Honda GX270 +23 year old carb: Rebuild or Replace?

[chipper1]

if a Honda carb lasts 20+ years without maintenance, and another 20 with mainenance, why waste time with aftermarket? Clean it, or if you have to put another OEM carb in. The last thing I want to do is replace an aftermarket carb every 3-5 years.

Or support china and child labor, unless it's my children .

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Or support china and child labor, unless it's my children .

I'm more against the lack of freedom and general oppression in Asia If a kid wanted to start a rice tending service (similar to lawn services here) in fine with that, but working should be a choice instead of necessity.

 

[stretch5881]

When you fuel a can at the gas station with multiple fuels on one hose, you can get up to a half gallon(depends on the hose length) of ethanol before starting to pump e free, if you're only buying a gallon or two at a time, you're not getting anywhere near e free. I buy all mine from an e free pump with its own designated tank, only one fuel comes out that hose.
Where would all that water come from if not from ethanol or some serious condensation.

That would be for that fellow to figure out the source. I only fix it for him.
For my supply, I top off my Jeep before filling my cans.

 

[FTG-05]

Catastrophic. Failure.

I put it back to together. Since some rebuild parts came in yesterday, I replaced the inside gasket (it was slightly torn, but I didn't want to chance it) and the gas chamber o-ring. I put it together under what I would call "surgical cleanliness" conditions; which for me is clean enough for a starving dog to eat off of.

Went together pretty well, no fighting it, no parts left over. Hooked the gas line back up; I had to replace the last 6" of gas line due to Honda's moronic gas line change from 1/4" at the fuel cut-off valve to 3/16" at the carb end.

Oh well no biggie, another run into town. Got it installed, no leaks!

Reinstalled the gas tank and put fresh gas in it. Turned the gas line valve on and the choke to "on" and pulled the cord. And pulled. And pulled. And pulled. Took the spark plug out to see if I flooded it or if the valve set needle valve was leaking (apparent original failure). Everything looked ok, no excess gas, nothing. Re-installed the spark plug and pulled the cord. And pulled. And pulled. And pulled.

After an hour, I gave up for the day. All that work, all that worrying, all that running into town for this or that. All for nothing.

Went in this morning with a heavy heart and tried again. No luck. At this point, it was too close to call whether I was going to take it to the local small engine place or empty a couple AR-15 mags into it. I was just about getting ready to go get a couple dozen mags - when I recalled the current ammo scare and shortage. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. Where they came from, I have no idear.

So back up on the lift - again - so I can load onto the truck and take it, head lowered in shame, to the small engine place. I got it to almost the final lift height - when I saw it - the cause of the catastrophic failure.


My bet is that no one here will be able to figure what caused this catastrophic failure.




Wait for it:

 

[Shane¹]

So I am hearing you got it fixed no one needed to know about that last part lol we all been there

 

[legdelimber]

My personal favorite (with a lawn mower)?
Forgetting to put the spark plug wire back on after I've had the blade off to sharpen.
Most push mowers nowdays have the cylinder facing away from you, so makes it easier to miss.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I didn't know anyone actually disconnected the plug wire....

I just use a socket to remove the blade, sharpen, balance, bolt it back on. I can't imagine TRYING to start a mower that way. Plus that handle safety has to be engaged for either the engine to run or the blade clutch to engage (depending on if it's consumer or pro).

If that worked I'd imagine pulling plug wires before:
- sharpening a chain.
- going under the truck hood.
- tilting a boat motor up.
- banging the neighbor's wife.

 

[stretch5881]

Most common operator error I see, is they forget about the gas valve under the tank.

 

[DND 9000]

The switch was off all the time.

 

[FTG-05]

So I am hearing you got it fixed no one needed to know about that last part lol we all been there

Yep, started right up on the 2nd pull. I ran it about 15 minutes, then changed the oil:

 

[chipper1]

Awesome, glad you got it all squared away.
You're not the only guy whose done that, I've done it many times on the honda snowblowers.
You should probably get another filter on that fuel line . Whatever works though .

 

[huskihl]

Seafoam once in awhile does a remarkable job keeping the carb innards clean and working.



But it won’t turn the switch to ON. Glad you got it figured out

 

[legdelimber]

I didn't know anyone actually disconnected the plug wire....

I just use a socket to remove the blade, sharpen, balance, bolt it back on. I can't imagine TRYING to start a mower that way. Plus that handle safety has to be engaged for either the engine to run or the blade clutch to engage (depending on if it's consumer or pro).

If that worked I'd imagine pulling plug wires before:
- sharpening a chain.
- going under the truck hood.
- tilting a boat motor up.
- banging the neighbor's wife.

Goes back to the points & condenser ignitions and having to put a block of wood against the blade to foul it while you used some hand operated wrench to loosen the bolt. The other issue was people winding yard debris around the crank and the grabbing the blade and flipping a bit of spin as they unwound dog leashes and what-not.
The old Briggs ignitions would "hand prop" the engine, like spinning an old aircraft propeller.
One good pop was enough to do serious hand damage.
Anyone who's ever shot a potato canon should have an appreciation for that single pop from one spark and "just a little dab of fumes".

Check the specs on the ignition coils from Briggs & Stratton after they switched to transistorized coils. Roughly a 200 rpm low speed cut out that kills the spark at rpm below said frequency/rpm.

I had a portable yard fan (4ft gable fan) that I drove with a mid-70's 5hp briggs. points ignition.
To get the correct rotation, I had to mount the engine with the recoil facing (super close to) the rear of the fan blades.
Not a problem though, as just setting choke and throttle, you could easily start it with a spin of the fan blades from the front side.

That's why I pull spark plug wires off before grabbing blades.
As for Guys like you who don't?
Well you (and the lawyers who took your cases) are the reason that we all have to pull the ropes a bit harder to get mowers going since the changover.

---
Oh heck, nearly forgot about women folks and high voltage stuff.
She does look like a good sport about it though.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Goes back to the points & condenser ignitions and having to put a block of wood against the blade to foul it while you used some hand operated wrench to loosen the bolt. The other issue was people winding yard debris around the crank and the grabbing the blade and flipping a bit of spin as they unwound dog leashes and what-not.
The old Briggs ignitions would "hand prop" the engine, like spinning an old aircraft propeller.
One good pop was enough to do serious hand damage.
Anyone who's ever shot a potato canon should have an appreciation for that single pop from one spark and "just a little dab of fumes".

Check the specs on the ignition coils from Briggs & Stratton after they switched to transistorized coils. Roughly a 200 rpm low speed cut out that kills the spark at rpm below said frequency/rpm.

I had a portable yard fan (4ft gable fan) that I drove with a mid-70's 5hp briggs. points ignition.
To get the correct rotation, I had to mount the engine with the recoil facing (super close to) the rear of the fan blades.
Not a problem though, as just setting choke and throttle, you could easily start it with a spin of the fan blades from the front side.

That's why I pull spark plug wires off before grabbing blades.
As for Guys like you who don't?
Well you (and the lawyers who took your cases) are the reason that we all have to pull the ropes a bit harder to get mowers going since the changover.

---
Oh heck, nearly forgot about women folks and high voltage stuff.
She does look like a good sport about it though.

Thank you for explaining, I always wondered, now I know

 

[RCBS]

Torch tip cleaner will let you 'file' out those orifices on the main jet. I have cleaned hundreds of these. If the main jet will come out, you're already 70% done. Strip carb body completely and soak for 24 hours in Berrymans. Rinse with brake clean. Air gun to all ports. Take a wire brush and separate one wire to clean the orifice in the little black plug in top of the carb. Just poke it through a couple times.

 

[legdelimber]

Don't forget the twist-tie wires from bread bags.

Sorry if I sounded grumpy guys. meds for the knees can set me a bit on ornery side.
I don't like taking 'em for that reason.

 

[AMCjavelin74]

Rebuild with Honda (OEM, not "Fits Honda") carb rebuild kit (not mystery China stuff), worst case a quality aftermarket kit- Oregon may offer something. Or a new Honda (OEM, not "Fits Honda") carb.