Honda HS720 oil, paddles and scraper service
The Honda HS720 is a single-stage snowblower, not a two-stage machine. Its cited manual gives 0.58 L oil, 5W-30, an initial oil change after five hours and later changes every six months or 50 hours. Use BPR5ES at 0.7–0.8 mm, and inspect the scraper and rubber paddles before clearing snow.
Five hours is a short first season
The HS720 manual’s oil-change section specifies the initial five hours, then six months or 50 hours, with more frequent changes under heavy use. Its calendar inspection table also includes annual pre-operation and pre-storage checks; those do not erase the 50-hour instruction.
For a hypothetical twelve storms requiring 30 minutes each, runtime totals six hours. The initial change becomes due during the tenth half-hour session. Later changes depend on both elapsed time and hours, so a lightly used machine can reach the calendar limit first.
Paddles and scraper have different wear checks
Honda’s single-stage equipment material identifies the HS720 family. Its rubber auger paddles and scraper contact the clearing surface; use the wear-inspection instructions for this machine. A two-stage auger or shear-pin procedure does not describe this rubber-paddle system.
The owner manual identifies scraper blade76322-V10-020 and BPR5ES plug98079-55846. Verify the current diagram and actual model before ordering. Replacing a scraper alone does not establish that worn paddles or an incorrectly adjusted clutch cable are serviceable.
Stop the engine before checking an obstruction
Release the auger control, stop the engine, disconnect the spark-plug cap and wait for moving parts to stop. Use the designated clearing implement rather than a hand. Stored force and an unexpected restart can move the auger while someone is reaching inside.
The manual’s oil quantity is 0.61 US quart/0.58 L, with the actual amount affected by residual oil. Fill gradually and confirm on the dipstick. Its plug replacement interval is 150 hours; valve and engine-speed adjustment require the tools and skill described in Honda’s service directions.
Honda HS720 snow blower: oil, spark plug, scraper blade part numbers and schedule
The Honda HS720 snow blower takes 0.61 US quart of SAE 5W-30 oil, changed after the first 5 hours and then every 6 months or 50 hours, with the annual storage service also observed. Its spark plug is an NGK BPR5ES, Honda part 98079-55846, gapped 0.7 to 0.8 millimeter and replaced every 150 hours. Honda’s owner’s manual prints the scraper blade, 76322-V10-020, the oil, 08207-5W30, and the fuel stabilizer, 08732-0800.
The valve clearances are 0.15 millimeter on the intake and 0.20 on the exhaust, cold. The schedule below is Honda’s own.
Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug cap before you clear the chute or service the machine. Use a wooden stick to remove an obstruction, never a hand. Every figure and part number is from Honda’s owner’s manual for the HS720 snow thrower, listed in the sources.
A GC190 engine, and 5W-30 instead of 10W-30
The Honda HS720 is a two-stage snow blower with the Honda GC190, an 11.4 cubic inch (187 cc) four-stroke, overhead-cam, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine. It is close kin to the GCV190 that drives the HRX217 mower, and it takes the same NGK plug and gap. It differs on oil: Honda specifies a thinner oil for a machine that starts in the cold.
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engine oil | SAE 5W-30, API service category SJ or later. The chart also shows 5W-20. |
| Oil capacity | 0.61 US quart (0.58 L). Honda says the actual amount varies with residual oil, so confirm on the dipstick. |
| Oil to avoid | Nondetergent oil, and two-stroke oil, both of which can shorten engine life or damage it |
| Fuel | Unleaded gasoline, pump octane 86 or higher, no more than 10% ethanol |
| Spark plug | NGK BPR5ES; replace every 150 hours of use |
| Spark plug gap | 0.028 to 0.031 in (0.7 to 0.8 mm) |
| Valve clearance (cold) | Intake 0.15 ± 0.04 mm; exhaust 0.20 ± 0.04 mm; a dealer job unless you have the tools |
| Auger clutch lever free play | 7 1/2 to 8 inches (190 to 205 mm) of lever movement before resistance |
The Honda parts the manual lists
| Item | Honda part number | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spark plug | 98079-55846 | NGK BPR5ES |
| Scraper blade | 76322-V10-020 | Reuse the bolts, washers and nuts |
| 8 mm nut for the scraper blade | 90309-428-731 | 3 nuts and washers required |
| Washer for the scraper blade | 90521-259-000 | Used with the nuts |
| SAE 5W-30 engine oil | 08207-5W30 | 1 quart of Honda Genuine oil |
| Fuel stabilizer | 08732-0800 | 8 oz bottle, for short and long term storage |
Honda HS720 snow blower service intervals
| When | What |
|---|---|
| Before each use | Check the engine oil level and the scraper blade. |
| After the first 5 hours | Change the engine oil. |
| Every year, before operation | Change the engine oil (more often under heavy use), check the spark plug, check and adjust the auger clutch lever free play, and check the auger paddles and the scraper blade. On models with a chute guide lever cable, check and adjust it. |
| Every year, before storage | Check the spark plug, and drain the fuel tank and carburetor. |
| Every 100 hours | Check and adjust the engine speed and valve clearance, both dealer work unless you are proficient. |
| Every 150 hours | Replace the spark plug, and clean the fuel tank and fuel filter, the second a dealer job. |
| Every 2 years | Check the fuel lines, and replace them if necessary. |
To change the oil, place the machine on a level surface and drain it while the engine is warm, with a container below the drain bolt and the filler cap and dipstick out. Refit the drain plug with a new washer, refill, wait for the oil to settle and measure it on the dipstick. Honda warns that failing to follow the schedule could result in non-warrantable failures.
0.61 qt
SAE 5W-30 oil
Confirm on the dipstick. Change after 5 hours, then yearly.
98079-55846
Spark plug (NGK BPR5ES)
Gap 0.7 to 0.8 mm; replace every 150 hours.
76322-V10-020
Scraper blade
With three 90309-428-731 nuts.
Honda HS720 snow blower: questions
What oil does a Honda HS720 snow blower take?
Honda specifies SAE 5W-30 of API service category SJ or later for general use, and its chart also shows 5W-20 for the coldest temperatures. The capacity is 0.61 US quart (0.58 liter). Honda warns that nondetergent oil can shorten engine life and that two-stroke oil can damage the engine.
How much oil does a Honda HS720 hold?
0.61 US quart, or 0.58 liter. The manual adds that the actual amount varies with residual oil left in the engine, so always confirm the level on the dipstick. Set the machine on a level surface, let the oil settle after filling, and then measure.
When do I change the oil in a Honda HS720?
After the first 5 hours of use, then once a year before operation, and more often under heavy use. Drain the oil while the engine is warm, with the machine on a level surface, using a new drain plug washer. Take the used oil to a recycling center.
What spark plug does a Honda HS720 use?
An NGK BPR5ES, which is Honda part number 98079-55846, gapped 0.028 to 0.031 inch (0.7 to 0.8 millimeter). Honda says to replace it every 150 hours of use, and that an incorrect plug can cause engine damage. Install it by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
What is the Honda HS720 scraper blade part number?
76322-V10-020. Honda also lists an 8 mm nut, 90309-428-731, with three nuts and washers required, and a washer, 90521-259-000. When you install the new blade you reuse the bolts, washers and nuts.
Check the blade before each use and again yearly.
What engine is in a Honda HS720?
The Honda GC190, an 11.4 cubic inch (187 cc) four-stroke, overhead-cam, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with a bore and stroke of 2.71 by 1.97 inches and a compression ratio of 8.5 to 1. The HS720A and AM are recoil start, and the HS720AS has an AC electric start as well.
What gasoline does a Honda HS720 use?
Unleaded gasoline with a pump octane rating of 86 or higher containing no more than 10 percent ethanol by volume. Honda warns that fuel can deteriorate quickly and offers an 8 ounce fuel stabilizer, part number 08732-0800, for short and long-term storage. Drain the tank and carburetor before storage.
What are the valve clearances on a Honda HS720?
Intake 0.15 plus or minus 0.04 millimeter and exhaust 0.20 plus or minus 0.04 millimeter, measured cold. Honda lists checking valve clearance at 100 hours as a job for an authorized dealer unless you have the tools and mechanical skill. Its shop manual has the procedure.
How do I adjust the auger clutch lever on a Honda HS720?
Move the lever until you feel resistance from the cable, then measure. The free play should be 7 1/2 to 8 inches (190 to 205 millimeters). The manual shows how to change the position of the cable at the spring cover, and lists the check as a yearly job.
Where do I buy Honda HS720 parts?
From an authorized Honda servicing dealer, which the manual points to through Honda’s dealer finder. It also sells a shop manual for the technician and a parts catalog through dealers. Give the dealer your model and serial number, which are listed on page 16 of the manual.
How often should I service a Honda HS720?
Check the oil and scraper blade before each use, change the oil after 5 hours and then yearly, and check the plug, auger paddles and clutch free play each year. At 100 hours a dealer checks engine speed and valves, and at 150 hours the plug is replaced and the fuel tank and filter cleaned.
How do I clear a clogged chute on a Honda HS720?
Stop the engine and disconnect the spark plug cap first, since the auger and impeller can turn. Then use a wooden stick to remove the obstruction, never your hand. The manual’s safety section and its troubleshooting table cover a clogged chute and a frozen auger.