[FireManJBI]

Hello everyone. New to this site. Just purchased my 3rd mower, but first of any good quality. I bought a Honda HRS216 push mower. I noticed it was leaking a slight amount of gas from the carb area when it sat in the garage over night, it left a pool on the deck. So (Im handy), I opened the carb and saw a number of the gaskets were bad shape. I went to Honda and repalced them all along with a vent tube from the air filter onto the motor.

Heres my problem: Once I was done the mower started right up and seemed to run ok. But after a few min of running it seems really low on rpm's and kinda revs up/down on its own. It will do that for a few min then shuts off. Give it a pull and it starts right back up, then same, shuts off. I know motors and it seems fuel is the problem, but I can see how. Cleaned card, all parts were put on properly etc.... I can see no adjustment on how to turn up the rpm's at all. I must have pulled that carb off 5-6 times last night tring to figure it out. Any help would be great. BTW, this mower ran fine when it was slightly leaking gas.

 

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Any help would be great. BTW, this mower ran fine when it was slightly leaking gas.

Welcome Fireman!

First, if the mower was new, I'd get it back to the dealer. Sounds like you'd be eligible for warranty work.

Next, if used, it may still have warranty remaining, depending on the age. If you can share the serial number off the back of deck, I can look it up and check for you. It's in the form of MXXX-1234567.

If you want to repair it yourself, here are some pages form the shop manual to help out.

That said, sometimes it can be faster-cheaper-easier just to replace the carb and gaskets. Often, a whole new carb and gasket set can be bought new for <$30.00 and save you a lot of aggravation.

 

[FireManJBI]

Sorry it was used. Its approx a 2008 model. I was thinking about something else also. When I start the mower the choke lever is all the way forward, which from what I can find is "choke" on ??? So I need to pull the lever all the way back to cut ? If I do that the mower dies. But as I mention everytime I let it sit for about a min it starts right back up (with choke one). I hear ya on the carb replacement, but I dont think thats the problem. I repair carbs all the time, and as mentioned it ran perfect until I install the new gaskets on the carb (all of them), and Im sure I put them in right.

 

[FireManJBI]

Also I noticed my limiter cap was not " cemented" in place. How do I set this set ? Or what does it do ?

 

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You can get a digital owner's manual here:

Honda Power Equipment: Honda Generators, Lawn Mowers, Snowblowers, Tillers

Can you adjust the limiter screw? Is the head still there, but just the tamper-cap missing? The screw should be lightly seated and then turned one (1) turn out.

Here's an image of the throttle/choke lever:

 

[FireManJBI]

Yes the screw is still in place. Just the tamper cap is broken off. I will try to set it tonight.

Am I right that when the motor is started I should be able to pull throttle all the way to "fast" (toward user) once the motor is warm.

 

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Am I right that when the motor is started I should be able to pull throttle all the way to "fast" (toward user) once the motor is warm.

Yes, that's right. Just pull it back from CHOKE to FAST. Always keep it in FAST when mowing; faster spinning blade = better cut and finish.

 

[FireManJBI]

Thanks for all your info Robert. I'll try a few things tomorrow night and let you know how I made out.

 

[Five Points]

Just wanted to jump in and say welcome to the forum FireMan and good luck with the mower. Sounds like Robert @ Honda has got you going pretty good.

 

[FireManJBI]

Thanks Five Points, nice to be here.

 

[FireManJBI]

Ok, so last night I took off the carb for about the 10th darn time. I set the limiter screw I turn out from seated. The mower starts and runs fine on choke but thats it. As soon as I move it to "fast" it runs like crap. It seems to pulse up and down when off choke and this lever below moves back and forth. If I manually push on the throttle it revs right up. All the parts on the carb seem to be on correctly and I cleaned the carb. Im just about ready to take my .357 magnum to the **** thing Also for Robert below is a picture of the s/n.

 

[FireManJBI]

So I took the carb off again last night for about the 10th darn time. I set the limiter screw (1) turn out from seated. Everything looks correct and the thing starts fine. It just runs like crap off choke. As soon as I move it to "fast" it barely idles/runs. And the rpms go up/down as this lever below moves on its own back and fourth. It starts and runs ok on choke but thats it. Robert I also took a picture of the s/n in case it helps at all.

 

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If it runs smooth with the choke ON and then like crap with the choke OFF, that indicates to me there's something small inside the carb somewhere, causing a disruption or blockage of fuel.

It runs smooth on choke because putting the choke ON changes the air/fuel mixture to a point where it's smooth. With the choke off, there's too much air entering for the amount of fuel available.

So, by removing the blockage, you let more fuel flow, and it will match the amount of air entering with the choke OFF.

A whole new carburetor is only $15.08 list price; since you've had it off and on so many times, the gaskets are probably shot too. I'd replace them with new ones as well. Here are the part numbers:

Carb: 16100-Z0L-013 ($15.08)
Gasket: intake manifold side : 16212-ZL8-000 ($1.46)
Gasket: either side of air guide (flat sheet metal) 16221-883-800 ($1.58) (need two of these)
Gasket: between carb and air cleaner 16228-AL8-000 ($1.54)

At full retail price, all those gaskets and a whole new carb are right at $20.00. I'm sure your time is worth something, but for a simple $20, I'd bet the new carb and gaskets would make the mower run correctly.