchase a replacement rod yet. Are there grooves or holes on the connecting rod part that bolts to the journal so the splash oil can find its way in? Something else?


#59

B

bertsmobile1

usually there is nothing other than what looks like castleing on the side of the rod which creates little pools of oil that wick into the space between the journal & the rod


#60

N

NJDan

So this is very annoying because something that should be very simple appears not to be. I cannot find my Honda mower model anywhere on parts supply stores. I know I'm not the 1st to have this problem. I have a model HRX2174HZA. I think the 4 might not be important but I can't find any models with the Z either. Anybody know what's going on?


#61

StarTech

StarTech

I think that translates to HRX217K4 HZAA with serial number range of MAGA-1900001 TO MAGA-2369999.

1642448446036.png

https://www.partstree.com/search/?type=model&term=hrx217k4


#62

N

NJDan

StarTech said:
I think that translates to HRX217K4 HZAA with serial number range of MAGA-1900001 TO MAGA-2369999.

View attachment 59344

https://www.partstree.com/search/?type=model&term=hrx217k4
Click to expand...
Fantastic! Thank you very much. I see they throw an extra A on the end but I'm not going to quibble.

I do have a follow up question if I may. Some of the parts are different depending on the engine serial number. Is the serial number that is shown next to the model number for the engine or the mower itself? For instance my serial number is MAGA-2293810. That is for the engine? I didn't see any other significant numbers on the motor housing itself.


#63

B

bertsmobile1

A = America
Usually found on imported models because the locally made ones are all for the USA & Canada ( AFAIK )


#64

N

NJDan

bertsmobile1 said:
A = America
Usually found on imported models because the locally made ones are all for the USA & Canada ( AFAIK )
Click to expand...
Yes I understand but for some reason there's an extra A at the end of the model number when you go to look up parts.


#65

StarTech

StarTech

NJDan said:
Fantastic! Thank you very much. I see they throw an extra A on the end but I'm not going to quibble.

I do have a follow up question if I may. Some of the parts are different depending on the engine serial number. Is the serial number that is shown next to the model number for the engine or the mower itself? For instance my serial number is MAGA-2293810. That is for the engine? I didn't see any other significant numbers on the motor housing itself.
Click to expand...
Yes. For this mower the engine is considered part of the mower itself. Honda is a little different than other manufactures as that uses various engines as they purpose build an engine for this mower.


#66

N

NJDan

I've been away from this lawn mower repair project for a few weeks but I did manage to get all the parts I need. I'm doing some final cleanup, lapping valves and so on before reassembling everything. I have a question about the oil seal. On this motor the seal is kind of a metal honeycomb disk covered in a hard plastic. I'm having a heck of a time getting the old one off. I tried prying it out with a chisel but I'm at the point of not wanting to gouge the aluminum block. Anybody have a tip for removing this? I tried to drill into it to put a screw into it and pull, but it is a metal, probably aluminum gasket so I stopped. Again, this is for a GCV 190.


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