oliver2-44 9,358 #1 Posted June 20, 2023 About 3 years ago my neighbors son bought a 100 acre far in the middle of nowhere to expand his organic Chicken, hog and beef operation which he sells at the Dallas Farmers Market. The place had a 1970’s house on it that they have slowly updated. In the garage was this Honda Riding mower. Best we can tell it is a 1986. They stopped making them in 1988. It didn’t run so he brought it home to tinker on. He’s had lots of question for me, and I’m no expert, but a carb cleaning and fixing some electric wires got it running. IThe Honda aluminum engine smoked at first, but gradually improved over a couple of lawn mowings. So he took it to the farm for his son to use. Fast forward to a few weeks ago he brought it home as it wouldn’t start. He tinkered on it and would ask me questions, but didn’t want to bother me for me to work on it. So he finally figured out it was the solenoid which was very hard to reach mounted directly to the started. He out-boarded one and just had it hanging on the wires. It started and he drove it around to the end of the driveway, killed it and it wouldn’t restart. I walked over and he was ready to haul it to the scrap yard. After he told me about the hanging solenoid I grabbed a screw driver and grounded the solenoid to the frame. Started right up. As they say every now and then even a blind hog can find an Apple. So he bolted the solenoid down and was all smiles testing it mowing his lawn. I told him I want it if he ever gets serious about hauling it to the scrap yard. 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ri702bill 8,039 #2 Posted June 20, 2023 6 hours ago, oliver2-44 said: The Honda aluminum engine smoked at first, but gradually improved I am very familiar with that!! I still use a 1994 Honda HR214 walk behind trimming mower, the model you see used by a lot of Landscapers. I swear that thing will suck the worms out of the ground!! Yes, it does smoke at cold startup - always did, always will... Good score - and it's red. OEM Honda parts are quite expensive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SylvanLakeWH 25,043 #3 Posted June 20, 2023 Cool little rider. Great story! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites