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7

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 from using a fuel 

with percentages of ethanol or methanol greater than shown above 

are not covered under warranty. 

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 20

 for information regarding 

fuel deterioration. 

1. Turn the engine off and let cool before refueling.
2. Remove the fuel tank cap.
3. Add fuel into the neck of the fuel tank to the UPPER LIMIT line 

(Approx. 2 inches (53 mm) from the top of the fuel filler neck). Do 
not overfill. Wipe up any spilled fuel before starting the engine.

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 22

).

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.

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.

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 22

).

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.

 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

FUEL TANK 
CAP

2 in

(53 mm)

UPPER 

LIMIT

 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.

 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 your hands and feet away from the mower 

deck while the engine is running

 • Stop the engine before performing any adjustment, 

inspection, or maintenance

Summary of Contents for HRX217VLAA

Page 1: ...k Your Mowing Area 4 Charging the Battery 15 AVOIDING FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS 20 Clip Director 5 Optional Battery Charger 15 CUSTOMER INFORMATION 21 Rear Shield 5 Replacing the Battery 15 Parts Accessories and Service Items 21 Grass Bag 6 TRANSPORTING 16 Dealer Locator Information 21 Cutting Height Adjustment 6 STORAGE 16 How to Contact Honda 21 Check the Oil Level 6 Fuel 16 Honda Publications 21 Ad...

Page 2: ...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...

Page 3: ...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 BLADE CONTROL LEVER P 8 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 ...

Page 4: ...derstand 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 c...

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: ...aged 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 engine The blades start to rotate when the lever is pulled 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 ...

Page 9: ...ce about specific types of grasses and growing conditions in your area Most grass has stems and leaves If you cut off the leaves you ll scalp the lawn Let the grass recover between mowings Your mower will work better and your lawn will look better Cutting grass that is too tall or mowing the lawn too quickly can clog the mower deck with grass and may cause the engine to stall If your grass gets to...

Page 10: ... 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 ...

Page 11: ...each use 5 hours of 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 12 Engine oil Check O 6 Change O O 2 O O 13 Air filter Check O 13 Clean O 1 O 1 O 1 Replace O Grass bag Check O 6 Blade control operation Check O O 14 Spark...

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: ... 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: ...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 The spark arrester must be serviced every 100 hours to keep it functioning as designed Your lawn mower eng...

Page 15: ...port connector that is closest to the battery 3 Insert the connector on the Honda battery charger into the other end of the adapter harness 4 Plug the charger into a standard 120 volt AC power outlet and let the battery charge The charger may become slightly warm during charging this is normal The float charger can be left connected continuously when the lawn mower is not in use After charging the...

Page 16: ...ICE Using a garden hose or pressure washing equipment can force water into the air filter Water in the air cleaner will soak the paper element and can enter the carburetor or engine cylinder causing damage Water contacting a hot engine can cause damage If the engine has been running allow it to cool before washing Grass Bag Remove the bag from the mower and wash it with a garden hose or pressure w...

Page 17: ...tc Take the mower to an authorized Honda servicing dealer for repair UNLOCKED Possible Cause Correction Grass is too tall Raise the cutting height Cut a narrower swath Use a slower ground speed Cut more frequently Grass is too wet Allow the grass to dry Mower deck is clogged Clean out the mower deck page 16 Air filter is clogged Clean or replace the air filter page 13 Bad fuel mower stored without...

Page 18: ...Acts and Environment and Climate Change Canada ECCC U S EPA California and Canadian 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 Altering NOTICE Ta...

Page 19: ...hours 225 cc and greater HRX217K6VLAA HRX217K6VLPA Honda rotary mower 21 inch mower deck Clip Director Select Drive variable speed transmission Auto Choke System self charging electric start Length 63 4 in 1 610 mm Width 23 1 in 588 mm Overall height 42 2 in 1 073 mm Dry mass 95 0 lb 43 1 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 handl...

Page 20: ...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 21: ...g American 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 purchas...

Page 22: ...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 23: ...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 24: ...24 NOTES ...

Page 25: ...25 NOTES ...

Page 26: ...26 NOTES ...

Page 27: ...d to any other company or organization Failure to register your lawn mower does not diminish your warranty rights Please complete and mail the postage paid card scan the QR code or register online at powerequipment honda com reg as shown on the next page Print your 7 digit serial number here example Scan this QR code to register your lawn mower commercial rental users check one private homeowner u...

Page 28: ... 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 Enter your serial number and then click Submit Register Your Product Online HPE 2022 01 PRINTED IN U S A EM5 K6 ...

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