OK, so I have an HRX217TDA that was fine till late last year. Late last year it went from starting in 1-2 pulls, to taking 5-6-7 pulls to start. This year, it takes 10+ pulls to start, and if I get to 10 pulls, I'm using starting fluid to start it. Once it does start, it runs best on full choke. Putting it to the fast run position it seems to not be running as fast as it should. I've read up a bunch and tried many things to fix this problem.
What I've done so far and the results:
- Verify choke plate is moving as commanded by the throttle lever. The choke does close when set to choke, and opens when throttle is pulled off the choke setting.
- New fuel with Star Tron stabilizer. I always use a stabilizer and I switched over to this one as it's supposed to have some cleaning properties (maybe). No change.
- Removed and cleaned the carb - no change, still a hard start. The carb looked really clean when I cleaned it. I found no passages blocked.
- New carb and gaskets - no change on starting, but now it surges hunting up and down on speed. This was a result of putting the air deflector and 1/4" spacer gasket in the wrong order when assembling. took it apart and verified ALL gasket passages and holes are in the right position and correct order and that solved the surging, but it's still a hard start. I really expected the new carb would be the fix. The new carb is a Honda OEM, the upgraded version where the fuel bowl is now tapered without the drain screw. The original carb was the one with the fuel bowl with straight sides and the drain screw. That shouldn't matter, but I have both in case one is really better than the other.
- New spark plug - no change, still a hard start, still need to run it on full choke.
I think the key is that it will start on 1-2 pulls if I use starting fluid says I still have a fuel problem even though I have a new carb. Plus that I need to run it on full choke to keep the RPM's running where they should be points to a fuel problem. Once it's been warmed up, it will start on a single pull as expected. even warmed up, it runs better under full choke.
I must be missing something simple and I really don't want to have to take it to a dealer as it does not fit in my trunk. I'd need a friend with a truck or rent one to get it to a dealer. Any help is greatly appreciated at this point as I have no idea what to do next, and I'm worried I'm causing damage running it in full choke mode to cut the grass.
Thanks
Dan
What I've done so far and the results:
- Verify choke plate is moving as commanded by the throttle lever. The choke does close when set to choke, and opens when throttle is pulled off the choke setting.
- New fuel with Star Tron stabilizer. I always use a stabilizer and I switched over to this one as it's supposed to have some cleaning properties (maybe). No change.
- Removed and cleaned the carb - no change, still a hard start. The carb looked really clean when I cleaned it. I found no passages blocked.
- New carb and gaskets - no change on starting, but now it surges hunting up and down on speed. This was a result of putting the air deflector and 1/4" spacer gasket in the wrong order when assembling. took it apart and verified ALL gasket passages and holes are in the right position and correct order and that solved the surging, but it's still a hard start. I really expected the new carb would be the fix. The new carb is a Honda OEM, the upgraded version where the fuel bowl is now tapered without the drain screw. The original carb was the one with the fuel bowl with straight sides and the drain screw. That shouldn't matter, but I have both in case one is really better than the other.
- New spark plug - no change, still a hard start, still need to run it on full choke.
I think the key is that it will start on 1-2 pulls if I use starting fluid says I still have a fuel problem even though I have a new carb. Plus that I need to run it on full choke to keep the RPM's running where they should be points to a fuel problem. Once it's been warmed up, it will start on a single pull as expected. even warmed up, it runs better under full choke.
I must be missing something simple and I really don't want to have to take it to a dealer as it does not fit in my trunk. I'd need a friend with a truck or rent one to get it to a dealer. Any help is greatly appreciated at this point as I have no idea what to do next, and I'm worried I'm causing damage running it in full choke mode to cut the grass.
Thanks
Dan