Honda HRX217K5VKA User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

HRX217VKA

LAWN MOWER

Click to Save As

Before operating the mower for the first time, please read this Owner’s Manual. Even if you have operated other mowers, take time to become familiar with how this mower works and practice in a safe area until you build up your skills.

QUICK FIND

Air Filter	12	Check the Oil Level	6	Maintenance Schedule	10
Add Fuel	7	Cleaning	14	Oil Change	12
Operating the Controls	8	Dealer Locator Information	19	Serial Number Locations	16
Blade Inspection	11 How to Contact Honda		19	Spark Plug	13
CONTENTS
FOR YOUR SAFETY	2	SERVICING YOUR MOWER	9	TROUBLESHOOTING	15
PARTS AND CONTROLS	3	Maintenance Safety	9	Engine Will Not Start	15
INITIAL MOWER SETUP	3	Maintenance Schedule	10	Loss of Power	15
Adjust the Handlebar	3	Blade Inspection	11	Vibration	15
Add Engine Oil	4	Blade Mounting Bolt Inspection	11	Mowing and Bagging Problems	15
Assemble the Grass Bag	4	Blade Replacement	11	TECHNICAL INFORMATION	16
BEFORE EACH OPERATION	4	Oil Change	12	Serial Number Locations	16
Check Your Mower	4	Air Filter	12	High Altitude Operation	16
Check Your Mowing Area	4	Spark Plug	13	Emission Control System	16
Clip Director®	5	Spark Arrester (optional part)	13	Air Index	17
Cutting Height Adjustment	6	Select Drive Cable Adjustment	13	Specifications	17
Check the Oil Level	6	TRANSPORTING	14	AVOIDING FUEL-RELATED PROBLEMS 18
Add Fuel	7	STORAGE	14	CUSTOMER INFORMATION	19
OPERATION	7	Fuel	14	Parts, Accessories, and Service Items 19
Safe Mowing Practices	7	Cleaning	14	Dealer Locator Information	19
Operating the Controls	8	Oil	14	How to Contact Honda	19
Starting the Engine	9	Storage Location	14	Honda Publications	19
Stopping the Engine	9	Handlebar	15	DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY	20
		Removing From Storage	15	EMISSION SYSTEM WARRANTY	21
				PRODUCT REGISTRATION	23

QUESTIONS?

Contact your Honda dealer.

There is a dealer locator at powerequipment.honda.com

00X31VH7 N060

© 2016 American Honda Motor Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved

WELCOME

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. We want to help you get the best results from your new mower and to operate it safely. This manual contains information on how to do that; please read it carefully.

When your mower needs scheduled maintenance, keep in mind that Honda Power Equipment servicing dealership personnel are specially trained in servicing Honda mowers and are supported by the parts and service divisions of American Honda.

Please read the DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY on page 20 and the EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM WARRANTY on page 21 to fully understand what is covered by warranty and your responsibilities of ownership.

FOR YOUR SAFETY

Your safety and the safety of others are very important. We have provided important safety messages in this manual and on the mower. This information alerts you to potential hazards that could hurt you or others. Please read these messages carefully.

Of course, it is not practical or possible to warn you about all the hazards associated with operating or maintaining a lawn mower. You must use your own good judgment.

Safety Instructions

You will find important safety information in a variety of forms:

•Safety Labels – on the lawn mower

•Instructions – how to use this mower correctly and safely

•Safety Messages – preceded by a safety alert symbol and one

of three signal words: DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION.

Each message tells you what the hazard is, what can happen, and what you can do to avoid or reduce injury.

These signal words mean:

DANGER

WARNING

CAUTION

You WILL be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be KILLED or SERIOUSLY HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

You CAN be HURT if you don’t follow instructions.

•Damage Prevention Messages – you will also see other important messages that are preceded by the word NOTICE. This word means:

	NOTICE	Your engine or other property can be
		damaged if you don’t follow instructions.

WARNING

The engine exhaust from this product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

California Proposition 65

This product contains or emits chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

Important Message to Parents

The safety of your children is very important to Honda. Lawn mowers are tools, not toys. As with any equipment, bad judgments can result in serious injuries. Your child must be big enough, strong enough, and have the coordination necessary to comfortably reach and operate the controls. Anyone who takes unnecessary risks and doesn’t obey rules should not operate this lawn mower.

Safety Label Locations

These labels warn you of potential hazards that can cause serious injury. Read them carefully. If a label comes off or becomes hard to read, contact an authorized Honda servicing dealer for a replacement.

2

PARTS AND CONTROLS

INITIAL MOWER SETUP

	BLADE CONTROL
	LEVER (P. 8)
	REAR
	DISCHARGE
	GUARD (P. 5)
	FUEL TANK CAP (P. 7)
HANDLEBAR
ADJUST KNOB (2)
(P. 4)
OIL FILLER CAP
(P. 12)	MUFFLER
	(P. 13)
SELECT DRIVE®
CONTROL (P. 8)
RECOIL
STARTER
GRIP (P. 9)
CUTTING HEIGHT
ADJUSTMENT
LEVER (4) (P. 6)
	CLIP DIRECTOR®
	KNOB (P. 5)
FUEL VALVE ON	FUEL VALVE OFF

List of Parts

With help from an assistant, carefully remove the mower and loose parts from the carton and compare the loose parts against the following list. Contact the authorized Honda dealer from whom you purchased the mower if any of the loose parts shown are not included with your mower.

	Ref.	Description	Qty.
	No.
		Grass bag frame	1
		Grass bag	1
		Engine oil and owner’s manual	1

Adjust the Handlebar

1.With the handlebar adjust knobs in the unlocked position, raise the handlebar into the mowing position.

HANDLEBAR ADJUST
KNOBS
UNLOCKED	LOCKED

2.Align the adjust knobs with one of the three holes on each handle stay. Setting the adjust knobs in the lowest holes raises the handlebar to its highest position.

3.Turn the handlebar adjust knobs 90 degrees into the lock position, making sure both sides are positioned at the same height.

4.Remove all the cardboard from around the handlebar.

3

Add Engine Oil

The mower is shipped WITHOUT OIL in the engine. Remove the oil filler cap/dipstick and add the entire contents of the included bottle of oil into the oil filler opening.

All Honda engines are run at the factory prior to packaging. Most of the oil is removed prior to shipment; however, some oil remains in the engine. The amount of oil left in the engine varies.

If you don’t use the supplied oil, add enough SAE 10W-30 API service category SJ or later oil to bring the oil level between the upper and lower limit marks on the dipstick—without screwing the dipstick in (approximately 12 to 13.5 ounces is required). See “Oil Change” on page 12.

Do not overfill the engine with oil. If the engine is overfilled, the excess oil may get transferred to the air cleaner housing and air filter. An indication of overfilling is white or blue smoke coming from the muffler when the engine is running.

After filling the engine with oil, screw the filler/cap dipstick in and remove the hang tag near the recoil starter grip that says “The engine has no oil.”

Assemble the Grass Bag

1.Turn the grass bag right-side out.

2.Pull the frame support legs outward and slide them into the eyelets as shown.

3.Install the assembled frame into the fabric grass bag, keeping the grass bag handle exposed.

GRASS BAG HANDLE		FABRIC GRASS BAG

SUPPORT LEGS

EYELETS

TOP PLASTIC CLIP (Route under the handle and frame)

PLASTIC CLIP

Please Register Your Mower

Please take a few minutes and register your purchase with Honda. You can register:

•By completing and mailing the registration card on the back cover of this book

•Going on-line to powerequipment.honda.com and clicking on Product Registration

•By scanning the QR code

Before Using Your Lawn Mower

All Mower operators must read the following sections:

•FOR YOUR SAFETY (page 2)

•BEFORE EACH OPERATION (page 4)

•OPERATION (page 7)

•MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE (page 10)

BEFORE EACH OPERATION

Your safety is your responsibility. A little time spent in preparation will significantly reduce your risk of injury.

Read and understand this manual. Know what the controls do and how to operate them.

Familiarize yourself with the lawn mower and its operation before you begin using it. Know how to quickly shut off the lawn mower in case of an emergency.

Check Your Mower

For your safety, and to maximize the service life of your lawn mower, it is very important to take a few moments before you operate the lawn mower to check its condition. Be sure to take care of any problem you find, or have your servicing dealer correct it, before you operate the lawn mower.

WARNING

Improperly maintaining this lawn mower, or failing to correct a problem before operation, could cause a significant malfunction.

Some malfunctions can seriously hurt or kill you.

Always perform a pre-operation inspection before each operation, and correct any problem.

•Make sure the lawn mower is on a level surface

•Look around and underneath the lawn mower for signs of oil or gasoline leaks

•Look for signs of damage

•Check each control for proper operation

•Check the blades for wear. Replace as necessary (page 11)

•Check that the blade bolts are tight (page 11)

•Check that all nuts, bolts, and screws are tightened

•Check the air filter (page 12) and oil level (page 6)

•Check the fuel level (page 7). Starting with a full tank will help to eliminate or reduce operating interruptions for refueling.

Check Your Mowing Area

For your safety and the safety of others, always inspect the area before operating the lawn mower.

Anything that can be picked up by the blades and thrown is a potential hazard to you and others. Look for things like stones, sticks, nails, and wire, and remove them from the lawn area.

People and animals near the lawn area can move into your lawn mower’s path or into a position where they could be struck by thrown objects. Clear the area of pets and people, especially children. Their safety is your responsibility.

Check the condition of the grass. Adjust your lawn mower ground speed and mowing swath accordingly.

4

Clip Director®

The Clip Director can be adjusted to any one of the ten positions to achieve the desired mowing results (bag, bag and mulch, or mulch).

To adjust the Clip Director knob, pull the knob downward and towards the rear of the mower. The knob adjusts a sliding door from the fully open BAG position to the fully closed MULCH position.

Some grass accumulation in the discharge opening is normal when the Clip Director is fully closed in the MULCH position. To remove this grass, close the discharge guard, fully open the Clip Director in the BAG position, engage the blade control lever, and start the engine.

If a high resistance is noticed when moving the Clip Director knob from side-to-side, excessive grass may have built up on top of the sliding door.

CLIP DIRECTOR KNOB
SLIDING DOOR	DISCHARGE
(fully closed)	GUARD

Important Safety Precaution

Always release the blade control lever and disconnect the spark plug cap (page 13) before lifting the discharge guard to view or clean around the sliding door. This will prevent contact with the rotating blades and prevent objects from being thrown into the discharge area.

Sliding Door Position

The sliding door can be positioned to produce different mowing results. If the preferred sliding door position is unknown, install the 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 moved towards the MULCH position, more grass will be recycled back into the lawn. Adjust the Clip Director knob until the desired result is achieved.

	BAGGING OR REAR DISCHARGE
CLIP DIRECTOR KNOB	AND SOME MULCHING
	SLIDING DOOR
	(50% open)

	FULL BAGGING OR	FULL MULCHING
	REAR DISCHARGE
	KNOB (BAG POSITION)	KNOB (MULCH POSITION)
	SLIDING DOOR	SLIDING DOOR
	(fully open)	(fully closed)

Rear Discharge

To discharge clippings to the rear, remove the grass bag and position the Clip Director knob in the BAG range. Maximum rear discharge will occur when the Clip Director knob is all the way to the left (BAG) position. As the Clip Director knob is moved toward the right (MULCH) position, less grass will be discharged through the rear discharge guard.

Fallen Leaves

Use the Clip Director to shred and collect fallen leaves for disposal. Set the front wheels so they are one or two settings higher than the rear. Set the Clip Director in position #9 (not quite full mulching), and adjust the setting from this point for best results.

Collecting leaves while they are damp will help to control dust and result in more effective mulching of the leaves.

Rear Shield

During normal use the rear shield is subject to deterioration and wear. Remove the grass bag and raise the discharge guard to check the rear shield for cracks or tears. If the rear shield is excessively worn, have it replaced by your authorized Honda servicing dealer.

DISCHARGE GUARD

REAR SHIELD

5

Grass Bag

A lawn mower works like a vacuum cleaner; it blows air through the bag fabric, which traps the grass clippings. Always empty the grass bag before it becomes filled to the limit of its capacity. Bagging performance will diminish after the bag becomes about 90% filled. Also, the bag is easier to empty when it is not packed full.

You can leave the grass bag on the mower during mowing, even when full mulching is selected.

To minimize dust and fine particles from passing through the grass bag fabric, it is best to mow grass in the morning when the ground is slightly damp and the grass is dry.

Inspection

During use, the grass bag material is subject to normal wear and tear.

CAUTION

An excessively worn grass bag may allow objects to be thrown toward the operator.

Thrown objects can hurt you.

Replace a worn grass bag to prevent possible injury.

Grass bag replacement is explained on page 14.

Installation

1.	Raise the discharge	DISCHARGE GUARD
	guard and hook the	GRASS BAG
	grass bag onto the	HANDLE
	mower deck as
	shown.
	Clean any grass	BAG
	clippings from the
	hook channel.
2.	Release the
	discharge guard to
	secure the grass
	bag.
Removal
1.	Raise the discharge
	guard, grasp the
	grass bag handle,
	and remove the
	grass bag.
2.	Release the
	discharge guard.
3.	When the grass bag is clear of the discharge guard, you can lift it
	through the handlebar opening or remove it to the rear of the
	mower below the handlebar.

Cutting Height Adjustment

Each wheel of the mower can be adjusted to one of seven settings. The actual height of cut grass will vary with lawn and soil conditions.

Be sure the engine is not running when adjusting the cutting height.

To adjust cutting height, pull each adjustment lever toward the wheel, and move it into another notch.

Move all four adjustment levers to the same position, forward for tall grass and rearward for short grass.

ADJUSTMENT LEVERS

THE CUTTING HEIGHT FIGURES ARE APPROXIMATE.

3/4 in (20 mm) 1-1/4 in (32 mm)

2 in (46 mm)

2-1/2 in (62 mm)

3 in (75 mm)

3-1/2 in (88 mm)

4 in (102 mm)

	1
FORWARD	•
DIRECTION	2
	•

3

•

4

If you are not sure what cutting height to select, start with a high setting and check the appearance of the lawn after mowing a small area. Then readjust the cutting height if necessary.

Check the Oil Level

1.Unscrew and remove the filler cap/dipstick and wipe it clean.

2.Insert and remove the dipstick without screwing it into the filler neck. Check the oil level shown on the dipstick.

3.If the oil level is low, add oil

	to reach the upper limit		FILLER CAP
	mark on the dipstick.
	Do not overfill. If the		/DIPSTICK
	engine is overfilled, the
	excess oil may get		UPPER
	transferred to the air
			LIMIT
	cleaner housing and air
			LOWER
	filter. An indication of
	overfilling is white or blue		LIMIT
	smoke coming from the
	muffler when the engine is running.

Use 10W-30 API Service category SJ oil for normal conditions. For additional oil recommendations. See “Engine Oil Recommendations” on page 12.

NOTICE

Running the engine with a low oil level can cause engine damage.

4. Screw in the filler cap/dipstick securely.

6

Add Fuel

This engine is certified to operate on regular gasoline with a pump octane rating of 86 or higher.

Never use stale or contaminated gasoline or an oil/gasoline mixture. Avoid getting dirt or water in the fuel tank.

You may use regular unleaded gasoline containing no more than 10% ethanol (E10) or 5% methanol by volume. In addition, methanol must contain cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors.

Use of fuels with content of ethanol or methanol greater than shown above may cause starting and/or performance problems. It may also damage metal, rubber, and plastic parts of the fuel system.

Engine damage or performance problems that result form using a fuel with percentages of ethanol or methanol greater than shown above are not covered under warranty.

WARNING

Gasoline is highly flammable and explosive, and you can be burned or seriously injured when refueling.

•Stop the engine and let it cool before refueling

•Keep heat, sparks, and flame away

•Refuel only outdoors

•Wipe up spills immediately

If your equipment will be used on an infrequent or intermittent basis, (more than 4 weeks before next use), refer to “AVOIDING FUEL-RELATED PROBLEMS” on page 18 for information regarding fuel deterioration.

1.Turn the engine off and let cool before refueling.

2.Remove the fuel tank cap.

3.Add fuel to the bottom of the red fuel level gauge in the neck of the fuel tank. Do not overfill. Wipe up spilled fuel before starting the engine.

RED FUEL LEVEL GAUGE

MAXIMUM

FUEL LEVEL

4.Tighten the fuel tank cap until it clicks.

Move the mower at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from the fueling source and site before starting the engine.

NOTICE

Fuel can damage paint and plastic. Be careful not to spill fuel when filling your fuel tank. Damage caused by spilled fuel is not covered by the DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY (page 20).

OPERATION

For your safety, avoid starting or operating the engine in an enclosed area, such as a garage. Your mower’s exhaust contains poisonous carbon monoxide gas, which can collect rapidly in an enclosed area and cause illness or death.

WARNING

Exhaust contains poisonous carbon monoxide gas that can build up to dangerous levels in closed areas.

Breathing carbon monoxide can cause unconsciousness or death.

Never run the lawn mower in a closed, or even partially closed area where people may be present.

You may hear a clicking noise as you push the lawn mower forward with the engine OFF. This is normal and will not damage the mower.

Safe Mowing Practices

Most injuries and property damage with walk-behind mowers can be prevented if you follow all instructions in this manual and on the mower. The most common hazards are discussed below, along with the best way to protect yourself and others.

Avoid Rotating Blades

Rotating blades can cause serious cuts and even amputate fingers, hands, toes, or feet. Keep away from the mower deck whenever the engine is running. If you need to adjust the cutting height or work around the deck for any other reason, always shut off the engine. Wear heavy gloves and disconnect the spark plug cap when you need to clean the mower deck or handle the blades.

DANGER

The blades are sharp and spin at high speed. If you come in contact with a spinning blade, it will cut you severely and can amputate fingers and toes.

•Wear protective footwear

•Keep you hands and feet away from the mower deck while the engine is running

•Stop the engine before performing any adjustment, inspection, or maintenance

Clear Mowing Area

Mower blades can throw rocks and other objects with enough force to cause serious injury. Before mowing, carefully inspect the area and remove all sticks, stones, pieces of wire, and other loose objects. Never operate the blades over gravel.

NOTICE

Striking objects with the spinning blades can cause severe engine damage, which is not covered by the DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED WARRANTY (page 20).

Keep Shields in Place

Guards and shields are designed to protect you from being hit by thrown objects and from hot engine parts and moving components. For your safety and the safety of others, keep all shields in place when the engine is running.

7

Refuel With Care

Gasoline is extremely flammable and gasoline vapor can explode. Refuel only outdoors, in a well-ventilated area, with the engine OFF. Never smoke near gasoline, and keep other flames and sparks away. Always store gasoline in an approved container.

Wear Protective Clothing

Wearing protective clothing will reduce your risk of injury. Long pants and eye protection reduce the risk of injuries from thrown objects. Sturdy shoes with aggressive soles will help protect your feet and give you better traction on slopes or uneven ground.

Stop the Engine When Not Mowing

If you need to leave the mower for any reason, even just to inspect the lawn ahead, stop the engine by releasing the blade control lever.

Avoid Slopes

Avoid steep slopes of more than 20°.

Mow across slopes, not up and down. Be 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.

NOTICE

Mowing on steep slopes can

starve the engine of oil, causing engine damage that is not covered by the DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED WARRANTY (page 20).

Keep all four wheels on the ground, and be careful to avoid losing your footing and your control of the mower. Keep a firm grip on the handlebar, and walk, never run, with the mower. Be very careful when mowing uneven or rough ground.

If stuck, do not kick or shove the mower with your foot. Use the handlebar to control the mower.

Avoid Obstacles

Gravel, loose stones, and landscaping material can be picked up by the mower and thrown many feet with enough force to cause serious personal injury and/or property damage. The best way to prevent potential injury from thrown objects is to release the blade control lever to stop the blades before reaching areas with gravel, loose stones, or landscaping material.

Be careful when mowing over obstacles that stick up above the surface of the lawn such as sprinkler heads, paving, edging, raised tree roots, etc.

If the blade hits something, or if the mower starts to vibrate, stop the engine immediately, disconnect the spark plug cap, and check for damage (page 11). Striking objects may damage the blades, bend the crankshaft, and/or break the mower deck or other components. Vibration usually indicates serious trouble.

WARNING

A worn, cracked, or damaged blade can break, and pieces of the damaged blade can become dangerous projectiles.

Blades thrown from the mower could seriously hurt or kill someone.

Inspect the blades regularly (see page 11), and do not operate the mower with a worn or damaged blade.

The DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY (page 20) does not cover parts damaged by accidental impact collision.

Operating the Controls

Blade Control Lever

	The blade control lever must
	be pulled back against the
	handlebar to start and run the	BLADE
	engine. The blades start to
		CONTROL
	rotate when the lever is pulled
		LEVER
	back against the handlebar
	and the recoil starter grip is
	pulled.

Continue to hold the lever fully against the handlebar. This will keep the engine and blades rotating smoothly and prevent premature wear to the flywheel brake system.

Release the blade control lever to stop the engine and stop blade rotation whenever you need to leave the mower.

Select Drive Control

With the engine running and the blades rotating, slowly push the Select Drive control to propel the mower forward.

Normal operation is with your hand comfortably around the handle bar and Select Drive control.

Push the Select Drive control with your thumb into the indentation for extra torque (up a hill, or through thick grass).

SELECT DRIVE

MIN

MAX

CONTROL

SELECT DRIVE CONTROL

You can reduce the ground speed by partially releasing the Select Drive control.

Ground speed varies with terrain, grass height, slope, and grass bag weight. Moving the Select Drive knob (page 8) or varying how far you push the Select Drive control forward allows you to maintain the desired ground speed under constantly changing mowing conditions.

Release the Select Drive control to disengage (stop) the rear wheels.

Disengage the drive when mowing around trees and other obstacles. Push the mower around obstacles for better directional control.

Adjusting the Select Drive Control

The Select Drive control knob allows you to adjust the maximum ground speed when the Select Drive lever

is fully engaged.

Adjustment is from MIN to MAX. With the Select Drive lever fully engaged:

MIN will propel the lawn mower at it’s slowest speed.

MAX will propel the lawn mower at it’s fastest speed.

MIN

MAX

CONTROL

SELECT DRIVE KNOB

The position of Select Drive knob determines the forward speed of the lawn mower, but it still varies based on the mowing surface and terrain. For example, with the knob in the slowest position, the mower may seem to propel quickly on smooth concrete. However, once the mower is moving through grass, it will go slower because of the added resistance of the grass.

8