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Hi all,

I'm new to the forum, and joined pretty much because I'm baffled by my lawnmower. I have an older Honda Harmony HRM 215 pushmower that ran just fine up until about a month ago. Now, it will start on full choke just like normal, but it only runs for about 1 second and then dies. Further attempts to start it are fruitless unless I wait a while (say, 20 minutes at least), but even after waiting it will just do the same thing--start and then die.

I've replaced the spark plug with a brand new Honda spark plug, taken the carburetor apart (it was clean as a whistle), checked the fuel lines for flow (the whole tank drained into a cup in a pretty short time, so I don't think the problem is the fuel filter), checked the oil (full and clean), and checked the air filter (clean).

The only two things I can think of that might be the cause are the electrical system or maybe, just maybe, the fuel itself. I mention the fuel because a neighbor borrowed my 5-gal tank to refill his generator during a major, major remodel of his house. He returned it completely full, and then borrowed it again before I needed to use it, and again returned it completely full. Now, he's a general contractor, a super nice guy, and no dummy. BUT, the gas looks just a little purple when I pour it into my lawnmower. COULD it be the wrong kind of fuel? I mean...it seems ludicrous to me that he'd fill it with FIVE GALLONS of anything other than 87 octane gasoline from the corner station. 5 gallons of 2-cycle mix? No way. I ask here first because I don't want to ask him unless it's the only likely option.

Barring the fuel, what about the electrical system? I know almost nothing about lawnmower (or other) electrical systems. Could that be the culprit? Something else that I'm missing?

Thanks!

mgibson said:

The only two things I can think of that might be the cause are the electrical system or maybe, just maybe, the fuel itself. I mention the fuel because a neighbor borrowed my 5-gal tank to refill his generator during a major, major remodel of his house. He returned it completely full, and then borrowed it again before I needed to use it, and again returned it completely full. Now, he's a general contractor, a super nice guy, and no dummy. BUT, the gas looks just a little purple when I pour it into my lawnmower. COULD it be the wrong kind of fuel? I mean...it seems ludicrous to me that he'd fill it with FIVE GALLONS of anything other than 87 octane gasoline from the corner station. 5 gallons of 2-cycle mix? No way. I ask here first because I don't want to ask him unless it's the only likely option.

Barring the fuel, what about the electrical system? I know almost nothing about lawnmower (or other) electrical systems. Could that be the culprit? Something else that I'm missing?

Thanks!

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Do a spark test when the mower will not start/run to confirm you are getting (or not) spark. If spark is good, then the fuel sure does seem like the problem. Go get a fresh can of regular unleaded, and try it.

UPDATE:

Robert, thanks for the advice. Did the spark test and got a nice, blue spark. Drained all the old fuel from the lines, though not from the carburetor, and filled the tank with 93 octane (oops) gas from the local pump--the 10% ethanol stuff.

It's still doing the same thing. With a cold engine, here's the progression:

1) Pull starter cord about 10 times with throttle on full choke. Engine starts around the 10th time and revs like normal, then dies within 1-2 seconds.
2) Pull starter cord repeatedly on full choke, maybe 7-8 times, no results.
3) Let mower sit for about 60 seconds.
4) Pull starter cord ONCE on full choke, engine fires right up, and dies within 1-2 seconds.
5) Let mower sit about 60 seconds.
6) Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have great-grandchildren.
7) :confused3:

Maybe I just don't have all the old fuel out of the bottom of the system, but it seems like after all those starter cord pulls, it should have gone through the cylinder and been burned up when the thing actually fires for a second or two.

I'm close to taking it in to the nearest small-engine shop, but I'd rather keep my $$$ for the grass seed I'll need to overseed my now-sparse and overgrown lawn in September

Get a can of starter fluid and give the engine a SHORT squirt and see if it starts up.
If yes then see if you can get it to run for 2-3 minutes max by again giving it LITTLE SHORT shots of starter fluid.

You have to be careful with small capacity engines as you can squirt so much fluid in there that it will hydro lock and can crack the head.
Also starter fluid is a lot more volatile so will burn a lot faster than regular fuel and can even detonate.

All you are trying to do is establish that it will run if getting fuel from some where else other than the carb.

If you can make it run then it is a carb / fuel delivery problem.
Honda have droppd the price of their carbs to the point that putting on a new carb now days is a no brainer.

Robert and bertsmobile1,

Thanks for all the help. Tried the starter fluid thing and voila, the engine ran just fine. Supply problem. Finally figured out how to take the bowl off the carb (which was ridiculously easy...) so I could inspect the float, etc. and whaddya know? Little specks of gummy gasoline in the bottom of the bowl. Blew that out with carb cleaner and put everything back together. Now it runs beautifully.