10
Wet Grass
Wet grass is slippery and can make you lose your footing. Also, wet
grass clippings will clog the mower deck and collect in clumps on the
lawn. Always wait for wet grass to dry before mowing.
Fallen Leaves
When equipped with the grass bag, your mower can be used to pick
up fallen leaves for disposal. If using the mower to bag large amounts
of fallen leaves, and not for mowing, set the cutting height adjustment
levers so the front of the mower deck is one or two settings higher
than the rear.
If you want to mulch fallen leaves into your lawn, don’t let the leaf
cover get too deep before you begin. For best results, start mulching
while grass still shows through the leaf cover. In places where fallen
leaves completely cover the grass, remove the leaves by raking, or
install a grass bag, so your mower can pick them up for disposal.
Collecting leaves while they are damp will help to control dust and
result in more effective mulching of the leaves. You can also shred
leaves using the Clip Director; see
for details.
Clogged Mower Deck
Before clearing a clogged mower deck, stop the engine and turn the
fuel valve to the OFF position. With the spark plug cap disconnected,
tilt the mower so the carburetor side is up.
Clear a clogged deck with a stick, not your hands.
Mowing Patterns
Your Honda mower will work most efficiently if you use the following
mowing patterns as much as possible. Mower deck and equipment
design, and the direction in which the blade rotates, cause these
mowing patterns to provide the best results.
Mulching
Use a counterclockwise mowing
pattern. If the lawn has an
irregular shape, or many
obstacles, divide it into sections
where you can use
counterclockwise patterns.
Bagging
Use a clockwise mowing pattern.
This will give the best bagging
performance, leaving the least
amount of clippings on the lawn.
SERVICING YOUR MOWER
Proper maintenance is essential for safe, economical, and
trouble-free operation. It also helps reduce air pollution.
To help you properly care for your mower, the following pages include
a maintenance schedule, routine inspection procedures, and simple
maintenance procedures using basic hand tools. Other service tasks
that are more difficult or require special tools are best handled by
professionals and are normally performed by a Honda technician or
other qualified mechanic.
The maintenance schedule applies to normal operating conditions. If
you operate your mower under severe conditions, such as sustained
high load, high temperature, or unusually wet or dusty conditions,
consult your servicing dealer for recommendations applicable to your
individual needs and use.
Remember that an authorized Honda servicing dealer knows your
mower best and is fully equipped to maintain and repair it. To ensure
the best quality and reliability, use only new, Honda Genuine parts or
their equivalents for repair and replacement.
Maintenance, replacement, or repair of the emission control
devices and systems may be performed by any engine repair
establishment or individual, using parts that are “certified” to
EPA standards
.
Maintenance Safety
Some of the most important safety precautions follow. However, we
cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in
performing maintenance. Only you can decide whether or not you
should perform a given task.
Safety Precautions
• Make sure the engine is off before you begin any maintenance or
repairs. This will eliminate several potential hazards:
–
Carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust.
Be sure there is adequate ventilation whenever you operate
the engine.
–
Burns from hot parts.
Let the engine and exhaust system cool before touching.
–
Injury from moving parts.
Do not run the engine unless instructed to do so.
• Read the instructions before you begin, and make sure you have
the tools and skills required.
• To reduce the possibility of fire or explosion, be careful when
working around gasoline. Use only a nonflammable solvent, not
gasoline, to clean parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and flames away
from all fuel-related parts.
MULCHING PATTERN
BAGGING PATTERN
WARNING
Improper maintenance, or failure to correct a problem
before operation, can cause a serious malfunction.
Some malfunctions can seriously hurt or kill you.
Always follow the inspection and maintenance
recommendations and schedules in this owner’s
manual.
WARNING
Improper maintenance can cause an unsafe condition.
Failure to properly follow maintenance instructions and
precautions can cause you to be seriously hurt or killed.
Always follow the procedures and precautions in this
manual.
Summary of Contents for HRX217HZAA
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