Love YT repair videos! Honda mower

[Toy4x4]

I have a 22 year old Honda mower, HRT216SDA, with a GCV160 engine. A couple of weeks ago I got a little to overzealous with cleaning it (taking carb off) and when it was all back together, it would surge every two seconds. Started watching videos and got it back running this morning! These engines can be a pain because you have to stack everything on the long bolts that attach the carb to the block (one guy attached some studs to the block as a simpler method). I cleaned the jets with a piece of multi-strand copper wire that I stripped, one did have a blockage. One strand for the smallest holes and a couple twisted ones for the larger ones. Changed the oil, too, M1 0w40.
You do have to search around a bit for a decent YT video as some people are not as thorough as others. Its running fine and YT saved me from hauling it to a repair shop and spending $$. I only had to get a $3.50 can of carb cleaner!

 

[reemoeMO]

YouTube has saved me a lot over the last 10 or so years!

 

[benjy]

for SURE YT's save us $$. Chickanic has some great small engine vids on repairs + preventable stuff. a book or pic is good BUT a well done understandable vid is BEST!! got some parts for my prolly 15 YO HRX from Jacks Small Engine at good prices + since Honda is NOT building lawn mowers anymore its prolly good to get stuff NOW!!

 

[FT92]

YouTube has saved me a lot over the last 10 or so years!

me too

 

[thunderfog]

for SURE YT's save us $$. Chickanic has some great small engine vids on repairs + preventable stuff. a book or pic is good BUT a well done understandable vid is BEST!! got some parts for my prolly 15 YO HRX from Jacks Small Engine at good prices + since Honda is NOT building lawn mowers anymore its prolly good to get stuff NOW!!

I'm wondering if I should get one of the last new Honda mowers before they go away.

 

[fozzdesy2001]

YT is awesome I check for any and all repairs if there is even the slightest doubt. The most recent save was a Windows 10 update error that drove me insane until I found the right YT video instructions so if you tried one and it didn't work keep looking YT has it.!

 

[Brian123]

I have a 22 year old Honda mower, HRT216SDA, with a GCV160 engine. A couple of weeks ago I got a little to overzealous with cleaning it (taking carb off) and when it was all back together, it would surge every two seconds. Started watching videos and got it back running this morning! These engines can be a pain because you have to stack everything on the long bolts that attach the carb to the block (one guy attached some studs to the block as a simpler method). I cleaned the jets with a piece of multi-strand copper wire that I stripped, one did have a blockage. One strand for the smallest holes and a couple twisted ones for the larger ones. Changed the oil, too, M1 0w40.
You do have to search around a bit for a decent YT video as some people are not as thorough as others. Its running fine and YT saved me from hauling it to a repair shop and spending $$. I only had to get a $3.50 can of carb cleaner!

You have a Fuel Filter on this Mower, reason I say this is because I have a Toro Super Recycler that I bought in 1997, so I am on year 27 and never had an issue with the Carburetor.

 

[blufeb95]

I've learn quite a bit of what I know about repairing small engines on YouTube, most mowers out there these days come with the plastic carb 125-163cc Briggs OHV engines, initially I was annoyed at having to take the carb off because of the brittle plastic linkages, but after watching some videos I learned to just use a 7mm socket and drop the bowl and use a screwdriver to pop the little jet cartridge out and clean it, so much easier than taking the whole carb off, I think I actually prefer these carbs to the old metal ones now.

 

[Toy4x4]

Thank you! Did not know that. It seems to be running fine and have to do some actual mowing as a final test. Just watched another YT video to see what it entails! EASY!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Remind me that I need to replace the carburetor gasket on my GCV160 powered push mower.

I got it for free because it needs a gasket and the previous owner decided it wasn't worth paying. All I have to do is dump some gas in and it works .

 

[Hall]

because you have to stack everything on the long bolts that attach the carb to the block

Geez, I remember those now and they are tricky. A 3rd or 4th hand would be useful for that !

 

[jeepman3071]

Remind me that I need to replace the carburetor gasket on my GCV160 powered push mower.

I got it for free because it needs a gasket and the previous owner decided it wasn't worth paying. All I have to do is dump some gas in and it works .

Yep I've gotten so many mowers this way, the previous owner simply didn't want to deal with not only paying a crazy price to fix it, but the wait time.

I fix equipment as a side business for friends/family only. It isn't my full-time job, so I have a turn around time of usually 2-3 weeks depending on parts availability and what it needs, longer if something major. The closest small engine shop to me, which is a commercial mower dealer, has a wait time of 3 months before they can even look at the machine.

One of my relatives brought me a push mower with a leaking fuel line. It needed a 6" fuel line hose for a couple bucks, but he didn't have the tools or know-how to take it apart. The shop that is local to him said it would be 2 months before they could look at it, then probably $150-200 to replace it. That's half of mowing season and half the price of a cheap push mower to fix a $3 piece of fuel line.

 

[Skol8480]

Donyboy73 on YouTube has saved me a ton of money with his videos.

 

[Lubener]

Many YT videos are well done. I could do without the poorly done ones where you are hearing the guy grunting, accomplishing little for the most part or scratching his backside.