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4

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. 
See “Oil Change” on 

page 13

.

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.

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 manual

 • Going online to 

powerequipment.honda.com

 and

clicking on Product Registration

 • By scanning this 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 11

)

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.

 • 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 12

).

 • Check that the blade bolts are tight (

page 12

).

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

 • Check the air filter (

page 13

) 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.

GRASS BAG 
HANDLE

EYELETS

FABRIC 
GRASS BAG

SUPPORT LEGS

TOP PLASTIC CLIP 
(Route under the 
handle and frame)

PLASTIC CLIP

 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.

Summary of Contents for HRX217HZAA

Page 1: ... Clip Director 5 Control Cable Adjustments 15 Specifications 20 Rear Shield 5 Charging the Battery 16 AVOIDING FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS 21 Grass Bag 6 Optional Battery Charger 16 CUSTOMER INFORMATION 22 Cutting Height Adjustment 6 Replacing the Battery 16 Parts Accessories and Service Items 22 Check the Oil Level 6 TRANSPORTING 16 Dealer Locator Information 22 Add Fuel 7 STORAGE 17 How to Contact Hon...

Page 2: ...ad 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 ...

Page 3: ... 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 SHIFT LEVER P 9 orange REAR DISCHARGE GUARD P 5 FUEL TANK CAP P 7 MUFFLER P 14 STARTER MOTOR HANDLEBAR ADJUST KNOB 2 P 3 RECOIL STARTER GRIP P 9 CUTTING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT LEVER 4 P 6 GRASS BAG P 6 AIR FIL...

Page 4: ...stand 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 cond...

Page 5: ... 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 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...

Page 6: ...djusting 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 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 he...

Page 7: ...s 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 ru...

Page 8: ...Lever For best cut quality always mow with the throttle lever in the FAST position When the blades rotate at the preset fast speed they create a strong fan action that lifts and cuts grass more efficiently Do not try to increase the preset engine speed the blades could fracture and come apart Blade Control Lever To start blade rotation hold down the yellow button on top of the blade control lever ...

Page 9: ...l not be used for 3 to 4 weeks we recommend running the engine s carburetor out of fuel You can do this by leaving the fuel valve OFF restarting the engine and running it until it stops See AVOIDING FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS on page 21 if you don t plan to use your mower for a month or more 5 Clean your mower after each mowing refer to Cleaning on page 17 Mowing Tips When to Mow Most grasses should be...

Page 10: ...asks 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 recom...

Page 11: ... use or first month First 25 hours of use 50 hours of use or every 6 months 100 hours of use or every year 150 hours of use or every two years See page Rear shield Check O 5 Blades Inspect O 12 Blade mounting bolts Inspect O Engine oil Check O 6 Change O O 2 O O 13 Air filter Check O Clean O 1 O 1 O 1 Replace O Grass bag Check O 6 Blade control operation Check O O 8 Spark plug Check O 14 Replace O...

Page 12: ... wrench Use a wooden block to prevent the blades from turning when removing the bolts Remove the blades 5 Clean dirt and grass from around the blade mounting area 6 Install the sharpened or replacement blades using the two blade bolts and special washers as shown below Be sure to install the washers in the direction shown Always install both blades as a set The blade bolts and washers are speciall...

Page 13: ...l in accordance with the Maintenance Schedule page 11 Recommended oil for general use SAE 10W 30 Other viscosities shown in the chart may be used when the average temperature in your area is within the recommended range The SAE oil viscosity and service category are in the API label on the oil container Honda recommends API service category SJ or later oil Air Filter Clean the air filter after the...

Page 14: ...nstalling the old spark plug tighten 1 8 to 1 4 turn after the spark plug seats If installing a new spark plug tighten 1 2 turn after the spark plug seats Spark plug torque 14 ft lb 20 N m NOTICE A loose spark plug can overheat and damage the engine Overtightening the spark plug can damage the threads in the cylinder head 7 Install the spark plug cap on the spark plug Spark Arrester optional part ...

Page 15: ...ine stopped position the control cable bands the distances shown from the handlebar pivot pin as shown Pull the shift lever all the way back to the neutral position 2 Start the engine and move the throttle lever to the FAST position 3 Engage the drive clutch lever and confirm the following a Mower does not self propel b Mower begins to self propel or creeps very slowly forward when the shift lever...

Page 16: ...unting screws 2 Carefully remove the battery from the box and then pull the connector away from the terminals 3 Carefully position the battery in the case without pinching the wires The wires must be routed above the top side of the battery exactly as shown Replacing a Fuse The electric starter circuit and battery are protected by a 30 Amp and 3 Amp fuse If the 30 Amp fuse burns out the electric s...

Page 17: ...op several times to expel any residual water from the mechanism Stop the engine and allow it to cool After the lawn mower is clean and dry touch up any damaged paint and coat other areas that may rust with a light film of oil Oil Change the engine oil page 13 if planned storage is 3 months or longer or when storing in a high humidity environment Add oil in the engine cylinder to prevent corrosion ...

Page 18: ...ck is clogged Clean out the mower deck page 17 Air filter is clogged Clean or replace the air filter page 13 Bad fuel mower stored without treating gasoline or refueled with bad gasoline Refuel with fresh gasoline page 7 Fuel filter clogged carburetor malfunction ignition malfunction valves stuck etc Take the mower to an authorized Honda servicing dealer for repair Possible Cause Correction Grass ...

Page 19: ...echnologies to reduce evaporative emissions U S and California Clean Air Acts U S EPA and California regulations require all manufacturers to furnish written instructions describing the operation and maintenance of emissions control systems The following instructions and procedures must be followed in order to keep the emissions from your Honda engine within the emissions standards Tampering and A...

Page 20: ...c 1000 hours 225 cc and greater HRX217K6HZAA Honda rotary mower 21 inch mower deck self charging electric start Clip Director hydrostatic transmission blade brake clutch Auto Choke System Length 65 5 in 1 665 mm Width 23 1 in 588 mm Overall height 44 1 in 1 122 mm Dry mass 105 6 lb 47 9 kg Cutting width 20 9 in 530 mm Cutting heights 7 3 4 4 in 19 101 mm 1 1 4 inch 32 mm cutting height and handle ...

Page 21: ...t before each use A properly maintained air filter will help prevent dirt from entering the carburetor The small passages inside the carburetor can become blocked 3 to 4 Weeks Before Next Use Reason Keep your lawn mower s fuel tank full of fresh fuel when not in use Turn the fuel valve OFF If the fuel tank is only partially filled air in the tank will promote fuel deterioration Turn the fuel valve...

Page 22: ...erican Honda Motor Co Inc reserves the right however to discontinue or change specifications or design at any time without notice and without incurring any obligation whatever No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission Shop Manual This manual covers complete maintenance and overhaul procedures It is intended to be used by a skilled technician Available for purchase by...

Page 23: ...cial loss or any other incidental or consequential damage Any implied warranties are limited to the duration of this written limited warranty Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts and or do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above exclusions and limitations may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific le...

Page 24: ...warranty repairs and must be provided without charge to the owner A list of warranted parts is shown in the table below All emission related parts are under warranty for the remainder of the warranty period Normal maintenance items such as spark plugs and filters that are on the warranted parts list are warranted up to their required replacement interval only Honda will also replace other engine c...

Page 25: ...25 NOTES ...

Page 26: ...26 NOTES ...

Page 27: ...ect one Complete and mail the postage paid card shown below Complete and submit the on line form at powerequipment honda com Scan the QR code below and then complete and submit the on line form Print your 7 digit serial number here commercial rental users check one private homeowner use for hire use Owner s Last Name Company Name Address City Purchased Via First Name Telephone State ZIP Code Appli...

Page 28: ...d click 6XEPLW It s that simple Power Equipment Division American Honda Motor Co Inc 4900 Marconi Dr Alpharetta GA 30005 9956 NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES Product Registration BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST CLASS MAIL ALPHARETTA GA PERMIT NO 117 POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE 2 Click the SUPPORT link on the homepage HPE 2021 01 PRINTED IN U S A EM5 K6 ...

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