Honda 5.5hp misfire/backfire

[khunter08]

All,
I've got a Craftsman walk-behind mower with a Honda 5.5hp engine (model 917-388820). The engine is misfiring or backfiring. I can see flame out of the exhaust sometimes. The spark plug is dry fouled. I've cleaned it and re-gapped it to 0.030, per the manual. The RPM seem low and of course it doesn't run nearly as smooth as what I think it should.

I don't know anything about small engine repair, but with your assistance and/or a good manual I can fix this mower. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Keith

 

[ILENGINE]

I answered your other post on same subject.

 

[robert@honda]

All,
I've got a Craftsman walk-behind mower with a Honda 5.5hp engine (model 917-388820). The engine is misfiring or backfiring. I can see flame out of the exhaust sometimes. The spark plug is dry fouled. I've cleaned it and re-gapped it to 0.030, per the manual. The RPM seem low and of course it doesn't run nearly as smooth as what I think it should.

I don't know anything about small engine repair, but with your assistance and/or a good manual I can fix this mower. Any suggestions would be most appreciated.
Keith

any identifying marks on the engine? sound like a Honda GCV160 overhead valve . stamped into the side of the engine block is a serial number, usua jut with 3-4 letters and then 7 digits. let's start with that serial number and any modifications to thr engine, and I'll see what I ca dig up,