Resurrecting a Honda HRX217 mower with a seized GCV200 motor from the dead. Prevent landfill waste!

[@GregoryForck]

Thanks so much for this video! I had a HRX-217 that had developed a very slow oil leak that I missed. So, it got too low on oil and seized. I followed your steps and brought it back to life today! Thanks again!!!

[@franciscorazo3458]

Thanks alot. I really appreciate you taking the time to make this video. You saved me $1k. Mine locked up after I hit a stick and also it was low on oil. Unlocked it with in the hr. Thanks again.

[@SupraSeth]

Glad it helped

[@pacadet]

Great find. I love my HRX, but I would have loved it more if I got it as a scrapyard rescue!

[@imnitguy]

Yeah me too. I paid $650 for my HRX217 with the GCV190 a couple years back. I also own like four Craftsman mowers which I'm not sure what to do with. All of them have carb problems. :( Anyway I'm doing this to my Honda today. Just got back from Lowes with everything I need to change the plug, the oil and the air filter. I will work on the rough idle another day. :)

[@SuperHooverdam]

I’ve learned to turn that shut off valve off and let the gas run out every time I’m done cutting. I give myself enough time to cut here and there to not waste the gas. Great video!

[@Toyota66b]

I don’t have a shed but I keep mine under cover. It’s two years old and seized up. It ran fine then would start to die. Prolly just like this one.

[@chasewells4288]

Worked like a charm! Thank you!

[@SupraSeth]

@@chasewells4288, Thank you for the feedback. I’m glad to hear of your mowers second life.

[@clegge98]

Like others, thank you so much for this video. I had already decided in my mind that I was going to have to buy a new honda because it was probably time and didn't want to pay 300 or whatever to get it fixed. Saved me a thousand dollars. It was due for an oil change but I didn't think I had let it run out of oil so I will be better about that going forward, that's for sure. I hope I didn't do any permanent damage but it purred even better than it had been especially after did overall maintenance on it like inspect the bearings on the blade and clean all the dried up grass down there. I threw in a new spark plug as well since I had it removed. I had to go to Lowe's to get the marvel mystery oil anyway so another 10 bucks was definitely worth it. Thanks again for preventing my mower to placed at the end of the driveway this time!

[@episcopas]

Your procedure worked perfectly!! Thanks for the video!

[@SupraSeth]

Glad it helped!

[@brentspear149]

Thanks for this video! Mine locked up due to an oil leak at the head gasket which I didn't realize just due to all of the debris on it (I never clean it off after mowing). the wife mowed twice this spring and we never checked the oil. The third time she mowed it locked up and the starter rope would not budge it. Found this video and it worked like a charm! It sure smoked upon startup but I'll take that over a dead mower.

[@SupraSeth]

Thank you for the feedback! I’m glad it worked out and to hear that your Honda will live to see another day. The smoking will hopefully subside within about 10 minutes, once the penetrating fluid burns off. Definitely keep an eye on the oil level and keep it topped off.

[@Mr-Chris]

what a lucky find. These are great mowers! I wished I found one like this on the side of the road, I would snap it up quickly.

[@MrKl1978]

Nice work! love your minimalist side story.

[@SupraSeth]

Thank you for the feedback, sir. There’s too much waste in this world.

[@wdm3cornell]

Repair is good; T-shirt is better🙃

[@tjshively01]

Followed this and my Honda HR214 is now working. (Never saw anyone use a Cresent wrench to remove a plug)

[@kanyeeastlolz]

Should have adjusted the valve clearance too

[@polocash11]

A hyperlock can be fixed by removing plug and pulling until clear.

[@SeahawkAz]

My rule of thumb is only non ethanol gas in an engine with a carburetor

[@SupraSeth]

@@SeahawkAz, I agree 100%, ethanol always leads to poor jet flow in carburetors. The only time people get away with using ethanol is when the engine is seeing continuous use and the fuel doesn’t have time to oxidize.

[@nickloughrey9841]

If an engine has seized due to no oil , the rings cylinder and big ends are all suspect . I would bew surprised if the rings or ring have not broken . Take a couple of hours and strip it down to inspect and replace as necessary . Then you will have confidence in it

[@tbraasch]

I about broke that clip but found the screw needs to come out and there’s a square retaining clip that slides off. Then it comes right off.

[@SupraSeth]

On this one the plastic just would not release even with the screw and clip removed. Perhaps it was tweaked?

[@djexclusivee]

Does wd40 work for penetrating fluid

[@SupraSeth]

I would assume so, any penetrating oil should help. if the liquid is not flammable you might have a difficult time starting it. Once you successfully unfreeze the motor, you could leave the spark plug out and pull start the motor (multiple revolutions) to evacuate some of the residual fluid. Please let us know how you make out.

[@imnitguy]

@@SupraSeth This is what I plan to do. Pull the cord after removing the plug and then changing the oil. Wish me luck!

[@sauravbhatta5303]

Tried the same thing. The 19 bolt came off but the I was not able to un seize. Any idea and suggestion?

[@SupraSeth]

Spray some liquid wrench in the cylinder and tip the mower as far back on the handle as possible. Position the spark plug hole towards the sky as best you can and let the penetrating fluid soak the piston and rings. Leave it in your garage or under cover for a few days upright. Try to break it free again in a few days. You might have to try breaking it free with and impact or by tapping on a socket wrench with a dead blow hammer.

[@sauravbhatta5303]

@@SupraSeth how do I put penetrating oil in the cylinder, piston and rings? In the video, I saw u sprayed on the spark plug hole. Spraying there would work in cylinder, piston and rings? Sorry just want to make sure.

[@SupraSeth]

@@sauravbhatta5303, yes spraying through the spark plug opening will allow penetrating fluid into the cylinder and prior mentioned components.

[@sauravbhatta5303]

Sprayed liquid wrench and will wait for another day. Ordered dead blow hammer in Amazon. So use dead blow hammer in a socket wrench like in the video in both direction? Wondering if it will help. I tried earlier today and it’s still rigid as it was. Been soaked in liquid wrench for almost 2 days.

[@SupraSeth]

@@sauravbhatta5303, yes, I would advise tapping on the socket in both directions, starting in the clockwise direction. Yours might be too badly seized for this method. The more it soaks and the occasional taps might very well eventually break it loose. Patience and persistence are key.

[@bobp6742]

How's it doing a year on, it sounded rough at the end, the engine vibrated a lot and just didn't have that honda sound, is it still cutting your grass ok.

[@SupraSeth]

I actually gave it back to the person that had it on their curb. I checked back with them today and they said it’s running to this day.

[@SupraSeth]

People that watch this video have to also understand that I just soaked the cylinder with a penetrating oil that wasn’t flammable and takes a while to burn off. In addition the spark plug very well could have fouled up. This isn’t a video on making it run like new, it’s a video on how to give the mower/ motor a potential second life.

[@bobp6742]

@@SupraSeth They must be pretty chuffed to get it back as its a good mower, I have the HRN316 HY and find it's nearly as good as a cylinder mower.

[@TearsOnABlackRose]

And i left high ethanol gas in it over winter, now it won't start

[@SupraSeth]

Sounds like it’s time for a carburetor cleaning.

[@kevindoherty2716]

Sounded ok but the engine is loose, and you can see the engine moving independent of the deck ,so please tighten the deck to engine bolts buddy ...

[@gncc600]

Runs like shit

[@SupraSeth]

The carb jet was gunked up from stale ethanol. Got it cleaned up and it ran smooth as glass.

[@mgomez5606]

You still have the mower?