Originally Posted By: JTK
I just pulled my 18yr/old HRS216 out of the shed last week. I hadn't used it in ~3yrs. Fuel tank sat dry. Fueled it up, checked the oil, plopped it on the grass and it fired up on the second pull! It's SOOOO much quieter and lighter than my ~$700 Snapper Ninja Commercial series 21" mulcher. I'm glad I pulled it out for quick trimming in tight spots, etc.
Do the new Honda HR series mowers still have real throttle controls on them? You can idle my Honda down to a super low putt-putt-putt and it would sit there all day. One flick of the throttle lever and it blips right up to max governed speed. My Snapper with the 180cc Briggs professional series engine on it has a throttle lever, but the carb only allows for fast and ludicrous RPM. It will not idle.
If it has the blade brake system it has a true throttle.
Originally Posted By: JTK
I don't understand people's hesitation with using 15w40 or 20w50 in small air-cooled engines. Fact still remains, you can use any engine oil you want from 20, 30, 40 or 50 weight variants. As long as a proper level is maintained and the stuff flows, the engine is going to function.
I still believe most small air cooled OPE engine manufactures recommend 10w30 or 5w30 because it's an easily available and recognizable oil, that covers a decent range of operating conditions. This does not mean it's the best oil choice for every application. I'm pretty sure I know a lot of folks that wouldn't even recognize anything other than 5w30, 10w30, SAE30 or 10w40. Anything else they'd avoid just because they don't know what it is.
The service manual for my older Honda lists a range from straight 30 up to 20W-50... I would assume as long as you are in the ambient temp spec. you are fine...
I just pulled my 18yr/old HRS216 out of the shed last week. I hadn't used it in ~3yrs. Fuel tank sat dry. Fueled it up, checked the oil, plopped it on the grass and it fired up on the second pull! It's SOOOO much quieter and lighter than my ~$700 Snapper Ninja Commercial series 21" mulcher. I'm glad I pulled it out for quick trimming in tight spots, etc.
Do the new Honda HR series mowers still have real throttle controls on them? You can idle my Honda down to a super low putt-putt-putt and it would sit there all day. One flick of the throttle lever and it blips right up to max governed speed. My Snapper with the 180cc Briggs professional series engine on it has a throttle lever, but the carb only allows for fast and ludicrous RPM. It will not idle.
If it has the blade brake system it has a true throttle.
Originally Posted By: JTK
I don't understand people's hesitation with using 15w40 or 20w50 in small air-cooled engines. Fact still remains, you can use any engine oil you want from 20, 30, 40 or 50 weight variants. As long as a proper level is maintained and the stuff flows, the engine is going to function.
I still believe most small air cooled OPE engine manufactures recommend 10w30 or 5w30 because it's an easily available and recognizable oil, that covers a decent range of operating conditions. This does not mean it's the best oil choice for every application. I'm pretty sure I know a lot of folks that wouldn't even recognize anything other than 5w30, 10w30, SAE30 or 10w40. Anything else they'd avoid just because they don't know what it is.
The service manual for my older Honda lists a range from straight 30 up to 20W-50... I would assume as long as you are in the ambient temp spec. you are fine...
