I think i'd just take it back, and forget it! If the owners cared so little about it, you shouldn't get involved with it, because anything that happens now will be your fault! Take this bit of wisdom from an old experienced person, who has had his share of disrespected engines dumped in his lap, by those who think everything will run forever, with minimum care!

Make sure you don't overfill the oil. You are supposed to turn it on it's side and remove the oil stick--but if you look at the manual, "side" is more like the front. If overfilled, oil will pour out of the filter area and you will have smoking. Not sure what to make of the muddy oil after the recent oil change.

Well, as suggested over filling could cause the smoke? I would check the compression, Probably wore out from lack of pre-ventive routine maintenance like you mentioned, oil not being changed, air cleaner not being cleaned or replaced, ect.... I am suprised you can get it to run period. But, IMO you got to know the condition of the combustion chamber (piston to bore clearnance, rings) I would also wash out the comb chamber with spray carb cleaner and pull rope with the spark plug removed (this will clean all the oil and may loosen up any carbon that maybe causing the rings to stick causing smoke).

With all that hasn't been done I would be amazed if it's not worn out ( causing blow by combustion gas to pressurize the vent system thus getting the oil in the air cleaner and smoke). another thing you need to concentrate you cleaning efforts on the inside and don't worry about the cosmetic's on the outside, you can make it look new, but that don't mean it going to run like new. For that it's all about the inside.

With all that said it maybe wise to listen to rustj and just not get involved cause three things could happen as he mentioned two (being bad) and third being you fix it and now they will all seek your help when they have any little problem. Which could be bad also???????????????

I would think its water or condensation in the oil its very hard to clean out by just dumping the oil use some seafaom in the oil and run it then change it until clean

thanks for the suggestions, sorry i'm slow to reply, been on the run the last several days:

>>> rcmoser wrote:
I would check the compression, Probably wore out from lack of pre-ventive routine maintenance like you mentioned, oil not being changed, air cleaner not being cleaned or replaced, ect.... I am suprised you can get it to run period. But, IMO you got to know the condition of the combustion chamber (piston to bore clearnance, rings) so do you think it would be best to take it for an engine rebuild? can you replace the damaged pistons parts on these engines?,.. and if so how much would it roughly cost to have someone do this, assuming that all replaceable parts need/&get replaced??

if i dont end up taking it into the shop for a rebuild, i' guess i'll try rinseing it out a few times with some dry-gas water removing treatment, and throw another can of carb spray at the internal chambers,.. then try the seafoam once it gets up and running.

grandma-in-law couldnt wait to get her garden tilled so she went out and bought a P.O.S 31cc 2-stroke tiller from lowes for $200. i had told her to get a fullsize tiller, as our yard is a farm/jungle at the bottom of a canyon drainage. it worked fine for her little garden plot, but didnt make it 5 feet through the 'secondary succession' experiment that is our garden. so now i have a minnie mouse tiller, and a defunct mickey mouse tiller at my disposal, and feeling goofy with these infernal combustion engines.

thanks again for the advice,.. matt

I don't know about the rest of the tiller, but I do know something about the GX31.
The Honda small engines can run at all position BUT it can't sit on the side or up side down!!!!! VERY IMPORTANT!!!. It has a oil chamber to whip the oil into mist so you can run in all position. But when the engine stop, oil is going to go to the lowest level due to gravity. If the engine sit side way or up side down, oil will sip through the rings and go into the combussion chamber. If you leave it sit long enough, the engine not only hard to start, also it will smoke for a while. But it will clear up. That is the reason the foam filter soak with oil.

So do not just tear the engine up until you run more test. You might want to clean the carb. I just did one on my GX31 and is not that hard. But If you can start the engine, I don't think you even need to do that. Just wash the foam filter with soap and water, put oil and put it back. Change the gas filter and check the plug. You check the oil but putting the engine with cylinder upwards, on flat level. Remove the drain plug and make sure the oil just not overflow.

Start and let it run for a little while, the smoke should clear up. Then you can continue testing whether it has power. I am not saying the engine has no problem, just say the smoking is normal if the engine sit in wrong position.

Me Bad!! I filled my Honda Harmony FG100 with oil with the left side down! Heard girggling but filled it up anyway. I let it sit upright while I went for parts, a new gas primer bulb thing (I'm not a mechanic), new fuel line and air filter. When I came back to the tiller the next day, oil was dripping out through the air filter! It was soaked. So, I checked the oil, it was low, so I did it again.yep left side down! Pulled the air cleaner sponge off, it was saturated! Oil was pouring out the air hole. I pulled on the starter cord figuring I would pump oil out.Well I actually had to remove the pull cord assembly and use a pipe wrench - gently to get the engine to turn then I re-assembled the starter cord. Yep! Oil poured out like the Beverly Hills sitcom, but mine was clean. I have kept pulling until no more oil came out. Now what? I have replaced the gas line and primer blub,air filter and cleaned the spark plug. And will check the oil level WITH THE TILLER TILTED FORWARD. I'll replace the spark plug and try again. I'd be grateful for any suggestions. Thanks for the thread on the tine gear lubing and gear box - mine is working but you bet I'll keep it lubed! And I'll look for my manual - any suggestions as to where I can download one?

Apparently this is very common and never heard that it has lasting effect. You might want to take off the muffler and pour oil out if any!!!!

If now that you can pull the cord, make sure the oil level is correct, put gas and start the engine. Let it smoke for a few minutes. It will burn all the oil out and run smoothly in a minute or two.

I removed the broken priming bulb of my GX 31 roto tiller.
I am not sure that I installed the replacement correctly. There is a small spring that I do not remember where it came from and so I did not install it. I am not able to start the engine because gasoline is not flowing through the gas line. Please help.

I need HELP regarding replacing primer bulb of my honda rototiller gx 31, Please see my posting of Oct 7, 10. Thanks

Like scotty3259 I too filled the FG100 tiller with it on its side. I tried, but it would not start, so I poured oil out until it was the correct level. It starts now but once I give it gas it dies. It runs as long as I do not try to use it. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks!

Make sure the sponge air filter is not saturated with oil. Excess oil from the crankcase will pour out of the intake.

Same problem as Scott B. I have the air filter off, can get the rototiller to start and idle, but once I try to throttle it up, the engine dies.

My brother brought me his tiller engine (GX31). Disassembled in a box.

I rebuilt it, mounted it upright in my vice and it cranked on second pull. I then rotated it to the running position and cranked it. After a while it bled oil from breather. I tore it back down, thinking the oil galley was blocked. Found nothing but it still will not run without blowing oil. The level is correct.

Help!