I found a quick fix...

[Russ Johnson]

I was checking out the Honda Tech Site and found a fix for the oil alert switches that get stuck and won't let the engine start:

BEFORE REPLACING OIL ALERT UNITS TRY THIS!!!!!!!!

When the oil change intervals have been too far apart and the oil alert unit has become contaminated with trash, and the float has either got jammed into the bottom position or trash has (glued) it to the bottom of the stem.

Remove the engines sparkplug and the engine cannot be started. Drain the engine oil out of the crankcase and replace it with kerosene or diesel fuel, agitate the engine around to wash out this sludge and trash, drain the crankcase and install fresh oil, this will clean out the oil alert unit attempt to start. It might take two tries and it sometimes works to unplug the unit and run the engine with fresh oil in it and warm it up and try this procedure a second time.

 

[smittie1984]

Thanks for the tip. I haven't had any trouble with it yet. Knock on wood. But if your in a fix and there isn't any diesel fuel around I think that regular Gas would work fine also. I use it sometimes to clean bearings.

Since we are on the subject of quick fixes I found out a way to replace a spring in the pull start of a Honda motor.

While in Statesboro, Georgia visiting a friend I brought my pressure washers down to try out a chemical. Well I was 200miles from my house and the chord broke on my pullstart. It was also Saturday at 3p.m. Most repair stores where closed. I went around and found a couple open. But there is a Briggs & Stratton plant nearby and most of that town is loyal to it. I had a Honda motor.

While messing with the pull start I lost a spring that makes contact with some doohicky (Pardon the technical speak ) that pushes out 2 tabs that pull the motor over. I'm sure there are better ways to put that but it's the only way I know how.

I was about to give up and was getting upset I drug my trailer 200miles for nothing. Then about the other 200miles I was dragging it back. So I stopped in at Lowes and found a spring that worked. Infact it worked so well I still have it on there.

Just thought I point out some more tips.