I blame it on the gas. Or I blame it on the cheap quality products available at the big box stores. But whatever the reason, seems I can't seem to keep a decent 2-cycle engine going for long. Especially weed eaters. First season they run fine. Second summer they run intermittently only and only if on half-choke all the time, and the third season it finds its new home on the junkpile because you cant start it to save your life. What am I doing wrong?
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- Thread starter Dan-IA
- Start date
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Not putting Sta-Bil or SeaFoam in the gas at the end of the season. You need to put a carb kit in those things. Get the carb model# and go to your local parts house and buy a carb kit. about $8.00 will get most of them up and running.
Hoss In ME
Member
Use hi-test gas in a 2 stroke.Dont leave it buried for 5 months in the snow out beside the shop like I do. Warming up,Hoss
I suspect is has something to do with the specific machines and not your fuel or two stroke cycle engines in general. That is - unless you leave gas in them when stored for years at a time.
I've got many 2 stroke cycle machines laying around - and some only get fired up every year or so. I've had very few problems and I don't use Stabil and I buy the cheapest gas I can find.
I've never had the kind of problems you've mentioned in any of my chain saws and I've got over a dozen. I also have four portable gas-powered two-stroke water pumps that are only used in the spring maple sugar season. Also two gas powered tree tappers - again gas powered and two stroke.
I do however, have one weed eater - a 20 year-old Stihl FS80 with a Japanese engine that has always had the trouble like you mention. It comes and goes, and often has to be run on half-choke. I've still managed to use it for 20 years - so obviously I'm not real worried about it.
What kind of carburetors do the machines have on them that are giving you trouble?
Also, are your fuel pickup hoses getting soft?
I'm also wondering if the additives in the fuel from your area might be different than the blends we get here in the Northeast. I know that our winter-blend gasoline has a much longer shelf-life than summer blends.
I've got many 2 stroke cycle machines laying around - and some only get fired up every year or so. I've had very few problems and I don't use Stabil and I buy the cheapest gas I can find.
I've never had the kind of problems you've mentioned in any of my chain saws and I've got over a dozen. I also have four portable gas-powered two-stroke water pumps that are only used in the spring maple sugar season. Also two gas powered tree tappers - again gas powered and two stroke.
I do however, have one weed eater - a 20 year-old Stihl FS80 with a Japanese engine that has always had the trouble like you mention. It comes and goes, and often has to be run on half-choke. I've still managed to use it for 20 years - so obviously I'm not real worried about it.
What kind of carburetors do the machines have on them that are giving you trouble?
Also, are your fuel pickup hoses getting soft?
I'm also wondering if the additives in the fuel from your area might be different than the blends we get here in the Northeast. I know that our winter-blend gasoline has a much longer shelf-life than summer blends.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I use the same gasoline I use in my automobiles. When I buy the gas, I mix the oil immediately and keep the container closed. Mix in small 1 gallon plastic gas cans. Always CLEAN the gas cap on what you are filling and the container. Even the smallest partacle of dust will find its way to the super small jets in the carburetor. All my two cycle engines run for years but occasionally I will have to clean the tank and carburetor.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Them Most expensive.
I put Stabil in all my small engine gas all year long so I don't forget.
the only problems I have with them are not fuel related.
PS you have to clean the air cleaner every once in a while on weed eaters and such.
And don't get grass fuzz and stuff in them when refilling.
the only problems I have with them are not fuel related.
PS you have to clean the air cleaner every once in a while on weed eaters and such.
And don't get grass fuzz and stuff in them when refilling.
I have read here about everything but cleaning the mufflers.The need to be taken off and cleaned every so often.The excess oil from the mix gunks them up and they can be a bear to start.some come apart and you can clean them real easy,but some are one peice and require soaking in some gas overnite,the blown out with air.clean every hole in the muffler also.I use a 22 cal bore brush.I have never bought a weed eater in my life,I get enough on loads of scrap and most of the time the problem is the plug or dirty muffler.
treeboy of indiana
Member
check the spark arrest screen inside the exhaust,even my $600 dollar commerial stihl toy saw will plug up, the dealer uses a small torch to clean it.. i agree with the rest on fuel, nothing like fresh fuel, which means running the saw or weedeater out of gas for over wintering storage
Nebraska Kirk
Well-known Member
I don"t know if you know this or not, but don"t use the ethanol blend.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Always amazes problems people report with 2 cycle engines.
I just mix up 87 octane 2-1/2 gallons at a time, usually 2x a year, depending how much firewood I'm cutting. No stabil, no seafoam, can't buy anything less the E10 in my part of New England now (E85 is available at a handful of places if you really, really look for it). When I'm done, I turn off the machine...whatever fuel is there stays there, sometimes I'll top it off next time I go to use it. I occassionally clean up the plug and spark arrestor.
Main chainsaw is 10+ years old now run this way. I know before I bought my Stihl had my dad's old Homelite XL-12(?) from the early 70s sit for three years and started it on the gas in the tank.
Guess I have good luck.
I just mix up 87 octane 2-1/2 gallons at a time, usually 2x a year, depending how much firewood I'm cutting. No stabil, no seafoam, can't buy anything less the E10 in my part of New England now (E85 is available at a handful of places if you really, really look for it). When I'm done, I turn off the machine...whatever fuel is there stays there, sometimes I'll top it off next time I go to use it. I occassionally clean up the plug and spark arrestor.
Main chainsaw is 10+ years old now run this way. I know before I bought my Stihl had my dad's old Homelite XL-12(?) from the early 70s sit for three years and started it on the gas in the tank.
Guess I have good luck.
I had problems until I started buying the synthetic 2 stroke oil packets that you just dump into 1 gallon of gas with a fuel stabliser in it . And the stuff stays mixed with alcohol and can be used in all 2 stroke engines no more worrys . if you want it a little richer just add 8 or 9/10's of a gallon instead
I notice the same thing, especially with weed whackers. My Stihl chain saw has always been reliable, but the week whackers, They always seem to have hard starting problems, and then eventually they wont run at all. Went thru two this year, then gave up and got a 4 cycle Honda weed whacker, which is the best made. I thought I had my girl friends Crapsman whacker fixed, It never ran right from the git go, even warranty never fixed it, so I put a new carb on it. It ran fine about 3 hours, then I shut it off to change the string, now it wont run at all. So I see what you mean, if you want a good weed whacker, got a Honda four cycle, or maybe a Stihl.
Kentb of SWMO
Well-known Member
Most two stroke oils have a Fuel Stabiliser in them now. I for sure know that the Stihl and Weedeater/Poulan brand oils do.
Kent
Kent
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Kirk,
E10 is all that's available here AND owners manual says it's fine. Actually should be better for a 2 stroke burns cooler and cleaner.
E10 is all that's available here AND owners manual says it's fine. Actually should be better for a 2 stroke burns cooler and cleaner.
Brian Jasper co. Ia
Well-known Member
Make sure the exhaust ports are open, the muffler not restricted, and fresh fuel. Never let fuel sit in them over winter. Just bought a new Sarlo branded trimmer at Menards that has a 4 cycle Briggs motor on it. The directions say it's only rated for 80 hours of use. Most trimmers are rated similiarly.
Me too. Our weedeater (Stihl FS 36 I think- about 15 years old) was a little hard to start this year, but after my dad pulled it a few more times and put in some fresh gas, it runs fine. Dad's chainsaw and my brothers (both Stihl, Dad's is almost 20 years old) both sit until needed.
Top them off and add more bar & chain lube and they run just fine.
My brother did burn up his snow trhrower this winter though- put in straight gas instead of mixed...)
Donovan from Wisconsin
Top them off and add more bar & chain lube and they run just fine.
My brother did burn up his snow trhrower this winter though- put in straight gas instead of mixed...)
Donovan from Wisconsin
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