GCV160 or 190 governor oil leak

[ILENGINE]

Good points all. But remember my original post was simply to see if anyone has attempted this (guess not) and could weigh in on Taryl & Doublewide's warning that the gov. shaft could potentially (they are not certain) slip back into the engine when installing the seal.

The answer is possibly slip back in. there are a few engines that can drop the shaft into the engine if you loose control of it. I think some of the older Kohlers, and Briggs were that way with the shaft coming out of the top of the block.

 

[nbpt100]

I guess you have to ask yourself how bad is the oil leak and how much does it bother you. Does it leak when the engine is running or while it is off? I understand your reservations in doing this. I have never attempted it and i am sorry you are not getting your question answered. Based on the videos of two experienced people I would feel confident doing it. They are being responsible giving you all of the warnings. People of all levels will be watching it. If you try it, Put some oil on the seal before you atempt to insert it to help it seat easier. You have to ask yourself why does Honda make such a part if it is not needed? It would be nice to know their answer and rational in not installing it any longer.

 

[Rivets]

You must remember that IL and I are service techs. Never attempted to place a seal there as the purpose of a technician is to find and solve the problem, not try to put a bandaid on it and hope it works. We tried to help you solve the problem using the knowledge we have gained through one or two years of experience. That’s why we replied the way we did. Our knowledge and experience has shown us that this is the way to proceed, sorry if that was not what you are looking for.

 

[JBtoro]

Don't get me wrong; I get it. And I appreciate everyone's input. I think several of you are saying (wisely) that If it is not a beneficial part, regardless of what Taryl & Doublewide have posted, then why even mess with it and run the risk of sending the shaft into the engine. Another way of putting it: Is the marginal benefit of the seal worth the headache of cracking open the case to retrieve the shaft? In any case, I think this discussion has been useful, given that both of the aforementioned YouTubers have thousands of viewers.

 

[Honda Tech]

If you look at most any vertical shaft engine, most all of them will 'weep' oil down the shaft over time and it attracts dirt and looks bad. To answer your question, I installed a seal on mine because I just didn't the dirt accumalation. Yes, if not careful, you can push the governor shaft into the engine because you have to remove the retainer clip that would otherwise prevent it from sliding into the case to install the seal. Honestly, I found it to be a challenge to get that lil' seal installed without damage of issue and found it easier to remove the engine and drop the pan from the start.
The casting for a seal is there because Honda offers an engine type that is designed to run at up to 45 degrees (cylinder up) and it is necessary to seal it as the oil level will be well above the governor shaft at that angle.

 

[JBtoro]

If you look at most any vertical shaft engine, most all of them will 'weep' oil down the shaft over time and it attracts dirt and looks bad. To answer your question, I installed a seal on mine because I just didn't the dirt accumalation. Yes, if not careful, you can push the governor shaft into the engine because you have to remove the retainer clip that would otherwise prevent it from sliding into the case to install the seal. Honestly, I found it to be a challenge to get that lil' seal installed without damage of issue and found it easier to remove the engine and drop the pan from the start.
The casting for a seal is there because Honda offers an engine type that is designed to run at up to 45 degrees (cylinder up) and it is necessary to seal it as the oil level will be well above the governor shaft at that angle.

That's exactly the info I was seeking. You really know your stuff. Thank you.

 

[1saxman]

They all do it as far as I know, and with the oil splashing around when the engine is running, oil level really doesn't matter as far as this problem is concerned. I just wash the mower once a year. I use Castrol Edge synthetic, 10W-30 - best mower oil I've come across - except I use 5W-30 in a new rider. I use the 'Hi-Mileage' in the engines over 10 years old. This oil leak is a visual problem only. It will not leak enough in two seasons to show on the stick. Dust sticks to the oil and creates an ugly mess. My only Honda engine at this time is the elusive GSV 190 on a Lawn-Boy 22271 (same as a Toro 22156 but green instead of red - both of these are discontinued) that I bought in 2008. My older mowers were bought in 2004 and 1990 - still in service with no oil consumption/smoke and no engine repairs.

 

[JBtoro]

Back to the question of whether the governor shaft is vulnerable to slipping back into the crankcase. That is, if one decides to follow Taryl & Doublewide's advice to insert a seal into the shaft recess in order to stop oil from seeping out. Well, the answer seems to be "no." Something causes it to catch before it goes all the way through. Plus, if it went past that "catch" it would likely hit the side of the case thereby also stopping its travel. I happened across a GCV190 with a busted top half (cylinder) but a good bottom end. When I split the case, I went ahead & tested to see if the shaft could be pushed into the case. Below is a picture if how far it went into the case before it stopped & could go no further. The other picture (blurry) shows the tip of the shaft from the outside. Moreover, the shaft is metal; thus, I was able to pull it back into its proper place with the little magnet shown lying on the shop towel. Otherwise, it was not reachable with pliers.

 

[JBtoro]

Opps, forgot the picture.

 

[cruzenmike]

I know it's an old thread, but I thought that I would share my recent experience too. This past weekend I took my HRS up to the cottage do do the first mow of the year. The soil is very sandy in the front with a quarter in layer of pine needles on top. Some areas I talked, but others I just mowed a couple of times over. When I finished cutting I noticed a very dirty stained area around the governor shaft where it comes out of the block. In the year of owning this mower, and having put at least 30 hours on it, I had never noticed this before.

I know it was very dusty when I was mowing so I guess that the oil could have been there but I only noticed it once I started throwing the dust around and it had somewhere to cling to. I checked the oil in the machine and it is still clean and at the appropriate, Honda Recommended, oil level. I have owned Honda push mowers for a little of a decade with at least 20+ oil changes and fills under my belt so I know the level to be spot on.

The last thing that I did was check the air cleaner. I was not shocked to see it somewhat loaded up with dust and pine needle pieces, but was however surprised to see oil staining on the filter. I pulled the filter and sure enough there was some oil sitting on the bottom edge of the air cleaner housing. I would assume that this came through the breather although I don't know how or why. The mower is never tipped to that side and I have never mowed on any steep inclines.

Later today I will check the breather tube and clean things out. Then slap on a new filter and see how it goes. The oil and debris around the governor shaft cleaned up when I blew everything off with the air hose.