Fixed Your Honda Lawn Mower Won’t Start – Beginners Guide
Is there anything worse than a lawn mower that won’t start? Honda mowers (or any other mower brand, for that matter) that won’t start after spending the winter in storage may be suffering from several issues. Honda makes mowers that are reliable, well-built, and well-designed. This is often caused by ethanol in pump gasoline. This is something you already know since you bought one.
This Honda Harmony II HRT216 push lawnmower has an engine powered by the Honda GCV160. Failed starts are an occasional problem that may arise with mowers and power equipment
We have compiled a list of everything that can cause your starting problem. Your Honda mower’s owner manual contains safety instructions that you should follow before performing any work on it.
18 Reasons Your Honda Lawn Mower Won’t Start
Honda Lawn Mower Carburetor
It is possible that the carburetor is clogged. Most lawn mower carburetors clog when fuel is left in them for a long time. Fuel may become thicker and stickier over time as some ingredients evaporate. Clogged carburetors can cause the engine to fail to start because of this sticky fuel. Clean the carburetor with a carburetor cleaner if it is clogged. Consider rebuilding or replacing the whole carburetor if cleaning isn’t working.
The fuel cap on the Honda lawnmower is damaged
Air passes through a vented fuel cap to help keep it from overheating. Clogged vents in your fuel cap prevent fuel from venting properly, causing the tank to form a vacuum, and preventing fuel from flowing.
The fuel cap should be run on and off the mower while it is running. It may be a problem with the fuel cap if it starts without it, but eventually shuts down after you replace it. Replace the cap with a new Honda mower fuel cap if you are unable to remove the cap with cleaning.
Honda Lawn Mower Throttle Issues
It is quite common for Honda mowers to have a hard start when their throttle cables are stretched out, according to Plano Power Equipment. An out-of-adjusted or stretched cable makes it impossible to start a cold engine because the choke won’t close. Start a cold engine by moving the throttle lever into the “choke” position; a warm engine should be started by moving the throttle lever into the “fast” position.
Honda Lawn Mower Gas Tap On
Fuel is cut off from the carburetor using the fuel tap. When my customers aren’t using their mowers, I tell them to turn off the fuel. Turning it on is easy to forget. Upon viewing the mower from the front, Honda’s fuel tap is located on the right side of the engine.
A spark plug for a Honda lawnmower
Ensure that the spark plug is free from wear and damage by inspecting it closely. The porcelain insulator should be replaced if the porcelain is cracked, the electrode has been damaged or burned away, or there is excessive carbon buildup on the electrode. An electronic spark plug tester can be used to determine whether a spark plug is defective. When you turn the engine over, a strong spark should appear between the tester’s terminals. A damaged spark plug should be replaced if there is no spark.
There is no fuel flowing from the fuel valve of your Honda mower
Make sure that the fuel valve is not shut off and that it is in the on position and not in the off position. In order to work on the fuel system or store your mower, you may have to close the valve while working on it. You won’t be able to use your Honda if the fuel valve is turned off because you won’t be able to access fuel.
Honda Lawn Mower Remove the bowl
If you spill anything under the lawn mower carburetor, make sure you have a small cup handy. A socket should then be used to loosen the bowl nut. The nut can then be unscrewed by hand and the bowl can be lowered. You should see gas dripping out.
Honda Lawn Mower Constant Engine Problems
That’s right, the engine again. It’s time to say goodbye to your lawn mower if the engine is still giving you problems! It can cost up to $600 to repair a lawn mower’s engine! A brand-new lawn mower can be bought with the money, depending on the model.
Honda Lawn Mower Plug Wire On
A loose plug wire is easy to happen, and it happens frequently. As the spark plug wire is located right at the front of the engine, it is constantly banging against shrubs, hedges, and other things of the like. It’s black wire with a rubber boot on the end. Check to see if the contact is clean and in good condition. You will not be able to start if you have bad or no contact.
Honda Lawn Mower Carburetor Repair Kit
There may be a clog in the carburetor. Most lawn mower carburetors become clogged when fuel is left in them for a long time. Fuel may become thicker and stickier over time as some ingredients evaporate. Clogging the carburetor with sticky fuel can prevent the engine from starting. Clogged carburetors can be cleaned with a carburetor cleaner. If cleaning the carburetor isn’t effective, rebuild or replace the entire carburetor.
The Honda mower should not be operated incorrectly
It is a safety feature on Honda push mowers that they have a lever that controls the blades as part of their safety system. When the operator is not present, this safety procedure will prevent the mower from running if he is not present when the mower is being used.
The mower must be started and run by pulling the blade control lever back and holding it against the handlebar at the same time.
As you turn the ignition key on an electric start mower or pull the recoil on a manual start mower, make sure you hold the blade lever against the handlebar as you turn the ignition key on an electric start mower. The engine will stop when the blade control lever is released so that the blades will no longer turn when the lever is released.
Debris should be cleared off the mower deck.
Grass clippings are collected on the deck, which prevents them from showering into the air. A clogged mower deck can prevent the blade from turning, especially when mowing a wet lawn.
Clogged decks are usually the cause of stuck starter ropes or difficulty pulling them. Observe the underbelly of the mower after turning it off safely. Use a trowel to scrape small clumps of grass clippings that have become trapped between the blade and the deck. Restart the mower after the deck has been cleaned again.
A bad gas smell should be checked
A bad gas tank is the most common reason for a no-start. Mowers don’t like stale gas, even if it is clean. It is common for gas to lose its ability to combust after about a month, resulting in poor performance and misfires due to its loss of ability to combust. Usually around three months after being opened, it becomes stale and starts to solidify.
Honda Lawn Mower Fuel Pump
There are three ports on the fuel pump: one for gas in, one for gas out, and one for pulses. There is a small rubber tube connecting the pulse port to the crankcase of the engine through which the pulse is sent. The air in the tube alternately becomes pressurized and depressurized during the engine’s operation as the air inside the crankcase is pressed and depressed. A diaphragm inside the pump is moved by the pressurized air inside the pump, and the gas is pumped out by this mechanism. Oil that gets into the pulse port line as a result of the engine oil being overfilled can cause it to not function properly if the engine oil is overfilled. On both the input and output ports of the fuel pump there are two small check valves that control the flow of fuel. Fuel cannot reenter the gas tank through the check valves. There is a possibility of failure of these check valves. Fuel pumps should have their pulse port lines, check valves, and diaphragms checked to determine if they are defective. Fuel pumps cannot be repaired; if they don’t work properly, you must replace them.
A plugged fuel filter on a Honda lawnmower
By straining your fuel, the fuel filter prevents dirt from entering your fuel system and causing damage to your engine. Fuel can be blocked from passing through the fuel filter if it becomes so clogged.
It is necessary to remove and replace the filter when you discover it is plugged. If you are installing a new filter, make sure that the arrow on the side of your filter points in the direction in which the fuel is flowing. If you want your arrow to point toward the carburetor and away from the fuel tank, then you need to point it toward it.
A fully engaged flywheel brake should be checked.
As a result of the flywheel, the engine works smoothly since it helps to overcome the effects of inertia. It prevents the engine from running properly when it isn’t working properly.
The pull cord of a mower may be difficult to pull if it is fully engaged. To ensure that the control lever can move freely, check that the brake pad makes full contact with the flywheel.
Possibly something got tangled in the mower’s blade if the flywheel brake’s key sheared. Changing a flywheel key requires disassembling the mower, but it is possible.
The key to the flywheel of a Honda lawnmower
There is a possibility that the flywheel key has been sheared in half. Flywheel keys are small metal pieces that are placed in the crankshaft and are used to engage the flywheel with the crankshaft. A flywheel key is designed to break in half when the lawn mower engine stops suddenly due to the impact of hitting a hard object, in order to prevent any damage to the engine. The lawn mower will not begin if there is a problem with the flywheel key. Taking the flywheel out of the engine and inspecting the flywheel key can help determine whether or not the flywheel key is broken. A broken flywheel key should be replaced as soon as possible.
Your Honda mower has a blown fuse or a bad battery
Your Honda mower may not start with an electric start because the battery or charge is not adequate. have a manual recoil mower, try starting it with it. When the mower is started by recoil, there is a problem with the electric start.
Use the battery charger to charge your battery. The charger should be plugged into the port connector closest to the battery on the handle. The charger needs to be plugged into a 120-volt outlet to be charged. Generally, Honda mowers do not come with a battery charger.
When the battery is not charging. It is recommended that there are two fuses. A blown fuse will prevent the electric starter from working. It is not possible to charge the battery when there is a problem with the lower amp fuse. You need to replace the battery if all the fuses appear to be fine.
An experienced mechanic can troubleshoot additional charging problems if your Honda mower still doesn’t charge.
Final Words
Hearing a lawn mower motor sputter and die after repeatedly pulling the cord can be frustrating and backbreaking. The mower might require only a simple repair you could accomplish yourself, instead of hauling it off to the repair shop or even placing it out for bulk trash pickup day.
