petrol strimmer starting probs

hungrynurse_2

Ive got a petrol strimmer I was given, a few years old which Im having trouble starting. When I can get it going it goes fine, but can spend ages pulling (till I give up for the day!). Ive replaced the spark plug, and have removed the petrol/oil mix to replace with pure petrol as thought this might help but hasnt. The diagram on the strimmer does say oil+ petrol but doesnt say what proportions I should be using or 4 or 2 stroke oil. Any ideas what Im doing wrong or what might need fixing?

skid112

you should be using 2 stroke oil and petrol in a ratio mix. If you can search for the make on the web you should be a ble to find a manual for it and i would suggest that you get one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk//FUEL-MIXING-BOTTLE-PETROL%2fOIL-HOLDS-1-LITRE---NEW_W0QQitemZ260384470629QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=7d08627c1250a0e204808c70fce3810a

Davesnave

Essential to use oil/petrol mix, either 25:1 or 50:1 depending on the age/make of the strimmer. If you use neat petrol, your starting problem will soon be academic!

Often the reason for failure to start is down to failure of a small diaphragm costing very little, but knowing where it is, how to reach it and where to get a spare are the the main problems.

See if you can find a manual online or recommendation for an honest local repairer.

WestonDave

The other thing you might need to watch is that you aren't flooding it - my Stihl strimmer is supposed to get so many pulls with the choke setting on start and if it hasn't started by then you have to turn it to the run position otherwise the engine gets too full of fuel.

As above it almost certainly needs a mix of two stroke oil with the petrol as it is unlikely to have an oil reservoir like a petrol mower - the oil in the petrol is the lubricant otherwise the engine will seize.

Other than that some cheap makes of petrol strimmer are just plain worthless - I've seen numerous posts from people who have bought cheap Argos/Spear and Jackson petrol strimmers and found that after one season they never start. I remember that the garden machinery place I got mine from (ex display so I got a hefty discount that brought it down to near enough the price of the Argos ones) had a sign up saying that they won't even attempt to repair cheap makes as they can't get the parts.

hungrynurse_2

thanks, now sorted. Incase anyone else has same trouble, try adjusting the carburetta. Out of interrest, what would no oil in fuel do to engine? Did notice it had been running quite hot when it did get going, but not sure if this is normal

WestonDave

As stated above - 2 stroke engines don't have an oil "sump" like you would in a car, so in order to get oil into the engine to lubricate it, you have to mix it into the petrol. The result of no oil is the same as no oil in a car engine - it gets hot (due to friction caused by lack of lubrication), the metal expands, and it then seizes solid - result dead engine.