your valves didn't get out of adjustment 'all of a sudden'.

check your oil and make sure its not gas fouled (thin, smells like gas and overfull sometimes). squirt some more (not much) oil in the cylinder and re-check your compression. clean your spark plug before you put it back in. try the choke at first, but if it doesn't start with it then try it with the throttle wide open with no choke. use spray carb cleaner, not gas, you want a mist not liquid fuel. then see what the results are.

what led up to this?

It worked great last season. I removed the gas changed the oil and put it away for the winter. Today I poured fresh gas and pulled and pulled could not get it started and that was it.

It happens every so often that old fuel deposits on the valve stems hold the valve open periodically and hence the 0 compression. It seems to happen more frequently on low hour units. You may not have to dis-assemble if you can get a bit of carb spray to the valve- pull it spray it etc a few times. A bit of Seafoam fuel system cleaner in your fresh fuel will help clean it further once running.

Ok I tried it one more time, I squirted oil in the piston, installed the compression tester I pulled on the pull cord and it was very difficult to turn the engine over, seemed like it was jammed, I finally pulled the cord and the engined turned over and I did get 60-lbs I released the pressure on the gauge and I pulled on the cord this time the engine turned over with easy. I cheched the compression gauge and the reading was 5-lbs. It seems once I loose the oil the compression is not there. I thought I could remove the 4-bolts from the OVC cover to see if the valves were stuck the cover is so thin it looks like it's a one time use. Any thoughts

You can re-use those covers if you are careful how you remove it. The cover isn't dented in is it? It sounds to me like there is too much oil in the cylinder and the valve is just sticky. Try working in the jet spray- you may save yourself from resealing the cover.

The horror. I sprayed carb cleaner in the carb and in the cyclinder. I was slowly pulling on the pull cord to work the fluid in the valves and the spark plug ignited the spray that cam out of the cylinder hole and the mower went up in flames. I quickly opend the garge door and pushed the dam thing on the road. I did manage to get it out with the garden hose but is was to late to save it. The end of this mower. I am buying electric.

Well, we know it had fire! ;-)

You should have seen the neighbors faces ( a lawnmower on fire rolling down my drive to the street) Thank god they did not call the fire dept that would have cost me $500

Maybe its time to buy a little fire extinguisher for your garage, and put a new one in its place every now and then.
Or least keep a few boxes of baking soda stored on a shelf in zip locks.

Here is a link that might be useful: ArmHammer Magic

ouch!

Tools in the wrong hands can be a dangerous thing!

Yes, an ignition source and flammable liquid equals fire. This was most likely a very simple problem to fix and most likely a stuck valve. To bad it had to end with a total loss. What model Honda was it? If it was a stuck valve this could have been prevented with a quality fuel stabilizer like Pri-G, Techron or Ringfree. All of these products prevent sticking valves and rings. With the addition of ethanol to our fuels this is very important to start using. Many people also like MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil) mixed in the fuel. Better luck with your next mower.

As one who repairs equipment, I've found the concentrated additive in the bottom of the fuel bowl too many times, causing a no-start condition.

Taking care of my own equipment for the last 30+ years, I've never used stabilizer, instead, just running the tank empty and leaving the fuel system dry, except on my tractors with a fuel pump. They can be a pain to prime. I just start them once a month.

I've never had any problem running the fuel system dry and never had any problems starting it again. I think stabilizer is a total waste of money.

As "one who repairs equipment" you are in the minority. This is true especially in the marine industry. Todays fuel especially e-10 laden fuels begin the degradation process in less than a month. Some additives may fall into the "waste of money" category, but not all. After reading the original posters email the first thing that comes to mind is hung valves. This is common in this engine and is prevented with the right additive. Ringfree or Techtron is not a stabilizer it prevents carbon and ring/valve sticking. Pri-G does the same as well as being a stabilizer. In 20 years of using stabilizers in everything from motorcycles to boats and everything in between I never heard of someone claiming a no start or hard starting engine as a result of using a stabilizerÂ...YouÂre the first! I have had engines sit for more then 2 years with Pri-G (Gen-set at a lake) and start on the 1st or second pull and run smooth as the day I bought it. Untreated fuel would have certainly failed me and not performed even close. I prefer no to start all my engines every month, that to me is a waste of my time. IÂll start them when needed. Not to mention you just filling the carb with crap fuel with lower then needed octane.

i have to agree, i have never used stabilizer in my equipment. i run what i can dry, the others i just cranks them up 1x every few weeks and let them run for a few minutes. this is good for them in more ways than just getting the same old gas out the carb, the important thing is it circulates OIL and keeps things lubed up. i have been given more than a few engines rusted up on the inside from sitting there and not being used. stabilizer won't solve that issue!

davidandkasie wrote: "i have been given more than a few engines rusted up on the inside from sitting there and not being used. stabilizer won't solve that issue"

That is true, but properly storing them will. Fogging oil is cheap and effective.

Also youÂre thinking although sounding logical it is anything but effective. Starting a "supposedly stored" engine every moth or less to get things moving creates more harm then good.

Just to name a few:
Contaminates oil
Replenishes carb with more stale fuel
Builds carbon.

Unless you run an engine with a load up to operating temp your better leaving them alone. And if you are, you have more time on your hands then I do.

First time I posted here in quite a while. nevada_walrus would usually jump in on difficult Honda problems but I suspect something happened to him. Even his website is down.