What is likely the issue if a still fairly new Honda push mower needs starter fluid? I use ethanol free fuel and it runs smoothly afterward.
Only year old Honda push mower won't pull start without starter fluid...
- Thread starter AshleyQuick
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There is a small wax cartridge that can fail for the auto-choke mechanism.
I have to tilt my 15 year old Honda on it's front wheels, to get enough gas into the carb to start.
Yeah! I replaced the wax pellet. Didn't solve the issue.
Yeah! I replaced the wax pellet. Didn't solve the issue.
It took my 1 year old Troy Built with Honda engine 8 pulls to start for the first cut of the season. Started on 1 pull thereafter.
Mine does the same thing...new gas, no alcohol, choke works. If it sits for more than a couple days it is impossible to start. I also use 1 ounce tcw-3 per 3 gallons gas.
Why? It isn't a 2-stroke.
Adjustable valves? Check the valve clearance.
A local lawnmower repair guy in my neighborhood showed me a trick when my mower had a similar issue. Some carburetors have 3 jets. A "starting " jet and a low vs full power jet. If the smallest jet is clogged it may not start. He uses a welder tip needle tool to clean out the jets.
You shouldn't use tcw-3 2 stroke oil. If you want to use jaso fd 2 stroke oil use stuff for air cooled equipment. Tcw-3 is for outboard motors which have water running through them to cool them.
I disagree, but thank you. I would prefer to use the TCW-3 as it is ashless and won't leave deposits in a four stroke engine.
I recently ran a tank of engineered 2-stroke fuel through it, and it runs MUCH better, but was still getting hard to start. I ran a tank of fuel with about 1/4 bottle of Berrymans B12, and it runs like brand spanking new now.
Yeah i do that with my old 6hp Briggs and Stratton flathead. Put the carb straight up in the air for a few seconds, set it back down and starts right up.
To keep my 2 stroke gas nice and fresh I dump the last bit in the mower. Also if my weedeater gets hard to start, more than 3 pulls, I'll dump the gas in the mowers, air compressor, pressure washer, stump grinder, wood chipper, ect and get all fresh gas in the weed eater or saw.
Also I only bring one gas can, if I'm running 2 and 4 stoke engines, the 2 stroke gas can, I figure it works in both 4 and 2 stroke engines. Towards the end of a long hot day I can't screw up and accidentally put straight gas in 2 stroke motor when I only bring mixed 2 stroke gas.
I inherited a super low hour Husqvarna mower with a Honda GCV-160. This thing had an automatic choke that would reset after every pull. It took more than several pulls to get it running. I hated this thing and gave it away. One time, it refused to start. I pulled the carb and bowl and found machining debris (a metal sliver) in the main jet (it's a Honda, not a Toyota). Even after this, it remained a hard starter.
I have a +20 year old Craftsman with a GCV-160 with a manual choke. I run E10 in it and it never fails to start on one pull, even after sitting during the winter. I always shut off the fuel and run the carb dry after every use. Fuel is treated with Sta-Bil.
I have a +20 year old Craftsman with a GCV-160 with a manual choke. I run E10 in it and it never fails to start on one pull, even after sitting during the winter. I always shut off the fuel and run the carb dry after every use. Fuel is treated with Sta-Bil.
I hate auto-chokes. It's a decent idea but usually with poor execution. The components wear over time and then the auto-choke becomes finicky, and requires more attention than if the mower just had a manual choke cable to begin with. I've converted quite a few mowers to manual choke for customers, you can find manual choke cables that are long enough on Amazon.
My favorite system for a small engine is still just a simple primer bulb. 3 pushes of the primer button and then pull the cord, doesn't get any simpler than that.
Yeah I wish the Honda hrx had a choke system like the HRC mowers. Or even my old troybilt with gcv160. It just had a lever that you pull and it moves back slowly so you have time to start the engine. Been working for 12 years on mine.
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