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Strimmer engine question

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  • 10-05-2009 2:12pm
    #1
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭


    Got a little Honda 4 stroke strimmer (it has a motor, right?) that wouldn't start for me today. The pull just wouldn't turn it over. Taking out the plug and pulling it then revealed that the top of the cylinder was full of oil. Turned it over a few times and squirted out most of the oil, screwed in the plug just a turn or two and it then started up in a big cloud of blue, oily smoke.
    Let it run like that for a bit, screwd the plug fully in and then it ran pretty much as normal.

    Can I take it as read that that little engine is on its way out, or this the flooding with oil just due to storing it the wrong way round (which I did :o) ?


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    #2
    macnab
    Registered Users Posts: 1,505 ✭✭✭macnab


    peasant wrote: »
    Got a little Honda 4 stroke strimmer (it has a motor, right?) that wouldn't start for me today. The pull just wouldn't turn it over. Taking out the plug and pulling it then revealed that the top of the cylinder was full of oil. Turned it over a few times and squirted out most of the oil, screwed in the plug just a turn or two and it then started up in a big cloud of blue, oily smoke.
    Let it run like that for a bit, screwd the plug fully in and then it ran pretty much as normal.

    Can I take it as read that that little engine is on its way out, or this the flooding with oil just due to storing it the wrong way round (which I did :o) ?

    I would say its a storage issue, make sure to check your oil level as it most likely needs a top-up.


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    #3
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Those Honda GX25 and 35 engines are dry sump no?
    If you had it upside down the oil will eventually trickle down past the rings and fill the cylinder, causing it to hydraulic lock.
    Did you refill the engine after that episode?
    Those engines should be good for a lot of hours.


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    #4
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    Still plenty of oil left in it. Had the thing serviced recently and I suspect that there was a bit too much oil in it anyway. Got it stored the right way up now, so I hope it will be alright the next time ...will make sure to check oil before I start it up.


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    #5
    Charlie 22
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Charlie 22


    There is such thing as a four stroke strimmer!! I have been fiddling around with me two stroke one for too long but has the four stroke the same power i wonder.


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    #6
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    The most powerful strimmers definetly are the big two-strokes.
    My 35 cc Honda does compete well with medium range equipment. I run it with a single feed disk with 5 mm square cutting string and it eats its way through all sorts of rubbish ...tall grass, nettles, young brambles... without a bother. It doesn't do that well once you attach a fixed cutting disk ...while it has torque, it lacks the top end power to keep that disk spinning at full speed when the going gets tough.

    The Honda strimmers are expensive though, I got mine second hand and it still cost as much as a good new two stroke.


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    #7
    Charlie 22
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Charlie 22


    Looks like i'll be sticking with my oleo-mac 2 stroke job. They are fine once started but are a total pain to get going. I always seem to flood the stupid thing!


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    #8
    peasant
    Registered Users Posts: 17,819 ✭✭✭✭peasant


    I've got a two stroke lawnmower (for working on slopes) and I've found that I have the best success with starting and re-starting by not actually just turning it off when finished or on a break but closing the fuel cock and letting it run out of fuel.


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    #9
    CJhaughey
    Registered Users Posts: 14,906 ✭✭✭✭CJhaughey


    Charlie 22 wrote: »
    Looks like i'll be sticking with my oleo-mac 2 stroke job. They are fine once started but are a total pain to get going. I always seem to flood the stupid thing!

    What way do you start it?
    I have prime buttons on both my 2t strimmers 40cc and 26cc, the routine is always the same:

    Prime 4-5 pushes on the rubber button, choke on and pull until it fires once.
    Stop pulling then.
    Choke off and pull until it starts again.
    Some strimmers have a throttle lock where you pull the throttle and push a button to hold the throttle partly open. if yours has this use it but as soon as the strimmer fires the second time pull the trigger to disengage and allow it to fall back to Idle.
    This is the same process for all small 2t machines chainsaws, strimmers etc.
    Do not touch the throttle at all during the start procedure, until the engine is running.


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    #10
    Slidey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,811 ✭✭✭✭Slidey


    After reading this thread I said I better tame the back garden some what.

    That durty bastard of a strimmer hadnt been started since last Autumn so was expecting trouble.

    Fired fairly easy but started acting the maggot shortly after. I HATE 2 strokes.

    Better get a bell for the dog so I can find him in the long grass! :D


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    #11
    Charlie 22
    Registered Users Posts: 127 ✭✭Charlie 22


    CJhaughey wrote: »
    What way do you start it?
    I have prime buttons on both my 2t strimmers 40cc and 26cc, the routine is always the same:

    Prime 4-5 pushes on the rubber button, choke on and pull until it fires once.
    Stop pulling then.
    Choke off and pull until it starts again.
    Some strimmers have a throttle lock where you pull the throttle and push a button to hold the throttle partly open. if yours has this use it but as soon as the strimmer fires the second time pull the trigger to disengage and allow it to fall back to Idle.
    This is the same process for all small 2t machines chainsaws, strimmers etc.
    Do not touch the throttle at all during the start procedure, until the engine is running.
    Correct that throttle lock is the key to starting it and also new petrol is a good idea if the old petrol is in it for a few months. Petrol can go off after a while.


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    #12
    ruttie2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭ruttie2


    Charlie 22 wrote: »
    Correct that throttle lock is the key to starting it and also new petrol is a good idea if the old petrol is in it for a few months. Petrol can go off after a while.


    you shouldnt hang 4 strokes stimmers up when storing, leave on ground.
    2 stroke strimmers are way more powerful then 4 stroke, i'v seen a 25cc 2 stroke blower running beside a 4 stroke and you wouldnt believe the difference in power!

    there also lighter, because theres no sump!

    when you are leaving your strimmer or any other garden product idle for a long period of time, drain out all petrol and prime out what is left in carb..petrol does go off and the diaphragms in carb will need to be changed if you leave petrol in for long time.


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    #13
    Slidey
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,811 ✭✭✭✭Slidey


    May I be the first to say..

    Welcome to boards ruttie2. :D


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    #14
    ruttie2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭ruttie2


    Slidey wrote: »
    May I be the first to say..

    Welcome to boards ruttie2. :D

    haha thanks.. i work in a garden machinery shop so im glad to give some advice...


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    #15
    mbyford361
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭mbyford361


    WANTED
    i need a strimmer engine for a personal project any one know where i could get one for cheep or buy one.


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    #16
    IDCI
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16 ✭IDCI


    I think you know this now, but just to reiterate, too much oil is not a good idea! It could well have caused your problem even without the storage issues (in fact I'd say it's the more likely cause if you did have a fair bit too much in) and can prematurely ruin your piston rings.

    If your piston rings are worn then you'll always have a problem with smokey exhaust, also the combustion chamber & spark plug will be coated with black carbon deposits. Clean the plug, use the strimmer a few more times and check the plug again. If it looks normal then your engine is fine, if it's gotten coated with black stuff again then you have a problem.


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    #17
    dubred1986
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8 ✭dubred1986


    Hi Lads,

    New to the board. Can any of you help me with this.

    I pulled the "pull cord" straight out of the strimmer at the weekend:mad:! Had a go at trying to fix it and needless to say its no better for my interference:o

    Can any of you recommend a repair shop, north Dublin or Wexford area?? Its a McCullogh 2stroke 26cc.

    Thanks in advance..

    Red.


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