Honda Lawnmower Problem

[jamesbohner]

Hi All,

I ran into a bit of trouble with my Honda Harmony Lawnmower this week that I'm hoping someone can help me with. As part of the de-winterization process I laid the mower on it's side to remove/sharpen the blades, after returning the mower upright I noticed oil pouring from the air cleaner. Uh oh.

Long story short, I can't get this thing running again. Clear gas runs out of the carb when I loosen the carb drain screw. I've flushed the cylinder via the sparkplug hole. The only thing that makes a difference is to replace the sparkplug with a new one, but then the engine runs very rough and about 1/2 normal speed, and smoke pours from the exhaust. After a couple minutes the engines chokes again and will remain dead until I replace the spark plug, again.

I have never had this happen before and am out of ideas. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks, James

[m Ransley]

When you flushed the cilinder hopefully you left it completly dry added liqued could have increased compression breaking a piston or ring, but I bet you didnt and oil is just clearing out of the motor and running with a dry filter will burn out the oil in short order.

[jamesbohner]

I cleaned out the air filter first, and after flushing the cylinder I left the plug out and pulled the starter cord several times to make certain it was dry.

Putting a little starter fluid in the carb helped the engine to run/chug along for a couple minutes, but now it won't start again.

[m Ransley]

Is air filter full of oil

[Doug Boulter]

[e-mail] wrote on 16 Apr 2005:

Forgot to open the shutoff in the gas line?

[Tater Salad]

i would reccomend that when you turn your mower on its side,to make sure the carb is up and not under..... try to get it started without the air filter first. if you have a paper filter then you need a new one as oil ruins them and wont let air thru,even if you clean it. you may have to keep taking the plug out and clean the oil off till she finally takes off..tader

[m Ransley]

Stormin, you say "mighta dried out the piston rings" Well geese if they were made of cardboard you might be right, but last I heard they were extremely hard metal unless you know of something new from china on the market.

[Stormin Mormon]

Mighta dried out the piston rings. Try a squirt of two cycle oil in the cylinder, and then pull the cord a couple times before replacing the plug and see if it runs.