We had 2 Shindaiwa's at the cement plant. They really were nice and powerful...

My next one will be a Shindaiwa...IIRC they took mix, though.

 

Kurt,

Wet plug indicates excessive rich mixture. Adjust your low speed screw in to lean it out. Turn it in clockwise until it gently seats, then one full turn counter clockwise. That should give it a good baseline to start from and run. Once running then you can adjust it more to get it to idle smooth. Take about 10 - 15 seconds between adjustments to let it settle out onto the new setting. Go 1/4 turn at a time, then smaller increments to dial it in when you get close. You may have to feather the throttle at first to keep it running.

The high speed screw should start 1 1/2 turns out. This screw adjusts for full throttle. It should not hesitate or stumble when you hit the throttle. Adjust this one for both smooth throttle and good high speed operation.

One thing to note, you want the mix to be either right on or slightly on the rich side. Two strokes will run excellent when leaned out but it is a double edged sword. Lean mixtures will run the cylinder temps up really high, plus there is less oil available for the moving parts. When really lean they will run great up until they overheat and seize. Worst case here is the rings and piston will be trashed, and the cylinder wall could be scuffed badly too.

EDIT: double check and make sure all the gaskets are in place too. Small carbed engines are particularly sensitive to vacuum leaks.

 

Thanks JR! I have everything set as you said re: the mix screws.

I checked for spark and it seems really weak....

 

Maybe we traded luck...every spring on anything that runs on gas and cuts down green stuff I need to pull the carb, order new parts/clean/scrub/pray etc. Today I figured I'd try out the "weedeater" and it started on the 3rd pull, leftover gas from last year.

Last year my Ryobi (nice little machine when it worked) wouldn't start, pulled the carb apart to find the diaphram torn up in to pepper sized pieces.

 

To Madhat : the 4 stroke power equipment is a serious game changer - we run pair of huge Stihl weed eaters that are 4-stroke engines but take two stroke mix fuel. They are much better than the straight 2 stroke machines on power, noise, and fuel economy.

To JHenson : where did you get that primer bulb for yours? My local guy is running me around and says there are 3 different ones for mine.

 

I put Stabil in any gas that sits more than a week.

 

We have an old timey chainsaw shop out her that has at least one of everything in stock. I just asked and he pulled out a box and said take the ones you think may work and bring the others back.....

Not many left like that anymore..

 

Local shop right up the street carries all that stuff......it's a small mom and pop joint. They showed me the sizes of primer bulbs they carried and I took the one that looked close.....bingo.....it fit!

 

I have a 30cc Cub Cadet weed eater and it is true 4 stroke. I also just recently bought a Stihl Kombi that is like you said above. the Stihl is a 29CC? unit and it puts the conventional 4 stroke unit I had before to shame.

OP, there might be a screen in the carb that can get gunked up and cause the exact symptoms you are having, I had the exact same problem with the CC unit a couple years ago and cleaning the internal screen fixed it.

 

Thanks^^^^Will check that , too!

 

Is the plug making spark? Coil might be bad.

 

Got it running.

The plug was sparking, I just wasn't pulling the starter cord hard enough to see it in broad daylight!

I ended up rebuilding the carb and turning the mix screws out 1/2 turn to get it started. Once I adjusted them out it is running like a scared cat.

Thanks for all the help!