I have a relatively New Honda Self propelled HRR216 mower, only a few years old. The belt will slip once in a while, I hear a squeak, and once in a while it will loose the self drive. I just assumed that its due to going through wet grass. It will actually kick back in maybe after 5 minutes or so and only does this once in a while, not every time I mow. Not sure how to fix it.
2 weeks ago I changed the oil and put 10-30 Mobil 1 in to it. Last week I mowed with the new oil with no issues. Yesterday, I started it on the lower setting and it was smoking for 10 minutes with a major loss of power and pull when I finally put it in to the high gear. I checked the air filter, had a few pieces of grass but still looks new after a summer of use. I ended up giving up and put it away. After about 15 minutes, I came back to try it again, took off the air filter, unplugged and plugged the sparkplug wire, started it, it smoked another minute and worked as if its back to being new. I again had a few issues with it loosing the drive mid way through my mowing, but it came back after a few minutes. As stated I hear the squeaking of the belt, but usually I just assume its slipping in wet grass. I checked the oil level and it looks good. Gas is the same ethanol free gas I’ve been using all summer. Weather was colder yesterday but I doubt that would cause it. My neighbor suggested it could be something with the governor. Can someone please help me figure out what happened, something I can do to make sure this thing will be trouble free. I know it was a one time thing but it’s frustrating, I hope this is not the beginning of things to break. I had a Craftsman one that lasted me over 20 years with no issues and barely any maintenance. This Honda seems to be so quirky. If the self drive breaks, it’s very heavy to push.
So I have 2 issues:
1. Lost power yesterday when I started it and would barely move when on self drive - Could the new oil do it?
2. Belt slipping and self drive not working once in a while.
"Newer" honda Mower loss of power after oil change
- Thread starter Zhenchok
- Start date
- Status
Synthetic will smoke like the dickens on a worn engine, while conventional often wont. I cant explain it but Ive seen it dozens of times.
Also, another cause is that your engine oil level could be too high. If its too high it will seep into the cylinder when its not running.
First thing to try, is to drain the oil level. I like to try halfway on the dipstick between add and full and see what happens. If the smoke goes away, then you know that the oil level was too high. If the smoke doesn't go away, then drain the synthetic and replace it with conventional oil.
Thanks, I read on this site that this is what a lot of people use. The first time I used it last week it seemed to work just fine no smoking. Also, its hard to tell in the honda engine if its too much, the dipstick is in the lower 1/3 of the little marks, I only put like 13oz. I dont know why but I have a hard time telling how much oil is enough in the honda. I dont screw the dipstick in, just put it in and pull out.
Could be the rear axle bushings are bound up. This is a common problem for Honda self propelled mowers and I've fixed by disassembling, cleaning, re-lubing and reinstalling these bushings. Happened to mine and I've fixed a few. You have to remove the rear wheels and there's a series of circlips/snaprings that have to come off to get the drive gear out of the way for access to these bushings.
Long story short is, they get moisture and debris in them, bind up and put so much of a load on the drive system that it can burn out the gear box or hydrostat depending on which model you have. You will not know these bushings are bad by pushing/freewheeling the mower as they only come into play under self propel.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: 28oz
I don't know about loss of power/self drive issue, but my Cub Cadet will smoke like crazy if the oil level is at the "Full" mark. I keep the level right below the mark and it's fine.
According to the OP he already has the oil between the full and add marks.UNLESS the Hondas are suppose to be checked with the dipstick screwed in . I never have quite figured that out. But unless all of the oil was not drained out 13 oz is not a full fill.
The only other situation I've run into causing smokey startups with vertical shaft, OHV engines is if you park or store the unit tilted, such that the cam cover is lower than the sump. I suspect this floods the top of the head with oil and pushes some oil through the breather into the intake on startup.
Last edited:
On my Husqvarna, the self-propel belt is engaged by a spring-loaded pulley. Especially this time of year with all the extra leaves and debris, a bunch of [censored] will get caught up around the pulley and prevent it from fully engaging. I only have an issue when bagging - the mulch insert prevents the trimmings from blowing through the frame. Otherwise I have to remove the cover and clean it at least twice a year.
Move to a Renault engine
I see no reason that the same viscosity syn would "smoke" more than dino. Syn oil is no "slipperier" than dino oil and viscosity is viscosity-period.
It's because you tipped the mower over on its side when you drained the oil. Depending on which way you tipped the mower, one way will send oil running into the intake manifold and into the carburetor; the other way will send oil running into the combustion chamber if one of the valves is open and possibly into the muffler. The fix is to check the carburetor and clean the oil out of if it's there; and the other fix is to pull the spark plug and clean it if it's oil soaked.
The safest direction to tip the mower when draining the oil is by pushing the handle all the way to the ground and putting a weight on it to hold it there.
And, is the air filter soaked with oil or gas? Check oil on Hondas with the threads sitting on top of the filler neck (not screwed in). 10W-30 for Hondas.
Honda engines are tipped over to the right.
Carb would be on the UP side.
If altered my dip stick by setting oil at the high mark,
and filing a notch where the oil shows with stick screwed in.
My 2¢
Originally Posted By: newbe46
Move to a Renault engine
- Status
Similar threads
