Restoring a Honda 215 SXA - Transmission Won't Shift

[Voyager97]

Working on what I think is a early 90's Honda 215SXA. Heavy aluminum deck, serial no. #6097432. Had to replace throttle cable, adjusted the others. Thing runs like a freaking bear! What appear to be original wheels, have very little wear, leads me to believe mower is low miles.

Next problem, is I can't get the transmission speed lever to move. Soaked the linkages/cable and such with blaster, to see if I could free things up. After a couple of hours soaking, speed lever moved, but with lots of resistance. It moved, but not without forcing it. Once oil dried up, lever is back to where I started.

I can see the actuator arm on trans jiggling up and down slightly as I try to move the lever, makes me think cable is ok, but something is jamming up in trans. Mower will propel forwards, and trans engages very quickly. Just can't make speed changes. Trans whines a bit when moving.

Thoughts? This is a very robust machine, I want to get this thing right!

 

[E150GT]

Can't help ya but you should post up a picture of it.

 

[TheLastWord]

I am not home but I have a service manual..need serial number

 

[TheLastWord]

For the early type not the belt type?

 

[TheLastWord]

Repeat

 

[TheLastWord]

Now I see serial number. My bad

 

[Fordiesel69]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1351371539...DXZE3S&hash=item1f76cd5382:g:BAIAAOSwF8BmRgRz

You gotta remove the tranny and split it open and free up the linkage. Most people leave it in high and then it seizes up.

 

[mk378]

Detach the cable from the transmission lever then try moving each separately. The problem is almost always the cable. Mower control cables do not last very long especially if parked outside.

 

[Voyager97]

Cable moves freely, detached from trans. I am pulling trans from body.

 

[Voyager97]

This transmission must be filled with gear oil? If I should need to open it up, what oil should I use to refill?

 

[Fordiesel69]

I used 75w-90 I had laying around. Most anything will work.

Now if you had a hydro it would be a whole other story. Youd have to use the special fluid from honda.

 

[TheLastWord]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/135137153922

This transmission must be filled with gear oil? If I should need to open it up, what oil should I use to refill?

Here is the trans from ebay seller. Very sorry I cannot locate my manual I mentioned

Opps, already posted in #7 above.

I had that Honda for 30 years, absolutely bulletproof. I never changed fluid (unlike the Hydro unit) and as I recall there was no provision to check or change it.

Is yours rusty? If the internal levers move it is likely a cable issue.

Check U Tube for videos on this model

 

[Voyager97]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/135137153922



Here is the trans from ebay seller. Very sorry I cannot locate my manual I mentioned

Opps, already posted in #7 above.

I had that Honda for 30 years, absolutely bulletproof. I never changed fluid (unlike the Hydro unit) and as I recall there was no provision to check or change it.

Is yours rusty? If the internal levers move it is likely a cable issue.

Check U Tube for videos on this model

There is nothing wrong with the cable. I removed trans from mower, still couldn't get shift shaft to move. I'm going to split the cases, see what's going on in there. If nothing else, I'll start looking for a parts machine.