You're exactly right Steve ! I work on small engines some in my spare time. Whenever I come across those I usually snip off the dipstick part so there's only a cap left. Then tell the customer to fill it until it's dripping out.
Now that's debatable, cause it needs 2 be set,n leval,level, on job sites ,that's not always the case,the holes in stick are 4 safe zone Dud,so correct ur statement
@@stanleyshults6427 Wrong. Oil levels on ALL machinery must be checked when the unit is level, period. If it's not, you're wasting your time and risking damage.
@@stanleyshults6427You couldn’t be more wrong, listening to your “advice” will send the connecting rod through the side of the cylinder, I have seen it done more than a few times.
@@stanleyshults6427 I refuse to believe your level of education in any higher than grade 6 and don't bother trying to argue that because nobody will be able to read that either.
I’ve been using these motors for years and had no idea. I was always the one trying to get the level right in the center of the dipstick. Thank you buddy for sharing your knowledge.
Use the McCulloch chainsaw to cut some firewood and then next about a week later went to use it again could not Pull the Rope out what can be wrong it is just solid
Steve, thanks! I live off the grid and after 35 years I've gone through a few generators, more than I want to think about. I'm was guilty of the dip stick mistake. Good thing those engines are so tough! Your videos have saved me alot of time and money. Thank you! As always excellent job.
Get a commercial diesel generator that makes double what you need and don't look back. Remember to balance the load on each winding of the generator. If a generator is rated for 10,000 watts, that is not 10,000 all on one circuit/winding. That is rated for 5,000 watts on each winding for a total of 10,000 watts. 👍
Glen, How many hours did you get on your longest term generator and what is the brand name of the generator that has given you the longest life. This topic interests me the most. I follow longevity on the harbor freight stuff very closely as well.
@@mannys9130 Many don't have a budget to support something like that. But what are your thoughts about using one of those 4 cylinder diesel mobile construction light rigs. I thought about using one for back-up power for my home but the kilowatt output seems low for as large and robust as they are. Any thoughts?
@@giggiddy It's cheaper overall to buy 1 over-rating generator than to go through "a few" smaller ones. 🤷🏻♂️ You know? They say "buy once, cry once" as it relates to quality purchases that are more expensive than cheap designed-obsolescence China specials. I'm not familiar with the rigs you're mentioning so I don't feel comfortable giving an opinion about them since it'll be based on ignorance which isn't good. It may be possible to build your own generator out of one if the engine has enough power to turn the power head. Source a rig that has a burned out component but a good engine, and source a larger alternator power head and mate it up to the engine with a custom fabbed up adaptor plate for the bell housing and a coupler for the shafts. Diesels are just great for generator use because their fuel never goes bad. They have lots of torque to twist that rotor under heavy load. They are overbuilt, easy to govern, and there's not much to go wrong on a mechanically injected engine. Plus, you can even run it on waste veggie oil for off-grid living which is very cheap to do. Buy a few large heating oil tanks or a few underground tanks (preferably), go get free veggie oil from restaurants, filter it, set up the heating and filtration system for the veggie tank side, and then have 1 tank of biodiesel, pump diesel, or non-taxed off-road diesel or heating oil. You start and warm up an engine on diesel or biodiesel, and then once it's hot and the WVO tank and lines are hot and thinned out too by their heating system, you switch to the oil. Then you shut back down on diesel by running it for 5-10 minutes on plain diesel. You could make your own biodiesel out of the free veggie oil for that too! :) The fuel would be nearly free with the only costs being the chemicals needed to refine the veggie oil to make the biodiesel. With a bit of up front investment, a solar bank with a diesel generator can give you basically free electricity for years with only occasional repair and maintenance costs. :) It's amazing.
Steve - Thanks so much for the video! I have the Honda engine on my pressure washer, and I was doing that thing: the oil level was at the center of the cross-hatched area, so I thought it was OK. After seeing your video, I added oil, and it took about a pint more to fill it up. I think you saved my engine! Thanks again and keep doing what you do! John
I'm glad I learned that a long time ago. Fill it up. I do the same on briggs. Fill it up to the top thread. Thanks for sharing. It is confusing to some. You may have shared this but showing the difference in kolher, briggs and kawasaki dipsticks. Some thread in all the way to check the correct oil level while others like most kolher dipsticks rest on top of the threads.
Great PSA for those who don't know👍 I've always filled the gx, it's clones and many other horizontal shaft, angled fill plug engines till overflowing when level. But can totally see how it would be confusing to those unfamiliar with small engines!
Hmm, I wish I saw your comment before posting. I will repeat though that Honda has the manuals available for download as well. Typically you only need to know the serial and model of the engine or piece of power equipment.
That's the way it's always been done. Anyone who doesn't know how a small engine is serviced should get it done by a professional. Every year, or when something goes wrong.
Thanks a lot for this! My compressor for breathing-air stopped several times for no explainable reason and I disassembled all the pressure-pistons because I was afraid of some kind of damage there. Engine did stop because there is a safty-switch for the oil-level...
Great point Steve! One more good point is that on so many makes and models of small engines that have these threaded dipsticks is whether to read the oil level with the dipstick removed then just reinserted just resting on the threads or to thread the dipstick back all the way back in, then remove it and read the level mark that way? I have old Briggs engines that require threading them all the way back in and some newer ones that do not. My Kawasaki engines all require not threading the dipstick back in but to remove, wipe, then reinsert without screwing back down, then remove again and read. I wonder why that Honda GX engine didn't have a low oil shutdown feature?
Thanks for that tip Steve. . .I just checked the oil in my GX350 and that goofy dip stick shower oil half way up. Now I know that there is not enough in there and will be filling it tomorrow. . b.Kudos to you Steve.
Great info Steve. Changed the oil on mine a couple weeks ago and had the manual and the internet and it was still not clear. This is perfect. Now to go check it before I run it!
Right on Steve, I was always taught on the old Briggs engines to do what you said, top of the threads. Have not lost an engine yet, worn them out but, have never blown one up. Thanks Steve!
I've had my Honda snowblower since 1996. I always filled until oil was touching the dipstick threads. I never wanted to be one of the over fillers. Thxs Steve for the info. I'll be adding a touch more now.
Thanks Steve. Have a China clone of this engine on a generator. Have always kept the oil full up as you show in the video. No manual, I was simply going by my experience with older B&S horizontal engines with the short fill tube, those just have a cap, no dipstick. Always filled up them up level with the cap opening exactly like you show in this video. Same deal with 1950s era 6BH, 8BH, etc. engines, no dipstick, you simply fill 'em up. Good job.
Another educational video from the master. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Steve. I'm sure you've saved many people a lot of money on repair/replacement costs. You're "top shelf"
I just changed the oil in my GX 270.Checked the oil with the dip stix and it showed OK. Fired it up and it would only stay running for about 3 seconds and go dead. Added more oil like your video says and it fired right up and STAYED running. Who knows what I would have resorted to had I not found this video. THANKS!!!!!
My Victa whipper snipper has the same Honda type gx25 engine. Fortunately I read all my gardening engine manuals. Also change the oil more frequently as it has such a tiny 80 ml capacity so if any crud/metal shavings happen, it'll be flushed sooner than leaving it in and risk damaging the cylinder/pistons. It purrs and still runs like a dream over 6 years and fairly frequent use.
I started mowing lawns at 12 years old in the late 70's. Back then all the mowers, roto tillers, etc. Only had a plug. Fill til oil just starts to run out and your done! Then they came out with the stupid dipstick. Trouble is when you add oil in the dipstick hole you can't get an accurate reading for about 10 minutes. The dipstick tends to sweep oil off the tube sides.
I have two of these engines, and they were both supplied with an owners manual which explained that clearly. So no problems. The problem is with dipsticks not consulting their manual's dipstick / oil section. It's always a good thing with anything of value, to check before you wreck it. There are also a multitude of You Tube instruct-orials about this too.
Thanks Steve. I'm new to Honda and now I know where the oil should be on my GC- 04 8 hp.. I've learned a lot from someone who has a lot of common cense.
Please note that Steve references the GX engine in this video, Jim. I have a pressure washer with a Honda GCV190 engine and it does not need the oil to come to the top of the fill hole. On the link below reference bottom of page 7 to top of page 8 for oil level instruction and reference page 3 for diagram of dipstick and explanation of upper and lower limit marks. This also applies to the GCV160 and GSV190. I don’t know about others. Personally, I think it is bad practice to put hatch marks on the upper part of the dipstick, above the full level mark. It threw me off, hence the research I have done. cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/engines/pdf/manuals/00X37Z8B0023.pdf
@@wittydisplayname1761yeah I filled me gcv 160 up to the top after watching this without doing anymore research. It starts but shuts up instantly. 😂 I came back to double check this video and then looked up the manual online. Seems like someone would clarify that not every engine is this way and make sure to check the specs on your pressure washer.
If the conrod did not damage the cylinder wall or any other internal parts, replacing the condrod and piston sometimes is worth it. (if you are lucky) most times the inside is demolished.
You can bet that the cylinder walls, piston and crank are so badly scored/galled making it a complete waste of time, money and effort to bother with rebuilding. Honda parts are very expensive on top of that.
I have a big echo 67 cc chainsaw 24” bar and it has been a beast and yes I have the tool kit to change the fuel jet so you don’t burn your motor up. They have them set so lean to pass emissions test a good dealer will turn the fuel up for you but I have a little kit that does every chain saw made. I seen your sign in back ground and my saw must be diffrent than the all orange because mine is almost all gray with a little orange on it and I don’t know if that means anything. Like a commercial saw or something else but I have had it about 10 + years and it’s a beast !😊
Steve: thanks for that, important information, I would be tempted to cut the cross hatch portion off and just retain the bung portion to avoid any future mistakes.
Steve, I'm over in Newfoundland. I have a Simoniz 3000psi pressure washer, bought last summer at Canadian Tire. I pulled it from the shed to start it up, and ran water through it, the pressure just won't relieve itself after running for a few seconds. Just locks up solid. A lot of pressure builds up in the hose til it's about to burst. I have to use 2 hands to squeeze the trigger on the wand.
I wonder; did you let it freeze over the winter? I did that once, and the freezing ruined the unloader in the pump. It behaved just like yours. These days I unbolt the pump from the machine and bring it inside for the winter, because you can never get all the water out. Lesson learned.
Nice, thanks dude. Im changing my oil on a gx390 running a billy goat leaf vacuum. I thought the shop intentionally overfilled it to cause problems down the road, lol
Salute, and Thanks for another great tip for dummies, Steve!! It's so simple a tip, that I thought you forgot your sip! I just broke in a new CHonda yday, and I filled it to almost overflowing on the first three oil changes. But most ppl don't know. Now they do!
Always hated Honda's dipstick method and debate about does one screw it in to measure or not? Wish they'd do a clear bubble window/bullseye like a Cat pump where you can immediately see the oil level in relation to a red bulls eye. It's foolproof. Great video, learned something.
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon Used it yesterday after swapping out the carb, ran great, towards the end it did begin to bog down a bit. While cleaning it up before putting it away I noticed what smelled like gas at the bottom of the carb case took the cover off and holy cow filter was completely saturated - any thoughts?
Wow! Rant well deserved! Great catch and info, Steve. I don't have any Honda engines... yet, but now we all know. What a dipstick thing to do, Honda. Thanks, Steve. Enjoy that beer.
I've never fallen victim to this and if I'm unsure I always look up the owners manual this is good to know though. Does this "dipstick" serve a purpose that you know of other than to confuse ppl? Keep up the good work brother
Found this video a little too late. Totally locked up a pressure washer engine a couple of months ago because I "trusted" the dipstick. Will not make the same mistake twice. Thanks for this video.
May have to do that next time one goes out the door👍 also, I've never seen a "cross hatch" on the aftermarket magnetic plugs. And never even thought, why not😅 should've followed how Briggs did it with the old flathead horizontal engines!
Idk, I think Honda's point of the stick was to make visibility better so that people can see where the level is when low. How can you guesstimate how much you'll need to get to add if you can't see the current oil level? The instructions say to fill it to the threads, and it's assumed that people read the directions or at the least look at the clear pictograph on the side when spending hundreds of their dollars on a piece of equipment. That may be too common sense for the public though. Lololol
So true. I picked up an inverter generator recently that cost almost nothing because the previous owner had thrown it out for non starting. Adding engine oil to the correct level and it started immediately. Bad oil levels seem to be a common problem..
I like the dipstick as it allows you to know how much you need to add so I hope Honda doesn't do away with them, but I understand your frustration. My main issue is that if the engine isn't level you can't check the oil level and that's a problem on a lot of small equipment.
That's definitely good to know. I think i had a pressure washer with that kind of dipstick. Went by what the dipstick showed. Had to get a new pressure washer. Thanks for the info Steve.
Thanks Steve Great information for those who don't know I get a lot of commercial customers bring in these types of engines saying "but I check the oil regularly" but the motor is blown up They don't know they are not checking correctly The Chinese Honda copies are the same Cheers mate have a beer for me Chris
steve you are teaching so much and saving me money, good man i dont have money to pay a mechanic and you are so informative, thanks, Keith south west france
Hi Steve, good tip 👍 with the dipstick they could at least put an arrow to the highest point and stamp on it OIL LEVEL, I agree just no need for the crosses it will and does confuse people. Good video 🙂👍
Good point. I have never owned a Honda. If I pulled a dipstick for the first time and it didn't have level markings, I would have to go straight to the manual to make sure.
Ive got an fg tiller and the instructions say as much. Good reminder though. Steve do you have a source on the dethatcher tines for the fg tiller? Either they re made specific for it or they re a general tine I dont know where to go for them.
Man you are not kidding that is a misleading feature on them Honda motors! You always come through with the best tips and information Steve! God bless you buddy!
Is that oil check rule specific to the GX line, or all/most honda small engines? Love your vids Steve. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and great delivery.
We have a little Honda 5.5 or something like that engine on our Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower which has a dipstick, I need to check this out! Thanks for the video
Great rant, and an excellent point of contention. But I wouldn't support an owner's argument that a drop of black oil at the end of the dipstick is a valid indicator. Thanks Steve.
Great advice, it is disconcerting to say the least why there's even dipstick in the first place. Figure should be like a level indicator as in air compressors.
Thanks Steve. Whoever designed that feature was the real dipstick...
nice onr.
That was a good one...lol
I see what you did there
Excellent metaphor William!
Lmfa
You're exactly right Steve ! I work on small engines some in my spare time. Whenever I come across those I usually snip off the dipstick part so there's only a cap left. Then tell the customer to fill it until it's dripping out.
Now that's debatable, cause it needs 2 be set,n leval,level, on job sites ,that's not always the case,the holes in stick are 4 safe zone Dud,so correct ur statement
@@stanleyshults6427 Wrong. Oil levels on ALL machinery must be checked when the unit is level, period. If it's not, you're wasting your time and risking damage.
@@stanleyshults6427You couldn’t be more wrong, listening to your “advice” will send the connecting rod through the side of the cylinder, I have seen it done more than a few times.
@@stanleyshults6427 I refuse to believe your level of education in any higher than grade 6 and don't bother trying to argue that because nobody will be able to read that either.
@@stanleyshults6427nah buddy, you got it all wrong
I’ve been using these motors for years and had no idea. I was always the one trying to get the level right in the center of the dipstick. Thank you buddy for sharing your knowledge.
I'm glad I could help you out! It's always great to learn something new, even after years of experience.
Me too😩
Same on some of the old cylinder engines over here in the UK
Use the McCulloch chainsaw to cut some firewood and then next about a week later went to use it again could not Pull the Rope out what can be wrong it is just solid
@@bobkalinoski8447 check the pull cord is not stuck first.. if not take the plug out and try to pull it ..
Steve, thanks! I live off the grid and after 35 years I've gone through a few generators, more than I want to think about. I'm was guilty of the dip stick mistake. Good thing those engines are so tough! Your videos have saved me alot of time and money. Thank you! As always excellent job.
Get a commercial diesel generator that makes double what you need and don't look back. Remember to balance the load on each winding of the generator. If a generator is rated for 10,000 watts, that is not 10,000 all on one circuit/winding. That is rated for 5,000 watts on each winding for a total of 10,000 watts. 👍
Glen, How many hours did you get on your longest term generator and what is the brand name of the generator that has given you the longest life. This topic interests me the most. I follow longevity on the harbor freight stuff very closely as well.
@@mannys9130 Many don't have a budget to support something like that. But what are your thoughts about using one of those 4 cylinder diesel mobile construction light rigs. I thought about using one for back-up power for my home but the kilowatt output seems low for as large and robust as they are. Any thoughts?
A lot*. Two words.
@@giggiddy It's cheaper overall to buy 1 over-rating generator than to go through "a few" smaller ones. 🤷🏻♂️ You know? They say "buy once, cry once" as it relates to quality purchases that are more expensive than cheap designed-obsolescence China specials. I'm not familiar with the rigs you're mentioning so I don't feel comfortable giving an opinion about them since it'll be based on ignorance which isn't good. It may be possible to build your own generator out of one if the engine has enough power to turn the power head. Source a rig that has a burned out component but a good engine, and source a larger alternator power head and mate it up to the engine with a custom fabbed up adaptor plate for the bell housing and a coupler for the shafts.
Diesels are just great for generator use because their fuel never goes bad. They have lots of torque to twist that rotor under heavy load. They are overbuilt, easy to govern, and there's not much to go wrong on a mechanically injected engine. Plus, you can even run it on waste veggie oil for off-grid living which is very cheap to do. Buy a few large heating oil tanks or a few underground tanks (preferably), go get free veggie oil from restaurants, filter it, set up the heating and filtration system for the veggie tank side, and then have 1 tank of biodiesel, pump diesel, or non-taxed off-road diesel or heating oil. You start and warm up an engine on diesel or biodiesel, and then once it's hot and the WVO tank and lines are hot and thinned out too by their heating system, you switch to the oil. Then you shut back down on diesel by running it for 5-10 minutes on plain diesel. You could make your own biodiesel out of the free veggie oil for that too! :) The fuel would be nearly free with the only costs being the chemicals needed to refine the veggie oil to make the biodiesel. With a bit of up front investment, a solar bank with a diesel generator can give you basically free electricity for years with only occasional repair and maintenance costs. :) It's amazing.
What a tremendous service that tip alone will be to help save people money!! Keep up the great work Steve!!!
Thanks, will do!
Steve - Thanks so much for the video! I have the Honda engine on my pressure washer, and I was doing that thing: the oil level was at the center of the cross-hatched area, so I thought it was OK. After seeing your video, I added oil, and it took about a pint more to fill it up. I think you saved my engine! Thanks again and keep doing what you do! John
Glad it helped
Very good explanation Steve I’m glad I saw your video.
I'm glad I learned that a long time ago. Fill it up. I do the same on briggs. Fill it up to the top thread. Thanks for sharing. It is confusing to some. You may have shared this but showing the difference in kolher, briggs and kawasaki dipsticks. Some thread in all the way to check the correct oil level while others like most kolher dipsticks rest on top of the threads.
Thanks Steve! That will keep me from destroying my brand new pressure washer with Honda engine!
Was he talking about all Honda engines or just the one in the video?
Great PSA for those who don't know👍 I've always filled the gx, it's clones and many other horizontal shaft, angled fill plug engines till overflowing when level. But can totally see how it would be confusing to those unfamiliar with small engines!
Hmm, I wish I saw your comment before posting. I will repeat though that Honda has the manuals available for download as well. Typically you only need to know the serial and model of the engine or piece of power equipment.
That's the way it's always been done. Anyone who doesn't know how a small engine is serviced should get it done by a professional. Every year, or when something goes wrong.
Thanks god bless
Thanks a lot for this! My compressor for breathing-air stopped several times for no explainable reason and I disassembled all the pressure-pistons because I was afraid of some kind of damage there. Engine did stop because there is a safty-switch for the oil-level...
Great point Steve! One more good point is that on so many makes and models of small engines that have these threaded dipsticks is whether to read the oil level with the dipstick removed then just reinserted just resting on the threads or to thread the dipstick back all the way back in, then remove it and read the level mark that way? I have old Briggs engines that require threading them all the way back in and some newer ones that do not. My Kawasaki engines all require not threading the dipstick back in but to remove, wipe, then reinsert without screwing back down, then remove again and read.
I wonder why that Honda GX engine didn't have a low oil shutdown feature?
Thanks for that tip Steve. . .I just checked the oil in my GX350 and that goofy dip stick shower oil half way up. Now I know that there is not enough in there and will be filling it tomorrow. . b.Kudos to you Steve.
Steve you’ve just saved the life of my two Honda mowers.. thanks legend from the UK 🙏😊
Great info Steve.
Changed the oil on mine a couple weeks ago and had the manual and the internet and it was still not clear. This is perfect. Now to go check it before I run it!
Right on Steve, I was always taught on the old Briggs engines to do what you said, top of the threads. Have not lost an engine yet, worn them out but, have never blown one up. Thanks Steve!
I've had my Honda snowblower since 1996. I always filled until oil was touching the dipstick threads. I never wanted to be one of the over fillers.
Thxs Steve for the info. I'll be adding a touch more now.
Thanks Steve. Have a China clone of this engine on a generator. Have always kept the oil full up as you show in the video. No manual, I was simply going by my experience with older B&S horizontal engines with the short fill tube, those just have a cap, no dipstick. Always filled up them up level with the cap opening exactly like you show in this video. Same deal with 1950s era 6BH, 8BH, etc. engines, no dipstick, you simply fill 'em up. Good job.
Thanks Steve! I would have checked the dipstick as well. Now I know where the oil level should be and will forget the stick completely. Thanks again.
You're Welcome...
Another educational video from the master. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Steve. I'm sure you've saved many people a lot of money on repair/replacement costs. You're "top shelf"
Thank You...
I just changed the oil in my GX 270.Checked the oil with the dip stix and it showed OK. Fired it up and it would only stay running for about 3 seconds and go dead. Added more oil like your video says and it fired right up and STAYED running. Who knows what I would have resorted to had I not found this video. THANKS!!!!!
You're Welcome...
My Victa whipper snipper has the same Honda type gx25 engine. Fortunately I read all my gardening engine manuals. Also change the oil more frequently as it has such a tiny 80 ml capacity so if any crud/metal shavings happen, it'll be flushed sooner than leaving it in and risk damaging the cylinder/pistons. It purrs and still runs like a dream over 6 years and fairly frequent use.
I started mowing lawns at 12 years old in the late 70's. Back then all the mowers, roto tillers, etc. Only had a plug. Fill til oil just starts to run out and your done! Then they came out with the stupid dipstick. Trouble is when you add oil in the dipstick hole you can't get an accurate reading for about 10 minutes. The dipstick tends to sweep oil off the tube sides.
I have two of these engines, and they were both supplied with an owners manual which explained that clearly. So no problems.
The problem is with dipsticks not consulting their manual's dipstick / oil section. It's always a good thing with anything of value, to check before you wreck it.
There are also a multitude of You Tube instruct-orials about this too.
Thank you. That is some hard to find info right there.
Thanks Steve. I'm new to Honda and now I know where the oil should be on my GC- 04 8 hp.. I've learned a lot from someone who has a lot of common cense.
Thanks! I found that confusing and hard to tell. Good info!
You're Welcome...
I picked up a Bluebird aerator last fall & am trying to learn everything I can do to keep it going for as long as possible. This helped! Thanks.
You're Welcome...
Thanks for the facts and little fluff. Also loved the pure sound of just what you was doing with no music in background
I need to check that on my two Honda engines. I fell for the"fake" dipstick. 😳
Good luck!
Please note that Steve references the GX engine in this video, Jim. I have a pressure washer with a Honda GCV190 engine and it does not need the oil to come to the top of the fill hole. On the link below reference bottom of page 7 to top of page 8 for oil level instruction and reference page 3 for diagram of dipstick and explanation of upper and lower limit marks. This also applies to the GCV160 and GSV190. I don’t know about others.
Personally, I think it is bad practice to put hatch marks on the upper part of the dipstick, above the full level mark. It threw me off, hence the research I have done.
cdn.powerequipment.honda.com/engines/pdf/manuals/00X37Z8B0023.pdf
@@wittydisplayname1761yeah I filled me gcv 160 up to the top after watching this without doing anymore research. It starts but shuts up instantly. 😂 I came back to double check this video and then looked up the manual online. Seems like someone would clarify that not every engine is this way and make sure to check the specs on your pressure washer.
I love this guys videos. Every one of them seems to be good information for the jack of all trades.
I appreciate that!
Thanks for clearing that up. So easy for people to get that mixed up.
Glad to help
If the conrod did not damage the cylinder wall or any other internal parts, replacing the condrod and piston sometimes is worth it. (if you are lucky) most times the inside is demolished.
best guess is the piston bound itself into the cylinder from lack of lubrication
@@Krankie_V at that point, a predator swap or princess auto equivalent may be a viable option!
You can bet that the cylinder walls, piston and crank are so badly scored/galled making it a complete waste of time, money and effort to bother with rebuilding. Honda parts are very expensive on top of that.
Thanks again Steve. I have a GX engine on my generator. This will prompt me to look at that oil level NOW!!
Hi Steve , to be sure is it the same with all mowers, you must see the oil near the top
I have a big echo 67 cc chainsaw 24” bar and it has been a beast and yes I have the tool kit to change the fuel jet so you don’t burn your motor up. They have them set so lean to pass emissions test a good dealer will turn the fuel up for you but I have a little kit that does every chain saw made. I seen your sign in back ground and my saw must be diffrent than the all orange because mine is almost all gray with a little orange on it and I don’t know if that means anything. Like a commercial saw or something else but I have had it about 10 + years and it’s a beast !😊
Steve: thanks for that, important information, I would be tempted to cut the cross hatch portion off and just retain the bung portion to avoid any future mistakes.
Steve, I'm over in Newfoundland. I have a Simoniz 3000psi pressure washer, bought last summer at Canadian Tire. I pulled it from the shed to start it up, and ran water through it, the pressure just won't relieve itself after running for a few seconds. Just locks up solid. A lot of pressure builds up in the hose til it's about to burst. I have to use 2 hands to squeeze the trigger on the wand.
I wonder; did you let it freeze over the winter? I did that once, and the freezing ruined the unloader in the pump. It behaved just like yours. These days I unbolt the pump from the machine and bring it inside for the winter, because you can never get all the water out. Lesson learned.
Thanks Steve! I'll give you credit when I teach this to others
Right on
Nice, thanks dude. Im changing my oil on a gx390 running a billy goat leaf vacuum. I thought the shop intentionally overfilled it to cause problems down the road, lol
Glad I could help
Salute, and Thanks for another great tip for dummies, Steve!!
It's so simple a tip, that I thought you forgot your sip!
I just broke in a new CHonda yday, and I filled it to almost overflowing on the first three oil changes.
But most ppl don't know.
Now they do!
Same on ours just done a honda gvc160 with the same dipstick..oil to the bottom of the threads job done brother
Always hated Honda's dipstick method and debate about does one screw it in to measure or not? Wish they'd do a clear bubble window/bullseye like a Cat pump where you can immediately see the oil level in relation to a red bulls eye. It's foolproof. Great video, learned something.
Thanks to you we just replaced our tiller’s carburetor and it’s working great all for a whopping $12 bucks!
Right on
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon Used it yesterday after swapping out the carb, ran great, towards the end it did begin to bog down a bit. While cleaning it up before putting it away I noticed what smelled like gas at the bottom of the carb case took the cover off and holy cow filter was completely saturated - any thoughts?
Wow! Rant well deserved! Great catch and info, Steve. I don't have any Honda engines... yet, but now we all know. What a dipstick thing to do, Honda. Thanks, Steve. Enjoy that beer.
Right on Buddy!
Same on Champion generators. Pay attention!
I've never fallen victim to this and if I'm unsure I always look up the owners manual this is good to know though. Does this "dipstick" serve a purpose that you know of other than to confuse ppl?
Keep up the good work brother
I suppose it helps you see the physical appearance of the oil.
@@user-gq2vn1xj2r yes sir that actually makes sense
Thank you. Such a hard answer to find. “Fill it to its full.”
Thanks Steve! Got a GX35 on my new Rhino post driver. Now I know a little more about how to keep it in good working order.
Great tip and a very expensive lesson for the owner of that machine!!! Thanks for sharing!!!! 😄
Our pleasure!
I heard common sense aint that common any more.I'm glad you still have it. Thanks Steve
You're Welcome...
Found this video a little too late. Totally locked up a pressure washer engine a couple of months ago because I "trusted" the dipstick. Will not make the same mistake twice. Thanks for this video.
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You are the best Steve. I have a Generac PW with 2 dipsticks, double confusion.
Good tip Steve, might as well just cut the checkered area off of those dipsticks just so it won't mislead someone in the future. 🙂👍
Great idea
Thanks Steve
May have to do that next time one goes out the door👍 also, I've never seen a "cross hatch" on the aftermarket magnetic plugs. And never even thought, why not😅 should've followed how Briggs did it with the old flathead horizontal engines!
I'm pretty sure I'll be doing that from now on Aaron, don't know why I didn't do this already. Thanks 👍
I was thinking the same John.
Great tip. I wonder how many extra engines Honda has sold by adding that dip stick? Always remember, there's a reason for everything.
GREAT POINT!!!
Idk, I think Honda's point of the stick was to make visibility better so that people can see where the level is when low. How can you guesstimate how much you'll need to get to add if you can't see the current oil level? The instructions say to fill it to the threads, and it's assumed that people read the directions or at the least look at the clear pictograph on the side when spending hundreds of their dollars on a piece of equipment. That may be too common sense for the public though. Lololol
So true. I picked up an inverter generator recently that cost almost nothing because the previous owner had thrown it out for non starting. Adding engine oil to the correct level and it started immediately. Bad oil levels seem to be a common problem..
Yep. My Honda generator is the same. Top of the threads. Thanks Steve.
wow Steve, I've been running power tools all my life and I did not know this. Great rant!
Glad to help
Thanks for this information. I haven't lost an engine yet, and hopefully, this keeps it from happening.
Fingers crossed!
Late to party but thx. for the info Steve. I have a couple of these engines on a pressure washer and Lawn mower. Very solid, reliable motors.
sounds like to me when buying one of these mowers, and it has that kind of oil cap the best thing to do is snip the dip stick off.
Thank you Steve. I have one question can I add oil if the oil inside is low or do I have to drain it and replace with new oil?
I just take my side cutters to them Steve.
Great information my man!
I like the dipstick as it allows you to know how much you need to add so I hope Honda doesn't do away with them, but I understand your frustration. My main issue is that if the engine isn't level you can't check the oil level and that's a problem on a lot of small equipment.
Level a horizontal plane or line with respect to the distance above or below a given point.
Thank You Steve❤❤❤. I had know idea how much oil since I'm new to lawnmower maintenance.
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That's definitely good to know. I think i had a pressure washer with that kind of dipstick. Went by what the dipstick showed. Had to get a new pressure washer. Thanks for the info Steve.
Glad I could help
I've trusted a few too many dipsticks over the years, my brother included. I'm pretty sure his engine was blown as well.
You are spot on Steve! I have seen this in numerous engines! You have helped me and thousands more from your vast knowledge. Thank you and god bless!
Wow, thanks!
Thanks Steve
Great information for those who don't know
I get a lot of commercial customers bring in these types of engines saying "but I check the oil regularly" but the motor is blown up
They don't know they are not checking correctly
The Chinese Honda copies are the same
Cheers mate have a beer for me
Chris
Right on Chris!
I've got a Chonda in my Northern Tools generator. It works, but it is clearly not as good as my other true Honda engines in other things I have.
This information is in the really important category! Thank you Steve
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Thousand thumbs up, you are so right about the dipstick. Also, like the new intro.
Thank You...
Checking my Honda snowblowers now. Thank you!
Spot on. Have always filled my Honda's and others until oil flowed out the filer when doing oil changes and or topping up if needed.
Thanks Steve. This one might settle a few arguments and bets for me. Good rant mate.
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Thanks. I brought a nearly new pressure washer that was low oil from new. Didn't realise. Is there a low oil sensor on some engines
Good one Steve, As a Shade 🎄 Tree Mechanic, I Figured that one out 40 years ago when it these engines came on the scene
Excellent beer in my opinion Steve and excellent advicefr the oil level.
Thank You...
steve you are teaching so much and saving me money, good man i dont have money to pay a mechanic and you are so informative, thanks, Keith south west france
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Hi Steve, good tip 👍 with the dipstick they could at least put an arrow to the highest point and stamp on it OIL LEVEL, I agree just no need for the crosses it will and does confuse people. Good video 🙂👍
Good point. I have never owned a Honda. If I pulled a dipstick for the first time and it didn't have level markings, I would have to go straight to the manual to make sure.
Ive got an fg tiller and the instructions say as much. Good reminder though.
Steve do you have a source on the dethatcher tines for the fg tiller? Either they re made specific for it or they re a general tine I dont know where to go for them.
Man you are not kidding that is a misleading feature on them Honda motors! You always come through with the best tips and information Steve! God bless you buddy!
I appreciate that!
great to hear sir i worked with a lot of people like that for years
Is that oil check rule specific to the GX line, or all/most honda small engines? Love your vids Steve. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and great delivery.
Best "tip" l believe ever! Going to check my Honda (s) asap! Cheers
Good luck!
We have a little Honda 5.5 or something like that engine on our Husqvarna self-propelled lawnmower which has a dipstick, I need to check this out!
Thanks for the video
This video is for GX general purpose engines...
@@StevesSmallEngineSaloon I see, thanks.
Excellent content Steve!! keep producing stuff. I would like more of it please!! Down to earth, real info. NO bs...
Thank You...
Good lesson Steve, I saw that sticker a while back and started just looking at the fill port, cheers from Texas
Right on Jeff! Thank You...
never knew that important point, corrected now for sure thanks Steve
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Wow You just saved everyone a blown engine THANK YOU STEVE!!!
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Great rant, and an excellent point of contention.
But I wouldn't support an owner's argument that a drop of black oil at the end of the dipstick is a valid indicator.
Thanks Steve.
Flippin-eck.. Thanks for that I'll be checking my Hondas tomorrow 🍻
Good luck!
Another helpful tip...thanks Steve!!
Happy to help!
GREAT VIDEO STEVE. AMAZING HOW MANY DO THIS .
Genius! I'm checking my oil level immediately.
Excellent!
Useful video, I'm only concerned about some that may now want to overfill other engines that use the 'normal' min and max dipstick.
Thank you .. I couldn't even figure out how to measure with dip stick because it doesn't have line markings?
Great advice, it is disconcerting to say the least why there's even dipstick in the first place. Figure should be like a level indicator as in air compressors.
I Agree!
Hi steve please can you recommend a engine oil for the gx390 , many thanks ste
Nice Tip 👍👍
Maybe a good idea would be to cut the dipstick in half .. to minimise risk by uninformed or forgetful operators ?
Once again you made my life easier
Thank you
My pleasure 😊