# Honda GCV160 Repair Manual?



## Ts01

Hello, folks.

I'm the *very* lucky owner of not ONE but TWO *wonderful* Honda GCV 160 powered devices, and both of them are a dream come true.

sarcasm 

Does anyone know where I can get a repair manual for this engine?

The 160 on my lawnmower refuses to run correctly. It will run fine for a few minutes from cold, but it starts to cough, sputter, backfire then die. I can run it for 30 seconds before it dies again.

I've checked the carb and it's fine. Nothing plugged, fresh gas; no varnish.

My next guess is to check the timing, and I've got a good handle on how to approach that from reading posts on this forum.

Is there anything else I can check, such as ignition?

Thanks for all your help. I'm moving in two months and would rather try to get as much life out of this mower before I leave.


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## 30yearTech

First thing I would try is a new spark plug. If that makes no difference, I would still suspect a carburetor issue. You can find some service info at the Honda Europe site http://www.honda-engines-eu.com/en/welcome.html


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## dawgpile

I agree with 30YT that it's probably a fuel problem as opposed to ignition. The timing would not change on a running motor. It's typically either good or bad and the things that would cause it to change on a running motor are all pretty unlikely scenarios.

I have seen magnetos(ignition modules) be intermittent and the best way to check that is with a gap type tester that you leave in series with the plug and watch the spark with the engine running. When the engine begins to shut down, if the spark is going away, that's a good indicator it is the cause of the shutdown. If it isn't, I'd make the leap of faith that the ignition is probably OK and your problem is elsewhere(most likely fuel delivery).

In addition to inspecting and cleaning the carb, have you tried loosening the gas cap and running it. If the vent is plugged in the cap it will run for some period of time till the bowl is empty and then stop. Restarting can be difficult.

Finally, regarding the manual. You can get them from HelmInc.com. Honda distributes their manuals through them. Here is the link for your manual.... $28.95. (I haven't seen these on line anywhere for free)

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product...ype=B&mscsid=9BWG01UM3H8G9M2GGLRA7TCKGGT1A05E

Let us know how you make out...


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## Ts01

Thanks, guys!

I'll try the gas cap.

Then the plug.

Then I'll clean the carb again.

Hopefully it will be fixed at plan 1.


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## Ts01

You guys are the bees' knees! :thumbsup:

It was the gas cap.


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## kc217780

*kc217780*

I'm a new member from Salina Kansas.


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## Thina17

Hi I'm a new member from Phoenix and I was hoping someone could tell me how to adjust the choke on my lawnmower. It's a Honda 5.5hp GCV 160.


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## Choctaw Chuck

Hi all,
I'm a new member from Orange County, California, USA. I need some hints for the GCV160. Mine won't start - it stopped in mid-operation. Thought the kill switch went bad but it's OK. Changed spark plug, replaced gas. Still no start. 
It might be bad gas - I have never stabilized the gas, but didn't worry about it since I use it every week normally, and there is no off-season in this part of the country. I guess I need to get into the carb, etc, but would like to look at a repair manual first so I don't mess something up. I like to repair things, but would like to know the tricks.
Appreciate any help.


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## usmcgrunt

It was listed under another thread,but here it is again.


Here is a link to access the service manual and general Honda information.

http://www.honda-engines-eu.com/en/welcome.html


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## JJVA

First thing to know is that I know almost nothing about small engines. I hit a baseball while cutting the grass. The engine stalled. I started it up again, but pulling the cord was hard. After starting, a puff of white smoke came out of the exhaust. I lifted the mower up and saw that the two blades were locked together. That wasn't how they were when I looked before. The two blades run separately, right? Do they turn in the same direction or counter each other? Have I destroyed the gears? Should I try in dislodge the two blades from each other?


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## 30yearTech

JJVA said:


> First thing to know is that I know almost nothing about small engines. I hit a baseball while cutting the grass. The engine stalled. I started it up again, but pulling the cord was hard. After starting, a puff of white smoke came out of the exhaust. I lifted the mower up and saw that the two blades were locked together. That wasn't how they were when I looked before. The two blades run separately, right? Do they turn in the same direction or counter each other? Have I destroyed the gears? Should I try in dislodge the two blades from each other?


Unless you can tell that one of the blades is bent, then they are mounted together and turn together in the same direction. They do not turn independently from each other, nor in opposite directions. This is a mulching setup that Honda uses. Hitting the baseball may have sheared the flywheel key that times the ignition spark, but it's unusual on a Honda as their key's are steel. 

If your mower starts up and runs alright, then the oil may have come from when you tipped the mower over to look at the blades. If you tipped the mower over with the air filter facing down, you may have contaminated the air filter with oil. If there is oil in the air filter element, you will need to replace the air filter element as they cannot be cleaned.


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## JJVA

Thanks very much for the much needed advise.


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## arvinp

Hello everyone. First time to this site. I unscrewed the 3 bolts from the air filter housing and all the gaskets and a black plastic block fell out. I am at a loss to figure out how everything goes together. It is a GCV-160 engine. I downloaded the service manual mentioned above but it does not show the info I am looking for. Could anyone help with this stack up please. Thanks.


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## usmcgrunt

Hello and welcome to Hobby Talk arvinp. Here is a link to the parts break down showing the gaskets and spacer. MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE you align all the holes correctly when assembling.

http://www.ereplacementparts.com/ho...l-engine-parts-c-37657_37658_37987_37719.html


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## Fix it ryder

Ts01 said:


> Hello, folks.
> 
> I'm the _very_ lucky owner of not ONE but TWO _wonderful_ Honda GCV 160 powered devices, and both of them are a dream come true.
> 
> sarcasm
> 
> Does anyone know where I can get a repair manual for this engine?
> 
> The 160 on my lawnmower refuses to run correctly. It will run fine for a few minutes from cold, but it starts to cough, sputter, backfire then die. I can run it for 30 seconds before it dies again.
> 
> I've checked the carb and it's fine. Nothing plugged, fresh gas; no varnish.
> 
> My next guess is to check the timing, and I've got a good handle on how to approach that from reading posts on this forum.
> 
> Is there anything else I can check, such as ignition?
> 
> Thanks for all your help. I'm moving in two months and would rather try to get as much life out of this mower before I leave.


I have a Honda gc160 presser washer that did the same thing and I literally went through everything the carb the condenser and nothing fixed the problem it would start fist pull almost every time but would only run for a few seconds then die ,now I build all kinds of motor pretty much I'm a pro at building motors and this one had me stumped I have gas,air,compression and spark. Well come to find out it was a failing spark plug my Harley Davidson would some times fail a plug and the plug showed spark but as soon as it ran for a minute the plug would fail. So come to find out this gc 160 has spark plug problems the spark plug they give you stock is junk it will give you spark when testing it and even start the motor then it fails and won't allow the motor to start again making it back fire through the carb acting like a timing problem, wow I spent two days going through this pressure washer just over a bad spark plug, well I guess there is a first time for every thing , hope this helps and good luck.


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## rick-l

I got a HRR216 Honda mower out of the trash. After freeing up the stuck transmission and cleaning out the carb it would run for about 30 seconds and sputter and stall. You could immediately restart it with the same result.
After stumbling upon this thread I replaced the old NGK plug (may have been original) and it works great. The plug looks fine. Any idea what the failure mechanism is?


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## paulr44

First, always check oil level, could be LOSD killing it.
Second, I suggest you pull the fuel line from the carb. or if equipped from the petcock and check the flow from the tank. If ok, then probably a carb. issue if not losing spark.


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