Ny Honda HRR2165VXA with a GCV160A motor will not run except on full choke and then the governor will not stay steady. Engine speed goes up and down. i replaced carb with Honda replacement, replaced fuel, replaced spark plug, checked crankcase breather. replaced air filter, oil is full. Don't know what else to try except maybe the gas cap is not venting? Any ideas what it could be. Mower if five years old but doesn't have a lot of hours on it. Thanks.
Honda mower issues
- Thread starter buicillac
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robert@honda
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It sure sounds like a classic obstruction or debris in the main jet or main nozzle area. Only running smooth with full choke is a tell-tale the main jet/nozzle is clogged, even if partially.
When you replaced the carb, just to confirm, it was a brand-new carb? Did you also replace the two flexible gaskets? I've seen a number of cases where old gaskets were used and didn't seal up properly.
Next, when you added fuel, was it fresh? I'd be a shame if old fuel was used and instantly plugged up the jet/nozzle.
Doubtful it could be the fuel cap; if it wasn't venting, the engine would likely not start or at least shut down after a few minutes. You could test by removing the cap and letting it run for 10 minutes or so to confirm.
But it runs, albeit not smoothly, so that means it is getting spark and fuel. The only other part that controls the engine is the governor. Since the carb was R&R'd, double-check the governor springs and make sure they went back into the correct holes. See attached pages from the shop manual for details & illustrations.
On the back of the mower deck is a serial number in the form of MXXX-1234567. If you'll share that number with me, I can look up service information and help you troubleshoot it more.
