[Shop-talk] string trimmer engine won't run

[Pat Horne]

Brian,

Here are a few things to check:
 Fuel filter. Don't rely on blowing through it, pour fuel through it, it 
should run right through.
If there is a problem with the shaft you should feel resistance to 
turning the cutting head by hand. There is a centrifugal clutch between 
it an the engine.
Try another (new container of fuel/oil, just in case something is wrong 
with what you have.

Peace,
Pat

Thusly spake Brian Kemp, On 3/24/2010 11:21 PM:
> List,
>
> I used the trimmer with the stock string head around the yard then 
> installed a Shakespeare Heavy-Duty Brush Cutter 
> (http://www.lowes.com/pd_79979-42694-14872_0) in place of the string 
> since I needed to cut more than a few weeds going into the canyon.  I 
> do not recommend this cutter since you will be spending $8 for 
> replacement blades any time you hit the ground or something heavier 
> than a weed.
>
> I had new gas and mixed the oil as I've done for years.  After about 
> 10 minutes of use with the brush cutter, suddenly the trimmer lost 
> power and stalled.  I found I could go to full choke, pull the cord, 
> then go the half choke and pull the cord and have it run normally for 
> a few minutes.  No choke and it died.  Once I hit a heavy patch of 
> brush, it would loose power and only idle.  If I pulled the throttle 
> it would stall.  I repeated this several times, with a shorter run 
> period each time till I couldn't make the engine run.  Aside from the 
> muffler area, the engine didn't feel all that hot when I got it back 
> to the garage.
>
> One of my thoughts is that the cutter head damaged the trimmer shaft.  
> The brush cutter was a bit more rotational mass and quickly became a 
> bit out of balance when the cutter blades became bent or bits of the 
> plastic came off.  Long thick grass also got wrapped up in the head 
> and significantly loaded down the trimmer, requiring me to shut it off 
> and clean out the grass.  Will damage here cause the trimmer to stall 
> when the throttle is pulled or the choke is in run position?
>
> Thanks for any advice,
>
> Brian
>

-- 
Pat Horne, Owner, Horne Systems 
(512) 797-7501 Voice		5026 FM 2001
Pat at HorneSystemsTx.com	Lockhart, TX 78644-4443
www.hornesystemstx.com
-- We support Habitat for Humanity - a hand UP, not a hand OUT --