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Thank you for purchasing a Honda engine. This manual coversthe operation and maintenance of G X I 20 and G X I 60 eng~ines and is based o n G X I60 engine. The QXE type is equipped for both electric and manual starting; other types are equipped for manual starting onl$. All information in this publication is based on the latest product information available a t the time of printing. Horjda Motor Co., Ltd. reserves the right t o make changes a t any time without notice and without incurring any obligation.
CONTENTS 1 . ENGINE SAFETY ................................................................. 2. COMPONENTIDENTIFICATION ............................................. 3 . BATTERY CONNECTIONS (for electric starter) ......................... 4 . REMOTECONTROLLINKAGE ................................................ 5. PRE-OPERATION CHECK ...................................................... 1 . ENGINE OIL .................................................................... 2 . REDUCTION GEAR OIL .............
I . ENGINE SAFETY eonda enginesare designed t o give safe and dependable service if operatedaccording t o instructions. Read andunderstandthisOwner’s Manual before operating the engine. Failure to so do could result in personal injury or equipment damage. To prevent fire hazards and t o provide adequate ventilation, keep the engine at least 1 meter (3feet) away from buildings and other equipment during operation. Do not place flammable objects close to the engine.
2. COMPONENT IDENTIFICATION MUFFLER THROTTLE LEVER OIL ALERT LAMP ENGINE SWITCH (QXE type) SPARK PLUG AIR CLEANER CIRCUIT BREAKER (QXE type) CHOKE LEVER RECOIL STARTER FUEL VALVE OIL ALERT LAMP I STARTER GRIP FUEL FILLER CAP ENGINE SWITCH QXS type , ELECTRIC STARTER (QXE type) SERIAL NUMBER AND ENGINE TYPE OIL OILDRAIN PLUG FILLER CAP Record the engine model, type and serial number information for your reference.
3. B A T T E R Y C O N N E C T I O N S (for electric starter) l Use a 12 volt battery with an ampere-hour rating of at least 18 AH. Connect the battery positive (+) cable t o t h e starter solenoid terminal, as shown. Connect the battery negative (-1 cable t o an engine mounting bolt, frame bolt, or other good engine ground connection. Check the battery cable connections t o be sure the cablesare secured and free of corrosion. Remove any corrosion and coat the terminals and cable ends with grease.
4.REMOTE CONTROL LINKAGE (for throttle and choke cables) The throttle and choke control leversare provided with holes for optional cable attachment. The following illustrations show installation examples for a solid wire cable and for a braided wire cable. If using a braided wire cable, add a return spring as shown. It is necessary t o loosen the throttle lever frictionnut when operating the throttle with a remote cable.
5 . PRE-OPERATION CHECK I. ENGINE OIL I NOTICE 1 Engineoilis a major factor affecting engineperformanceandservice life. Non-detergent oils and vegetable oils are not recommended. Be sure to check the engine on a level surface with the engine stopped. i Use Honda 4-stroke an oil or equivalenthigh-detergent,premium quality motor oil certified to meetor exceed U.S. automobile manufacturer's requirements for Service Cla'ssification SG.SF/CC.CD. Motor oils classified SG.SF/CC.CD.
2. REDUCTION GEAR OIL (Only on equipped model) 1. Remove the oil filler cap and wipe the dipstick clean. 2. Insert the dipstick into the filler neck but do not screw it in. 3. If the level is low, fill to the upper level mark with the same oil recommended for the engine (see engine oil recommendations on page 7). Oil capacity: 500 cc (17 US 02, 14 ImD 0 2 ) p = y DIPSTICK/FILLER CAP UPPER LEVEL DRAIN BOLT <1/ 6 reduction> 1.
3. AIR CLEANER Never run the engine without the air cleaner. Rapid engine wear will result from contaminants, such as dust and dirt, being drawn through the: carburetor and into the engine. 'I ..' Check the air cleaner elements t o be sur~ethey are cleanand in goodconditi~on. Clean or replace the elements if necessary (p.22). ELEMENTS 1 . Check the air cleaner element t o be sure theyare clean and in good condition. Flean orreplace theelements if necessary (p.23). 2.
1 . Check the air cleaner element t o be sure it is clean and in good condition. Clean or replace the element if necessary (page 24). 2. Check oil level and condition. OIL LEVEL .
4. FUEL that has a pumpoctane Yourengineisdesigned t o useanygasoline ) of 86 or higher, or t h a t has a research ocnumber ( tanle number of 91 or higher. Gasoline pumps a t service station normally display the pump octane number. We recommend that you use unleaded fuel because it produces fewer engine and spark plug deposits and extends the life of exhaust system components. ‘2 NeGer use stale or contaminated gasoline or an oil/gasoline mixture. Avoid getring dirt, dust or water in the fuel tank.
GASOLINES CONTAINING ALCOHOL If youdecide t o use a gasoline containing alcohol (gasohol),be sure its octane rating is a t least as high as that recommended by Honda. There are t w o types of "gasohol": one containing ethanol, and the other containing methanol. Do not use gasohol that contains more than 10% ethanol. Do not use gasoline containing methanol (methyl or wood alcohol) that does not also contain cosolvents and corrosion inhibitors for methanol.
6. STARTING THE ENGINE 1. Turn the fuel valve to the ON position. FUEL VALVE 2. Move the choke lever to theCLOSE position. NOTE: The choke may not be needed temperature is high.
~~ ~ 3. Move the throttle lever slightly to the left. THROTTLE LEVER 4. Start the engine. 0 With recoil starter: Turn the engine switch to the ON position.
Pull the starter grip lightly until resistance is felt, then pull briskly. Do not allow the starter grip to snap back against the engine. Return it gently to prevent damage to the starter. STARTER GRIP 0 With electric starter: Turn the engine switch to the START position and holdit there until the engine starts. Do not use the electric starter for more than 5 seconds or starter motor damage may occur.
7.OPERATION 1. As the engine warms up, gradually move the choke lever to the OPEN position. CHOKE LEVER 2. Position the throttle lever for the desired engine speed.
0il.Alert System The Oil Alert system is designed to prevent engine damage caused by an insufficient amount of oil in thecrankcase.Beforetheoillevel in the crankcase can fall below a safe limit, the Oil Alert system will automatically shut down the engine (the engine switch will remain in the ON position). If the Oil Alert system shuts down the engine, the Oil Alert lamp will flash when you operate the starter, and the engine will not run. If this occurs, add engine oil (page 7).
8. STOPPING THE ENGINE To stop the engine in an emergency, turn the engine switch to the OFF position. Under normal conditions, use the following procedure: 1 . Move the throttle lever fully to the right. THROTTLE LEVER 2. Turn the engine switch to the OFF position.
3.1Turn the fuel valve t o t h e OFF position. FUEL VALVE \ *High altitude operation A t high altitude, the standard carburetor air-fuel mixture will be excessively rich. Performance will decrease, and fuel consumption will increase. a smaller diameter High altitude performance can be improved by installing main fuel jet in the carburetor and readjusting the pilot screw.
9. MAINTENANCE The purpose of the maintenance and adjustment schedule is t o keep the engine in good operating condition. Inspect or service as scheduled in the table below. Shut off theengine before performing any maintenance. If the engine must be run, make sure the area is well ventilated. The exhaust contains poisonous carbon monoxide gas. Use only genuine HONDA parts or their equivalent. The use of replacement parts which are not of equivalent quality may damage the engine.
oil change 1. Drain the oil while the engine draning. is still warm to assure rapid and complete 1 . Remove the oil filler cap and drain plug t o drain the oil. 2. Install the drain plug and tighten it securely. 3. Refill with the recommended oil (see page 7) and check the oil level. 4. Install the oil filler cap. EN'GINE OIL CAPACITY: 0.6 (0.63USqt, 0.
2. Air cleaner service A dirty air cleaner will restrict air f l o w t o the carburetor. To prevent carburetor malfunction, service the air cleaner regularly. Service more frequently when operating the engine in extremely dusty areas. Never use gasoline or low flash point solvents for cleaning the air cleaner element. A fire or explosion could result. Never run the engine without the air cleaner. Rapid engine wear will result. 1 . Remove the wing nut and the air cleanercover.
1 . Remove the wing nut and the air cleanercover.Removethe elementsandseparatethem. Carefully check both elements for holes or tears and replace if damaged. 2. Foam element: Wash the element in a solution of household detergent and warm water, then rinse thoroughly,orwash in nonflammable or high flash point solvent. Allow theelement t o drythoroughly. Soak the element in clean engine oil and squeeze out theexcess oil.
1. Unscrew the wing nut, remove the air cleaner cover and remove the element. 2. Washtheelement in a solutionofhouseholddetergentandwarm water, then rinse thoroughly, or wash in nonflammable or high flash point solvent. Allow the element to dry thoroughly. 3. Soak the element in clean engine oil and squeeze out the excess oil. The engine will smoke during initial start-up if too much oil is in leftthe element. 4.
3.~ Sediment cup cleaning , Gasoline is extremely flammable and is explosive undercertain conditions. Do not smoke or allow flames or sparks in the area. OFF. Remove the sediment cup and O-ring andwash Turn the fuel valve to them in nonflammable or high flash point solvent. Dry them thoroughly and reinstall securely. Turn the fuel valve ON and check for leaks. If any fuel is spilled, make sure the area is dry before testing the spark plug or starting the engine. Fuel vapor or spilled fuel may ignite.
4. Spark plug service Recommended spark plug: BPRGES (NGK) W20EPR-U(ND) Never use a spark plug of incorrect heat range. To ensure proper engine operation, the spark plug must be properly gapped and free of deposits. 1. Remove the spark plug cap and use a spark plug wrench to remove the Plug. If the engine has been running, the muffler will be very hot. Be careful not to touch the muffler. SPARK PLUG WRENCH 2. Visually inspect the spark plug. Discard it if the insulator is cracked or chipped.
4. ,Check that the spark plug washer is in good condition and thread the !spark plug in by hand t o prevent cross-threading. 5. ;After the spark plug is seated, tighten with a spark plug wrench to com;press the washer. NOTE: When installing a n e w spark plug, tighten 1/2 turn after the spark plug seats t o compress the washer. When reinstalling a used spark plug, tighten 1/8- 1/4 turn after the spark plug seats to compress the washer. The sparkplug mustbe securely tightened.
5. Spark arrester maintenance (optional part) If the engine has been running, the muffler will be very hot. Allow it to cool before proceeding. 1. Remove the t w o 8 mm nuts @ and the muffler assembly. 2. Remove the three 4 mm screws @ and remove the exhaust deflector 0. 3. Remove the eight5 mm screws @ and remove the muffler protector @ from the muffler @. 4. Remove the 4 mm screw @ and remove the spark arrester@ from the muffler. 5.
6. 'Carburetor adjustment 1. startthe engineandallow it towarmuptonormaloperating temperature. 2. With the engine idling, turn the pilot screwin or out to the setting that produces the highest idle rpm. Usually the correct settingwill be found t o be: I ~ ~ Dualelementtype Oil bathtype Cyclonetype GX120 G X I 60 2.0 turns 3.0 turns 2 318 turns 2 1/8 turns ~ Do not tighten the pilot screw against its seat; this will damage the' pilot screw or seat. 3.
10. TRANSPORTING/STORAGE When transporting the engine, turn the fuel valve to the OFF position and keep the engine level to prevent fuel spillage. Fuel vapor or spilled fuel may ignite. Before storing the unit for an extended period; 1. Be sure the storage area is free of excessive humidity and dust. 2. Drain the fuel... a. With the fuel valve in the OFF position, remove and empty the sediment cup. ON position and drainthe gasoline from the b. Turn the fuel valve to the fuel tank into a suitable container.
1 I . TROUBLESHOOTING Engine will not start using recoil starter: 1 . is the engine switch in the ON position? (See page 14.) 2. ,If equipped with oil alert, does the oil alert lamp flash when the starter is :operated? (See page 7.) 3. the fuel valve ON? (See page 13.) 4. is there fuel in the fuel tank? (See page 4.) 5. Is gasoline reaching the carburetor? To check, loosen the drain screw with the fuel valve on.
Engine will not start using electric starter: 1. Are the battery cables securely connected and free of corrosion? 2. Is the battery fully charged? NOTE: Ifthe breaker. enginedoesnotcharge the battery,checkthecircuit 3. If the starter motor operates but the engine will not start, follow the troubleshooting procedures described under "engine will not start using the recoil starter". (See page 31 .
12. SPECIFICATIONS GX120 I Dl,MENSlONS AND W,EIGHT Description code GXI 20 GCOI 3 0 0 x 345 x 320 mrn (1 1.8x 13.6 x 12.6 in) Length x Width x Height Dry weight 12.0 ka (26.5 Ib) Engine type 4-stroke, overhead valve, single cylinder 1 1 8 cc (7.3 cu in) 160 x 42 mm (2.4 inx 1.7 in)l Displacement [Bore x Stroke] Max. output 4.0 HP/3,600 rpm 0.75 kg (5.4 ft-lb)l2,500 rpm Max.
- OFF IGNITION COIL 1 W BI BI I I BLACK WHITE 1 R Gr I I RED GRAY 1 MAIN FUSE CIRCUIT DIODE (5A BLADEPROTECTOR TYPE) I NOTE: Wiring diagrams may vary according to the types.
T IGNmlON SWITCH -Y G- 0 NOTE: Wiring diagrams may varyaccording tothe types.
14. WARRANTY SERVICE Owner Satisfaction Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to yourdealer and t o us. All Honda warranty details are explained in the Distributor’s Limited Warranty. Warranty service is available at any dealership displaying the Honda Power Equipment Engines sign. To locate dealers in your area, look in the yellow pages of your telephone directory under GasolineEngines, Garden & Lawn Equipment & Supplies, Lawn Mowers, etc.
