Honda 13hp hard to pull

Don M.

Don M.

New member
So when pulling on the rope of my machine, it seems like I got Fat Albert on the other end playing tug of war with me. The rope is not kicking back, its just really hard to pull, like something is wound around the flywheel and not letting it turn freely.

Everything seems real tight, but when the machine kicks off it runs like a champ.

Thanks
 
Don how old is the engine? You may need to check the clearance on the exhaust valve. If the clearance opens up over time, the compression release may not be popping the exhaust valve opened momentarily at TDC. It should be 0.006.
 
Is your fuel shut off? If it is not shut it off pull your spark plug off and see if it is easier. DO not stick your face near the opening as you pull it. If your float bowl is not closing fully or th e needle valve is clogged it will allow fuel to go down into the cylender making it almost impossible to turn it over. Once spark plug is out turn the engine ovr and see if fuel gets shot out the plug hole and also look at the plug and see if it is covered in gas. Clean plug off. and cycle engine until it doesn't blow any gas out let it sit for a while and any other gas ill evaporate. Also pull offf the fuel bowl and clean out the needle valve assembly above the float and crud in the bowl. reassemble and pull it again but don't turn the fuel on pull it and see it it burns what is still in the fuel bowl and burns it off.

Turn fuel on and see if it run if it does remember to turn the fuel off when you are done running the machine.

Oh and change your oil if this fixes it since your oil is now contaminated with gas. It will smoke white for a while as it burns the gas off in the oil.
 
Russ Johnson said:
Don how old is the engine? You may need to check the clearance on the exhaust valve. If the clearance opens up over time, the compression release may not be popping the exhaust valve opened momentarily at TDC. It should be 0.006.
Click to expand...

The engine is 4 years old. I had it "serviced" last year. I changed the oil in it this winter before the season started. I didnt shut the gas off and when I pulled the plug I drained everything.
 
It has ran very little this year, just a couple house washes. When I first started this season I dont recall having this problem. last year to my knowledge it was working fine. This winter I changed the oils to start off the season fresh in all of my machines. I know nothing about machines and thought I would start learning. This machine was first when I changed the oil. I did not shut the gas off when I pulled the drain plug, so oil and gas came gushing out. I changed the oil, put fresh gas in, and a couple of pulls it took off. Now its like 10 pulls or so, and the flywheel is barely turning seems like. But like I said, when it fires off, its a champ.
 
I had the same problem about 2 weeks ago. And mine is practically brand new. Got it in October of last year, use it a few times in the winter but not a lot. Come March 1st I go to a job to get started and the thing is hard to pull like yours. Plus gas starts leaking out of the carb, but I did get in started and it ran like a champ. Next Day, same thing, so I took it to my repair guy and he cleaned the carb and I picked it up he asked me how I shut it off, I told him using the switch, he ten told me to ALWAYS shut the machine off, when I am done for the day, using the gas shut off, not the switch. Mine is a 13hp Honda too. I looked at the guy like he was nut's as in 20 plus years fo using theses machines I have never had to shut of a machine using the gas shut off. But sure enough, I havent had a problem since.
He said the needle valve swells if gas is left in the carb. Again, I have never heard of this, but shutting it off using the gas valve works. Also takes a lot of getting used to. Some days I forget, and the next it's hard to start, but as long as I remember it starts first pul every morning, as long as I remember to turn the gas back ON that is.
 
This makes sense. Funny thing is since owning this machine I have NEVER shut the gas off until recently. So that valve is probably really swollen. I will start doing this with all my machines.

Thanks. Now to get this one up and running before my marketing hits. LOL. Always something.
 
Pressue washing carb

So if I am right here you are saying that you are filling the crankcase full of fuel,
and the float is not shuting your gas off. So in the moring you cant crank it.

So if this is the problem clean the needle. Its above the float it shut off the gas when your bowl is full of fuel. You also could have a leak somewhere. Pull the float off and see if it leaks. check gaskets. But I have seen it where the needle is scored up, thus let gas come down and over fill your carb.
 
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