Abby’s Guide > Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) > Discussions > Difficult to swap-out hi-altitude carb jet in Honda motor?
Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions |
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epremack
Joined: Feb 24, 2011
Points: 8
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Difficult to swap-out hi-altitude carb jet in Honda motor?
Original Message Aug 9, 2011 11:27 am |
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I just bought a pressure washer powered by a Honda GCV190 motor. I bought it at sea level, but recently brought it to 6,200 feet altitude. It seems to run well at 6,200 feet, but I wonder if I'm either damaging the engine or running the risk of fouling it?
Honda makes a couple of inexpensive (<$10) substitute carburetor jets for higher altitude. The manual says to bring the unit to a Honda dealer to substitute the alternate carburetor jet.
I'm wondering if (1) I should bother with switching the jet and, if "yes," (2) whether it's an easy switch that I could perform without hauling the unit back and forth to the dealer?
I'm mechanically inclined and have good tools, but have never done anything beyond minor services (e.g., changing/gap-ing the plug, changing oil, and changing/cleaning air filters) on small engines. Does anyone have experience making this switch?
Thanks.
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epremack
Joined: Feb 24, 2011
Points: 8
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Re: Update and new carb question.
Reply #7 Sep 27, 2015 1:57 pm |
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I was the one who posted this question back in '11 and offer thanks for the advice and updates. I opted to leave the original jet in the carburetor for my pressure washer. While I don't use it often, It seems to work fine at 6,200'. What little fouling of the plug I experience likely comes from the tablespoon of oil that I put into the cylinder when I store it a few times each year. I also have an older Honda HS928 snowblower. I don't know what jet it has (I'm the second owner), but it too seems to run pretty clean. The carburetor on the HS928, however, is now leaking fuel--so I've emptied it but need to get ready for El Nino. I believe it's leaking from either the top of the float chamber or the sediment cup. It's hard to tell where. It runs well for an old and heavily-worked machine, with only intermittent hunting if I use fuel that's a bit stale. I presume it needs fresh gaskets. I noticed that the Honda OEM gasket set costs around $13--about the same price as a whole aftermarket carburetor. Does anyone have experience with these aftermarket carbs? Are they and/or the aftermarket rebuild kits any good? Or should I simply spring for the $13 gasket set and clean out the old carb? I'm not a small engine expert by any stretch, but do generally change my own oil/plug changes and rebuilt the front end of this blower when I bought it back in '11.
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