# HS55-K2, Electric Starter install?



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

Hi all, 
I just purchased a very used, but decent condition HS55 and I'm in process of putting new belts, bearings, shear pins, rejetting the carb. I love to tinker and this now has my attention. 
I have always beena guy who loves buying all the luxuries for something. Mobile phone, Car, vacuum... what ever, so when I discovered there was a Honda Electric Starter kit to be installed on this engine (GX140) I wanted to look into it. NO, I probably do not need it as it seems to start right up after 1-3 pulls, but I figured, meh, why not...
Has anyone installed one and is it easy to do? I see Boats.net sells the P/N 063W1-ZE1-780 kit for $276USD I'm not sure what comes in it, but I'd ASSUME brackets and screws with the starter device...(https://www.boats.net/product/honda/063W1-ZE1-780 ), and yes I know thats almost the cost of the blower, but is there a cheaper option and is it actually worth that to those who DO have it installed? 
I do see an ebay seller sells the starter and electrical plug-in part, but wouldn't I need brackets and some extra stuff to bolt this up to the GX1410? https://www.ebay.com/itm/STARTER-FO...0-SNOW-BLOWER-THROWER-410-58042-/142850084196 

this is actually the first snowblower I've used that does NOT have an electric starter...
just looking for a discussion...

Thanks,
Mike in Calgary


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

I'm assuming that your engine does not currently have a toothed flywheel and the electric start recoil housing. I believe this 12VDC starter kit for the GX160 will also work on the GX140. They share a lot of parts.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Electric-S...895418?hash=item1ee6204cfa:g:HBMAAOSw0Nlbm0WZ


----------



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

I do not have a cover that will accept the starter, correct. That kit looks like it's for a snowblower with battery tho as there is no place to plug in a cord.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Toats MaGoats said:


> I do not have a cover that will accept the starter, correct. That kit looks like it's for a snowblower with battery tho as there is no place to plug in a cord.


That is correct, as I said: 12VDC. It includes everything you need except for a small 12VDC battery/box and some wire. I used a similar kit on a GX120.


----------



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

tabora said:


> That is correct, as I said: 12VDC. It includes everything you need except for a small 12VDC battery/box and some wire. I used a similar kit on a GX120.


shoot, sorry, my bad, I missed the comment about the 12vDC batt necessity and some wiring. Well, hmmmm that could be a great option. 
You installed one on a GX120? 
Nice. Thanks kindly for that suggestion. I wasn't even thinking about that kind. I only thought about the plug-in style starter. Did you mount the 12V batt on the Snowblower somewhere?


----------



## michaelnel (Feb 12, 2019)

Do the older Hondas start on the pull start as easily as the new ones? My HSS928A starts so easily with the pull start I am not sure why it needs to have an electric starter. Usually a light 1/2 pull and it's running.


----------



## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Toats MaGoats said:


> You installed one on a GX120? ... Did you mount the 12V batt on the Snowblower somewhere?


It was actually on a GX120-powered pump in a remote location that my wife & kids needed to be able to start easily. Used one of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1pcs-1...323875?hash=item591f9abca3:g:9rMAAOSw9ZtcYmZR


----------



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

michaelnel said:


> Do the older Hondas start on the pull start as easily as the new ones?.


To be honest, yes mine starts on the first or second pull. 
I do NOT need this electric starter to start my snow blower now, but as I get older and this part perhaps gets more difficult to find, I figured I'd outfit my snowblower with luxuries now that I can afford it and can find the parts but I'm on the fence still.
I'm kinda leaning towards the official Honda kit but I'm not sure why honestly 
Anyhow I'm just excited to own and to be playing/maintaining this HS55-K2 TA

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


----------



## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

That is the optional electric start kit for a smaller Honda Generator, they used the start/control box shown in the photo of the kit. They also used a 12v battery and the battery box for the generator was another option for the generator depending on which model they were mounted on, there were different battery boxes, but the engine kit you are looking at with the starter was the same for the different generators like the EB and ES models, the EG models didn't have the electric start kit offered as an option, just the fancier models had it as an option.


----------



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

You are speaking about the eBay 12vDC starting kit and battery Tabora posted, I assume? My only worry is the PTO keyed shaft diameter will be different from the snowblower GX140 engine to the GX160 there the toothed flywheel wouldn't fit.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


----------



## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Toats MaGoats said:


> You are speaking about the eBay 12vDC starting kit and battery Tabora posted, I assume? My only worry is the PTO keyed shaft diameter will be different from the snowblower GX140 engine to the GX160 there the toothed flywheel wouldn't fit.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


Yes, just the start kit, not the engine. The engines would have different PTO shafts, Honda generators use tapered shaft crankshafts for their engines.


----------



## ST1100A (Feb 7, 2015)

Toats MaGoats said:


> You are speaking about the eBay 12vDC starting kit and battery Tabora posted, I assume? My only worry is the PTO keyed shaft diameter will be different from the snowblower GX140 engine to the GX160 there the toothed flywheel wouldn't fit.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


The Flywheel end of the crank should be the same, the PTO end is what drives the rotor for the generator, or a pulley for a snowblower, I just re-read your post and just caught that. PTO ends are the side that changes most often for different drive applications.


----------



## Toats MaGoats (Feb 19, 2019)

ST1100A said:


> The Flywheel end of the crank should be the same. PTO ends are the side that changes most often for different drive applications.


Ah ok thanks. I am still learning about these parts. Appreciate that!
Then it should fit a GX140 as you say 

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


----------

