2-cycle engines are the enemy!

[Wingshooter]

Not many things in life have frustrated me like 2-cycle engines. I have 3 that may experience tannerite very soon!

I couldn't get the weedeater started last year, so I got frustrated and bought a new one. It won't start now... not on gas, not on ether starting fluid. Nada. Got a new plug... Nope. Quick cleaning of the carb... Nope, not gonna run.

Before I got too fed up, I went to another project requiring the chainsaw. I just got this thing out of the shop last month and put a fresh chain on it. It's been garage kept and serviced. Won't start. Not on gas, not on ether. I cant even use it to cut the weedeaters in half. I have always been diligent about using non-ethanol fuel except the last can was not. Arrrh

Sorry about the rant. Does anyone else have my luck with small engines? Any suggestions? The fuel can sat outside... would water in the gas keep it from running even after fresh fuel was added?

I guess I'll just stare at the TV for a while this afternoon. I don't dare attempt to start my lawn mower right now. Edited July 28, 2014 by Batman

[R_Bert]

We just did a carb rebuild on a leaf blower.  No joy.

 

*then* for some reason, Dad grabbed the cylinder head.  It was about to fall off. This thing was running when I last put it up

 

 

He tightened up the head bolts, and the ****ed thing cranked on the first pull.  Compression is necessary.

 

 

(also be sure the gas & vent lines to the fuel tank are not broken (weedeater just did this)

Edited July 28, 2014 by R_Bert

[vontar]

I hate 2 cycle engines.  I am considering a 4 stroke weed eater next year.

[TNMTBik3r]

I hate 2 cycle engines. I am considering a 4 stroke weed eater next year.

They aren't much better or at least mine isn't. New plug, barely runs. Used 100% gas and the 4 stroke fuel that Lowes sells. Put seafoam in it. Still sputters and dies, and has to be choked even for a warm start.

[Lowpower]

You may want to try this starting sequence.......

 

1. Full choke, full throttle. Pull it till it burps. 

2. Immediately go to 1/2 choke, full throttle. Pull it till it starts.

3. Immediately take choke off and rev it and you're good to go.

 

Normally it's about 3-4 pulls before I have to go to 1/2 choke. then a couple a more and it's running and if yours has 

the lil thumb pump on top of the carb I pump mine around 10X before I begin the start sequence.

 

Crazy as it sounds over the past 25 or so years I've had 3 of the things and every single one of them started that way.

 

Hope it helps ya.

Edited July 28, 2014 by Lowpower

[TMF]

Haha, I'm with ya. Had the weed whacked taken apart just an hour ago. Mine is working though.

[Tncobra]

I gave up and bought a battery weed eater. Does just fine for what I need.

[peejman]

What lowpower said. 100% gas too. Generally, 2-strokes are meant to run at one speed... WFO. If run at half throttle, he exhaust will coke up to the point that it restricts flow so much the engine won't run anymore.

It can also help to run the fuel mix with more oil. Most newer ones run on 50:1... Try 40:1 instead. It'll run cooler.

[Ugly]

Folks, 2 cycles are the best bang for the buck. More power per cc, no ifs ands or butts. The problem, 99.9% of the time is the al gore ethanol! In fact, many companies won't even warranty a brand new machine if you run that crap through it. I'm not saying you can't but you need to add stabil ethanol fix and preservative. 

 

The ethanol leaves a tacky residue in addition to attracting water and those are death to a small engine. 

 

So relax, drain the old fuel, let it dry out a bit, get fresh fuel add the 2 stroke oil, stabil, even if you get the ethanol free add the preservative. pull and clean or change the spark plug and if need be clean the fuel strainer, its on the end of the fuel line in the tank. Then add your fresh fuel and give it heck.

 

A properly lubed 2 stroke should last a homeowner many years before it needs maintenance. This fuel is the worst crap for em. 

 

Of you don't feel like doing all that and want to buy new, let me have your old one :)

[cj0e]

Yep. What ugly said. Our 22 y/o green machine is proof. Starts with the same process mentioned by Low-power.

Using that same thing, I've brought el cheapo won't start weedeaters to life. Don't flood em though.

And the lubing and maintenance on a 4cycle is a pita for such a simple machine. I usually run 36:1 or 40:1, never the recommended 50:1 mix as well.

[enfield]

Not all 2-strokes are the same.  My Stihl saw and blower,  and Shindaiwa trimmer start just fine.  I've had other brands that didn't start good when new, and then got worse.

Edited July 29, 2014 by enfield

[deerslayer]

Not all 2-strokes are the same.  My Stihl saw and blower,  and Shindaiwa trimmer start just fine.  I've had other brands that didn't start good when new, and then got worse.

 

+1

 

I have all RedMax and Echo stuff--you get what you pay for.  Other than some Echo and Husqvarna models, the Lowes/Home Depot stuff is often junk.  I had a 14 year old Echo blower get cancer this year, but a new $30 OEM carb off ebay made it run like new.  I had a Snapper w/ 6.5 Briggs that started eating coils.  A Honda replaced it.   

 

Someone above mentioned Stabil.  Definitely add Stabil or something similar if your gas sits over the winter or for extended periods.  You should be ok untreated if you use it every two or three weeks. 

[Peace]

I've run Stihl 4-mix, Husq, and echo (blowers & trimmers).  My echo trimmer & Stihl BR600 (not a 4-mix) are 4 years old & 2 years old.  Both start on the first pull.  Echo oil for the echo, Stihl oil for the blower (for the warranty).      Always - no-ethanol fuel and Sta-bil... always.   Of note: I always run the tanks dry (so fuel doesn't age in the tank... if you keep adding new fuel to old, you will always have some fuel in there that is old, old, old.  I also change the air filters more than most folks.

 

I also start them the exact same way every time.  I know how many pumps on the bulb and when it starts to fire I flip choke to 1/2,... then off a few seconds later.  

 

-One pull for my kawasaki powered Ferris Hydro-cut as well.  - though I had to pull and clean the carb this spring.  

 

OP - you didn't mention brand names.  I'll always be the first schmuck to say that it matters.  Redmax and Shindaiwa are high-performance tools... they will outperform most everything else, ... but they won't last as long.  Stihl products can easily last a homeowner a generation.... (if they don't get stolen).  Echo may not last as long as stihl, but it has a lower entry point and will do pretty well for a homeowner.   Every fall when our 20 mature hardwoods drop leaves, I lament that I did not buy a Redmax blower.   Every spring when I pull my BR600 out and it cranks right up, I am glad I bought a Stihl.

[monkeylizard]

I am seriously thinking about those battery-powered yard tools from Stihl or Greenworks. I'm tired of carb problems.

[seez52]

weedeaters and consumer chainsaws have small carbs and the orifices inside are tiny. It does not take much to stop one up. Certainly the fuel is the main culprit. Seems like gas today can go stale in 30 days. 

 

Be careful using either for starting. It will wash down the cylinder walls and on 2cycles there is no oil sump so you'll get a galled cylinder wall and reduced compression. The  best thing to use instead of either is WD40. It will run great on it and won't mess anything up. Smokes pretty good, but is a good way to tell if you have a fuel or ignition problem.

 

On repairing the small carbs. Sometimes they are just junk and can't be fixed. They can be replaced, but the cost is probably not worth it. If you want to give it a shot at repair, stop by AutoZone and pick up a gallon can of Berrymans carb cleaner. It's in a paint bucket. Will probably cost you $35, but it will last forever. Only get the Berrymans, not the Gunk brand. Disassemble the carb and drop it in for 24 hours. Take it out and rinse it with hot water then blow out with compressed air. Put it back together and see what happens. Small 2cycle carbs are hit or miss on cleaning this way. For larger carbs Berrymans can be a miracle cleaner. Forget the spray stuff, soaking is the only way to go.

 

Wear gloves, the berryman's smell has to wear off and it takes about 3 days :D

[2.ooohhh]

I went with a CORE battery powered weed eater, love it so far, though I've only had it 2 summers so far. Haven't had any issues with my hand me down stihl, echo, and honda small engines on my chainsaws, riding mower, and generator.

[rugerla1]

I have two Shindaiwa's that I've had for 5 or 6 years (pre-emissions crap). I wouldn't take a $1,000 for them. My forearm would when the engine starts burning it though :)

I only run non-ethanol in them, even though it's a pain in the rear going to the few places that still sell it around here anymore. But they run like champs and I like to believe that not running ethanol has at least contributed some to that.

[cj0e]

I have two Shindaiwa's that I've had for 5 or 6 years (pre-emissions crap). I wouldn't take a $1,000 for them. My forearm would when the engine starts burning it though :)

I only run non-ethanol in them, even though it's a pain in the rear going to the few places that still sell it around here anymore. But they run like champs and I like to believe that not running ethanol has at least contributed some to that.

 

Live in smyrna? Just head to the e-mart down Enon Springs. Easy to get to, almost always has 100% gas in tanks.

[JWC]

After cleaning the obvious most people overlook the passages in the carb throat. They are so small you cant hardly clear them. A bristle pulled out a wire brush, bent with a 1/4" L in the end, and held with hemostats is the best way. Flip the butterfly open and there will be 1-3 tiny tiny ports in the carb throat you can barely see. Run the wire in carefully to clear. Rinse it all with carb cleaner. Blow dry with air. And give it a go with fresh fuel. If it don't start try one more time then go buy a new carb or new equipment. That's basically how I approach them. I say you can clean them and get them fixed about 50% of the time. On cheap Weedeater brand type equip it's more like 20%. Edited July 29, 2014 by JWC

[Dustbuster]

Stabil is excellent to add to fuel, there's some blue stuff that works well too w fuel that contains ethanol.
It's important to make sure you use Stabil at the end of the season and run it through the machine before putting it away. I've been using it and now the blue crap and never have starting issues. Also in the older carbs there's little flaps made of rubber that don't like to stay wet all winter. Newer carbs have Kevlar flaps that don't get soft or rot. Using the additives does help ease starting and protect your engine.
Something I've always run in my 2 strokes is synthetic oil. Running 100 % synthetic at 32:1 or better keeps engines and carbs in great shape and provides good protection. Amsoil is great but is finicky use w caution. Hope this helps

[Ugly]

The ethanol gas will corrode/eat/ruin metal! It killed an edelbrock carb in my bike. Discontinued model so new carb it was.

[btq96r]

I gave up and bought a battery weed eater. Does just fine for what I need.

 

 

I am seriously thinking about those battery-powered yard tools from Stihl or Greenworks. I'm tired of carb problems.

 

I have the Kobalt battery powered lawn mower.  I can't say I would recommend it for large lawns, but it serves the purpose quite well for my needs.  Not having to deal with gas, oil, storage of it and all that jazz was worth the extra money.  I'm seriously considering the hedge trimmer and chainsaw for some clean-up work in my backyard if the landscaping companies don't return my calls.

[ac3boyz]

Stihl and Shindaiwa with never a problem. (knocking on wood)

[Fourtyfive]

I beat a Sthil weed eat to smithereens with a sledgehammer just a few weeks ago , got a new Shindiawa hybrid 4 ; love it.

A chain saw I had about 8 years ago met with the same demise.

[Wingshooter]

Well, the 20" Solo chainsaw lives again!!! The jury is still out on the weed eaters...

I drained all the fuel from the tank, the bulb and the lines. I removed the spark plug and sprayed some PB Blaster Lawn Mower Tune-up spray in the hole, replaced the plug and gave a gentle pull on the rope. Then I submerged the fuel filter on the end of the tube in a cup of that PB and drew it up through the bulb and into the carb. I sprayed a little more PB into the throat of the carb. I let it sit for 15mins. Added a little fuel, and it cranked right up.

The weedeaters are drained and drying out. I'll work on them more tomorrow.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and tips. I've learned a lot from this thread, and I'll treat my engines a little different going forward.