Help! Honda GXH50 won't turn over

Fosscati

New Member
I just bought a Honda GXH50 to use with a Grubee kit. Before I took the stock exhaust, tank & governor off I started it and it went first go and ran beautifully for a minute. Then I stripped it for the Grubee kit but since then the crank won't turn over and the rope pull stops dead when it engages the crank after 4" of pull. The motor is stuck totally unable to turn over.
I thought it was hydro-lock caused by fuel or oil getting into the cylinder but it's not that cos I've taken the plug off it and still no use.
I took off the rope pull which was all fine but I couldn't turn the fins to make the motor move at all.
I haven't a clue now so I think I'll take a look inside where the governor spindle goes into the engine to see if something fell off or is stopping the engine from turning over.
Any advice would be gratefuly received.
Fosscati is flummoxed!
 
Yah I think it was a bolt that was replaced after removeing some original exhaust parts that goes back in too deep interfering with the pully flywheel
 
I had the same problem with mine. Matter of fact several of the bolts, even the ones holding the gas tank on top on are too long once parts are removed but the exhaust cover bolts I'm pretty sure was the one that messed up the flywheel movement.
 
I had the same problem with mine. Matter of fact several of the bolts, even the ones holding the gas tank on top on are too long once parts are removed but the exhaust cover bolts I'm pretty sure was the one that messed up the flywheel movement.

It was the stock exhaust cover bolt that also hold the on\off switch onto the motor. The extra 3mm makes it impede the flywheel on the pull start and fan and thus lock the engine up. Easy to fix but hard to diagnose the problem.
 
Re: GXH50 wont turn over. Did you remove the cover that goes over the exhaust and not replace it? If you then used the same screws and tightened them up then one screw is toooooo long and is rubbing against the flywheel preventing it from turning over. You may notice some metal filings from the rubbing.
 
Re: GXH50 wont turn over. Did you remove the cover that goes over the exhaust and not replace it? If you then used the same screws and tightened them up then one screw is toooooo long and is rubbing against the flywheel preventing it from turning over. You may notice some metal filings from the rubbing.

Look two postings above and you'll find the answer. It wasn't rubbing agaainst the flywheel fan it was impeding the fins from turning so the engine was locked. That's the difference the extra 3mm can make.
 
Glad to see I'm not the only one that was temporarily stumped by that little oversight in the instructions for the honda. I wonder if that happens with the HS?
 
Thank you soo much for posting this, I just had the EXACT same problem, and went from "Freaked" to "Fixed" under 5 minutes. You're a lifesaver!

Now for the "Test Flight"
 
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