Engine HRB215HXA Motor GJAB7570547 Runs for eight seconds

[AEJ472]

Replaced the spark plug in the spring. Recently replaced the carburetor, and all fuel lines. Mower ran great for several hours. Now it runs for eight seconds and stops. I am having a hard time believing the jet is clogged. I'm out of ideas except for taking it to a repair shop.

 

[bertsmobile1]

First principles.
Start with an inline spark tester and watch it .
If the light goes out before the engine stops then you have a wiring problem.
If it keeps on flashing till the motor stops then you have a fuel delivery problem. Do that , get back to us so we can tell you where to look.
Otherwise we can give you 10 hous worth things to do , none of which will fix your problem

 

[AEJ472]

First principles.
Start with an inline spark tester and watch it .
If the light goes out before the engine stops then you have a wiring problem.
If it keeps on flashing till the motor stops then you have a fuel delivery problem. Do that , get back to us so we can tell you where to look.
Otherwise we can give you 10 hous worth things to do , none of which will fix your problem

Plugged in the inline spark tester. Started the engine and the light stayed on. Removed the spark tester, started the mower, and it ran strong for an hour.

I was stunned. Ten days ago I was ready to leave it on the curb for the garbage man. If it doesn't rain I plan on mowing with it tomorrow to see what happens.

 

[bertsmobile1]

You had or may still have a fuel delivery problem.
Most common is water in the float bowl.
Undo the float bowl nut with a saucer or flattish dish under it and have a close look at what comes out.
If it has water or funny coloured "goo" it is carby cleanig time .

 

[AEJ472]

You had or may still have a fuel delivery problem.
Most common is water in the float bowl.
Undo the float bowl nut with a saucer or flattish dish under it and have a close look at what comes out.
If it has water or funny coloured "goo" it is carby cleanig time .

Will do. Thanks!

 

[AEJ472]

Will do. Thanks!

Attempted to mow today. Mower ran for 20 minutes then started cycle of quitting and running for eight seconds. I drained fuel (ethanol free purchased yesterday) from the carb. It looked normal. Then I pulled the carb and inspected both jets - no obstructions noted. I replaced the spark plug and reassembled and installed the carb. The motor is still warm but won't start.

 

[robert@honda]

The motor is still warm but won't start.

Got spark? If no spark, solve that first. (new plug, test coil, inspect engine stop switch). Need to first get to a condition where spark is good, but still no start. That pretty much means its a fuel/air delivery issue.

You said you replaced the carburetor; is the new one a genuine Honda carb, or an aftermarket one?

Double-check the choke and ensure it is all the way open on a fully-warmed engine. If the choke were to become closed, it would cause rich-running, plug-fouling, black-smoking and engine stalling conditions. Oh, and make a warm engine impossible to re-start.

 

[AEJ472]

Got spark? If no spark, solve that first. (new plug, test coil, inspect engine stop switch). Need to first get to a condition where spark is good, but still no start. That pretty much means its a fuel/air delivery issue.

You said you replaced the carburetor; is the new one a genuine Honda carb, or an aftermarket one?

Double-check the choke and ensure it is all the way open on a fully-warmed engine. If the choke were to become closed, it would cause rich-running, plug-fouling, black-smoking and engine stalling conditions. Oh, and make a warm engine impossible to re-start.

Mowed again today. Mower ran 20 minutes then stopped. I installed the in line spark tester and discovered there wasn't any spark; 15 minutes later there was a faint spark; an hour later there was a strong spark. So what is causing the spark to disappear when the mower gets hot?

I'm 90% sure the carb is a Honda carb. I ordered it from a well known on-line Honda parts supplier in Texas.

As always, thanks for your help. I suspect we are getting close to solving this mystery.

 

[bertsmobile1]

That will be a problem with the coil pack itself, or the oil sensor switch.
make sure that you have the correct amount of oil in the engine and then disconnect the oil sensor.
Problem goes away, look for a new switch.
But from what you have said sounds very much like the coil has a bad joint internally which loose contact when it gets hot.

 

[robert@honda]

Reads like the ignition coil is failing due to heat. Not too tough to remove & replace. There are three resistance checks you can do with a multi-meter when the mower is NOT making spark. It could be the coil itself (2 measure points) or may just be the spark plug cap alone (1 measure point). A new coil is about $75 list price, and I'd probably go ahead and replace the cap too at that point. Tip: When measuring coil values, be sure the throttle lever is not in the STOP position.

You need to remove the fan cover / fuel tank to access the coil, but it does not need to be removed to do the testing. If you replace the coil be sure to correctly set the air gap where it mounts near the surface of the flywheel. A paper, factory shop manual ($35) has all the details, measure points/values, and is fully illustrated. Honda sells them direct on eBay and Amazon (free shipping):

Honda Power Equipment Shop Manuals on eBay
Honda Power Equipment Shop Manuals on Amazon

With the mower's FRAME (deck) serial number [MXXX-1234567] you can look-up parts at Honda's official parts look-up, or there are many Honda dealers online with similar catalogs. For mowers, you need the FRAME serial number, not the ENGINE number to correctly look-up parts.

Google any part number to find a Honda Dealer selling it online, or use this link to find a Honda Dealer in your area:
Find A Honda Dealer

Honda Factory Parts Look-up Site:
Honda Power Equipment, Engines and Marine Factory Parts Lookup

Sample online Honda dealer with extensive parts listings:
[url]www.boats.net[/URL]

FYI, there is no low oil sensor on the HRB215 mower.