Honda Lawn Tractor ?? OT

[55 Fargo]

Hey all, have a 16.5 hp V twin Honda powered Sears lawn tarctor, and it is running a bit rough, and back firing too.

I have installed new plugs, tried premium gas, but same result, right cylinder plug is getting a bit black too, almost like it is not running on that cylinder at times.

I know very little about small engines, any ideas?

If I can't figure it out, will have to take it in. I have been lucky, as we have had a severe drought around here this summer, so not much grass to cut.

Any info appreciated......Fred

[Don Coatney]

When I have a question about my lawn mower I go to the lawn mower forum.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=219

[Plymouthy Adams]

and like any engine, what is your compression..check your valves...

[55 Fargo]

When I have a question about my lawn mower I go to the lawn mower forum.

http://www.mytractorforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=219

Thanx don

[55 Fargo]

Will check this out Tim, it could very well be a sticky or a valve out of adjustment...

[Young Ed]

My honda pushmower actually has a timing belt. If yours does too it could be outta wack somehow

[Chester Brzostowski]

Hay Fred,

I don’t know about the lawn mower but a great video of your car. You have come a long way.

Chet...

[55 Fargo]

Hay Fred,

I don’t know about the lawn mower but a great video of your car. You have come a long way.

Chet...

Thanx Chet, gonna make a new video soon. Iy has been a great warm summer here, my road is so dusty, that I am not driving my car anywhere near what I would, if I lived on a paved road. I have almost 3 miles to the paved highway, on super dusty, dry, limestone based roads, it sucks, but we like living in the country away from the crime filled and busy city

[55 Fargo]

My honda pushmower actually has a timing belt. If yours does too it could be outta wack somehow

hmm, does not show this in the parts manual, will look again though...

[moose]

Does it have a fuel pump? I was having similar, but intermittent problems with my Kohler powered Sears rider, put in a new pump($40). Fixed it for me.

Good luck.

[greg g]

also check the connectios from the carb to the intake. I had one do that that I traced to a loose manifold and a failed gasket.

[55 Fargo]

also check the connectios from the carb to the intake. I had one do that that I traced to a loose manifold and a failed gasket.

I have had this very thing happen on my 1973 John Deere snow blower, that was an easy fix, this Honda carb and manifold look snug and in good shape.

I am sending it into the shop tonight, no time to figure it out, as my work schedule is calling...

[BobT-47P15]

This has nothing to do with your problem......but here is a Toro that'll

mow your yard in nothing flat. And it's a dump truck too.

Seen in an area town.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Another Toro..will also mow the yard and dump in it at the same time...!

[desoto1939]

The Toro tractor that you have in the picture looks like the one that Arnold Palmer used on his personal property when he was doing advertisments for Toro about 15 years ago.

Rich Hartung

[55 Fargo]

This has nothing to do with your problem......but here is a Toro that'll

mow your yard in nothing flat. And it's a dump truck too.

Seen in an area town.

Hey Bob, it's a toss up, your post or Tims, which would work best for my yard..........LOL ps is that Chili place in Joplin still operating, maybe Tim's bull could be their mascot

[55 Fargo]

Which would you rather use:rolleyes:?

My grass is pathetic:o, after a long hot summer with no rain. Last year and even this spring this area in the background, was flooding, the grass in my yard until July was lush and greeen sure hope it comes back:eek:....

[Don Coatney]

The Toro tractor that you have in the picture looks like the one that Arnold Palmer used on his personal property when he was doing advertisments for Toro about 15 years ago.

Rich Hartung

This is the tractor from the Arnold Palmer Pennzoil commercials. They use the 9N Ford tractor engine and Ford truck transmission and rear end.

[BobT-47P15]

Yes, the chili place - Fred & Red's - is still open.

It's also for sale as the owner is wanting to retire.

But it's tough to find a person wanting to operate such a place

evidently. They say some folks want to buy him out, just to get

the chili recipe, then sell it on the internet in brick form.

It only has a horseshoe shaped counter seating about 20 people....you

stand around the walls to wait for a seating vacancy to occur.

Eventually your patience pays off.

[Plymouthy Adams]

Fred..enough eating chili..go fix the tractor and report back..

[greg g]

Hey Bob, is that stuff like the chili they sell in Cincinnati, meatsauce over pasta??? Or is it texas red style???

[55 Fargo]

Well my own inner assumption was correct.

Right cylinder, coil was dead, no spark.

All else has tested out okay, now this made sense, intermittent spark=intermittent problems, and the right plug was truning carbon black.

When the coil finally failed completely, that is when the real rough running and backfiring began.

Live and learn, only 1 hour labor at $56.00 per hour plus $60 for the part.

[BobT-47P15]

Hey Bob, is that stuff like the chili they sell in Cincinnati, meatsauce over pasta??? Or is it texas red style???

Greg......it's their version of chili over spaghetti.

Their chili is fairly mild so as to please the most customers.

But you can spice it up to suit yourself.

Don't know what they do in Cinci or the Lone Star state,

but this stuff is popular around here in the good old "Show Me"

state, southwest corner.....on old Rt 66.

Fred, glad you solved your mower problem.

[Don Coatney]

it's their version of chili over spaghetti.

My mother was a very good cook but she did not know how to make chili as she always added noodles. Real chili has no noodles. I sure do miss her home fried chicken. Living in Naptown in the early 50's my mother brought live chickens home and me and my dad whacked there heads off in the back yard and turned them loose to run. Always resulted in a good laugh and a great meal. This is not me in the photo.