Honda Engine Question:

[DFW Area Landscaper]

We've got one crew leader who insists on playing with the carb to get higher RPM's and thus faster self propulsion.

We have always changed the oil religiously, and air filters are changed daily (the black outer foam elements).

Does running the engine faster than intended cause pre-mature engine failure a little bit faster than normal or a lot faster than normal?

Had one Honda engine come in today with a muffler that is turning red. First Honda engine failure we've ever had.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper

[mowpart rep3]

i think raising rpms will have a negative effect on the engine most manufactures set rpms on engines so they perform at their max

[saw man]

Yes, higher RPM will cause premature engine failure.

Find out what the RPM they are running at, I wouldnt run over 3400 RPM on those, anything faster is too harmful and not worth the extra problems.

[newz7151]

We've got one crew leader who insists on playing with the carb to get higher RPM's and thus faster self propulsion.

We have always changed the oil religiously, and air filters are changed daily (the black outer foam elements).

Does running the engine faster than intended cause pre-mature engine failure a little bit faster than normal or a lot faster than normal?

Had one Honda engine come in today with a muffler that is turning red. First Honda engine failure we've ever had.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper

I would suggest giving that crew leader all regular push mowers to use instead of self propelled units if he wishes to move the mower faster than what the factory sets it up for.

[6'7 330]

If the raise in the RPM setting well above the rated setting, yes it can cause pre-mature ware. Tach the engine out, and make sure the RPM'S are at 3600,blades spinning.

[pugs]

If the raise in the RPM setting well above the rated setting, yes it can cause pre-mature ware. Tach the engine out, and make sure the RPM'S are at 3600,blades spinning.

Um, no. If this is a Honda Mower usually the Honda spec is 3000-3200 depending on the model.

[Restrorob]

Um, no. If this is a Honda Mower usually the Honda spec is 3000-3200 depending on the model.


OOOOK, Read the third thread down from the top in this forum and then post your engine model and spec. numbers....

[6'7 330]

Um, no. If this is a Honda Mower usually the Honda spec is 3000-3200 depending on the model.

The commercial 5.5 vertical shaft is rated at 3600, I have set 5.5 Honda's at that rate for years and years. The consumer , light commercial, overhead cam is rated at 3200 to 3400.

[lawnmaniac883]

3600 rpms no load. If he is playing with it and the muffler is turning red then ... it is probably around 4k rpms. Not good at all. If he wants to play with carbs tell him to go work at a speed shop.

[DFW Area Landscaper]

He took a spare yesterday morning and when he checked in this evening, sure enough. The damn thing was running as fast as it possible could.

I'm convinced the sonovabitch is burning up my engines and he's also running through these lawns so fast there's no way they can look very nice when he's done.

I think this crew leader does not get invited back next spring. I will buy a tool at NAPA today to test the RPM's and tell him if I catch him running these things too fast again, it'll be a $150 fine on his next pay check. This problem is strictly a function of him not caring about how long my equipment lasts.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper

[pugs]

The commercial 5.5 vertical shaft is rated at 3600, I have set 5.5 Honda's at that rate for years and years. The consumer , light commercial, overhead cam is rated at 3200 to 3400.

Yes, but depends what the engine is on. Honda Mowers are supposed to run at around 3000-3200 depending on model. If you want I will post the pages out of the service manuals...

I just looked it up for an HRC216. Max Governed speed for that mower is 3100 plus or minus 150.

The engine is rated for 5.5 HP at 3600. But in that particular mower it should only be running at 3100.

[pugs]

He took a spare yesterday morning and when he checked in this evening, sure enough. The damn thing was running as fast as it possible could.

I'm convinced the sonovabitch is burning up my engines and he's also running through these lawns so fast there's no way they can look very nice when he's done.

I think this crew leader does not get invited back next spring. I will buy a tool at NAPA today to test the RPM's and tell him if I catch him running these things too fast again, it'll be a $150 fine on his next pay check. This problem is strictly a function of him not caring about how long my equipment lasts.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper


If it has screws for the adjustments...adjust them where you want them and then put some nailpolish on them. If the nail polish is chipped off then at least you have some way to prove that someone was screwing with the screws.

[DFW Area Landscaper]

I think nail polish is a good idea. Will probably just fire this crew leader Monday morning and promote from within. He has been scratching lawns off the schedule that weren't even mowed, so he is probably gone.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper

[6'7 330]

Yes, but depends what the engine is on. Honda Mowers are supposed to run at around 3000-3200 depending on model. If you want I will post the pages out of the service manuals...

I just looked it up for an HRC216. Max Governed speed for that mower is 3100 plus or minus 150.

The engine is rated for 5.5 HP at 3600. But in that particular mower it should only be running at 3100.

We use commercial hydros, set to 3600 RPM.I have a mountain of manuels going back years and years, and the manuel setting is purely for ansi. As I said we've run the commercial Honda's at that setting for years.And with the new double blade setup's drag on the blade tip seed , it need's the bump in RPM'S more so then in the past.

[barnard]

I think nail polish is a good idea. Will probably just fire this crew leader Monday morning and promote from within. He has been scratching lawns off the schedule that weren't even mowed, so he is probably gone.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper
Were these the ones customers said weren't cut? Also, you can fire him ,but you can't fine him.

[Restrorob]

but you can't fine him.


A couple of my commercial guys do just that, If their employees do stupid things to tear their equipment up they deduct the repairs out of the employee's pay.
Hmmm, Seems their equipment hasn't been coming in as often as it use to.....

[barnard]

One call from the employee to the state labor dept.(any state) will stop that. A simple federal law called the Fair Labor Standards Act requires employees to be paid for hours worked .You could however give them time off without pay.You could lower their pay .(as long as it met minimum wage) but you can't "fine" them.

[khouse]

I think first you need to verify the high idle speed with a tachometer before you blow a head gasket. It may be within range?

[DFW Area Landscaper]

I just finished replacing the engine on the Honda mower. Man, what a beating.

Had to make a trip to the store for a special wrench to get the thing off. Needed a 10mm gooseneck wrench, or so I thought. Drove to 5 auto parts stores and all had 11mm and up but the slot for 10mm was empty at every one. Unreal. Finally had to buy an entire set for 80 dollars. Got home and found out the wrench wouldn't fit. Had to detatch the engine from the housing in order to remove the part that holds the clutch cable. Probably damaged the clutch cable in the process.

Then, trying to remove the clutch plate from the crank shaft was a beating. Had to go to AutoZone to get a 3 way puller for that.

The entire handle assembly had to be disassembled.

The worst part was getting the engine mounted back on the housing. There are two plates that have to go in between the engine and the housing. I nearly lost it.

From start to finish, probably 13 hours and some of that was pure temper tantrum frustration. I am filthy.

I am certain the next one will be 1/4 that much time or less. There is a learning curve. Even still, there are certain aspects of this job that really need three arms to hold stuff in place while you start bolts and stuff like that.

I am exhausted.

Perhaps the buy new, depreciate and sell a year later is the way to go. I lost my entire Saturday. The first 3 hours of the day were spent driving around trying to find a tachometer for a lawn mower. Never found one. Finally ordered one from the local dealer that sets on top and measures the vibration.

Later,
DFW Area Landscaper