Honda GCV 160 wont start

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Mantooth

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Southern Indiana
I was gifted a Huskee push mower with a Honda GCV 160 by an elderly couple who lives down the street. The mower has been kept inside a shed its whole life and looks practically brand new. Even though its looks new, I have no idea how long it has been setting. Today, I drained the gas from the tank and carb cansiter followed by filling it with fresh go-go juice. Started pulling and the thing would never fire. Tried several times and decided to break out the starter fluid. With the AF cover off, it will fire and run for about a second and a half before dying. I pulled the bottom screw from the carb canister and fuel runs out so I know its getting flow from the tank. I pulled the carb and looked around but my un-trained eye didn't anything out of sorts.

Edit:
checked the plug, looks brand new
tried starting with the gas cap off and got the same result

Any ideas or input?

Thanks
 
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I have a GCV 160 on my mower. The engine started running rough and was hard to start. A new carburetor from Jacks Small Engines fixed it and the new carb was only $15.
 
If it runs with starter fluid, its a fueling issue and yeah usually the best way to get them running again is to spend the $20 and replace it.
I'd say $20 for a almost new mower is not a bad investment.
 
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I doubt if its this, but it does have a low oil shut down sensor. Some times those things go bad.

probably what war stud said. Plugged main jet. I have take a few 4cycle carbs apart and cleaned them. I have small stylets that i use to clean the jets and orifices.

I'd try taking it apart and cleaning before just buying another carb.


https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthr...ard#Post3972310
 
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I have the Honda GCV 160 on my Husquvarna mower and I've had this happen twice....both times I had to spring for a new carb as some other posters said.....these seem to be very sensitive to letting fuel sit too long in the carb (it gums up the main jet in a matter of weeks).....My old B&S was far less sensitive fuel wise....

PS: My next mower will have a B&S motor...
 
Originally Posted By: Warstud
Main Jet Plugged.


This is the most common situation I've run into with this motor model. The jet is tiny, and plugs very easily even if your fuel is pretty clean. Mine seemed to choke out and die every few times I used it initially, which required pulling the carb apart and cleaning it to get it going again. I added a little $0.75 inline fuel filter to mine a few years and it has run flawlessly since.

--Matt
 
Here is a quick fix that works half the time. Remove the fuel line from the carb, make sure to plug the line. I use a golf tee to plug the line. Run air from a compressor or bike pump through the carb fuel intake nozzle for five seconds. Reconnect the hose to the fuel intake and try to start with the choke on. This technique also works when the engine only runs on choke. If it does not work the main jet needs to be unscrewed and cleaned.
 
Ended up finding a short YouTube video showing how to disassemble and reassemble the carb. I don't have any high speed carburetor repair tools so I had to make do with what I had around the homestead. Ended up using brake cleaner ( I know, not the best thing to use) to wash out the carb and a peeled bread twisty to clean the jet. Slapped everything back together and she started on the first pull. Spit and sputtered for the first 30 seconds and then leveled out to an even purr. Whole repair only cost me $5 (can of starting fluid.)

The free mower is now ready for action!

banana2.gif
banana2.gif
 
Good job! You saved time and money over ordering another carb ( although sometimes its easier ).

If anyone wants some of the stylets i use to clean jets, let me know. They are .014 inch stainless.
 
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Interesting how majority here is not willing to do 5cents fix (cleaning of carburetor)...

Ive done it in the past and had mediocre results...though the carbs Ive dealt with all had a layer of schmoo all over the internals. One of them was so bad I put 100psi air into it trying to pop the float valve out and it would not budge. That one got binned before I even tried to clean it since I couldn't even get it apart.
From what has been written it sounds like this carb is just really sensitive and not actually in poor condition so running a needle down the main jet cleaned it up.
 
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Excellent work!

I always attempt a clean first but if it needs a kit I usually replace. The kits are only a few dollars less than a replacement these days. That said I have had good luck just cleaning stuff out really well and I have rebuilt carbs when the replacement seems to be of significantly less quality...
 
I have a Honda engine on my pressure washer. So it sits a long time between uses. I use a fuel stabilizer, but just about every time I go to use it I have to clean the carb. first.
 
Originally Posted By: mkosem
I added a little $0.75 inline fuel filter to mine a few years and it has run flawlessly since.

--Matt

Consider this solution...
 
Originally Posted By: Kamele0N
Originally Posted By: mkosem
I added a little $0.75 inline fuel filter to mine a few years and it has run flawlessly since.

--Matt

Consider this solution...


Oh I have. Started looking for a inline FF today but the two places I stopped all seemed a little pricey. He mentioned paying 0.75 but the cheapest I found was $5.49. I'll keep looking.
 
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