Honda GX25 ande GX35 engine has separate oil. The engine is designed to run in all position. BUT it is not design to store in all position. If you let the engine store with the cylinder upside down or sideways, oil will go to the lowest point due to gravity. Oil can sip through the rings and into the combusion chamber. When the next time you start, it will be very hard to start, spitting oil into the intake and exhaust port. It will smoke a lot after it started for a few minutes until all the oil in the chamber burn off.

It is ok to have the engine store noise down also( when the tiller sit upright).

If you cannot pull the cord, you might want to remove the plug to drain the oil out. You must have it sat in the wrong position for a loooooong time!!!

Yungman - Thanks for info. The tiller has been stored since last fall (worked then) in normal upright "working" position. Can there be another reason for the oil migrating?? Gaskets, etc.?
Thanks again for your reply,
Pete

If you still cannot pull the cord, remove the spark plug to see whether any oil in the cylinder.

The only time I can think of is if you over filled oil and oil still got into the cylinder in upright position.

Try remove the plug first and see. If you can pull it, clean the plug and try starting it and let it run for a little bit and see whether it will clear itself up. Make sure you ring the air filter dry a little also.

All else fail, post the symptoms and what else you did and we'll see. As I said it is not an uncommon thing for these little Hondas, don't get ahead of yourself just yet. IF all else fail, then start the panic!!!!

yungman - sounds good. I'll pull plug and drain, etc.
I'll post results.
Thanks for your help/follow-up...
Pete

yungman - sounds good. I'll pull plug and drain, etc.
I'll post results.
Thanks for your help/follow-up...
Pete

Update:
Removed air filter and squeezed oil out. Then I pulled plug. About a teaspoon of oil drained out. Cleaned plug and put back in.

Started motor. I let idle for a while. With air filter out, I could see a small amount of oil coming out of hole, but then stopped. Let tiller idle for about ten minutes.
I shut it down for the day and will try to start tomorrow.

I also check oil level. It is not to the top, but if you wiggle tiller around you can see the top of the oil. I will not add any at this time.
Pete

If I were you I would drain all of the oil then put in the correct amount of oil for that engine.

Glad it work out. Change the oil. You should make sure the engine is level( cylinder straight up ) as much as possible. Fill oil until it reach the top thread but not spilling out. That would be the correct amount.

Somehow, the tiller must had been sitting on the side for more than a few days. I had mine on the side for about 5 days and it just hard to start and smoke for 2 minutes only.

Use synthetic. I use Mobil One 10-30. Make sure use Stabil and run the gas dry before storage.....standard storage procedure.

After six days does the motor turn freely?

Have you tried to do what was recommended and fill with the proper amount of oil and try to start the motor.

If you move the motor so the cylinder is top dead center, can you find oil with a long Qtip when you CAREFULLY put it into the spark plug hole so it touches the piston?

Assume the motor is sitting upright, I can not imagine there is much oil left in the motor.

Had a similar problem with GX35 4stroke. Tried a number of options including changing the entire crankcase but the cause for this was the oil Reed valve that was not functioning properly. Fixed it and the engine is now as good as new.