Engine Which replacement engine for my HRC215 K1 SXA?

[DaSouthWon]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here and this is my first post. After digging on the internet for several hours I'm unable to find an answer to what I thought was a simple question. I have a Honda HRC215 K1 SXA commercial mower that I have determined to be a (1995-2000) 21" 5.0 hp S/P Rear Bagger BBC Steel (Frame Serial MZAU-6100001 and up) with a GXV140 engine. I originally Sanford & son'd this mower when I saw it sitting on the side of the road to be thrown away. The deck, controls, and practically everything else on the mower were in great shape but the engine wouldn't crank. After a simple carb cleaning, blade sharpening, and plug change the mower cranked on the second pull and I used it, trouble free for about 4 years. The mower then developed a problem of revving extremely high when it wasn't under load (not a carb issue) and eventually snapped a rocker. I tore the engine apart, replaced all the seals, gaskets, bearings, valve springs, rocker arms, pushrods, piston rings, lapped the valves, honed the cylinder and put it back together. I didn't pay much attention to the internal governor, which I think is probably the reason I still have the high revving problem after reassembling the mower.
At this point I would prefer to just buy a new engine, take out the four or five bolts holding the old one in place, slap the new engine on and be back in business. I've found its not that simple, as Honda has fourteen million different engine configurations and evidently the gxv140 is no longer made. Does anyone know if I can replace the gxv140 with a gxv160, and if so, which version has the pto for the s/p shaft and same bolt pattern and crank shaft diameter as the 140? I hate to ditch the mower, the deck is still in great shape, I've just replaced all the cables and I don't want to spend $1,000+ on a new commercial mower when I can get away with putting on a $300-400 engine. Thanks for your time and advice. Brian

 

[robert@honda]

Hi Everyone,
I'm new here and this is my first post. After digging on the internet for several hours I'm unable to find an answer to what I thought was a simple question. I have a Honda HRC215 K1 SXA commercial mower that I have determined to be a (1995-2000) 21" 5.0 hp S/P Rear Bagger BBC Steel (Frame Serial MZAU-6100001 and up)....Does anyone know if I can replace the gxv140 with a gxv160...

Hey Brian:

Get me the EXACT serial number off the back of the mower deck, and I'll see what engines are compatible.

 

[DaSouthWon]

MZAU-6117109

 

[robert@honda]

MZAU-6117109

Honda no longer offers an exact replacement engine for that model (the serial number on the mower dates to about 1999). The engine "Honda Code" assigned to the exact replacement engine is (was) 571400.

The closest match is Honda Code 571500. The difference 571500 engine's camshaft and driveshaft driven gear are different. Using the ones included with the 571500 engine would spin the transmission too fast.

Now if you could pull the old camshaft and driveshaft driven gear off the old engine and put them on a new one, solved. You could also order the an old camshaft and driveshaft driven gear as individual parts.
Either way, just have to drop the oil pan and install them on the new engine.

List price on a 571500 engine is $471.00. Dealer sets actual selling prices, and it is likely most would sell below list price.

Any Honda Engine dealer can get a 571500 engine and parts for you. Use this link to find a Honda Engine Dealer in your area:Honda Engine Dealer Locater

 

[DaSouthWon]

Wow, thank you very much for your help. I know this probably sounds incredibly lazy but my intent was to just replace the engine rather than tear back in to the one I have and begin replacing seals and gaskets and actually working on it, lol. I guess it would probably be just as easy to replace/fix the internal governer on the engine I have, rather than buy a new engine that I'm going to have to crack open, swap cam gears, mess w/ valve lash, replace gaskets, void warranty, etc, etc, etc. I guess the smartest thing I could do is probably scrap my idea of salvaging the old mower and just buy a new one. It would probably save a lot of time, money and I'd have a new mower.