My Homelite weedeater either isn't liking ethanol gasoline mix or something else is amiss.

I replaced the fuel lines and filter and put in a new plug.

It starts, idles, revs up for about 15 seconds then falls off and quits.

It has the Walbro 2 cycle carburetor with priming bulb...

Can't figure it out. I am thinking I either have the top fuel line too far into the tank, or not far enough.

Seems to starve for fuel....

Any ideas??

 

Sounds like the carbs hi and/or low speed passages are gunked up. Two things you can do.

1. Get a can of carb dip (usually comes in a 1 gallon paint can) at an auto parts store, disassemble the carb and toss it in the dip overnight. Remove the carb and then blow out the small passages with compressed air. Reassemble, adjust and it should get good to go.

2. Get a can of aerosol type carb cleaner, and some pipe cleaners. The real kind made with cotton for pipes, not the artsy ones you find in a craft store. Disassemble the carb, and use the cleaner and spray in every passage and run a pipe cleaner with it too. Cleanliness is everything when doing this, especially on smaller carbs. It does not take a lot (gunk/varnish/debris) to disrupt the fuel flow in the carb. Once clean reassemble and adjust.

I've gotten pretty good at doing this between my generator, 2 stroke scooter, and small outboard engines. In almost every case, the carb was dirty. Usually from having fuel in the bowl sitting to long. The outboards seem particularly sensitive to this due the infrequent use. Also, the only engine I have yet to have a problem with is my Echo weed eater. It has a self draining carb that drains the excess fuel back to the fuel tank when the engine is not running. Most handheld yard equipment has this feature.

Hope this helps.

 

Also check the priming blub. They're infamous for getting a pin hole in them. They won't leak fuel but they'll suck air just fine!

 

I agree with both posts.

 

OK.

Just got a new priming bulb last spring, but I will check that, and get after the carb.

Thanks!!

 

I'm gonna lean towards the carb being gunked up. My Echo weedeater has run just fine for the past year or so with a completely split open primer bulb.....just replaced it this past Monday.....boy, does it start easier!!! My Echo blower on the other hand had the same issue you describe of not running after a given time......still haven't figgerd it out but ultimately it will need a new Walbro carb.

 

If you can, try some fresh fuel without eth, and a quality synthetic oil.

I had a weed wacker that acted like that- it would run fine for a bit and then seem to starve out, but carb was clean, fuel lines were new, and no air bubbles.

 

Make sure the muffler is not coked and choking the engine,
I cleaned them using a torch.

Our Sthil Chop Saws were always doing this.

Jim

 

Thanks for all the good advice and tips!

We had been having a lot of problems with ethanol fuel in our two stroke saws. We used only Union 76 fuel, the last around here w/o ethanol and were fine. Now, there is no non ethanol fuel available anymore so we need to run a shot of SeaFoam in the ethanol fuel and this seems to help from gunking up the passages on our Husky and Stihl stuff.

I have a gallon of fresh ethanol/stihl 2 stroke/Seafoam fuel.....

I'm thinkin carb clean time....and I will check out the muffler.

 

Since I've switched to non-ethanol fuel in all my small engines, the only fuel issue I've had on a chain saw is the fuel line wears through on a Husq where it comes through the grommet because there is a little motion there. Used to be I'd have to replace all rubber parts and rebuild the carbs about once a year.

 

Though it might be pricy, you might be able to get no eth from a local airport.

 

I've yet to run into ethanol issues between any of my engines. Non ethanol gas can gunk up a carb as easily as ethanol gas if left sitting. I've made it a habit to turn off the fuel valve and let the engine continue running until it dies. This burns the fuel left in the carb bowl and prevents the jets and fuel passages from getting clogged or gunked up.

Diaphram type carbs don't have a bowl, and are usually self draining when the engine is not running. These carbs are used mostly on hand held equipment like weedeaters and chainsaws, due to their ability to run in any position or angle.

I also use Stabil in my gas cans to help prevent my gas from going stale. My weedeater gas can holds the current record for longevity for me. It's a 1 gallon can of premix, and due to my small yard I don't burn a lot of fuel. That 1 gallon can went for 4 years before getting filled again. 4 year old ethanol gas and my weedeater ran just fine.

 

My Troy-Built was getting harder to start over the past year, and only running for few seconds after I pulled and pulled and pulled and pulled to start it last week.
It was then wrapped around the nearest tree, and a new 4-stoke string trimmer now hangs in it's place.

 

^^^I hear that!!

I have had this trimmer for a long time and it has always kicked grass if you know what I mean.

After all the tips and tricks mentioned above, it still won't start and the cylinder is really wet.

Funny thing is, like jrs dodge diesel, I have a two gallon jug of mix that has lasted probably about three years and it ran fine till I used the new eth gas and mix this last week!

The little walbro carb is an easy rebuild and kit was only 7 bucks.

 

I was looking at the 4 stroke jobs the other day... I couldn't bring myself to get it.