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INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your selection of a Honda lawn mower! We are
certain you will be pleased with your purchase of one of the finest
lawn mowers on the market.
OWNER’S MANUAL
We want to help you get the best results from your new mower and to
HRX217HMA
operate it safely. This manual contains the information on how to do
that; please read it carefully. HRX217HXA
We suggest you read the Distributor’s Limited Warranty (page 19) and
Emission Control System Warranty (page 21) to full
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If you decide that your son or daughter can handle the mower safely, LAWN MOWER SAFETY CAREFULLY READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL with your child. Make Most accidents with walk-behind mowers can be prevented if you sure you both understand all instructions and safety information. Also, follow all instructions in this manual and on the mower. The most be sure your child wears sturdy shoes and other protective clothing common hazards, according to accident statistics, are discussed when operating or ha
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Engine Oil SETTING UP YOUR The mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL in the NEW MOWER engine. A bottle of oil is Unpacking included in the box with Remove all the your mower. Add the cardboard from entire contents of the around the handlebar. oil bottle into the oil filler opening. Handlebar Setup 1. With the handlebar All Honda engines are HANDLEBAR adjust knobs in the ADJUST run at the factory prior KNOB (2) unlocked position, to packaging. Most of raise the handlebar the oil is removed pr
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CONTROL LOCATIONS BEFORE OPERATION Your safety is your responsibility. A little time spent in preparation will significantly reduce your risk of injury. HANDLEBAR (P. 3) Read and understand this manual. Know what the controls do and how to operate them. SHIFT LEVER (P. 7) Familiarize yourself with the lawn mower and its operation before you THROTTLE LEVER (P. 7) begin using it. Know how to shut off the lawn mower quickly in case of an emergency. DISCHARGE GUARD (P. 5) IS YOUR LAWN MOWER READ
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Sliding Door Position GET THE MOWER READY The sliding door can be positioned to produce different mowing Handlebar Height Adjustment results. If the preferred sliding door position is unknown, install a Adjust handlebar height for a comfortable operating position (page 3). grass bag and begin mowing with the Clip Director knob all the way to the BAG position. Check the appearance of the lawn. As the knob is Clip Director® moved towards the MULCH position, more grass will be recycled bac
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Grass Bag OPERATION A lawn mower works like a vacuum cleaner; it blows air through the bag, which traps the grass clippings. Always empty the grass bag MOWING PRECAUTIONS before it becomes filled to the limit of its capacity. Bagging performance will diminish after the bag becomes about 90% filled. Before operating the mower for the first time, please review LAWN Also, the bag is easier to empty when it is not packed full. MOWER SAFETY (page 2). Even if you have operated other mowers, take
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THROTTLE Model HRX217HMA: Blade Control Lever (Electric start) BLADE CONTROL LEVER To start blade rotation, press the yellow button on top of 4. Turn the key switch to the ON the blade control lever, then START position and hold it START push the lever forward there until the engine starts. quickly and hold it against the handlebar. NOTICE Release the blade control Do not use the starter for lever to stop the blades. more than 5 seconds or starter motor damage may Operate the blade c
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Slopes STOPPING THE ENGINE Mow across slopes, not up 1. Release the drive clutch and blade control levers. and down. Avoid steep slopes BLADE CONTROL LEVER °), and be (more than 20 careful when changing direction. Mowing on a slope when the grass is damp or wet could cause you to slip, fall, and lose control of the mower. Obstacles DRIVE CLUTCH LEVER Use the side of the mower to cut close to large obstacles, 2. On the HRX217HXA model, move the throttle lever to STOP. such as fences or
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Remember that an authorized Honda servicing dealer knows your SERVICING YOUR LAWN mower best and is fully equipped to maintain and repair it. To ensure the best quality and reliability, use only new, genuine MOWER Honda parts or their equivalents for repair and replacement. Good maintenance is essential for safe, economical, trouble-free MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE operation. It will also help reduce air pollution. Interval Item WARNING Before each use Inspect the blades (page 10) Improper mainte
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Blade Removal BLADES 1. Turn the fuel valve OFF. Disconnect the spark plug cap (page 12), Inspection then tilt the mower to the right side so the air cleaner side is up. 1. Move the fuel This will help prevent fuel leakage and hard starting due to valve to the OFF carburetor flooding. position (page 6) 2. Remove the two blade bolts with a 14 mm (6 point) socket wrench. and disconnect Use a wooden block to prevent the blades from turning when the spark plug removing the bolts. Remove th
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Engine Oil GRASS BAG CLEANING AND REPLACEMENT Recommendations Grass Bag Cleaning Oil is a major factor affecting Wash the bag with a garden hose and allow it to dry completely before performance and service life. use; a wet bag will clog quickly. Use 4-stroke automotive detergent oil. 0 Grass Bag Replacement –20 0 20 40 60 80 100 F 0 Always change the oil in –30 –20 –10 0 10 20 30 40 C Replace a worn or damaged bag with a Honda replacement bag or its AMBIENT TEMPERATURE accordance with the
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2. Remove the spark plug with Air Cleaner Service SPARK PLUG a 13/16 in (21 mm) spark WRENCH A dirty air filter restricts air flow to the carburetor, reducing engine plug wrench. performance. If you operate the mower in very dusty areas, clean the air filter more often than specified in the MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE 3. Inspect the spark plug. (page 9). Replace it if the electrodes are worn, or if the insulator NOTICE is cracked or chipped. Operating the engine without an air filter or with
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X X CHARGING THE BATTERY (HRX217HMA ONLY) The lawn mower does not have an internal charging system. A plug-in WARNING charger is provided to recharge the battery. Use the plug-in charger Gasoline is highly flammable and explosive, and you can after prolonged storage or anytime you notice a decrease in starter be burned or seriously injured when refueling. motor speed. • Stop engine and keep heat, sparks, and flame away. To assure maximum reliability, the battery should be charged before •
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X 4. Plug the charger into a standard 120 Vac power outlet and let the Keep the tie-down rope or straps away from the controls, adjustment battery charge for 20 to 24 hours. The charger may become levers, cables, and the carburetor. slightly warm during charging. This is normal. The handlebar can be folded so the mower will take up less space. NOTICE STORAGE Do not charge the battery for more than 24 hours or the battery may be damaged. Disconnect the battery charger from the battery PREPARIN
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Engine Oil Fuel Change the engine oil (page 11). Gasoline will oxidize and deteriorate in storage. Old gasoline will cause hard starting, and it leaves gum deposits that clog the fuel Engine Cylinder OIL system. If the gasoline in your mower deteriorates during storage, you 1. Remove the spark plug may need to have the carburetor and other fuel system components (page 12). serviced or replaced. 2. Pour a tablespoon The length of time that gasoline can be left in your fuel tank and (5 ~ 10
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Vibration REMOVING FROM STORAGE Check your mower as described in BEFORE OPERATION (page 4). Possible Cause Correction If the fuel was drained during storage preparation, fill the tank with fresh gasoline. If you keep a container of gasoline for refueling, be Grass and debris lodged under Clean out the mower deck. sure that it contains only fresh gasoline. Gasoline oxidizes and the mower deck deteriorates over time, causing hard starting. Blades loose, bent, damaged, or Tighten loose blade b
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CARBURETOR MODIFICATION FOR HIGH EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM ALTITUDE OPERATION Source of Emissions At high altitude, the standard carburetor air-fuel mixture will be too The combustion process produces carbon monoxide, oxides of rich. Performance will decrease, and fuel consumption will increase. A nitrogen, and hydrocarbons. Control of hydrocarbons and oxides of very rich mixture will also foul the spark plug and cause hard starting. nitrogen is very important because, under certain condition
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Tuneup AIR INDEX An Air Index Information hang tag/label is applied to engines certified Spark Plug Gap 0.028 ~ 0.031 in page 12 to an emission durability time period in accordance with the (0.7 ~ 0.8 mm) requirements of the California Air Resources Board. Idle Speed 1,700 ± 150 rpm Shop The bar graph is intended to provide you, our customer, the ability to (throttle lever at manual compare the emissions performance of available engines. The lower SLOW) the Air Index, the less pollution. Valv
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CUSTOMER SERVICE INFORMATION CONSUMER INFORMATION Honda Power Equipment dealership personnel are trained professionals. They should be able to answer any question you may REPLACEMENT PARTS, have. If you encounter a problem that your dealer does not solve to OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT, AND SERVICE ITEMS your satisfaction, please discuss it with the dealership's management. Contact an authorized Honda servicing dealer to purchase any of The Service Manager or General Manager can help. Almost all pro
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To Qualify For This Warranty: ACCESSORIES, REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND The product must be purchased in the United States, Puerto Rico, or APPAREL WARRANTY the U.S. Virgin Islands from American Honda or a dealer authorized This warranty is limited to Honda Power Equipment parts, accessories, and by American Honda to sell those products. This warranty applies to apparel when distributed by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., 4900 Marconi the first retail purchaser and each subsequent owner during th
