Engine oil for Honda HRN 216 VKA Push Mower
Honda recommends 10w30 SJ or higher engine oil. The new Honda Power Equipment oil is 10w30 SN. I am concerned that SN (low zinc) oil may not protect my new OHV engine. The mower is used in hot, humid, South Louisiana. Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated.
Lawn Pro
Have you registered your new Honda lawn mower online with Honda? This is necessary when if you have warranty concerns down the road. Read Operators Manual thoroughly to familiarize yourself with mower.
The Honda HRN216 Lawn Mower Shop Manual covers service and repair procedures for all HRN216 lawn mowers.
Lawn Addict
Honda recommends 10w30 SJ or higher engine oil. The new Honda Power Equipment oil is 10w30 SN. I am concerned that SN (low zinc) oil may not protect my new OHV engine.
Why are you concerned when Honda is happy with it? They made the engine and know what type oil to use.
I haven’t seen any real evidence that zinc does anything in engine oil. Zinc is only an additive. Has nothing to do with the base oil. Most likely a sales gimmick to get you to buy zinc oil. Zinc has been stripped out for decades now. All these new cars and trucks with hot turbos and such are running fine with no zinc. Unless your mower orbits planet Earth, I wouldn’t worry about it. You can take used oil from your car and run it in your mower.
sp80
Why are you concerned when Honda is happy with it? They made the engine and know what type oil to use.
I haven’t seen any real evidence that zinc does anything in engine oil. Zinc is only an additive. Has nothing to do with the base oil. Most likely a sales gimmick to get you to buy zinc oil. Zinc has been stripped out for decades now. All these new cars and trucks with hot turbos and such are running fine with no zinc.
You may not be aware of the auto engine problems associated with newer turbos some manufacturers are experiencing and the subsequent change in API engine oil requirements from SN to SP to assist manufacturers with the problem. That is another discussion for another day, What engine oil do use in your air cooled lawn mower engines? Briggs and other air cooled manufacturers are still using engine oil containing higher levels of zddp. BS conventional SAE 30 and 5w30 Synthetic synthetic oil are rated SJ and advertise the higher zinc content on the containers. Zddp has been reduced to protect catalytic converters which small air cooled engines do not have.
bertsmobile1
Lawn Royalty
So you think we know more than the engineers at Honda ? Honda are probably the most brand name conscious business on the planet They exited the ride on market rather than downgrade their products to the price that retailers demanded And it is a lawnmower not a top fuel drag car. The engine is running at a very lazy 3200 rpm so the stress on the cam followers is 5/8 of SFA I stopped deciding I knew better than engine designers by the time I was around 20. Down here in OZ I use 10W 40 mower oil in all Honda products as we average 30 C for 1/2 the year Depending which wholesaler I get it from it will either be Honda 10w 40 or Kawasaki 10w 40.
Next to printing ink. oil is probably the most complicates liquid the average man comes in contact with. Oil engineering requires a decade of tertiary education yet every fool looks at a couple of you tube videos and suddenly they consider themselves some sort of experts
sp80
You may not be aware of the auto engine problems associated with newer turbos some manufacturers are experiencing and the subsequent change in API engine oil requirements from SN to SP to assist manufacturers with the problem. That is another discussion for another day, What engine oil do use in your air cooled lawn mower engines? Briggs and other air cooled manufacturers are still using engine oil containing higher levels of zddp. BS conventional SAE 30 and 5w30 Synthetic synthetic oil are rated SJ and advertise the higher zinc content on the containers. Zddp has been reduced to protect catalytic converters which small air cooled engines do not have.
sp80
So you think we know more than the engineers at Honda ? Honda are probably the most brand name conscious business on the planet They exited the ride on market rather than downgrade their products to the price that retailers demanded And it is a lawnmower not a top fuel drag car. The engine is running at a very lazy 3200 rpm so the stress on the cam followers is 5/8 of SFA I stopped deciding I knew better than engine designers by the time I was around 20. Down here in OZ I use 10W 40 mower oil in all Honda products as we average 30 C for 1/2 the year Depending which wholesaler I get it from it will either be Honda 10w 40 or Kawasaki 10w 40.
Next to printing ink. oil is probably the most complicates liquid the average man comes in contact with. Oil engineering requires a decade of tertiary education yet every fool looks at a couple of you tube videos and suddenly they consider themselves some sort of expert.
I am obviously not an oil expert, however I am interested in protecting my new Honda engine. I am interested in opinions from other Honda lawn mower owners who are operating in warmer climates. Thanks for your input.
CheckMate for Honda HRN-Series
Big League Lawns© manufactures striping rollers that connect to the full line of Honda Push mowers. As the operator mows the turf, the CheckMate striping roller gently folds the grass in the direction of cut. The resulting patterns are created by sunlight reflecting from the grass. Grass that is bent away from you reflects light which appears much lighter in color. Grass that is bent towards you appears a much deeper green due to shadows being cast under the bent tips of grass. When mowed and rolled in opposing directions, vibrant patterns are created, rivaling major league ballparks throughout America.
Honda HRX217 Vs HRN216
What’s the difference between Honda’s HRX217 premium residential mowers and their HRN216 entry-level series? We’re so glad you asked!
| Engine Model | Honda GCV200 OHC Residential Engine | Honda GCV170 OHC Residential Engine |
| Starting | Recoil/Electric (depending on model) | Recoil/Electric (depending on model) |
| Choke System | Automatic | Automatic |
| Emissions | 50 state certified | 50 state certified |
| Throttle Control | Fixed or manual | N/A |
| Versamow System | Mulch, bag, discharge, leaf shred | Mulch, bag, discharge |
| Clip Director | 10 positions | 2 positions |
| Bag Capacity | 2.5 bushels | 1.9 bushels |
| Cut Height | 0.75 – 4 inches | 1.4 inches |
| Number of Cutting Positions | 7 | 7 |
| Self-Propel | Infinitely Variable Select Drive or Hydrostatic Cruise Control | N/A or Variable Position Smart Drive |
| Blades | Twin Blade MicroCut System | Twin Blade MicroCut System |
| Roto-Stop | VYA, HYA, and HZA models | N/A |
| Cutting Deck | 21-inch NeXite | 21-inch 16-gauge steel |
| Wheels | 9-inch with ball bearings on all wheels | 8-inch with sintered metal bushing on the rear wheels |
| Handle | 1-inch steel tube with 3 height positions and Easy Fold quick release and ErgoActive design | 1-inch steel tube with 2 height positions and Easy Fold quick release |
| Dry Weight | 89 lb – 106 lbs | 73 – 87 lbs |
| Residential Warranty | 5 years | 3 years |
| Deck Warranty | Lifetime | 3 years |
| Price Range | 769 – 1079 | 509 – 629 |
The All New HRN Lawn Mower Series
The models have been designed with modern styling and include features like the powerful, high torque GCV170 engine andoptimized deck design.
The development centered around top-class performance and quality, while improving the service and maintenance experience.
Honda’s GCV170 Engine features ACS Easy Starting Technology, along with CycloFlow Technology. The GCV170 Engine always starts and mows with more power and efficiency.
Intuitive Controls make the HRN216 easy to use.
Honda’s RD efforts lead to a top-performing mower in the residential walk behind market.
Honda HRN’s MicroCut makes finer clippings; more mulching, less emptying the bag.
The MicroCut system makes for efficient Mulching and a more attractive lawn.
Why Honda Lawn Mowers? The same engineering and attention to detail you find in Honda Automobiles.
2021 Honda HRN 216 Series Walk Behind Mower Specs
FAQs
What is the best oil to put in a Honda mower?
Honda takes normal engine oil depending on your local climate.
What is the best type of gas to use in a Honda mower?
Your Honda user manual will tell you what type of unleaded gasoline to use in your mower. Honda advises not to use gasoline with more than 10% ethanol.
What brands use Honda small engines in their lawn mowers?
Many lawn mower brands choose to buy Honda engines for use in their push and riding mowers.
Toro, Swisher, Bad Boy Mowers, Snapper and Ferris all choose Honda.
- Best Global Brands. Rankingthebrands.com.
- Honda GCV200. Engines.Honda.com.
- Honda GCV160/190. Engines.Honda.com.
- Move Up with Honda Chart. PowerEquipment.Honda.com.
- OHV vs. OHC Engines: What is The Difference and Which is Better? LethalPerformance.com.
- Dealer Locator. PowerEquipment.Honda.com.
About your guide: Jamey Kramar is a certified Lawn Care Manager (NALP) and a Mechanical Engineer by trade. He has been writing about outdoor power equipment for 11 years and has been quoted in NYTimes, Popular Mechanics, HowStuffWorks, iFixit, Realtor.com, and more. He spends his spare time disassembling things and also building an off-grid cabin at his 200-acre property.
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