[strudelpoodle]

I've recently acquired a Honda F400 rotavator which has been stored, unused, in a dry shed for the past 30 years.  It is in excellent condition having been hardly used since new. It's my intention to get it running and use it in my garden.

I've drained all fluids (engine and transmission oils, old fuel and air filter oil) plus disposed of the old air filter which had deteriorated to an oily dust. 

My questions are;
1. the (US) manual in pdf I've downloaded says to run it on leaded fuel -this of course has long been the devils brew and hence unavailable so will the machine run OK on unleaded?
2. apart from the engine oil being SAE 10W-40 is there any particular type of oil I should put in it or will car oil do?
3. what sort of oil should I put in the transmission (same as for the engine?)?
4. what sort of oil should I put in the air filter?

I haven't tried to turn the engine over yet -I'm hoping its not seized.  I'll give that a go once I've got fresh oil in it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Flatcat]

Hi there

Unleaded petrol from the pump is fine to use. Engine oil wise I would use a Garden machinery/lawnmower grade SAE 30, which you can use for the air filter as well. SAE 40 is more for working in hot temperatures (probably where the rotovator was marketed at) and then you have SAE 20 oil for working in sub zero temperatures! But SAE 30 is the standard grade that is good for anything, and i would always go for the oil specifically marketed for garden machinery/lawnmowers.

As for transmission oil I wouldn't know as I am not entirely famillier with this machine

Hope this is of help
Damon

[strudelpoodle]

Damon

Thanks, that helps.

[adal]

Hello strudelpoodle I have a Honda f510 and it says to use SAE_10W-30 in the Engine as well as the Tranamission

[nickholden]

Hi there
in my workshop i always use SAE 10w/40 oil in Honda engines and SAE 30 in Briggs & Stratton engines and use the same engine oil in the air filter oil bath

[strudelpoodle]

Thanks everyone.  Refilling with oil has been delayed by the fact that the engine wouldn't turn over.  A couple of weeks with the cylinder full of diesel and a gentle tap with a hammer on a block of wood on the piston has now freed it up.  Hopefully, once the new head gasket arrives I'll be able to get the machine running.

[Vit]

Any updates? Is F400 going now? 

[Bigbadfrankie]

Honda F400 is a good machine. car engine oil is good stuff. so fill her up.

[strudelpoodle]

F400 running like a dream.  Only issue is an oil leak from the transmission but I can't figure out where exactly...I suspect its coming from around the axles, apart from that its a great machine!

[Bigbadfrankie]

I replaced the bottom seals on mine. It was quite difficult. And expensive.

[strudelpoodle]

Where are the 'bottom seals'?  Is it the sort of thing anyone could do? Shame there isn't a Haynes manual for the F400!

[smud6ie]

Where are the 'bottom seals'?  Is it the sort of thing anyone could do? Shame there isn't a Haynes manual for the F400!

Have a look at reply #39 in the following thread:
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=36706.30
smud6ie

[strudelpoodle]

Thanks.  I've seen that thread before and checked my shaft for play....almost no lateral movement visible. 

Since the F400 has been standing in my garage for a couple of weeks I've noticed that there's oil on the body of the machine above the shaft which runs down the inside of the wheels so now don't think its those seals after all. 

Fortunately there's not so much leakage that the machine is unusable -I've just spent the last 3 hours ploughing up a big chunk of lawn to extend the veg patch and thoroughly enjoyed myself

[smud6ie]

Thanks.  I've seen that thread before and checked my shaft for play....almost no lateral movement visible.  

Since the F400 has been standing in my garage for a couple of weeks I've noticed that there's oil on the body of the machine above the shaft which runs down the inside of the wheels so now don't think its those seals after all.  

Fortunately there's not so much leakage that the machine is unusable -I've just spent the last 3 hours ploughing up a big chunk of lawn to extend the veg patch and thoroughly enjoyed myself

Well I hope its not what was wrong with an F410 I had in for repair ,the alloy gear/chain casing was cracked on one side and in half on the other,one doesn't know until the tin outer casing is removed.
smud6ie

[strudelpoodle]

I don't think that's the source of the leak.  There's no visible damage on mine (it had very little use before being put in storage approx 30 years ago).