Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am Posts: 4829 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
By idiots I mean those of you who prefer 2 cycle yard tools instead of reliable and simple electric models, with a cord preferably.
I have just spent days trying to get a Poulon Pro string trimmer working for my wife. She does most of the yard work now, she says it's relaxing. Who am I to try to talk her out of it?
But she threw away a perfectly good string trimmer that worked well because the string spool broke!!! The easiest thing on the whole machine to replace and she throws it away!!!!
She had decided she wanted a battery powered one so that was the way she was going to get it. (I've got to remember this trick for when I want something new)
We bought a 56 volt one only to find that the heavier duty brush and quick release string trimmers don't fit on electric models. Having the motor in the head makes both the manufacturer of the trimmers and the manufacturers of the parts say they won't work - for long. They are too heavy and the vibration destroys the bearings in the motors.
So we took it back which left me trying to get another string trimmer we didn't use operational. I poured gas in it, cause I was smart enough to store it dry, and gas quickly came back out. All the lines had hardened and then disintegrated when touched. Plus the primer bulb was hard and fell off on the first pump.
Being the stupid individual I am I said, "Hey, that's not a big deal I'll just replace the primer and the lines." That has to rank right up there with "Hey, hold my beer!"
No one locally carried the parts I needed so the wifey headed online and ordered the bulb and a line kit. I knew I could buy the lines locally for a lot less at my local Ace, but I figured the kit would come with some instructions on line routing which could be helpful since there was literally nothing left of the lines except small pieces on the nipples. But it's a carb so how tough can it be, right?
4 days later the kit came and I tore the trimmer down. Were you aware that small 2 cycle carbs are quite the same thing as 4 barrel Holleys or Carters? They work quite a bit differently. Nothing I did, that seemed logical to me, made the gas flow properly. I had 2 different size lines and 3 different sized fittings. Plus there were too many of the fittings.
Go back online for the help I just knew I would get from the parts manufacturer and every blow up on the whole internet of a 2 cycle carb showed everything except the line routing. I'll call them because they've got a help line and that will quickly resolve this issue, except for the disclaimer on every parts line in the world begins with the message they don't help with carb parts.
Hmmmm???????? Let's pull out our trusty search engines, they'll solve this problem!!
NOPE THEY DON'T.
I searched off and on for 2 days. I entered every combination of parts numbers, trimmer numbers, etc. and they all led me to the same incomplete blow up diagrams.
So I went to Youtube cause you can find anything on Youtube, right?
Another day down the drain.
Only after I'd out my brain back together twice from having it explode did I do a generic search and in the suggested videos beside the video I'd clicked on was a video that solved my problem. It wasn't a direct problem solver but it showed me how the systems worked which let me work it out so I am going to post this here for anyone stupid enough to try to work on one of these engines instead of trashing it and buying a new one.
Oh, I finally got the lines run properly and the little bugger started only to have the pull cord quit engaging and now I can't start it again. Did you guys hear that explosion? That was my brain again.
So how's life been treating you guys. I'm just fine, or will be when I start self medicating.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I might as well buy 2, except for the fact that then my wife would "allow" me to weed wack with her. "The family that wacks together stays together" or something like that.
Just use the head that comes with it I can hear some of you saying, but we've got a little over 3 acres, 2 ponds, some woods and other rougher territory and the stock stuff simply doesn't hold up.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I can relate to your pain. A couple of springs ago my Husqvarna chainsaw wouldn't start after a year of being hard to start and the problem was obviously the carb. So, being a car guy, I pulled it apart to clean it. When I took the carb apart I found little passages about the size of a human hair inside that I couldn't de-varnish properly. I tried soaking it in various solvents, I tried cleaning the passages with individual strands of a mutli-strand copper wire that I took apart, etc, etc. I pissed around with that carb for hours, taking it apart, assembling it and trying the saw. I managed to make it run a little better, but not perfectly, when I tore the fuel pump gasket by accident. That forced me online where I found out that a brand new carb was about $3 more than a gasket set so I bought a new carb. Put the carb on and the saw has worked perfectly from the first pull. The original carb is still sitting on a shelf in my garage as a testimony to my incompetence. So, as I said, I can feel your pain.
Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am Posts: 4829 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
I was praying the carb was OK and it would run because I was afraid what I'd find inside, but a new carb is only $25.
But at what point to you quit throwing good $$$ and your time after bad?
If I can't figure out why the pull starter suddenly won't engage this will go on Craigslist and we'll have a new electric one. Corded isn't an option due to the distances we have to travel and I've not had good luck with battery longevity in power tools, but the fix is quick and simple when they die.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I have a troy-bilt 2 stroke string trimmer - two stroke with the bubble primer. I really like it. Starts on the second or third pull and has an automatic choke that disengages when it hits temp. my only complaint about it, is that the trigger has a safety that you have to depress and hold in order to pull the trigger.
If I wanted to, it also has a port built in for an adapter I could purchase to start it with my drill or with troy-bilt's own electric starter mechanism.
Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am Posts: 4829 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
1055 wrote:
:oops:
I have a troy-bilt 2 stroke string trimmer - two stroke with the bubble primer. I really like it. Starts on the second or third pull and has an automatic choke that disengages when it hits temp. my only complaint about it, is that the trigger has a safety that you have to depress and hold in order to pull the trigger.
If I wanted to, it also has a port built in for an adapter I could purchase to start it with my drill or with troy-bilt's own electric starter mechanism.
You like it NOW, just you wait!!!! The 2 cycle gremlins now know where you live and once they are through having fun with me they'll head your direction.
I like the starter port idea.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
It replaced a 24 year old 2 cycle trimmer that I couldn't buy replacement parts for anymore with it.. I even replaced and rebuilt the carb and the fuel lines on the older one 4 years ago with no issues
Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am Posts: 4829 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
You guys must be gluttons for punishment. I do sort of understand the nut gun, that is if you don't have to spend so much time getting it going. Getting it running and keeping it running can really destroy your time comparison between it and an air compressor.
I now own a new gen Troy Bilt CORE battery powered string trimmer. I haven't read up on it yet, but it's some kind of new motor & controller technology that when we put it head to head with the 80V Kobalt it worked a touch better and was more ergonomic, which simply means my wife said she'd use it more than the Kobalt.
I'm still going to fix the Poulon but this buys me some time to do another whole bunch of honey dos. We have a party at our house in exactly one month from today. About 200 people coming over and lots of exterior & interior clean up and fixing up to be done.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
Joined: March 19, 2011, 10:22 am Posts: 2395 Location: Holden, Alberta, Canada
carguy123 wrote:
I have just spent days trying to get a Pullin and Pullin and Pullin string trimmer working for my wife. She does most of the yard work now, she says it's relaxing. Who am I to try to talk her out of it?
There fixed that for ya.
2 strokers can get tempermental, I agree being a mechanic, the trick to fix it is, wait for it.............. you have to be smarter than the 2 stroker. All I'm saying is - if man built it, man can fix it. Where did I hear that before? Oh yeah, I live by that motto.
I've had 4 strokes give me a run for the money, believe me. That's the amazing thing about mechanical machinery - anything and everything can go wrong. So what?
And that's my rant tonight, sorry
_________________ Perry
'If man built it, man can fix it' "No one ever told me I couldn't do it." "If you can't build it safe, don't build it."
Perry's Locost Super Che7enette Build Perry's TBird Based 5.0L Super 7 L.S.O Perry's S10 Super 7 The 3rd Perry's 4th Build The Topolino 500 (Little Mouse) Altered Perry's 5th Build the Super Slant 6 Super 7 Perry's Final Build the 1929 Mercedes Gazelle
Joined: July 6, 2008, 11:15 am Posts: 1047 Location: Cave Creek, AZ
Carguy, do you have a yard cart to haul the clippings in, something like a golf cart with a bed on the back? If you do, I am going to save your life. Use 120 volt electric tools and a honda generator in the back of the cart. 50' cord on a reel and you're in business. I haven't touched a gas powered or battery powered yard tool since. AND, you can carry an ice chest full of cold refreshments in the back, reachable from the comfy seat. I have 2 or 3 of the Honda 1000 watt, one 2000 watt and a 3000 watt generators, all the inverter type. Best yard work tool decision I ever made (besides the skid steer tractor with a grapple bucket of course).
Tom
_________________ Sometimes, I'm as confused as a baby in a topless bar.
My short term memory is absolutely horrible and so is my short term memory.
I've had a few 2 stroke tools. While temperamental, I've never thrown one away due to engine problems. I usually figure out a way to live with each ones idiosyncrasies. The current problem child is a Troy Built blower. Will notfire when cold, regardless of bulb pushes, choke setting or virgins sacrificed. However, a nip of gasoline poured into the cylinder and she fires right up and will do just fine until the next cold start.
Funny this thread came up.. My neighbor across the street came over when I was out playing in the garage last night and asked me if I'd be interested in fixing his non running 4 stroke pressure washer. its a year old, he stored it with stabil and for whatever reason it just will not fire.
Joined: April 5, 2008, 2:25 am Posts: 4829 Location: Fort Worth, Texas
While every type of power tool has it's idiosyncrasies I find power tools like computers, I just want them to work. I don't want to spend all my time getting them running and keeping them running. Therefore I Mac.
One good tip I've found for gasoline powered tools is to buy that $24 a gallon premix that doesn't have alcohol in it. (An aside - wouldn't you think that by now someone in Congress would have realized how much trouble alcohol in gas is?)
Everyone I know that runs that expensive stuff gets much better life out of their tools with a lot less tinkering.
At my regular house I had converted everything over to corded electric equipment and that way my kids & wife could use them without having to have me come out and spend 30 minutes getting things running. At the new house out in the country the distances are just too great, I have 2 ponds to make it even more challenging and the number of trees confounds the cord running. I never had a cord problem in my small city, quite square lot. You just started on one side and worked your way across to the other.
I have a generator and a PUG, but the grand kids learned to drive on that thing and the last time they drove it one of them left with a broken arm and I had a broken PUG. All I need to do is completely redesign and replace the front suspension and figure out some body work. Sigh.
The batteries in small hand power tools confound me. The don't last long if you store them on the charger. They don't last long if you don't store them on the charger. Do you let them run all the way down so they won't develop a memory? Or do have to charge them every time the get a little weak?
Storing them empty definitely kills them, but it seems that something always kills them quickly EXCEPT lots of use. If it's something I use all the time the battery lasts, but anything that is used only occasionally will cost me more than the cost of the tool in new batteries not to count all the time lost when you have to stop what you are working on to run into town to get a battery. I've reconverted back to corded for my hand tools. An added plus is that they've got more power too.
I'm hoping this new Lithium battery & charger (with a 3 year warranty) gives me more life, but even with occasional battery troubles I still spend less time tinkering and more time working with batteries vs. any type of gasoline engine - except in a car.
Tom I second your skid steer & grappler but I've got it even better. My next door neighbor has the Bobcat with all the accessories and I have a key. He won't even let me buy the diesel.
_________________ mobilito ergo sum I drive therefore I am
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot post attachments in this forum
Login
Register
FAQ
Members
