Got lucky - Newish Honda Lawnmower for cheap

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JoeFromPA

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Hey all,

I was walking into Home Depot yesterday and they had a manager's special going on outside. I was able to purchase this $400 Honda lawnmower for $75, albeit reconditioned:

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-M...catalogId=10053

Came with all parts + an extra set of blades (2 blades), an extra air filter, a used but in good condition spark plug, and some light scratches.

Took it home, checked the oil and it was all over the dipstick and new looking, so I added gas. Fired right up and sounded smooth.

Cuts like a dream and that self-propelled action is ridiculously fast.

First time owning a lawnmower (new home). I'm guessing I need to change the oil once a year, use the gas up before storing it for the winter, and change the spark plug/air filter/spark plug wire whenever it starts to idle a bit rough?

How often should I expect to need to sharpen the blades? Can I do it with a bench grinder?

Thanks all,

Joe
 
Nice!
thumbsup2.gif


You can sharpen blades on a bench grinder. It depends on how often you use the mower and the area of grass you are cutting.

You should know when it's not cutting properly.
 
I would clean/change the air filter once per year, either just before winter storage or just before the mowing season starts. Correct on the gasoline, use it up before storage. Check spark plug every year or two.

If you don't run over any hard objects sharpen the blades every other year. You can use a bench grinder if you know what your doing. I've been using a bench grinder for years. I would use a good 10w30 in it.

Nice find.
 
Originally Posted By: Johnny
I would clean/change the air filter once per year, either just before winter storage or just before the mowing season starts. Correct on the gasoline, use it up before storage. Check spark plug every year or two.

If you don't run over any hard objects sharpen the blades every other year. You can use a bench grinder if you know what your doing. I've been using a bench grinder for years. I would use a good 10w30 in it.

Nice find.


Thanks!

I've got 1/2 a quart of Quaker State 10w30 synthetic lying around that I think I'll put in the mower at the end of the season. If my math is right, that should more than cover the oil capacity on this thing.
 
Great Deal, Congrats, I would suggest making sure to use Seafoam, Stabil or something towards the end of season. I always do and the one time I didnt it took a trip to the small engine mech.in the spring.
 
Make sure to put some Seafoam in the gas. My Honda mower is very picky about fuel. Especially with the ethanol blends. I only buy gas a gallon at a time because of a small yard and otherwise it goes stale and the mower is difficult to start.

As always, Johnny is correct. 20 oz oil.

What part of PA ? Are these specials at all HD's ?
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Johnny
I believe it takes 20 oz of oil when you change it.


I think it takes 20 oz for the initial fill, from then on it only takes 16 oz to change it. At least that's how my Honda was.
 
Yeah, I think initial fill is about 5 ounces more than after the draining.

I'll look at the seafoam for the gas....it seemed to run great on wawa brand 87 octane.

This was a one-time special on the home depot in malvern, pa. They were offloading about 10 mowers and 2 riders in front of the store.
 
Originally Posted By: JoeFromPA
By the way, they also had:

Brand new yard machine lawnmowers with a 6.75 ft/lb briggs & stratton motor going for $30

These: http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-M...catalogId=10053

And this Poulan XT Riding Mower (Normally $800) going for $200, also brand new:

http://www.homedepot.com/Outdoors-Lawn-M...catalogId=10053

It was unbelievably ridiculous....I should've bought the riding mower :)


Those prices are insane! You can't even get a beat to [censored] riding mower that runs and cuts on craigslist for $200 around here.
 
My brother-in-law just swapped a honda motor onto a 21" yard machines mower. Had to rig up the throttle cable to work, and he removed the discharge shroud for the clippings to help open it up, so it's a bit more dangerous than your normal motor...but it worked. I had no intention of going with a new mower.

I had been looking at the Honda but wasn't willing to drop over $200 on a mower.

I couldn't believe it when he said $75 for the same mower. I'm excited to see it's fuel consumption on my .65 acres.
 
Great price. 1/2 qt synthetic 10W30 QS would be about idea and get you very close to refill capacity. On the gas storage matter, I take a different view. I think it is best to use Stabil and fill the fuel tank full to store it. My reasoning is you probably won't get all the gas out and by running it empty you are exposing the fuel in the system to maximum air.
 
On sharpening blades - I do mine with a regular old flat file (maybe 1 1/2" to 2" wide). I can do it quicker and get a better edge than I can with my bench grinder. I also feel like I'm taking away less material from blade to get a good edge with the file, so in theory my blade should last longer for the same number of sharpenings.

I actually sharpen my blade at least twice a mowing season and it needs it. Mower cuts much better with a sharp blade. I'm cutting 2/3rds of a acre once a week for about 7 months and then another two months (one at the beginning and one at the end of the season) where I'm cutting about every other week. That may be more or less cutting than your particular situation so your mileage may vary, but I don't think I would sharpen my blade any less frequently than once at the beginning of the season. It's just so quick to do while I'm changing the oil and checking everything out.
 
I use Valvoline MaxLife 10w30 on my Honda mower, it seems to like it. Doesn't burn off. It's been in there for 2 seasons now, has not darkened a bit on the dipstick and I have never had to add any.
 
only drawback to honda OPE. They sip fuel, run forever on a gallon of gas... and the carbs havy tiny tiny little jets. Old man spits on a sidewalk, and somewhere a honda carb clogs. the strainers in the fuel tank are not adequate. do yourself a favor.... add a fuel filter now before doing any mowing. I found universal inline filters with 1/4" inlets at motorcycle shops for $2 that work just fine.
 
I use 93 octane in the mowers . Figure it'll help keep fuel system clean and lessen consumption . So far , so good .
 
Originally Posted By: odie
I use 93 octane in the mowers . Figure it'll help keep fuel system clean and lessen consumption . So far , so good .

Same here. My GVC 160 seems to run better...so does my Troy Bilt edger.
 
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