Honda Camshaft Recall and Fix

[leeave96]

Got a notice our Honda HRX217 is being recalled due to a faulty camshaft which I gather can cause loss of decompression and hard pulling on the rope start.

Anyone done this fix themselves? I’d like to take this to the dealer, but not sure I trust their work.

What’s involved, any videos out there showing how to fix?

 

[Owen Lucas]

Thanks for the heads up, I did not receive a recall notice but ran my serial on Honda's website and I'm clear.

Good luck with the repair, I would just take it to the dealer. Who knows, maybe they'll just throw a new engine in.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/support/recalls-and-updates/hrn-hrx-recall

 

[CharBaby]

Not a hard job and the dealer can do it easily. So can you with a YouTube video. However, you'll be responsible for the cost.
I adjusted the valve on mine this past summer as I was getting that hard pulling of the cord/recoil.

I thought it may be a cracked rocker arm according to the YouTube video(s) that I watched. But when I open valve cover and pulled the rockers off(1 pin...easy as pie), they were perfect. And the cam gear is right there... So I adjusted the valves, cleaned both the cover and head mating surfaces, RTV'd them back together and all is well.

 

[Wildoats]

I have a new to me HRN216 not within the recall .. (early serial #).
Pulls really hard & kicks … can this be something else? I picked this up estate sale.

 

[Wildoats]

Not a hard job and the dealer can do it easily. So can you with a YouTube video. However, you'll be responsible for the cost.
I adjusted the valve on mine this past summer as I was getting that hard pulling of the cord/recoil.

I thought it may be a cracked rocker arm according to the YouTube video(s) that I watched. But when I open valve cover and pulled the rockers off(1 pin...easy as pie), they were perfect. And the cam gear is right there... So I adjusted the valves, cleaned both the cover and head mating surfaces, RTV'd them back together and all is well.

I watched a video,.. on the cam replacement, more than I care to do in the cold garage if mine needs it….. it’s not on the recall ,. But sure fits the profile…

 

[jeepman3071]

I have a new to me HRN216 not within the recall .. (early serial #).
Pulls really hard & kicks … can this be something else? I picked this up estate sale.

Could be the valves needing adjustment, or a sheared flywheel key if someone hit a rock or stump with the blade.

 

[John105]

Thanks for the heads up, I did not receive a recall notice but ran my serial on Honda's website and I'm clear.

Good luck with the repair, I would just take it to the dealer. Who knows, maybe they'll just throw a new engine in.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/support/recalls-and-updates/hrn-hrx-recall

I never registered ours so I can’t get the notice. But my machine is a 2021 and I used it 2 full seasons. I’ll run the ser# at some point. But mine also has the older warranty which I think is 5 years….

 

[Wildoats]

Could be the valves needing adjustment, or a sheared flywheel key if someone hit a rock or stump with the blade.

…it runs ok ,.. if you get by the mean pulling.. can it still be a flywheel key?

 

[jeepman3071]

…it runs ok ,.. if you get by the mean pulling.. can it still be a flywheel key?

Yes, slightly sheared maybe. It shouldn't pull the rope from your hands.

 

[Wildoats]

Hmm , never heard of having that, tks .. I’ll keep on it …

 

[mk378]

The camshaft has a rpm-operated compression release which lowers the compression during starting to make the rope easier to pull. When the failure occurs, the mechanism jams in the "run" position which means the rope is hard to pull, but once started it will run normally and there is no further damage from using the mower that way.

 

[Wildoats]

Perhaps cam should have been on the recall, serial number says it’s not… Honda has that recall On the later ones .. .ug, might be time for a dealer.

 

[Exhaustgases]

How come no recall on the famous BS intek cam failure that has cost many people plenty?

 

[jeepman3071]

How come no recall on the famous BS intek cam failure that has cost many people plenty?

They would have to recall all the engines they've produced in the last 20 years.

I'm a fan of the older Briggs engines, the flatheads were bulletproof, but the newer Inteks are way too problematic and cheaply built with multiple poor designs that were never corrected.

 

[benjy]

thanks! my very old HRX 217 has been great but will check + bye the bye Honda is OUT of the mower business!!

 

[shortyb]

bye the bye Honda is OUT of the mower business!!

I know this, YOU know this, maybe someone should tell Honda.

https://powerequipment.honda.com/lawn-mowers

Still on their website.