# Seized GX240 engine advice needed



## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

hello folks. found a free gx240 engine off a honda hs828 that the owner seized by running it with little to no oil.

even though this engine is 28 years old it is extremely clean. the carb was immaculate and everything points to low hours on engine .

I took it apart and found that when i loosened the bolts on the rod a little the engine and piston turned over very smoothly. the rod is scored so it needs to be replaced. I can find a replacement very cheaply but my question is what else should I look for before reassembling? 

the piston is very clean . the head is very clean. no carbon and the valves do not look burnt and are clean and work fine. 

the crank does not appear to be scored where the rod attaches to. very smooth and when i took the crankcase cover off there was still some oil in it but not very much. everything appears to be good . I have seen scored cranks before.

If any of you have had experience rebuilding one of these gx engines do you think i may be okay just replacing the rod?

thanks.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

rod is scored? do you mean rod bearings? really hard to say if it is worth rebuilding unless you really need a Honda engine. the cheap honda clones have become so common and cheap that it is really hard to justify rebuilding a engine unless it was an odball engine for a factory restoration.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

crazzywolfie said:


> rod is scored? do you mean rod bearings? really hard to say if it is worth rebuilding unless you really need a Honda engine. the cheap honda clones have become so common and cheap that it is really hard to justify rebuilding a engine unless it was an odball engine for a factory restoration.


yes, i meant the bearings.

with a rod being $15 i think it may be worth it for the experience. it actually looks like a new engine . the owner was very vague when i asked him some questions.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

for $15 i guess you can't really go wrong. definitely make sure you give it a good "breakin"/run time before tossing it on a machine or selling it. if you got some free time definitely something to do. nothing really much to it. a couple years ago when i had more free time i would tear apart engine and swap parts as needed but engines seem so cheap and plentiful i would be more likely to swap an engine than replace it now.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

crazzywolfie said:


> for $15 i guess you can't really go wrong. definitely make sure you give it a good "breakin"/run time before tossing it on a machine or selling it. if you got some free time definitely something to do. nothing really much to it. a couple years ago when i had more free time i would tear apart engine and swap parts as needed but engines seem so cheap and plentiful i would be more likely to swap an engine than replace it now.


I bought a package deal from Everest Parts. rod and piston , pin, gaskets , head gasket , carb gaskets , rings , etc for 34 buckeroos. I have bought carbs and other stuff from them and it has all been good. very fast shipping also. a couple days.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

here is the only damage i could find. going to give it another thorough inspection before the rebuild.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Cam bearings, crank bearings, cam lobes and piston pin look OK? If so, and the cylinder is not scored, I'd drop a rod in in a heartbeat. Myself, I am of the opinion (based on what I have seen in older GX series Hondas) that they will outlast anything Chinese by many orders of magnitude, and $15 to get that is darn near free . . . .


Sounds like the rod went dry and tightened up, and for one reason or another, it was shut down in time, and the damage was limited to that area. Be certain to check the crank with calipers as well . . just to be safe!



- Tim


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tadawson said:


> Cam bearings, crank bearings, cam lobes and piston pin look OK? If so, and the cylinder is not scored, I'd drop a rod in in a heartbeat. Myself, I am of the opinion (based on what I have seen in older GX series Hondas) that they will outlast anything Chinese by many orders of magnitude, and $15 to get that is darn near free . . . .
> 
> 
> Sounds like the rod went dry and tightened up, and for one reason or another, it was shut down in time, and the damage was limited to that area. Be certain to check the crank with calipers as well . . just to be safe!
> ...


ok. thanks Tim . wiil do.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

Got 24 years on the 6.5 Chondra from HF on my ST 824....don't baby it either..still got a couple of decades in it...at least.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tadawson said:


> Cam bearings, crank bearings, cam lobes and piston pin look OK? If so, and the cylinder is not scored, I'd drop a rod in in a heartbeat. Myself, I am of the opinion (based on what I have seen in older GX series Hondas) that they will outlast anything Chinese by many orders of magnitude, and $15 to get that is darn near free . . . .
> 
> 
> Sounds like the rod went dry and tightened up, and for one reason or another, it was shut down in time, and the damage was limited to that area. Be certain to check the crank with calipers as well . . just to be safe!
> ...


Don't know if i mentioned it but this engine is extremely clean. guy toldme it came with house and it had sat for years. the main part of blower is pristine for an 828. augers and scraper bar looks new , paint barely wore off inside of chute. no carbon on piston or valves. spark plug perfect. carburetor clean as a hound tooth.

the owner seemed really embarrassed about not checking oil before start up. since he did not history of it I am ASSUMING that it had a slow leak. 2 of the crankcase bolts were very loose and I seen oil evidence it that bottom corner. he must have started it and it shut down rather quickly.

he came to me to swap out engines. I gave him a great deal on a good used engine with healthy compression . If i can swap out the rod and gaskets and that is all it needs I made out very well. This engine will be a keeper for down the road. 

The only thing I am confused about is that there is NO timing mark on the crank gear. There is one on the camshaft gear. Is there a trick on lining them up correctly? Every video I have watched shows the timing marks. This crankcase gear does not have one. Even used a magnifying glass to search.

I do remember before pulling the camshaft that the weights on the crank was perfectly at the 6 oclock position but I know it has to be perfect. mesh on gears.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

cranman said:


> Got 24 years on the 6.5 Chondra from HF on my ST 824....don't baby it either..still got a couple of decades in it...at least.



31 years on a GXV140, and the bore was still within factory new spec . . . replaced the rings with stock, and perfect again . . . That's on a mower that gets a heck of a lot more hours than a snow blower . . . I figure that it was well over 2000 hours when I was in it . . . 



For $15, you can't even get close to even a clone . . . even if the rest was equal . . . 



- Tim


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