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Ruined my carburetor in my weed wacker

tiredretired

tiredretired

The Old Salt
Dug out my weed wacker today. It started, but when I would give it the gas, it would quit. Sure sign the carb is acting up.

Took it all apart, changed the fuel lines and checked the gas filter. Filter OK.

Took the carb apart on the work bench and checked the needle valve. Needle valve OK, but it appeared the screen was partially plugged. Aha, there is the problem, I say.

No, the problem is me. I never knew it is not a good idea to use carb cleaner on a two stroke carb. Messes them up big time. After putting it all back together, it ran worse then before, if that is possible. Should have just used compressed air or taken to have it cleaned ultrasonically.

Found a new OEM Zama carb on eBay for 22 bucks. Local engine shop wanted 75 bucks. Ordered on ebay.

Sometimes I'm a dummy.
 
Have you every tried Seafoam? That stuff works great and you don't have to take it apart, just spray it in the carb.
 
Dmorency said:
Have you every tried Seafoam? That stuff works great and you don't have to take it apart, just spray it in the carb.
Click to expand...

I use it as a gas additive in all my small engines including my tractor which is not really a small engine I guess. Good stuff. I thought about spraying it directly into the carb, but decided in my infinite wisdom to take the carb apart.

road squawker said:
... and whatever you do, DON'T use ethanol without an aftermarket additive.
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NEVER use E10 in any of my small engines, especially the two strokers. All my two strokers get non ethanol gas, good two stroke oil and Seafoam as an additive.

The thing is, I just don't use the gas powered wacker all that much so it sits idle a lot. I need to start it more often then I do. For my light duty work, I just grab my Makita cordless wacker which does a nice job trimming grass and does not destroy anything the string comes in contact with, other then the grass.
 
My gas is so "doctored" up it should last for years. My problem over the last few years seems to have been mainly the priming bulb on small engines. I bet that I've replaced 4 of them. They seem to get brittle and crack or develop a pinhole. Like you, I use my small engine stuff infrequently during the year and I think that is a large part of the problem.
 
Stihl, and I'm sure a few others, sells a pre-mixed gasoline for weed eaters, chain saws, etc. it's expensive but for the last two years I have not had any issues with my small equipment not starting.

I don't run the pre-mixed gas exclusively. I try to time it so the last fill-up of the day is with the pre-mix.

If I remember correctly Stihl warrants the pre-mix for two years after the can is opened.

Like I said, it's expensive, but when you consider each Spring I was taking my stuff to the dealer because it wouldn't start, I'm saving money. Each trip to the dealer cost me around $75 and they always said it was bad gas. Bob
 
All my small engines get non ethanol gas and the two strokes get good quality 2 stroke oil. The ones that "sleep" thru a season get the tank emptied, started and run 'til it dies. Haven't had any problems yet.
Mike
 
I just put regular gas in my stihl and don't worry about it. but I think it is one of those 4 stroke 2cycle things.
 
Well, today I finally gave up trying to get that weed wacker to run reliably. A new carb and new fuel lines, new fuel filter and air filter and still it will start when it wants to. When it does start, I cannot get it to run a full throttle. My local dealer gave me 35 bucks for it as is which is about what I got into it in new parts. Maybe I gave it away, I don't know and don't care. I reached the breaking point with that sumbitch. It reduced me to tears all weekend friggin with it. :yum:
I can laugh now, because here is what followed me home today. A brand new Echo with the Speed Feed head. All in all, $165 plus tax inc trading in the old wacker for the new Echo. They also threw in a bottle of 2 cycle oil and a 1 quart can of that expensive gas/oil mix. My wife is the happiest though. She doesn't have to listen to me bitch about the old wacker any more. :yum::yum:

Notice the throttle cables sitting on the right side of the tailgate. Yup, the throttle cable broke on my beloved two stroker LawnBoy mower this morning, just like clockwork. The same dealer had a used one with the throttle control for 10 bucks so I grabbed that too. I think I am over the hump on lawn equipment issues this summer.

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those heads are GREAT!!!!

no more sweating and fumbling around while reloading the string.


... and if you already have an older ECHO model that has a different head, it is backwards compatible to all ECHO wackers.
 
road squawker said:
those heads are GREAT!!!!

no more sweating and fumbling around while reloading the string.


... and if you already have an older ECHO model that has a different head, it is backwards compatible to all ECHO wackers.
Click to expand...

The owners son pulled the line out of the head and showed me how it works. I was sold right there. Pretty slick. I forgot to buy more line today so all I have is what is in the head. I have a complete spool of 1.05" but the book says I need .095. I may try it any way and see what happens, but line is cheap so no biggie there.
 
rlk said:
Stihl, and I'm sure a few others, sells a pre-mixed gasoline for weed eaters, chain saws, etc. it's expensive but for the last two years I have not had any issues with my small equipment not starting.

I don't run the pre-mixed gas exclusively. I try to time it so the last fill-up of the day is with the pre-mix.

If I remember correctly Stihl warrants the pre-mix for two years after the can is opened.

Like I said, it's expensive, but when you consider each Spring I was taking my stuff to the dealer because it wouldn't start, I'm saving money. Each trip to the dealer cost me around $75 and they always said it was bad gas. Bob
Click to expand...

Maybe, at least use that bottled stuff for winter storage. That way the best possible gas/oil/stabilizer is sitting in the tool all winter. I just may save that free can just for that purpose. Glad you brought that up.

Usually, I buy non ethanol for all the two strokers. Always put the first few gallons in my truck then what I need in the cans. Still had issues though so maybe I'm not really getting non ethanol, just paying for it? :hammer::w00t2:
 
TiredRetired said:
Still had issues though so maybe I'm not really getting non ethanol, just paying for it? :hammer::w00t2:
Click to expand...

Get a small ,clear container with a lid . Put a few ounces of water in it . Mark the level of the water on the container . Add about an equal amount of your gasoline . Shake the mixture . If the level of the water is now above your previous mark ,it has ethanol in it .
 
You should also be aware of the fact that e0 pump gas is formulated a bit different than the canned small engine fuels and doesn't store as well ,or as long .
 
there is a "fogger" for 2 stroke outboard engines that works well for storage
FOG.jpg


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...g-oil/&usg=AFQjCNF1MiqX0RQAfHp455RPlwLrvxJpiQ
 
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