By trial and error, it's this way on my HRR216, 160CC Quadracut 21" self propelled, 3 speed, walk behind : The timing marks are on the bottom side of the black plastic cam gear. They will not work if lined up with the keyway on the crank facing forward as it directed on "Timing the Honda 160CC". It has to be set with the long crankshaft keyway facing the rear of the lawnmower.......CBU????. Anyway, it runs fine when timed as I described. My question now is: Where should the governor spring be attached? Obviously, one end on the governor arm. How about the other end? Also, the throttle return spring on the governor rod??? If no answer here on this forum, I guess I can go to HD and find out by looking at a model on display.

Well there are two brands I would look at if your replacing that Honda which would be John Deere or Simplcicity maybe even kubota. You may want to upgrade to a wider deck since you say you have been cutting several acres. Your honda in 1987 Had a MSRP of $2,889. Well since it looks like you just need a tractor to mow with and not any gardening tasks then I would suggest mayebe a Deere X300 series lawn Tractor Starting at $2,999 with the X300 that has a 17hp kawasaki engine and either a 38 or 42inch deck The X300 series goes up to the model X360 which has power steering and Hydraulic lift and up to a 54inch deck with a 22hp Kawasaki engine the 48inch dek is standard on the X360 and it has a MSRP of $5,099 with 48inch deck. There is also Simplicity Broadmoor Lawn tractor that range from 18hp to 20hp Briggs& stratton engines with 38,44 and 50inch mowing decks and Range in price from $4,300 to $4,950. Then there is the Kuboata T-series lawn tractors that range in HP from a 18hp 1cylinder Kohler to a 23hp VTiwn Kohler and in decks sizes 40,42&48inch mowing decks and from a MSRP price range from $3,350 to $4,850 PersonallY I own 3 John Deere's, 4 Cub Cadets, 2 Simplcities,1 White and 1 ingersoll all but two are Garden tractors. Since you say your have Sevral trees and obsticles on the property I would look at either a John Deere X304 or a X324 both Tractors are All wheel steer avaliable with either a 42inch or 48inch mowing deck. In the mid 1990's John Deere actually produce the Honda Lawn tractors on the Deere LX series frames for Honda. Now you 3813 was shaft driven if I am correct. The least exspencive tractor you will find with shaft drive is a Cub Cadet mid level GT called a 2542 with a starting price of a MSRP of $3,849 with the current sale price of $3,499. But since it looks like you just want a Lawn tractor the Top 3 I mention Deere,Simplicity and Kubota have the best quality in the current Lawn tractor market. If you were going to look a Garden tractors as well I would mention Ingersoll and Cub Cadet as other Tractor to consider. Because the Ingersoll Garden tractor are built like Tanks. The design hasn't change much since the early 1960's. Hopeffully this give you a Idea on a Good quality Lawn tractor to replace your Honda and I have added a link for the Diffrent lawn and Garden tractor mnaufacturers out there. Good luck in your search. Here is a link that might be useful: manufacturers

Thanks for the help,if I line it up on the groove on the crankshaft, it is very hard to pull and wants to pull the rope out of your hand, if I turn the crank 180 and line, it up on the keyway for the pump it pulls very easy.THe splitter I used all the time just this last time I went to use it ,it fired one time and threw the timing belt off. The keyway and groove on the crank are 180 opposite of each other and which one do you use at top dead center on the intake vavle.thanks again for your help.

If you're getting timing chain noise at startup, try using a different oil filter. Some filters just don't have a very good anti-drainback valve design and this results in the timing chain noise because the hydraulic tensioner isn't getting oil fast enough because the anti-drainback valve didn't do what it's name says it does. Ford had issued a TSB about timing chain startup noise on the '95 Contour/Mystique--they went so far as to redesign their FL-820 oil filter with a silicone anti-drainback valve to fix the problem, and it did.