Toro Mower
- Thread starter vontis93
- Start date
Very common Honda mower engine used in various brands of mowers.
It has a better governor in the mower world and also has a metal fuel bowel with a drain plug. Also has a fuel on/off switch.
The carb is set up to be reliable and not gum up between mowing seasons if you follow a few simple rules.
The mower has an OHC and a timing belt.
Toro makes different grades of mowers. The Super Recycle has the best cut quality if you like to mulch.
My younger sis has a cub Cadet push non self propelled with the Honda GCV 160. I bought and set it up for her.
I put Quaker State ultimate Durabilty 10W30 in it.
Her mower came with the engine manual from Honda along with the Cub Cadet manual. You will notice Honda says to change the oil after 5 hours of initial use.
If your mower did not come with the Honda manual, here you go:
engines.honda.com
This is the Cub Cadet I got my sister. She has a 1/3 acre lot:
It has a better governor in the mower world and also has a metal fuel bowel with a drain plug. Also has a fuel on/off switch.
The carb is set up to be reliable and not gum up between mowing seasons if you follow a few simple rules.
The mower has an OHC and a timing belt.
Toro makes different grades of mowers. The Super Recycle has the best cut quality if you like to mulch.
My younger sis has a cub Cadet push non self propelled with the Honda GCV 160. I bought and set it up for her.
I put Quaker State ultimate Durabilty 10W30 in it.
Her mower came with the engine manual from Honda along with the Cub Cadet manual. You will notice Honda says to change the oil after 5 hours of initial use.
If your mower did not come with the Honda manual, here you go:
Honda Engines | GCV160 Owner's Manual
Download or purchase Honda Engine owners' manuals for the GCV160.
This is the Cub Cadet I got my sister. She has a 1/3 acre lot:
They are good mowers! I have a Toro Super Recycler with the Honda GCV160. Runs great and cuts well.
Engine is bullet proof if you change oil and air filter when it's due.
No iron liner on this engine.
After a season of mowing, dealer raised the top engine speed,
so my brother did the same himself.
I use only 0° ethanol gas.
My 2¢
No iron liner on this engine.
After a season of mowing, dealer raised the top engine speed,
so my brother did the same himself.
I use only 0° ethanol gas.
My 2¢
The GCV 160 is an excellent engine. The OHC is driven by a belt immersed in oil. The valves are under the metal cap at the front of the engine. Keep in mind, like most lawn mowers the cylinder is horizontal and so is the plane of the belt. You probably have an automatic choke. Mine does and I find it’s problem free. I’m about to put a gasoline filter on mine. I use Rotella T5 10W30 oil.
My GCV160 lawnmower has been great for many, many years. It does not smoke or use any oil all season. Great little engine.
That engine has an aluminum cylinder. For longest life, change the oil after the first few hours of use to get the break-in wear metals (glitter) out. I changed my oil after every couple mows until the glitter was all gone. It took 3 or so oil changes. Now, I mow all season (about 30 hrs/season) and the oil is still clean when I change it in the fall.
I used the "Arnold's" oil that came with it for the initial fill, then the quart of Honda power equipment 10W-30 that I bought when I got the mower. When that quart of Honda oil was used up, I switched to regular Mobil 1 10W-30.
I saved the 13oz "Arnold's" oil bottle that came with the mower. I use it to measure the new oil when I do an oil change. Fill it up, dump it in.
That engine has an aluminum cylinder. For longest life, change the oil after the first few hours of use to get the break-in wear metals (glitter) out. I changed my oil after every couple mows until the glitter was all gone. It took 3 or so oil changes. Now, I mow all season (about 30 hrs/season) and the oil is still clean when I change it in the fall.
I used the "Arnold's" oil that came with it for the initial fill, then the quart of Honda power equipment 10W-30 that I bought when I got the mower. When that quart of Honda oil was used up, I switched to regular Mobil 1 10W-30.
I saved the 13oz "Arnold's" oil bottle that came with the mower. I use it to measure the new oil when I do an oil change. Fill it up, dump it in.
The Super Recycler with Honda engine is the best mower combination in my opinion. Great cut, bullet proof engine, simple and reliable personal pace system that is the most comfortable to use.
The Honda HRX ranks second in my experience. They are great mowers also, but their self propel transmission is the weak point. I've replaced a few of those hydrostatic transmissions, and the transmission itself is around $250 from Honda.
Remember that the oil level is checked with the dipstick unscrewed. Unscrew it, pull it out, swipe it clean, then dip it in but do not screw it in. Pull it out and that is your level. A fill is 13 oz.
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After my 1991 Honda HRA215's deck finally rusted through (even though the GXV140 engine was perfect), I went with a Toro Recycler with Personal Pace and Honda GCV160 engine. Reliable and good cut, but the deck started getting surface rust pretty quickly even though I'm thorough about keeping the deck clean. Sold it after four years and bought a Honda HRX217 with the Nexite deck and GCV200 engine. This thing runs like a Mercedes - smooth as hell, quiet and powerful.
Which Toro mower? Nice engine, but to me, the engine make/model is down the list a bit in terms of importance.
FWIW, I have a 1999 model year lower end Honda 21" mower with the GCV160 engine. Still smooth as butta the little bit I use that mower anymore. Going on 22yrs old.
I mowed my lawn today with the Toro Recycler and I was very impressed with
it. I had 2 Snapper mowers in the past and neither cut like the Toro. The deck was
a breeze to clean. I am completely satisfied with this mower thus far. Now I’m searching
for a good oil to keep it running for a long tim.
it. I had 2 Snapper mowers in the past and neither cut like the Toro. The deck was
a breeze to clean. I am completely satisfied with this mower thus far. Now I’m searching
for a good oil to keep it running for a long tim.
The manual for my honda push mower with the same motor calls for straight 30 in hot times and 5w30 in cold times. Miami is almost always hot times! So your starting at a 15 is well in between. When I first got mine used and unmaintained I ran leftover 15w40 and it ran very well for a whole season. 15w40 is a great option and is dang close to being a one-size-fits-all for outdoor equipment.
In Miami the winter rating is going to be irrelevant no matter what it is. A 40-grade will not be too thick, ever.