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

Hello - purchased a new Honda HS928WAS last year and only got to use it about 3 times last winter. When I did it worked great! We received our first big snowstorm today and I had a hard time starting it. Once it did start, I let it warm up a while and then used it. After about 15 minutes it stalled out. I waited about 15 minutes and started it again and then it worked fine. Went out to use it a second time tonight and the same thing happened - about 15 minutes into it and it stalled out. However, this time I can not get it to start again. I have used all new gas this winter and have no idea what can be causing this. I thought Honda's were known for their easy starting and reliability, which was the major reason I purchased it. I am ready to sell it and go back to old, reliable snow shoveling. :) Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks for the help!

DBV1 wrote:

Sorry to hear about your bad Honda experience.  You are probably thinking "what a piece of sh%$!"  Had some questions: When it started, was it surging after pushing in the choke?  When it took snow, how did it do?  Did it quit?  My 2010 928WAS was surging and sounded like it was not getting enough gas.  So I took it back to the dealer and had it fixed.  They said the carburator was replaced but most likely they replaced the main jet.  Take the blower back to dealer and have them either replace the carburator or clean the main jet.  One thing that I do before I store the blower is I run the blower for about 10 min then shut the fuel value to closed position and let the engine run its course.  I fill the tank with a full thank and store it for the summer.  I also do this for my Honda lawnmower and have not given me any issue so far. 

Before taking it back to the dealer, take the spark plug out and make sure it is not wet then reinstall the existing one or new one if you have one with the genuine Honda tool set that came with your $2600 blower.  Give it a try and good luck!

That is funny, as I was thinking what a piece of you know what..haha. I purchased the Honda to be trouble free. FYI - I did drain all the gas in the spring. When I first started it, it did surge, but I let it warm up for about 10 minutes, since it was the first start of the winter. When it took the snow, it did great. It seemed like it was running great too, until it just died. Thanks for the tips! MN_Runner wrote:

Don't throw in the towel yet.

It is highly unusual for any new machine to be giving you trouble, unless you forgot to drain the fuel out of the carburetor last spring.

I suspect the gas vent cap might be clogged or plugged.  That would generate a vacuum and prevent the fuel from going to the carburetor.  The engine will stall out without fuel.

You can try to verify that it is the gas cap.  Next time when it stalls out, loosen the gas cap and wait a minute or so.  Then try to start the engine again.  If it starts up easily, the gas cap is the culprit.

aa335 wrote:
What have you been smoking? I have not heard this one before.  The theory is very interesting so please enlighten me...  Maybe I will call Click and Clack from MIT.

MN_Runner wrote:
I was going to suggest Sea Foaming in an enclosed garage to clean out carbon deposits on a brand new Honda engine, but all that do is cause asphyxiation of the operator and alter the stoichiometry of the fuel-starved engine. 

The problem seems to be fuel or air starvation.  The gas cap theory seems to be fairly plausible, cheap, and quick to verify.  I'd do that before sending the machine back to the dealer and prepare to apply choice of anal lubricant.

DBV1 wrote:

A few more suggestions: Please do what AA335 suggested.  If your engine starts for some reason and it runs then dies later, you cannot have the choke pulled out since your engine is already warm.  I had a hard time restarting the engine with the choke ON (as I thought I needed to have the choke ON at all times) with a warm engine.  I was clearing my pond this afternoon so my kids can skate.  I had no trouble restarting the warm engine without the choke even the outdoor temperature was 15F.

Try this (page 57 of the manual) then put in new fresh gas. http://powerequipment.honda.com/pdf/manuals/00X31V416000.pdf

This may not work and it is up to you to try it.  Hopefully your garage is not too cold.

MN_Runner wrote:
this can be a real problem and while it doesn't happen very often if the vent in the cap becomes clogged with debris it will not allow air into the tank to replace the gas that the engine is burning.  If you can not get air into the tank the carb will not get fuel as a vaccum becomes present in the tank and the gas just wont flow to the carb.
 
Removing the gas cap and breaking the vaccum after the engine dies out and waiting a minute or two for gas to flow to the carb and fill the bowl before starting will verify if the cap is the culprit if the engine starts easliy.

MN_Runner wrote:

This is a common Tecumseh problem due to a defective gas cap design.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah14EnPhdUQ

Thanks for the information and learned one new trick.  I just wish changing the timing belt is as simple as the gas cap change.  AA335 is one smart dude!

MN_Runner wrote:
Hah!  That's just me smoking. 



By the way, changing timing belt is fairly simple, it's all the other stuff around it is complex. 

The Honda engine has a gas shutoff valve that is counterintuitive.  IE: it may be off when you think it is on.  Tuning it to the right (viewed from above) makes it open and vice versa.  So...make sure you got it in the on position and see what happens.  Sure looks like a fuel problem, and this could be it.  I had a similar problem with my Honda right after I bought it (stupid me - when all else fails, read the manual).

Should have purchased a Toro! LMAO

Dr_Woof wrote:
Sounds like he was able to run it for two 15 min sessions.  It could be true for the first 15 min run (not much longer than 10 min at full throttle)  but it would be tough to run another 15 min with that shutoff value OFF.  I am agreeing with AA335 gas cap diagnosis although I have no personal experience.

stresst wrote:
That's not going to work.   I have Honda and Toro snowblower and have failed to start the engine several times.  

I don't forget to shut off the fuel valve after using the snowblower, but I do forget to turn it back on when trying to start the engine.   Those damn engines are so hard to start!  Why can't they make them with push button start like on cars??

aa335 wrote:
Isn't that what an electric starter is for? 

hcbph1 wrote:
I have one of those? 

aa335 wrote:

Unless you got the economy model.

Of all the snow blowers I have (4 SS machines and one dual stage), all of them usually start on the first or second pull even after seven or eight months of storage.  Run them dry before you put them away.  The only machine that caused me any grief was the 2010 Toro 221.  It was hard to start and ran irratically early the first season I used it.  Pulled the float bowl off the carb and found tiny blue plastic particles in it.  Cleaned it up and it's been good since.  However, it sees very little service these days due to insufficient snow and it's not as much fun to use as the cheap Craftsman and Murray machines.

Bill_H wrote:
Actually, I'm just kidding.

2 of my 4 snowblowers have electric start.  I rarely use them.  I find it more troublesome to find a cord and plugging them into the outlet than to use the manual pull start.  Since the engines are maintained well, they are quite easy to start.  The only time I find them hard to start is when I forget to turn the fuel valve on. 

Thanks for everyone's help. I started the snowblower on the first pull two days ago and let it run for about 10 minutes. No issues. Now, we need another snow to really test it out.

DBV1 wrote:

So what was the culprit?