Does anybody know how long it has been that Hondas and Chondas had this choke design that just does not work, My first experience with this was at least 15 years ago when we bought 2 new Victas with OHC Honda motors on them. Problem was it took me many years to sit down to see what the problem was because I just put the mowers in the corner of the shed and left them there. The design is wrong and it simply does not work. What got me riled up today is that a bloke brought in a mower that has done very little work and a neighbor had given it to him because it was impossible to start. I guess Honda doesn't care because they have such a good name, but this stuff does their brand no good. Nobody cares about the Chondas so that doesn't matter anyway.
That's a nice base to fit a powertorque onto. I know someone who has that precise Victa with OHC Honda and he got it going after it sat in the open for months, after someone gave it to him. He now uses it to mow neighbours lawns. He has found it ok so far.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
MF, no problem with the mower now, starts easily first pull, but to achieve this the choke must be modified to close fully, once that is done they are good, I just can't get my head around how many millions of these Honda's have been built with this problem. What intrigues me is how they get them started in the shop in the first place when they are first sold
Around here they are seldom ever started before delivery to the customer. IE the customer must put the oil and fuel before attempting a start up.
I can't answer the question though as I never get new mowers or engines in just after they have been used for awhile. I did have a GCV160 earlier this year that required mods to get the choke to close fully here too and I don't even remember what I did to get it to work right now though I think required some bending of tangs.
Usually I either get the manual timed choke or the thermal choke version. I have only seen a handful of the throttle lever controlled choke version.
Apparently they are consumer grade motors, not for professional use. A bit of a con, using their association with the venerable OHV motors to lull customers with the name.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Yes AVB, there is a tang on the bottom of the throttle mechanism that prevents the choke from closing, once this is bent out of the way the lever can lift up higher. Also the lever that it lifts also has to be bent down to give more lift and once this is done the choke fully closes without issues. As for the Chondas, I haven't noticed the lower tang problem, but every one I get involved with requires the top tang to be bent down and then the choke will close. There is no way these levers have bent over time, that is the way they have been manufactured, got me buggered. MF these Honda motors are not too bad, once the choke is modified, not as good as the "real" Hondas, but better than the Chondas
