# Having problems with my Honda HSS928



## JohnfromNL (Feb 15, 2021)

My Honda snowblower only moves slowly in reverse. No matter if the shifter is in forward, neutral or reverse. Only moves slowly in reverse. New drive belt, hydrostatic fluid is full, gearbox is full of grease. I've checked the cables, they're lubed with spray grease. No leaks in the transmission. What might be the cause ?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

@tabora probably knows.

did you eyeball the cable on both ends to determine if cable is moving and moving tranny arm?

if so may be a warranty issue with that tranny I have been hearing about. tabora or @ST1100A knows more about this or other members.

assuming this is a HSS model and not a HS


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

JohnfromNL said:


> gearbox is full of grease





orangputeh said:


> assuming this is a HSS model and not a HS


Well, John mentions the "gearbox is full of grease", so it must not be a U.S. built HSS? That must be the right-side transmission on an HS?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tabora said:


> Well, John mentions the "gearbox is full of grease", so it must not be a U.S. built HSS? That must be the right-side transmission on an HS?


ya , good catch


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## Darby (Dec 18, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> ya , good catch


plus it says HSS in post header. just sayin" :>)


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Darby said:


> plus it says HSS in post header


Lots of people err on the HS vs HSS series, not realizing what a huge difference that single letter makes. It's further complicated in Canada where there are Japan-built hybrid machines labeled either HS or HSS that have some HS and some HSS features.

Wish we could somehow force all forum members to post their actual model/serial numbers as a requirement of joining and then display that info on all posts; it would save a lot of wasted time.


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## drmerdp (Feb 9, 2014)

So it only moves in reverse...Put a block under the rear of the machine and confirm that the transmissions output shaft is moving. If it moves then it’s the right side transmission. If it doesn’t I’d assume that the trans had a small leak that may have cause it to lose its prime.


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## JohnfromNL (Feb 15, 2021)

JohnfromNL said:


> My Honda snowblower only moves slowly in reverse. No matter if the shifter is in forward, neutral or reverse. Only moves slowly in reverse. New drive belt, hydrostatic fluid is full, gearbox is full of grease. I've checked the cables, they're lubed with spray grease. No leaks in the transmission. What might be the cause ?


I'm in Atlantic Canada.. It's a Hss 928. It was never forced through snow,


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## JohnfromNL (Feb 15, 2021)

orangputeh said:


> @tabora probably knows.
> 
> did you eyeball the cable on both ends to determine if cable is moving and moving tranny arm?
> 
> ...


I tipped it up, checked everything, all cables are moving freely, the underside is sprayed with fluid film.


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## JohnfromNL (Feb 15, 2021)

JohnfromNL said:


> I'm in Atlantic Canada.. It's a Hss 928. It was never forced through snow,


It says on the tag with model number, made in Japan. Sarj-5003518


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

JohnfromNL said:


> I tipped it up, checked everything, all cables are moving freely, the underside is sprayed with fluid film.


dealer /check time.may be that pesky tranny. sorry but no experience with hss hydro tranny models.


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## Tseg (Jan 29, 2021)

If this is 3+ years old it may be that fluid aeration issue early Hydrogear transmissions had. There is a warranty workaround... hopefully Honda would address even if outside of warranty.


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## Arcticnorth (Nov 27, 2020)

JohnfromNL said:


> Sarj-5003518


Are you sure it's not SAVJ-5003518 ?


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Arcticnorth said:


> Are you sure it's not SAVJ-5003518 ?


that would be HS and not HSS. HSS is SADA etc,

boy , what a mess. if HS then suspect the right side final gearbox.


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## Arcticnorth (Nov 27, 2020)

orangputeh said:


> that would be HS and not HSS. HSS is SADA etc,


Yes. But SARJ? Never seen that. Special for Canadian models maybe?


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

JohnfromNL said:


> It says on the tag with model number, made in Japan. Sarj-5003518





orangputeh said:


> dealer /check time.may be that pesky tranny. sorry but no experience with hss hydro tranny models.





Arcticnorth said:


> Yes. But SARJ? Never seen that. Special for Canadian models maybe?


That's a Japan-built transitional machine for the Canada (and likely others as well) market. Some have HS and some have HSS labels. They're mostly HS under the covers (including the hydro), but with HSS farkles.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

tabora said:


> That's a Japan-built transitional machine for the Canada (and likely others as well) market. Some have HS and some have HSS labels. They're mostly HS under the covers (including the hydro), but with HSS farkles.


this Canadian vs US model s marlarkey is aggravating.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> this Canadian vs US model s marlarkey is aggravating.


I think Honda was using Canada as a proving ground for the new features like the electric chute, gas strut height adjustment, etc. before moving to the US-built HSS design. Even though they're the Great White North, it's likely a much smaller market so it's a good place to try things out.


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## Thorstein Klingenberg (Mar 12, 2021)

Weird, in Norway Honda jumped from inches to cm around year 2000, so over night an HS 828 became an HS 970. Then they used HS for models without Hydro and HSS for the hydrostatic ones. Now every model (almost) has hydro so HS is the small single stage blowers and HSS is dual stage. Hybrids have always been HSM though. They used to have 13 and 15 hp hybrids, but dropped the 15 a few years ago so all hybrids are 1380 or 1390. 

It's a nightmare. Honda needs to learn some ordnung from the Germans...


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