Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Honda GX160 5.5 HP - Quits Running

Hello,

My Honda will start right up and run like normal for about 30 seconds then it quits like somebody hit the kill switch.

At first I blamed the oil shut off switch, but after disconnecting everything the problem still occurs.

If I understand this thing correctly, the motor is shut down by grounding the black wire coming off the coil. On my motor it is ground with either the on/off switch or the oil shut off switch. I don't think there is anything else.

So, I totally unhooked everything from the black coil wire. I even unhooked the black wire from the coil. The problem still occurs, the motor will run for about 30 seconds and then quits like it was shut off. I can immediately grab the rope at start it right back up, but it only runs for another short time and shuts off.

I'm thinking that it must be the ignition coil. I don't think there is anything else on this motor (from looking at the service manual I found). Is there anything hiding under the flywheel?

Does it sound like a bad coil?

Thanks

Has the engine been sitting for any length of time with old fuel in it? I know hondas are notorious for having fuel problems. If it runs and kills after 30 seconds consistently, I would stay away from ignition and look at fuel delivery. Being that the float and needle is plastic and held together with a flimsy spring I would be willing to bet that something within the float bowl is to blame. It is also possible that the fuel shut-off valve has debris stuck in it, or the sediment bowl is full of junk. I would take the carburetor apart and clean it thoroughly.

Pick ap an inline spark tester and install it. Start the engine and watch the tester closely. If it stops sparking at the same time the engine gives out, replace the coil. If it is still sparking as the engine is still winding down, then you probably have a different problem.

With the oil shut down disconnected and dying immediately upon restarting, your not getting a good supply of fuel to the carb and engine. Pull the screw in the bottom of the fuel bowl on the carb and check if it gives you a good steady stream. If not check the delivery from the tank to the carb by removing the fuel hose. If it was ignition, you would not restart immediately unless your engine is old enough for breaker points and that is another story.

Hello,

I went looking through a bunch of old honda posts on this site (I probably should've started there) and I seen a couple that looked similiar to mine. It was suggested in both cases to try a new spark plug. Evidently the plug must heat up a little and then become shorted.

I went to the parts store and threw a new plug in it and now it's running great. I used it for about 35 minutes Sunday and it ran like a watch. I'm glad a tried that first because I was ready to pick up a coil off ebay for $20 and hope for the best.

I tore the carburetor apart a couple weeks ago and everything looked good in there, there was just a little dirt lying in the bottom of the float bowl, so I knew it had to be ignition. Also, it wasn't bogging out like it was starving for gas, it was just flat out turning off like someone threw the switch.

Thanks for your help! :)

Great! Glad you fixed it. Spark plugs can cause funny things to happen for sure. I know the spark plug problem is common on the vertical shaft engines on the harmony walk-behind mowers. This is the first time I heard of it on a GX160 engine. Japanese engines do seem to be picky about plugs. I find that plain jane Autolites seem to hold up best in them.