2 stroke engine issue

[porthos]

i have a husqvarana leaf blower (2 stroke). for years i would prime it 3 times and pull the starter cord 3 times and it started. a few weeks ago it would not start. took it to a local guy. when i picked it up he tried to start it and it took many pulls to do so. how much? $ 35.00. so i paid him and left thinking it will be ok. NOT so. priming and many pulls didn't work. neither did starting fluid. but, pulling the spark plug and squriting lighter fluid worked like a charm??? talked to a neighbor and he said that he had good luck with a product called mechanic in a bottle. bought that, a new plug and comercial 50/50 fuel mix. after all this; nothing works except the lighter fluid, time for a new blower unless there is something that one of you guys can help me.

[elmacgyver0]

Carburetor problem.
Take apart, clean everything.
A plugged up small passageway will screw it up.
I usually do this myself but took my Husqvarna string trimmer in for repair as the prime bulb was sticking in.
They replaced the carburetor and told me to use the pre-mixed fuel or use gas without ethanol in it as ethanol eats away at the diaphragms and fuel lines.
It ran fine for a lot of years, but I will make sure I don't use gasohol in the future.
The repair cost me almost $140.00, I was willing to pay it as the trimmer is a high-end unit and I have an extended chain saw attachment for it.
The pre-mix fuel is outlandish in price, but it can be left in the unit over the winter without issue and a gallon lasts a long time in these small engines.

[45DUDE]

Ethanol kills the fuel line and rots rubber in a short time. Buy a couple of spare plugs and save your arm. The carb may be ok as the rubber is resistant to ethanol. The line gets soft.

[elmacgyver0]

Ethanol kills the fuel line and rots rubber in a short time.

Wonderful stuff, isn't it?

Since it is the most prevalent fuel these days one would think they would use materials that resist it.

[Finster101]

Wonderful stuff, isn't it?

Since it is the most prevalent fuel these days one would think they would use materials that resist it.

Agreed. There is absolutely no reason not to since automotive and newer marine equipment is designed for it.

[elmacgyver0]

Agreed. There is absolutely no reason not to since automotive and newer marine equipment is designed for it.

I knew better, but I just never gave it a thought, I guess my excuse is advanced age.
I guess the next victim will be my Husqvarna chain saw. Lovely.

[porthos]

the repair guy said that he installed a new carburator. think tomorrow i'll just get a new one

[Winger Ed.]

There's probably a diaphragm in the carb. it does the job of a fuel pump.

It's probably gotten stiff and not pumping.
They all go bad over a few years, but the new age gas speeds up the destruction of it.

If your guy only charged $35. that doesn't sound like enough to rebuild the carb.
Several years ago, the going rate was around $85 for that.
$35. darn sure doesn't buy a new carb. and the instalation for it.

$35. would more than likely get it sprayed off with carb. cleaner, and tinkered with.

It takes a little digging to find them, but there are kits available for those little carbs.

[Finster101]

the repair guy said that he installed a new carburator. think tomorrow i'll just get a new one

Unless your area is way different than mine, I don't see how you got a new carb with installation for 35 bucks.

[elmacgyver0]

The carb was 44 dollars for mine and the rest was labor.
As I said I got lazy and farmed it out, I don't begrudge them the price, peoples time is worth something, I work part time since I am retired, and I get $40 an hour, that amount has to at least double and most likely triple or more or the company could not afford my 40 dollars.

[MUSTANG]

I am beginning to believe ever increasing "Planned Obsolescence" at play in our small engine products. Growing up a Lawn Mower/Tiller/etc... would last 20 years or more if kept clean, stored out of weather. Maybe a little cleaning and carb cleaner every other year. No more. Matters not if it's a Gas Powered (They seem to be disappearing from market at Big Box and other stores); or electric corded products. I bought 3 brand new electric weed eaters in last 30 months. All have failed because the plastic heads holding the spools have disintegrated. The "Sears" electric string trimmer before them lasted 15 years. I am not wanting to go to a "Battery" mower/tiller/string trimmer/etc... But seems to be all that will be available in a couple of years.

[BLAHUT]

Ethanol kills the fuel line and rots rubber in a short time. Buy a couple of spare plugs and save your arm. The carb may be ok as the rubber is resistant to ethanol. The line gets soft.

In any of these small engines I use only senthic 2 cycle oil, drain the tank and run dry, whenever I am done with tool, pour in some carb cleaner ( seafoam, or such ) and run dry.
Have had no problems for years doing this. My sons all do the same and do not have any problems.

There is a very fine (very very fine) filter in the carb, I found this to cause a number of problems before I found out about it. First sign of trouble I replace this filter screen. Use only a quality plastic gas can, non alcohol gas from the station, empty tool and run dry and put a little carb cleaner in and run dry. If you want to spend the price of pre mixed ?? I won't.

[porthos]

you guys are probably right about the carb. tomorrow, i'll go shoping. 12 years on this one is probably long enough.

[elmacgyver0]

In any of these small engines I use only senthic oil, drain the tank and run dry whenever I am done with tool, pour in some cleaner and run dry.
Have had no problems for years doing this. My sons all do the same and do not have any problems.

This is what the repair guy told me. He told me the fuel could stay in the unit if I used the pre-mix gas. I went ahead and bought a gallon of it, should last a long time and I don't need to fuss with it.

[ShooterAZ]

I use Stihl MotoMix in all my small 2 stroke engines, it's 93 octane and no ethanol. The engines run like a champ with this fuel! Yeah it's a little bit spendy, but it works so well that I think it's worth it.

[FergusonTO35]

I use a full ounce of Sta-Bil marine formula per gallon in all my two strokes and leave the same fuel in them over the winter. When I have to service the fuel system its only because parts are just worn out. I would take corn gas with stabilizer over unstabilized straight gas any day.

[elmacgyver0]

I use Stihl MotoMix in all my small 2 stroke engines, it's 93 octane and no ethanol. The engines run like a champ with this fuel! Yeah it's a little bit spendy, but it works so well that I think it's worth it.

I chose the Echo mix, same thing but a couple bucks cheaper.
To explain "a little bit spendy" we are talking about $40 a gallon.

[atr]

I've rebuilt carbs for chainsaws, etc. but in the end found that just replacing the carb was the quickest and easiest way to go. My Husqvarna chain saw lasted almost 30 years without a carb rebuild or replacement, but a month ago I smoked the piston cutting down trees. YES use ethanol free gas if possible, yes if you are using ethanol gas use some brand of stabilizer and most important run the motor at least once a month.
atr

[megasupermagnum]

Your issue is certainly fuel related. A lot of times now a new carburetor is the fix. If you have a cheap Zama carb, just buy a new one. If you have a decent adjustable Walbro, I consider rebuilding those. Even though your guy said he put a new one on, it too could be bad. Some of these new carbs are trash out of the box. There's always the possibility of a mistake, such as a blocked pulse hole. I'm not familiar with your engine, but sometimes the pulse line has a separate hose to the crank case, and sometimes it is a hole through the carb face/spacer. You need to make sure your gasket has the hole, and is orientated for that pulse line. Also if you have a hose for a pulse line make sure it is connected.

All that said, I think it is very possible you have a bad fuel line. Between the gas tank, primer, and pulse line, any crack or leak will cause issues. Replace ALL the lines no matter what. I would also replace the primer bulb, and the fuel tank filter.

[marshall623]

I use Stihl MotoMix in all my small 2 stroke engines, it's 93 octane and no ethanol. The engines run like a champ with this fuel! Yeah it's a little bit spendy, but it works so well that I think it's worth it.

+1 on the moto mix . I'll run 93 pump gas with Stihl syn oil , drain out tank when season is over and fill with motomix run and put up . My Stihl guy says the Motomix has additives that keep fuel line and primer bulbs conditioned .

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk