Engine HR215sxa Won't start without starting fluid "cold" but runs fine

I am the original owner of a Honda Master Series HR215sxa - Model has aluminum deck, blade brake, 3-speed transmission. I have a problem that I cannot solve. Over the years 15+ years of use, I began to have difficulty starting the unit cold. Then eventually had to use starting fluid to start it. I have taken the carb off cleaning it in and out. This year I decided to forget it and put on a new carb to start the season. To my surprise wit the new carb, the mower would not start or not even pop. Spray a little starting fluid in the carb and magic first pull starts and continues to run. Engine runs like it always did smooth. Moving the throttle from idle to the notch before choke rpms sound good. I must be missing something. On the old carb it would let me restart it when it was hot. Looking for some guidance on how to properly approach the problem.

Thanks in advance
Newt

Have you verified throttle cable adjustme to ensure that the choke lever is pushed to it's full closed limit when the throttle control is full forward? Barring that, I'd check compression and valve clearances. If it's anything like my HR215/GXV140 that I went through a couple of weeks ago, cylinder wear may be small, and possibly may just need rings if compression is low.

I have same mower Honda HR215SXA i purchased new in 1990. Engine started producing white smoke, checked compression was 60 psi low. Disassembled engine tagging all parts, engine parts now ready for inspection, wear limits using shop manual. I purchase my Honda parts at : good OEM prices & ship fast to your door.

https://www.hondapartsnation.com/

Thanks guys. So I checked that the choke was closing all the way with the throttle in the full choke position. It was not (1/8" short of closed). The throttle cable where it connects to the motor cannot pull any further on the assembly. I manually held the choke closed and attempted to start the engine. Started on the first pull. So the choke not closing far enough at start was definitely the issue. After thinking about different ways to get the choke to fully close I ended up bending the metal arm about 1/8" towards the carb where it contacts the throttle arm. The choke now closes all the way and starts on first pull. There may be a better way to fix it but this worked. I attached a picture of the assembly. I don't have a photo editor handy to point to what I bent. I will repost the pic to help others who may face the same problem in the future soon.

Thanks again
Newt

You could not just back the cable up a bit on the clamp on the carb, and the threaded adjuster on the handlebar was our of room as well? If so, sounds like the cable is stretched, and a new one is in order . . . I know that I have had to back my cable up at the clamp on the carb over the years . . . The best way to adjust seems to be to put the throttle control in the fast "Rabbit" detent, and then set the cable so that 5he throttle arm is just touching (but not moving) the choke lever. (This is also consistent with Honda docs) This typically leaves enough travel to allow full choke closure, as well as getting the fast position to the correct place for proper RPM.

I suppose another possibility is that the cable was set too tight at some point, and it bent the choke arm in the other direction, and over the years, it has led to this. Hard to say . . . Note also, though, that the top screw in your pic limits max travel, so you might find some more there as well. (Bottom screw sets max speed . . . this is a change in the later carbs - early ones like mine have a one piece lever . . .) Note that changing the top screw will *not* alter the max RPM setting!

Personally, I am of the mindset that whenever it looks like something needs to be bent, that the actual problem is elsewhere . . . and I find it and fix it . . .

In any case, glad you found the cause, and sorry you ended up wasting money on a carb you didn't need . . .