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8

Refuel With Care

Gasoline is extremely flammable and gasoline vapor can explode. 
Refuel only outdoors, in a well-ventilated area, with the engine OFF. 
Never smoke near gasoline, and keep other flames and sparks away. 
Always store gasoline in an approved container.

Wear Protective Clothing

Wearing protective clothing will reduce your risk of injury. Long pants 
and eye protection reduce the risk of injuries from thrown objects. 
Sturdy shoes with aggressive soles will help protect your feet and give 
you better traction on slopes or uneven ground.

Stop the Engine When Not Mowing

If you need to leave the mower for any reason, even just to inspect the 
lawn ahead, stop the engine by releasing the blade control lever.

Avoid Slopes

Avoid steep slopes of more than
20

°.

Mow across slopes, not up and
down. Be careful when changing
direction. Mowing on a slope
when the grass is damp or wet
could cause you to slip, fall, and
lose control of the mower.

NOTICE

Mowing on steep slopes can starve the engine of oil, causing engine

damage that is not covered by the 

DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED

WARRANTY (

page 21

).

Keep all four wheels on the ground, and be careful to avoid losing 
your footing and your control of the mower. Keep a firm grip on the 
handlebar, and walk, never run, with the mower. Be very careful when 
mowing uneven or rough ground.

If stuck, do not kick or shove the mower with your foot. Use the 

handlebar to control the mower.

Avoid Obstacles

Gravel, loose stones, and landscaping material can be picked up by 
the mower and thrown many feet with enough force to cause serious 
personal injury and/or property damage. The best way to prevent 
potential injury from thrown objects is to release the blade control 
lever to stop the blades before reaching areas with gravel, loose 
stones, or landscaping material.
Be careful when mowing over obstacles that stick up above the 
surface of the lawn such as sprinkler heads, paving, edging, raised 
tree roots, etc.
If the blade hits something, or if the mower starts to vibrate, stop the 
engine immediately, disconnect the spark plug cap, and check for 
damage (

page 12

). Striking objects may damage the blades, bend the 

crankshaft, and/or break the mower deck or other components. 
Vibration usually indicates serious trouble. 

The 

DISTRIBUTOR’S LIMITED WARRANTY

 (

page 21

) does not 

cover parts damaged 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 and prevent premature wear 
to the flywheel brake system. 

Release the blade control lever to stop the engine and stop blade 
rotation whenever you need to leave the mower. 

Select Drive Control

With the engine running and 

the blades rotating, slowly 

push the Select Drive control 

to propel the mower forward.
Normal operation is with your 

hand comfortably around the 

handle bar and Select Drive 

control. 
Push the Select Drive control 

with your thumb into the 

indentation for extra torque 

(up a hill, or through thick 

grass).
You can reduce the ground speed by partially releasing the Select 

Drive control. 
Ground speed varies with terrain, grass height, slope, and grass bag 

weight. Moving the Select Drive knob (shown below) or varying how 

far you push the Select Drive control forward allows you to maintain 

the desired ground speed under constantly changing mowing 

conditions.
Release the Select Drive control to disengage (stop) the rear wheels.
Disengage the drive when mowing around trees and other obstacles. 

Push the mower around obstacles for better directional control.

Adjusting the Select Drive Control

The Select Drive control 

knob allows you to adjust the 

maximum ground speed 

when the Select Drive lever 
is fully engaged.

Adjustment is from MIN to

MAX. With the Select Drive

lever fully engaged:

MIN

 will propel the lawn

mower at it’s slowest speed.

MAX

 will propel the lawn 

mower at it’s fastest speed.
The position of Select Drive 
knob determines the forward 
speed of the lawn mower, but it still varies based on the mowing 
surface and terrain. For example, with the knob in the slowest 
position, the mower may seem to propel quickly on smooth concrete. 
However, once the mower is moving through grass, it will go slower 
because of the added resistance of the grass.

 WARNING

A worn, cracked, or damaged blade can break, and 
pieces of the damaged blade can become dangerous 
projectiles.
Blades thrown from the mower could seriously hurt or kill 
someone.
Inspect the blades regularly (see 

page 12

), and do not 

operate the mower with a worn or damaged blade.

BLADE 
CONTROL 
LEVER

SELECT DRIVE CONTROL

SELECT DRIVE KNOB

Summary of Contents for HRX217VKAA

Page 1: ...ble Adjustment 15 Specifications 18 Check Your Mowing Area 4 TRANSPORTING 15 AVOIDING FUEL RELATED PROBLEMS 19 Clip Director 5 STORAGE 15 CUSTOMER INFORMATION 20 Rear Shield 5 Fuel 15 Parts Accessories and Service Items 20 Grass Bag 6 Cleaning 15 Dealer Locator Information 20 Cutting Height Adjustment 6 Oil 15 How to Contact Honda 20 Check the Oil Level 6 Storage Location 15 Honda Publications 20 ...

Page 2: ...Message to Parents The safety of your children is very important to Honda Lawn mowers are tools not toys As with any equipment 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 La...

Page 3: ...les on each handle stay Setting the 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 OIL FILLER CAP P 13 HANDLEBA...

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: ...maged 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: ...ry fast to cut properly If engine speed drops it could mean the engine is being overloaded by the blades trying to cut too much grass Mow a narrower swath move the mower slower use the rear discharge chute or raise the cutting height Blade Sharpness A sharp blade cuts cleanly A dull blade tears the grass leaving shredded ends that turn brown When your blades don t cut cleanly anymore have them sha...

Page 10: ...ntenance 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 ...

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: ... life Always change the oil 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 Clea...

Page 14: ...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 The spark arrester must be serviced every 100 hours to keep it functioning as de...

Page 15: ...cool before washing Before washing the underside of the mower deck stop the engine and turn the fuel valve to the OFF position Rest the mower on its right side so the fuel cap side is up This will help to prevent fuel leakage and hard starting due to carburetor flooding Wear heavy gloves to protect your hands from the blades Be careful to avoid getting water into controls and cables Engine Allow t...

Page 16: ...install the spark plug Fuel filter clogged carburetor malfunction ignition malfunction valves stuck etc 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 dec...

Page 17: ...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 18: ...an 80 cc 1000 hours 225 cc and greater HRX217K6VKAA HRX217K6VKPA Honda rotary mower 21 inch mower deck Clip Director Select Drive variable speed transmission Auto Choke System Length 63 4 in 1 610 mm Width 23 1 in 588 mm Overall height 42 2 in 1 073 mm Dry mass 89 1 lb 40 4 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 in highest po...

Page 19: ...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 20: ...ications included in this publication were in effect at the time of approval for printing 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 ove...

Page 21: ...is 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 legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state Honda Parts Accessories and Apparel T...

Page 22: ...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 23: ... 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 us...

Page 24: ... 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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