More of a technical review, not an unboxing. Honda has made lots of changes to their latest residential mowers: the HRN216 sold in many big box stores. This review for 2023 walks you through all the latest and greatest changes, both the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly. If you haven’t seen theses mowers yet in your shop, rest assured you will soon.
00:00 I’m not Blondie
00:45 Mower deck and oil filler tube
01:34 Fuel filler and top shroud
04:03 Control cables
04:33 Carburetor and airbox
05:33 Wheels
07:28 Transmission
07:57 Handle bar storage
08:43 Carburetor gaskets
The tools I like and use most often:
My absolute favorite tester – Spark Check’r : https://amzn.to/453axCG
Mityvac MV8500 Vacuum/Pressure tester: https://amzn.to/4iN2YDj
Mityvac Small Engine Compression Tester: https://amzn.to/4jGC1CA
Magnetic spark plug socket set: https://amzn.to/3CzmpvO
Tachometer: https://amzn.to/3sHibiH
Vessel Megadora JIS screwdriver set: https://amzn.to/363RFqO
Channellock Bent Needle-nose pliers: https://amzn.to/3I5DbnA
Long 1/4 Quick-connect Torx Driver Bits: https://amzn.to/3HUNgnm
Another Spark Tester I like: https://amzn.to/3CxW2qi
OTC Leak-down Test Kit: https://amzn.to/3CyUhJn
Wear your safety glasses, or you’ll shoot your eye out. Try on some gloves. Take off that spark plug boot. Clean your room. Open the windows, those fumes are nasty. Just ’cause I do it, don’t think it’s the end all, be all solution. There’s plenty more ideas out there, I can’t take responsibility if you slice off a few fingers after watching my videos. And don’t just pour that toxic stuff down the sewer or in the ditch, dispose of waste responsibly. Just be safe, OK?
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Titles, opening graphics, and music by AbleVFX.
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Disclaimer: The content of this video is purely for my entertainment, and is available to you for informational and educational purposes only. It’s not substitute advice from small engine mechanics with professional training and certifications, nor does it create any kind of relationship between the The Lawnmower Lady and you. Your situation may be different, and the The Lawnmower Lady makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the fit, accuracy, or applicability of the information shown in this video, and implies no guarantee of results. The Lawnmower Lady and any sponsors of this video are not liable for any damages of personal injury, property damage or loss of any kind that may result from the use or reliance on this video and/or any parts and procedures represented in this video. You are using the information presented in this video solely at your own risk.
#HRN216 #honda #GCV170 #lawnmower #smallenginerepair #DIY
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Here's how to change the drive belt of this mower: https://youtu.be/lsNDo2Ywnlk
Can't get mine to stay running at all , it will run for 30-45 seconds and that's it . Don't want any more Hondas.
You said that you thought honda has quality plastics! Young lady! There is no such thing as quality plastics! Every company that makes everything from cars to chainsaws has took the inexpensive route for their company and the expensive route for the customers! I work on small engine equipment every day, this crap is garbage! Plain and simple. People walk into a home depot or whatever store they purchase their equipment at? Everything is clean and shiny looking and they buy it without doing any research on it! We are being suckered by everyone of these companies with shiny plastics and poor quality equipment! I bet that you can remember back in the late sixties early seventies that you had better have a solid piece of equipment with little to no plastics on it or those ol boys back then would just chuckle a little, and I think you can imagine the next words that came out of there mouths would be? I own a chainsaw collection and vintage lawnmower collection! And I still have early sixties XL -12 homelites and McCullochs and they still run to this very day! You would be lucky to get two years out of a five to seven hundred dollar lawnmower these days! But I can tell people all the time that if you want a quality piece of equipment that you need to go back about thirty years or more to get such a thing! And they look at me as if I am a few fries short of a happy meal!
Thank you .!! you are awesome 🔥🔥
These are getting absolutely shitcanned in reviews here in Australia. Sure there are some good reviews but the number bad are rather high. Personally I’m going with a Bush Ranger which I have had before. Before buying a POS dewalt.
Front valve cover leaking yet? Bought mine in 2020. 1st, 1 month old, mower went back as Honda messed up with metal to plastic layer under deck. I RTVed the heck out of new mower to keep the cutting debris from pushing down the plastic until there was blade strike. There is a posted video one t-off owner posted if ya search. Noticed Honda 216 now a pushrod, to save bucks along with plastic wheels, still paid $409 at Lowes. Local repair shop will not touch Big Box sold mowers! So has $$$HondaBond worked for the rest of you on resealing the valve cover? Also many having to replace o-ring around bottom of fill tube..looking for right o-ring now. BTW, I have to tilt mower twice to get all? of oil out. My fill tube blocking or I tilt mower to fast to avoid spills…
An HRN shouldn't be compared to an HRX which is an next level up. Honda didn't go cheap. The HRX line has a NeXite deck, ball bearing wheels that are also a little larger and a GCV200 engine. None of these features come on any HRN models. HRX models do cost considerably more for that reason. The commercial line costs are higher yet. For most homeowners use the HRN line is just fine.
Just bought one and love it
Hey, just got one of these cheap the other day. It had a fast drip of oil in the front and I thought it was the valve cover. So I resealed it and didn’t help took it back apart and noticed the head bolts were loose. Did you know this model only has two head bolts? Keep in mind only two head bolts, and they were both loose and this thing was running like a champ.
May be a quality mower from a mechanical standpoint; but in my 4 months of usage the HRN cut quality sucks. Uneven cuts, high and lows levels depending on which way you are cutting, and big time wheel ruts even with alternating the mow pattern. Very unhappy, and expected so much more from Honda.
I love this mower!
In the past, it was fairly easy for many to prefer HRR216 over HRX217 K5 mainly due to the pricing difference, and knowing that they would both last for years. But now, HRX217 K6 is many many times more durable and solid than HRN216 and is often on sale:)
The kind of a review I like – practical! The thing I didn’t like was the one piece cover for the recoil start cord. Would prefer bolts rather than clips. No one has explained to me why Honda is discontinuing making their gas mowers at the end of 2023?
So I have a question this is the VKA model which is what I had but had to return for a couple reasons one being a oil leak & other being spider web cracking all over the side of the engine block & it was pretty bad looking.. I'm getting another one cause for the money it's the best on the market for homeowners in this price range. I kinda want the VLA model with the blade stop but with the clutch I worry about it being dependable. Would you stay away from the one with the blade stop cause of more extensive parts to go wrong & should it be dependable. Thank you in advance
Great video. Thanks
And still no gas line filter after 20+ years.
Enjoyed the video. I thought a lot about it and decided to buy the HRN. Reason being you won't be able to get anymore of them when they are sold out. Is it a perfect mower? No. The lack of bushings in the front wheels is irritating. But even a less than perfect Honda is still one heck of a great lawn mower. I still have my 11-year-old Husqvarna with Honda motor. Just replaced wheels, dust cover, blade adapter, belt, and blade. It's running real nice. But all of the parts are showing their age. Honda really made some great products. Hoping my two Honda powered mowers will get me to the finish line of my lawn mowing career.
HRX and HRN are two different series that goes together. HRX is premium and HRN is entry level, so you can not say that the wheels are worse, because HRN is a different series, not a newer one. You can still buy HRX series
If you do minimal yearly maintenance of your 216…for the vast majority of owners, there is no 'ugly' only super reliable and an awesome mower..and no very expensive batteries to buy ever 🙂
Plastic parts are not for product "improvement" They are for cutting costs, boosting profits. Wheels with loose plastic bushings tell the whole story.Another way Honda saves 7 cents per mower is to do away with the oil drain plug. I guess they don't want you to change engine oil. That way they can try to sell you another mower. These mowers are way overrated throw away products.
I’m getting white smoke on start up. Only lasts a few seconds and clears up. Otherwise it runs great. Any idea on the smoke?
I'm a multi-degreed OG powertrain engineer who has been wrenching on small engines for decades. This was an impressive overview. I love listening to experienced people who tell you the important aspects of a product. Awesome. 👍🏻
Hi Lawnmower Lady. I am noticing wear on the rear wheels of my HRN216 mower. So, my question is Will rear wheels for a HRX216 mower fit/work on my mower? TIA!
To be honest I heard "cheap out " to many times to justify paying the Honda price
Honestly, this video is refreshing.
I have just bought a 216 and this was a very good explanation of the workings. Thank you, Lawnmower Lady.
Soooo much plastic …
The father in law bent the crank on his 3 year old hrr216 so he got a new one like in your video and gave old one to me.
Whole new engine block on hrn. The crankcase opens on the too while the hrr splits in half diagonally.
What MM are we using for the wheels on the HRN 216
Hi can i use this stud in this model in HRX217 INSTEAD OF BOLT for the carburator