Oil in air Filter on Honda GCV160 Engine

14 years ago

Hello,

I have a Honda GCV160 engine on my lawn mower(Poulan Pro).

I think I did something that I shouldnt have done, I tilted the lawn mower on the carburator side and now the air filter is filled with oil and the engine wont start.

What do you recommend I do to correct the situtation ? Is it a serious problem ?

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Comments (7)

canguy
14 years ago
Replace the air filter, check the oil level and start the engine. It will smoke for a bit but no harm done.
1saxman
14 years ago
Sometimes in this case you have to remove the spark plug and pull the starter cord about twenty times to clear the cylinder. Make sure the spark plug wire is either grounded or held away from the engine and can't spark and start a fire. Don't tip it up on that side unless the oil is drained and the gas tank empty. Perform all blade service and oil change by tipping it up with the carburetor on the high side.
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Yes, the gasket or spacer if equipped could cause the leak. A spray of carb spray focused in that area while it is running may confirm it. (It will pick up speed)You also have to be sure that you didn't flip a gasket on re-assembly. You have to be sure on the main jet holes being clean. That is the reason for the tag wire. After soaking , I always re-clean with spray carb clean to fully dislodge the gunk removed with the solution. Your fuel needs to be fresh and the rest of the fuel system clean as well. Fuel cap must vent also.
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Do you ever tilt the mower up on one side or hang it up to save space? If you do, you may be raising the exhaust side which will let oil contaminate the air filter. Gas usually gets into the oil when the carburetor continues to allow fuel in after shutting off the mower. The carb floods and gas gets into the oil. Any time you pick up one side of the mower, it has to be the carb side. That's why they always put the oil fill tube on the side opposite the carb, so you can drain the old oil without causing a problem. If your pleated air filter is oily, the engine may not run, or it may run 'rich', which will produce carbon and cause the oil to smell like gas. The Honda carb also has a drain plug bolt, so you don't have to remove the fuel bowl to flush it out. The oily air filter might be why its not running. Maybe you are the only one who knows how it got oily.
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If you had oil in it then the governor is not working or hung up. You need to see if it is moving freely. Hard to diagnose without seeing it. But a un adjuster governors do many strange things. I would also suggest that you remove the shroud and gas tank. Only 3 nuts and look to see if the flywheel is hitting the magneto. Remove the spark wire first. Also see if the flywheel has any slop sideways. Also look to see if the flywheel bolt may have come loose. This engine has a heavier flywheel.
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i removed about 2 oz of oil to make sure it wasn't that stupid. dad didn't seem concerned about that saying it was an insignificant amount. difficult to get an accurate read on the oil level due to the stupid plastic dipstick design but it seems at the correct level. i probably should stick a screwdriver in it to get an accurate read, but like i said, it isn't over-filled oil. i know the symptoms of too much oil -- heavy black smoke and very erratic performance. this is a slight black smoke, excessive fuel consumption (rich burn, burning fuel 4 times faster than it should), slight erratic performance, and degraded rpm. new spark plug was installed and gapped to 0.76mm (factory gap was actually correct). removal of air filter was tested. it is a new air filter replaced 2-3 weeks ago and frequently dusted -- i also typically use a very porous 2ndary filter (similiar to the filling of a comforter) as well to keep larger stuff off the air filter. it isn't those things. i've used new gas from two different sources. i've thoroughly cleaned and checked the carb (needle valve was perfectly clean like brand new and functioning correctly with the floater, the bulb was perfectly clean like brand new except of course with clean gas in it), everything looks good, and really, there isn't much that could go wrong with the carb with everyday use, unless i was burning sand and sludge. i also examined and cleaned the breather and it looked in good condition. the breather was clean except for the expected oil and functioning perfectly. i'm really just asking for advice on what to expect for tearing down the engine, if there is anything special that i need to know. my dad thinks it ran hot with the choke getting stuck and not releasing fully. it is likely internal to the engine. hopefully, it is just a worn belt considering 500 hours (5-10 years of residential use) is about the life of a residential mower engine, but i may have to replace rings and hone the cylinders if it was because of the automatic choke release being used and not releasing even though the lever was fully released due to dirt build-up around the linkage for it. everything else was just fyi to give my review and experience with the craftsman mower and honda engine.
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frenchacre
12 years ago
just read this thread as bought a GCV135 Allen at auction and taking it back to car did exactly as thread starter and held it to me carb down. DOH! It didnt leak any oil on the way to car but when I got home it had dribbled through filter. onto deck. Not seeN this mower working so pig in a poke but looked ok. Have cleaned filter with petrol but will replace. Took off carb bowl and just dribble of fuel and no oil and no sludge. (p/tank was empty but wet.) Trying to figure out how oil came out through carb but didn't enter it (or maybe did?). Suppose it would have only gone into main jet if at all and main jet raised?? Hoping not to have to strip carb but will find out shortly. Read inline filter good idea for fuel? Any views? Is there space?
Thanks - new to this most informative website.
1saxman
12 years ago
Mower engines have crankcase vapor recycling like cars. Oil can get into the carb/combustion chamber this way if tipped incorrectly. Oil in the carb is no particular problem. The fuel dilutes/clears it and the engine burns it. However the oil can also follow the the intake tract and enter the cylinder where it can cause hydraulic lock. It all depends on how it was tipped. It could just go out through the air filter as yours did. Just check the oil, change the air filter, fuel the engine and start. You may see some oil smoke for a few minutes.
wrightmike_shaw_ca
12 years ago
l just recently took over as building manager
There is old honda lawn mower GCV 160,will not start.
What do l have to do to get engine running? MIKE
HU-549955738
4 years ago
You probably need to add oil. I think this engine has a low oil shut-off so that it can't be run when it is low on oil.
tomplum
4 years ago
I think that I saw on the news that Wright had gotten this running, went and mowed a Veteran's lawn in every state then retired from all the good karma! At least that's what I remember as it was 7 or 8 years ago. :)

Also to clarify the low oil shutdown feature: The MRF version that Honda uses on these when the oil is too low, is to simply hog out the upper crank bearing and / or seizing the engine all together. (MRF is short for Mower Replacement Feature)

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Oil in air Filter on Honda GCV160 Engine

Comments (7)

canguy

1saxman

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frenchacre

1saxman

wrightmike_shaw_ca

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