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I have always wanted a Honda and now have bought one - a 17" rotary mower. The dealer was pretty vague about servicing he said - "get it serviced once a year and...oh yeah don't leave any (unleaded) petrol in it if you are not using it as it turns to water" What's he on about? How ofter should it be serviced? Once a year sounds like a lot to me - you may only use it 20 times in a summer.
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Full Service every 6000 miles...
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Parp, Parp!
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Oil change every 6 months, you know it makes sense, and the lawn a lot stripier ;-)
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Db
Petrol does not turn into water over the winter - last time there was a conversion that dramatic was about 2000 years ago. If the tank isn't well sealed there will be some evaporation which loses the more volatile elements and can leave deposits in the carb. So, really you ought to drain it, but then I've never drained the tank on my petrol mower in 20 years, and never had a problem in spring, and it's the same mower.
Changing the oil at the end of the year so it's stored with clean oil is probably the best idea. Given how much oil they take it won't be a big cost.
Regards
John S
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John,
I have got to agree here, though I can never decide whether the first start in Spring is always a pig due to the "old" petrol or just because it's the first start and the carb needs a lot more priming than usual.
Stuart
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>>
...I can never decide whether the first start in Spring is always a pig due to the "old" petrol or just because it's the first start and the carb needs a lot more priming than usual.
Stuart
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Yes, and I always have trouble bump starting the mower for the first cut of spring.
;o)
Ian Cook
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Ian and Stuart
Cracked that one this year with a can of Bradex Easy-Start. The usual pig of a first start of the year worked first pull!
This on a tekumseh/flymo/electrolux/B&Q own brand engine, usually known by me as "starttyoubustard" or similar after a quarter-hour of priming and pulling and re-locating my shoulder joint!
Terry
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At great risk for next spring, Flymo with 2-stroke JLO, first or second pull every time, provided you flood it and I can\'t remember when I last cleaned the plug!
Did you every see that spoof Australian commercial for an \'Easy Start\' type product called \'Start you b ******\'? Wonderful!
(Also found a way round the swear filter)
Regards
John S
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To be realistic most mowers never see an oil change, or a top up in some cases. I would say once a year is good, twice if you are inclined.
After 7yrs with a cheapy mower I lashed out on a Honda last year. Best mower engine I've known. Handles long grass without dying, very quiet and starts first pull with the slowest tweak of the cord. Truly excellent.
John S...don't forget there is a second stage swear filter, me with my hat on! Having said that Technical seems to mostly self police...thanks all for that.
;-)
David W
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Having ditched my 16 yr old Flymo mower (to much plastic starting to break, and I was fed up with rebuilding various parts eavery year for the past 5 years, I was faced with the dilemma of do I buy a Honda (at twice the price of anything comparable but recommended by every body for easy starting), or a cheapy with a standard B&S startyoub*stard engine.
Finally got a Mountfield with B&S EasyStart label. I was not inclined to belive it would do what it said on the tin, but so far very good! Starts first time, metal parts (weldable), the only hassle being the safety fetures of hands off Stop.
I guess the truth will out in 3-4 years! but by then I might not have a large garden anymore.
On the petrol front, my 2 stroke strimmer in France inherited from previous owner is a real B*stard. So far for each the past 2 years I have had to dismantle the carb and thoughly wash the the rubber flap valves in the self priming pump? Then it will reluctantly start using copious amounts of Easy start and bad language. (Yes I know I should not use Easy Start in a 2 stroke). I will try one of those additives for winter staorage some time, but it is not easy to find in England and my 'j'ai un petite problem' French does not stretch to that.
Any better suggestions other than disaembling and cleaning every autumn welcome!
pmh (was peter)
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I've had the pleasure of getting 5 mowers going after long lay ups this year. A web search came up with the information as given by everyone above, plus:
It's worth putting in a semi synthetic oil each year.
Unleaded fuel is worse than leaded for losing its high volatile components, don't leave it in the mower more than a month.
Bottom of the range engines can have a life as short as 30 hours!
Most engines now have electronic ignition.
Some now have oil pumps instead of relying on splash lubrication.
One development is to store the energy from stopping the engine quickly for safety in a spring; Press a button and the stored energy starts the engine. In theory you only pull the cord once in the life of the engine! I'll believe it when I see it.
The newest mower I worked on (Honda) has an overhead camshaft, I don't know if its belt or chain drive. Is this result of developments coming down from mower racing :-)
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My brother has cerebral palsy, which means that he has trouble balancing well enough to use a mower safely.
A 17" Honda Izy (however it's spelt) proved perfect.
Heavy enough to use in place of his stick, but light enough to turn round, and the best bit, of relevance to this thread: It has a valve decompressor, like on many big single cylinder motorbikes, so starting is a doddle. Not so much a 'pull' as a gentle 'tweak' on the starting rope, and off it goes. First time, every time, with little danger of him having to heave hard enough to lose balance. Of course, there is also a 'dead man's handle' if he did.
No need for the expense and complication of a battery start mower.
Conclusion - Worth every penny.
BTW, this same brother drove a bog standard (plus lights and tax disc) Countax ride on mower from John O'Groats to Lands End a few years ago, as a sponsored excercise to help ensure that the yacht he was due to take part in the BT Global Challenge on, had suffient funds to enter. With a backup Disco courtesy of Land Rover, and maintenance in case needed from Countax dealers along the way, he arrived 18 days later. Top whack was 6.6 MPH, and 0-6.6 MPH was as fast as a Mclaren F1, I'm sure! How did the mower do? Never missed a beat. Briggs and Stratton horizontal v-twin hard on the rev limiter for 9 hours a day, and burning more fuel than the Disco V8 in the process! Having been driving all day, he even cut the grass at a hotel near Cumbernauld to pay for his room for the night! ;-)
There we are, the first mower 'road test' on this site?!
/Steve
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There we are, the first mower 'road test' on this site?!
Just needs a link now to pressure washing it at the end of the season with a brief foray into mowing while wearing slippers and we'll all feel totally at home.
Any takers gentlemen?
PS:- I say gentlemen because pressure washing does seem to be a man thing, anyone care to explain that AND keep it on the right side of decency?
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How about a classic lawn mower? Here's a fearsome looking implement. Love that cooling fan...
cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1734...0
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
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The seller will be lucky to get someone to take it away for scrap, let alone get £150 for it. Our model aero club has two old ride-on mowers - one is a Dennis that is older than the one shown and still perfectly useable, but we haven't even been able to give it away to a museum.
Ian Cook
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Actually looking at the manual I see there is a fairly detailed maintenance schedule including changing the oil after 3 months from new, thereafter every year, changing the filters etc etc. Just like a car - what a laugh.
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although thinking about it I reckon I'm an old lawn mower. Not too easy to start either.
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My 12 year old honda mower in true mechanics style gets an oil change once a year if its really lucky, has its original plug and always starts first pull!
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"This on a tekumseh/flymo/electrolux/B&Q own brand engine, usually known by me as "starttyoubustard" or similar after a quarter-hour of priming and pulling and re-locating my shoulder joint!"
I love your use of words there!
Get a mower with an electric start - easy!
Then....you can send the wife out to mow the grass as the excuse "I can't start the mower" is no longer valid :-)
MG-Rover Questions? Click on www.mg-rover.org
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