Engine won,t start

steffy

Forum Newbie
Joined
May 28, 2013
Threads
1
Messages
1
New walk behind HRX217VKA Honda mower stared on first pull for about one month . Now after one month use it takes five or six pules and still won,t start. Let the mower sit for fifteen minutes and then it starts on the first pull . Any suggestions as to what is wrong with it ?
 

robert@honda

Lawn Addict
Joined
Nov 2, 2011
Threads
97
Messages
1,791
New walk behind HRX217VKA Honda mower stared on first pull for about one month . Now after one month use it takes five or six pules and still won,t start. Let the mower sit for fifteen minutes and then it starts on the first pull . Any suggestions as to what is wrong with it ?

Since it is still under warranty, I'd let the Honda dealer inspect and evaluate the problem. If it's a genuine factory defect, warranty will pay for repairs.

But, it's not always easy to get it back to a dealer when you need to just mow the darn grass. Here's the DIY process:

Check the easy stuff first; spark plug good? Clean and dry?
Check for spark
Air filter clean?
Fresh gasoline?
With fuel valve ON, loosen drain screw on carb bowl; confirm fuel is getting to carburetor.

Next, on a completely cold engine, check if the choke plate is fully closed. If not, the linkage may be out of adjustment. On a fully warmed up engine (at LEAST 5 minutes of non-stop running) choke plate should be fully open. The AutoChoke system can get confused if you start the engine cold, but don't let it warm up fully, then try and restart it right away.

Finally, believe it or not, the fuel could have gone bad (Ethanol, don't you know) and there may be slime/gunk in the carburetor causing a fuel-flow / delivery problem. Note a dirty/fouled carburetor is NOT a defect. Often, it is faster cheaper easier to simply replace the carburetor rather than tear into it and clean it properly. For this mower, a whole new carburetor is $20.36 (list price). I'd replace the gaskets too, and make sure you snug down the two main bolts holding the carb/air cleaner in place to avoid a vacuum leak.
 
Top