# Mower works with choke only...Honda GCV160



## mgherter

Hey everybody. I'm sure this is a pretty basic problem to figure out, but it's got me lost. I have a Honda GCV160 engine on my mower, which all of a sudden stopped running unless the choke is on. Other searches I've seen on the net say it's probably a clog in the carb, which I've since cleaned. A couple people have suggested actually soaking it overnight in carb cleaner, which I thought I would do since it's already off the mower. Just as a precaution if I need to order some new parts, I'd like to find a good site that lists out part numbers, and maybe has some exploded diagrams of the carb? It's a simple part, but I'm kinda new to this stuff, and just want to have all the info at my disposal before I go taking it apart. Also I ripped up a bunch of the gaskets getting everything off, so I'll have to order them anyways. Any help somebody can provide would be appreciated! Thanks,
Mark


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## TownWrench

*Townwrench*

Try M&d Mower.google It


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## RKDOC

Check prices on the parts before you buy them. For a lot of Honda's you can buy a new carb for the price of the parts.

Good luck


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## Mike D.

take bottom of carb off and you will see a brass screw with a needle on the end with probley 4 very small holes in it, take sewing needle and poke it through all holes, they spray with carb cleaner, hope this helps.


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## LowRider

check your gas cap first, just loosen it and then start it, if it stays running longer than 15 mins you have your problem. other than that you have a carb problem like the others suggested. Also go ahead and change the gaskets out why your at it.


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## rotti1968

certified Honda mechanic here, your main jet is clogged along with one or all three of the transition holes in the venturi . remove the carburetor, remove the bowl and down the center of the carb is your main jet unscrew that being careful not to damage it, clean with what works the best is a welding tip cleaner . then looking into the throat of the carb on the throttle side you will see three small holes, one or all three may or are clogged you can also use the tip cleaner here but be very careful not to break it off in one of the holes, then soak in carb cleaner. if after all of this you put it back together and it still runs only on choke put a new carb on it....


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## ryan4402000

I had to register here just to say thank you to rotti1968. He was dead on in diagnosing my lawnmower. I had the same problem as mgherter. After going through 2 different spark plugs and not fixing the problem I was about ready to give up and hire it out. I finally came upon this blog and indeed the main jet was clogged. Cleaned it out with a paper clip and it worked great. :thumbsup:


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## recon286

So I have the same model engine and had the same problem. I pulled the carb off and cleaned it up. This got the mower to stay running, but after a couple seconds it would wind down and sputter and then roar back to life, only to repeat this indefinitely. 

So I stared at it a while longer, moved the spring on automatic choke to a different hole, and started it. That made the engine stay on, but it then rev'd extremely high, so I moved the spring back to where it was. However, the engine is still stuck running extremely high. It stays running for as long as I'm brave enough to run it, but it seriously sounds like it's going to explode now, or chuck the blade and chop my feet off.

I've played with the auto choke a bit more, and there is a happy place where it runs ok, but I can't figure out a way to set it at that position and can't find any mixture screws on the carb or throttle control or anything like that.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

EDIT:

So I just fixed it, lol. A quick read through the 150+ post thread on the GCV160 and I found a link about throttle governors which got me thinking. Went outside, tweaked the position of the autochoke rod (a tiny adjustment), and it runs perfectly now.


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## AzCoronaDog

My pressure washer with a Honda GCV160 was also only running with the choke fully on. Thank you rotti1968 for the answer! I have had the carb off a couple of times before and thought I cleaned it up very well, but I did not know to remove the jet. I did not see an obvious blockage, but I ran a fine wire through it and I could tell using my magnifying glasses that the hole got bigger. 

I reassembled it, but now I was getting a huge flood of gas into the motor. I have now learned that if you get the gasket at the choke side on backwards, it blocks a small hole that apparently is very important! I put it back together correctly and it runs like brand new again.


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## Donnyw

I have same Honda GCV160 pressure washer and have same problem. It is running well on chock and stop running when I push the level "Start" to "Run" position. I add add 20ml 
STP Small Engine Treatment Plus Octane in to the gas tank. Keep it running for 5 minutes. Then the it works well.


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