Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Just changed the sparkplug on my HS928 today and it was not as easy as my Honda lawnmower.  The angle is somewhat skewed so regular craftsman sparkplug socket is not the best.  I had to use the Honda socket (thinner) that came with the blower to loosen and tighten the sparkplug.  When you are installing the new sparkplug - try to tread it with your hand first before using the socket so you do not strip it.  Just be careful so $2 job does not turn into a $400 mess. Did you guys have similar experiences on your Honda blowers?

I found the plug a bit difficult to get to in my 6.5HP Greyhound clone engine last year when I put it away for the summer.  I was still able to use a regular socket and extension though.

MN_Runner wrote:
They make the engine that way so you have to buy the $40 tool set from Honda.  Worth about a buck but .....

woof - didn't you get the tool set with your new snowblower? 

borat - my rings are not shot.  the sparkplug looks clean and normal.  not sure why your engine is burning oil and soiling the sparkplug. 

MN_Runner wrote:
Yes, I got em, but I wish theyda taken 40 bux off he blower and lose the tools. Gotta buy em for 40 if you want em tho.

what is $40 when you buy a $4000 snowblower?  in is only 1% of your blower.  The sparkplug at the dealer is $4 and $2 at Fleet Farm. 

woof - when are you going to post some pictures of your beautiful 928TCD?

BTW: The original spark plug was not torqued as tight as it should have been - it came off a little too easy.  In addition, I was not able to use the torque wrench due to skewed angle.

woof,

the honda sparkplug wrench is only $3.54 from http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/honda/H-89216-809-000.html.   $40 sounded somewhat a little too high - perhpas your dealer is charging you that much to pay for the heat this winter!

well...the whole toolkit, worth bout a buck, is 40 bux up here.  But then you get Two cheap box wrenchs along with the plug wrench  lol.

Just to start some controversy.
Check where your Honda tools were made.
I think it would be hilarious if they were made in China.

CharlesW wrote:
A set of $4.00 Chinese tools selling for a $40.00 Honda price! 

Why am I not surprised?

borat wrote: I'm not saying that is the case, but it wouldn't surprise me either.

i wonder how much of my Honda blower is really made in Japan. 

MN_Runner wrote:
Give Honda a call.  Let us know what you find out.

Did you know that the Honda Accord has 75%+   US content and so big and bloated, it's only for the US market?

MN_Runner wrote:

I got this wrench and the accompanying bar from there.Looked it up under HS35. (G150) So it fits this snow blower.But will it fit HS621 (GX160) also?

I ordered it, I have not received it yet. I wonder if they are going to be from Japan or China.

40 dollar price must be for a set like this:

How old is your snowblower?  A sparkplug should last 6-8 years in a modern lean burning fourstroke snowblower. That is like changing your cars sparkplugs if you drove down to Florida.

Whoha wrote:

I do not know why MN_Runner wants to change his snow blower's plug but in my case:

HS35 is probably between 20-30 years old.One of the first 6000 of HS35s made according to VIN.I bought it used very recently.I have no way of knowing if the previous owner replaced it or not.

HS621 is also one of the first made HS621s if we are to believe VIN.This one looks better taken care of than the other.It is 2 dollars a plug (NGK), why not? If it is going to make more efficient...

I changed it for fun and just checking my mechanical skills.  I change it every year since the cost is only $2 at Fleet Farm.

Well,yesterday  I received the spark plug wrench and handle I ordered. They both were made in Japan. I am happy.

blumonster wrote:

How did you determine the age by the VIN? Is there a sequential code or are you just using the numeric sequence of the numbers after the SZAN designation as means of determining the estimated age?

FrankMA wrote:
I thought the bigger the number the newer the machine is.Since it is all numbers after the first letters which are the same in all, smaller numbers should mean older machines.Am I wrong?

I own the same Honda GX 270 engine on the same snowblower.  I use the dedicated socket from Honda to turn the plug after I break it loose with the 1/2" drive socket wrench and its spark plug socket.  I agree that beginning the threading process is best done by hand, then use the Honda wrench which is too flimsy to break loose the plug or tighten it without risk of cracking the ceramic of the spark plug.  You need to become proficient at this task because the oil you must put into that spark plug hole before storing the machine for the off season requires the same spark plug removal. To put the oil in the cylinder, go to a Pharmacy and ask them for a syringe used to measure liquid medicines, they cost very little, and they allow the oil to be inserted into that small spark plug hole WITHOUT making an unholy mess out of you and the engine.

blumonster wrote:
I'm not sure how the Honda VIN code works but I would also assume that the higher the number, the newer the machine. I thought you may have deciphered Honda's code and were able to determine the exact day, month and year of manufacture from the alpha-numeric code assigned to each machine.

I wish.But I do not think the VIN is coded.Just from smaller number to bigger number/from older to newer.

For example on HS35 they made design chnages on the auger guard/scraper area.

Up to frame serial number 1048328 the first design was used, and from this number up the new design was used.

I changed the spark plug on Honda HS35.At first it did not stay running.After a while I realized I did not tighten it well.I did not want it to get stuck there if I overtightened.After tightening more it is good now.One thing I noticed, the tiny tip of the spark plug where it meets the spark plug wire needed to be screwed out because it does not fit the way it came in the box.

I wanted to change the spark plug on Honda HS621 but the wrench I got for HS35 was too short although it is the same size so I could not put the handle.Now do I have to buy that expensive wrench for this one too?It is 13-14 dollars.

blumonster wrote:
Just a thought, wouldn't a 5/8" thin walled deep socket with an 6" extension work for both of your machines?

aa335 wrote:

I even got a 5/8" 12 pt. spark plug socket. It is too small.