Ok, the Honda GCV1600 started easily... I can't say I notice any difference over my older B&S, but I was surprised because it started on the first pull (well maybe I gave it a couple of short soft pulls to recheck the oil..another point, later). The choke is interesting, it is a manual pull to set, then when one closes the autokill bail the choke start to move to off, thus one needs to be ready to pull the rope as soon as they close the bail. The engine is also rated at "2", on a scale of 10 (10 is bad) cleanliness. So I can feel better about producing less pollution when mowing with it. Something to "feel" good about. On the oil, the manual is silent on the capacity, but the machine came with the usual short quart, I think it maybe be 1.5 pints. The suggestion is put it all in, and I'm sure many/most do. However, on putting about 3/4th of it in and checking the dip stick, I see it is full. Remains at the full mark after running for a few minutes. Of course, one is cautioned not to overfill, it is a splash lub engine. It seems like a serious error on my part or theirs, when they ship a special size oil container it should be the size needed to fill the oil tank, this protects the consumer from overfilling while guaranteeing, at least this one time, that the oil tank is full. Admittedly, it is hard to see clean oil on the plastic narrow cone shaped dip stick, but I can see it is wet to the full mark with less than the full container put in the tank. If the Honda is as good as my past B&S engines it will last until I don't need a mower any more. At my age I figure within the next 5-10 years I'm going to have to move off of the big property and take up a easier life stile in a Condo of other everything is done for you environment.

I bought a CP215517HV a couple of weeks ago for $800 delivered. This is an commercial, 21" HI-VAC with the Honda 5.5 HP GXV160KA12 commercial engine and commercial steel wheels. This was a new, old stock model. The current commercial HI-VAC model has a plastic control panel with a cup holder and a slightly different ground speed control. The dealer included a side discharge chute and mulch cover at no additional cost. These are extra cost options on the commercial HI-VAC model. Another Snapper dealer offered me a CRP2160KWV for $750. This is the current commerical mulching model with the commerical Kawasaki FJ180V engine and commercial steel wheels. This dealer offered to included a side discharge chute and rear bag kit at no additional cost. These are extra cost options on the commercial mulching model. From my experience you can get a commerical Snapper 21" HI-VAC or mulching model for about the same price at the consumer grade HRX217K2HXA. To get the Honda 5.5 HP comercial GXV160KA12 engine that came on my new Snapper in a Honda mower you would have to buy the $1,169 Honda Commercial HRC216K3HXA model. Both the Snapper and the Honda commerical mowers have 14 guage steel decks and the consumer grade Honda HRX217K2HXA has a plastic deck. I have a brother who bought a plastic deck Honda Harmony. Even though he is careful with his equipment and only uses the Harmony for trim work, the deck cracked. Since Honda deems steel decks better suited for their commercial mowers and my brother's cracked deck experience, I prefer Snapper's steel deck over the HRX217K2HXA's plastic deck.

Next update... I replaced all the gaskets from the air filter all the way into the block. Also cleaned the carb a third time while I had it all apart. Replaced the throttle return and governor springs too. I put on a new plug earlier in troubleshooting, and the only thing that I haven't done is replaced the air filter, but I've run the mower with the filter off completely and it still surges!!! I did find that if I manually play with the choke, I can get it to stop surging, so it sounds like it's just running lean at everything but WOT. I'm about out of options and I'm ready to just live with it, since it still works at WOT and that's where it is when I mow the lawn! The self propel thing is fine as long as I remember to push the lever all the way forward and don't just rely on the spring to completely bring it back! Still haven't found the time to take that lever apart and see what's wrong.

I have the noma model #2454550 which has been great but I need to replace the worm gears. The dealer said they were made of brass and it would be easier to change out the whole gear box except they don't seem to sell them! The question I have is, can someone tell me how to get the auger assembly removed? Maybe the two pins by the second auger need to be removed which I don't see how I can! Any help would be greatly appreciated. They say that until you fix a thing , you are merely renting it! Haha X