Most likely the engine is not getting a rich enough mixture to keep cutting grass after the choke pulls off and before it fully warms up. This would be more pronounced in cooler weather and is usually taken care of with an adjustment to or replacement of the auto choke . I seem to remember a number of posts on this issue about two years ago. I would be inclined to take it back for an exchange or warranty service.

Thanks for the response saxman. I did quite alot of checking before I bought the mower. I found the problems from a couple years ago and that fix was suppossed to be a carb replaced with a different model.I thought that issue was past. The strange thing is that while it was running it was cutting some pretty high weedy grass. And I did use the mower a third time. It started right away run fairly strongly for a few minutes and died.It is almost certainly going to have to go back.I was kind of impressed with the bagging performance of this mower.Since this GCV 160 engine has had carb/choke issues for so long, Honda kind of sucks right now. The one thing that is strange is that it won't even close to start after it dies until left to sit a few minites.

It obviously has to cool off for the choke to work again. The choke dwell time must be increased. There might be a way to do it, but I have no experience with that auto choke.

Well I have not sent mower back yet. I decided to change the spark plug first. On a rather cool day, I started the mower and it runs continuously. went I let it die it wil restart easily. I was not able to mow with it yet because it just rained heavily.(how important is wet grass?). There is some possibility that I am stupid when it comes to what is closed or open concerning fuel shut off position.This could cause engine to start and die. The only other thing different thing is no grass bag mounted. I will have to make sure throttle cable doesn't bind against bag.If this mower now works under load all is well.Heck, maybe it was a wierd plug.If it works right while mowing I will report back.

My friend just got one these and had trouble starting it after I had used it about three different times at her home with no choke issue. Started as advertised on the first pull each time I had used it. I went over today and set the choke and started it and it died before it was warm. The second time I tried to start it I reached down and held the choke lever half closed with my finger tip for about two seconds more until it was idling smooth/warm. Mowed her front lawn just fine for me. I came home and found this post below from two years ago that stated the choke starts to open up as soon as you depress the dead man/safety lever to the handle. I will try it again soon and see if not depressing the lever until the very same moment as pulling the cord does the trick. Also I will tell her to try shutting the fuel line off each time that she finishes mowing with it and see if that makes a difference since the valve was still open when I got there today. Might make a difference too. I would guess Honda put the fuel line valve there for a reason.

RE: Problems with new Honda Lawnmower

* Posted by nevada_walrus Boulder City (My Page) on
Sat, May 24, 08 at 3:59

Canguy, I was thinking the same as Bill about the auto-choke. The ones I'm familiar with are set manually at the engine and as soon as the dead man control is pulled down it activates the release of the choke. Waiting too long to pull the rope or if the operater has the dead man bale wired down the full position of the choke would be lost by the time the first pull is made.

I've been gone from the shop since Sept and haven't seen this years models. Has Honda come out with a fully automatic choke that doesn't need that initial set?

I think freemany3 mentioned confusion about whether the fuel valve is open or shut [?]

On my friend's Honda/Troybilt it has graphics on the engine cover that show the valve in the open position. It seems to be the universal setting of if the valve/lever is in line with the fuel line then the valve is open.

Also, no need to use the choke if the mower's only been off briefly. Just grip it and rip it and it seems to fire right back up fine.

If it is a new troybilt, it should have the autoreturn choke that starts returning as soon as you set it. If you see it returning smoothly and completely it is working correctly. There was a bulitin issued by MTD that was listed as fix as fail. That was regarding the choke cable binding against the air cleaner box and not returning completly. My mower problem may have been confusion about the fuel cut of valve position. Sideways like rivers flow is open. straight up and down like a damm is closed. I don't know for shure what my problem was becauase the mower has run properly since I changed the spark plug.It can be confusing doing a general search because many of the old starting or running issues were fixed and don't apply to these new mowers.

My Honda Black Max with GCV 160 engine has performed like a beast on several lawns, though I got it from Craigslist a month or two ago after I had a mower stolen from my trailer. Some of the lawns quite large, no quitting problems; and, even today, I did a dry, dusty central Texas lawn, no problems, just before I came to my current small ("Lawn Love") lawn. (Lawn Love is sort of an Uber-type phone app, for folks who want to mow lawns or have them mowed, & I get paid direct deposit plus a 1099 form at year's end & THEY get you customers).

I decided to mow this lawn despite the (rare) August rain that just began; did half the yard, (no choking needed due to previously mentioned lawn I just did). Doubt sparkplug issues developed instantaneously as I mowed either. Halfway thru, it quit, not exceptionally heavy grass or hot weather today; I then refilled gas, tho not yet empty, started it with choke, it died 2 min later, repeated; then repeated & I cleaned dust from paper air filter which was wet but only 1/2 wet, on bottom side; repeated & stalled; removed filter entirely (in case any remaining damp dust in paper filter was somehow choking engine) - also added oil: though bigger Honda engines have oil level cutoff switches if oil is low or engine tilted, I'm virtually sure this one doesn't, but again died after a minute. Letting it cool, hoping to finish back yard 1/16 at a time so as not to have to return; hope engine runs well again after drying; one person at least mentioned wet grass...hoping electrical issue but no permanent damage is cause... it's been great til today!

Conclusion: rain cleared; left mower on covered porch while I edged; 15 min was enough for it to finish full last half of back yard: did run a little rough and surged a bit; in still thinking rain was an issue & possible ignition related - I'll find out after the rains clear in a day or two, and update this post.

Assume this is a new mower less than 50 hrs run time ? I ask since with Dusty condition plug should be inspected / cleaned , same with air and fuel filters . The half wet air filter from what , gas or oil or water ? If oil your overfilled , Gas then you carb is leaking through ( stuck inlet needle ) any black smoke upon start up ? Either way new air filter req, d . Check spark plug black , brown , oily or wet ? If all appears good then your auto choke is malfunctioning , unless the rain grounded out your coil or just saturated the air filter enough that is flooded out the engine . Dry mower in garage and try again without air filter and get back to us , also do you have good blue spark ? P.S. Re-read your current thread , yeah most likely the rain lots of rain ! lol.