I have repaired some two cycle engines that had the muffler carboned up and was creating too much back pressure to run. Not saying this is your problem, but if the fuel system checks out ok it's something to check out. I recently repaired a Weedeater brand leaf blower that was so carboned up i had to remove the muffler and heat it with a torch to break the carbon loose. Worst case i have ever encountered.

Given the limited information provided it sounds like a classic case of an air leak. While you have it running on half choke spray around the carb to cylinder joint, and the cylinder to case joint, (cylinder base gasket) and case half joints with WD-40. The WD won't hurt anything, and if you have an air leak around the carb it will be sucked in and burn, this will likely cause the engine to slow down or even stall due to running too rich. Ultimately you should try to gain access to the ignition and PTO side crank seals and spray them also with it running. This is a common trick used by off-road motorcycle racing mechaincs on the 2-stroke race bikes. A high idle or an engine that will not run without choke is usually sucking in air leaning it out to the point it will not run unless choked. When the throttle is opened and the carb transfers from the rich idle circuit to the mainjet (usually leaner so it will rev) it will die as an air leak makes it too lean to run on the mainjet.
Just a suggestion.

You need to disassemble and clean your carb, as old fuel
has likely varnished inside, clogging the jets.

Putting in fresh fuel mix and backing off the mixture screws to run it can also work in getting the varnish out.
Run it rich for a while, then readjust, but be careful here, running it too lean will melt the piston.

Fish

Is there a way to oil or grease the shaft of a Homelite weed eater (about 4 years old with a curved shaft) near the string end of shaft? Mine gets hot near the end after 20 minutes of use, so hot that it causes the string to burn.

Rockville, MD 20852

My Homelite weedeater will not run when the gas trigger is touched. It idles fine but when I give it gas, it dies. Any ideas?

Carb adjusted too lean or weak diaphrams in carb. (might try high 1/8 turn CCW), carb. gummed up (try disassembing the carb and cleaning it with carb cleaner), vacuum leak Carb mount screws loose, Crank cover screws loose, Jig screws loose), loose spark plug, or dirty spark plug (remove it clean it and check gap), no compression (piston rings stuck or clearances between piston and jig (cylinder head) worn enough to let compressed air/gas mixture to bleed down to the crankcase.

Fuel lines cracked or filter plugged up inside fuel tank??? probably something else, but I can't remember it right now.??????????

The two main idle screws, how far should they be adjusted out from a clear-in starting point. How many turns?

1 to 1 1/4 turns if my memory not clouded. to know for sure goto Http://zamacarb.com/tips.html

This is definitely the gas line to the filter/pickup inside the gas tank.
Mine did the same thing and when I dumped out all the gas I found the gas pickup weighted filter along with a bunch of chunks of the hardened and brittle gas line inside the tank.

That weighted filter is there to pickup gas when the trimmer is upright and the gas tank is sideways.

The trick to fixing it is getting a gas line long enough to go from the hole that is in the tank close to the carburetor and feed all the way out of the cap so you can put the filter on the other end of it.

Pretty Cheap fix as the gas line is available at Home Depot for $3.00. The hard part is getting the filter/weight back on the other end of it inside the tank.

"The hard part is getting the filter/weight back on the other end of it inside the tank. "

Not hard at all. you take a scribe or something with a hook on it and fish it out. sometimes if the hose is not long enough you have to remove it at the carb and slide it down into the tank giving you enough slack to get the filter fished out.

I would replace all the fuel lines when doing this if they look close to being old. replace them or not air is in the system now and starting will be a pain. I aid in this I use carb clean down the carb. venturi as a primer till it takes off from the tank.

The most common problems with these small 2-stroke engines is gummed up carbs. (after checking that all that all the gas lines are good and not cracked & the fuel pick filter is clear) When you let a gas/oil mix set for a while, the gas evaporates and leaves only oil, which clogs up the carb. Secondly is the muffler clogging up, especially on chainsaws. Thirdly, the problem can lie in the compression. A typical 2-stroke engine should read between 60-120 p.s.i. Anything lower than 60 p.s.i. will not create the vacuum necessary for the carb valve diaphragms to work properly. Idle screws should be turned all the way in, then backed out 1 1/4 turn. Although, in my experience (I rebuild these for a living) it seems most times on older machines, the back off point is closer to 1 1/2 to 2 turns out. (Especially on the high idle side).

Hope this helps.

Glen : Welcome to the Forum . Going to put you top the Acid Test . I had a Friend drop of a E-Z Trim Model S-16-3301 /Engine is a 2-Stroke Mitsubishi T-50 . 1st time I have seen one . He complained that that it was hard starting . Its has a What appears Primer to be a Primer that has a Red Rubber Membrane. Also a Tickler on the Bottom of the Carburetor . The car appears to be a Mikuni Slide Clone (Niki) I believe . I cleaned the Mesh / Metallic Fuel Filter out of the tank . All appears good no restriction . I also removed the Main Jet and Low Speed Jets and Cleaned both . Also Cleaned the and checked the Diaphragm(s) both main Impulse and secondary (Tickler) Diaphragm . It ran well but after 15 Minute Test began to miss and finally stalled . I had add fuel cleaner to the Fresh Fuel mix . So I rechecked the plug (new) and it was dry . I disassembled the carb and identified small particles of red rubber within the Diaphragm and Primer circuit body . I check the Main Diapram (tickler) under the carb and also found additional red debis . Apparently the Primer material is breaking down . I have not used the primer , was wondering if it is really needed with the tickler function which has a overflow line which identifies when fuel is present . Anyhow just though I would bounce this one off you since I have never seen a Primer and Tickler Combination , There is no manual choke on this unit . Any help would be appreciated by the Forum Guro's . It's a combination Trimmer and Cutter Blade Straight Shaft Unit . Apparently he picked it up for $5.00 Bucks and dropped it at my Garage this afternoon lol.

Well perseverance pays off , so does Concentrated Fuel Cleaner . I had to remove the Metering Valve Diaphragm multiple times along with the Main Impulse / Primer Diaphragm , due to primer membrane contamination . I finally made up a new primer membrane from some old EPDM Gasket material . Although it will not Prime as designed it will seal and allow flow via the primer circuit to the secondary tickler bypass circuit. I also had to reset the Metering Needle Valve Fulcrum lever , which was set a few thousand high (or spring rate had lessened) causing a flooding condition on start up from famine to feast flow . Note: A error on my previous note this Nikki Slide Carb does have a Guillotine Style Manual Choke thus the decision to eliminate the Primer Function which was redundant with the Choke and Tickler System . If he wishs he can order another Primer Bulb . I ran a tank through it this-afternoon cutting some Milkweed and Bull Rush Weeds . Started right up 1st pull on full choke and idles great after some additional fine tuning , another Trimmer ready for a End-User . I Hope he has the Homemade Wine and Sausage (Hot) ready early this Fall ...Pay Backs are Great lol !

Ignore everything everybody is telling you. Go to Lowes, Home Depot, etc. and buy a can of Gum Out. Spray some on the outside of the choke and around the carberator, start it up then spray some into the carberator. It might choke down but restart it. It'll clean out the gunk and within minutes it'll be running like new. I had two Weedeaters that were giving me trouble and now they're running like a top. I got a special can made for small engines in the area where they sell mowers, string cutters, tillers etc. but I bet just plain old Gum Out will do just fine. (Probably the same stuff in a smaller can and priced higher!)

Sam: I believe the OP probably has solved his problem since it was over a year ago Roflmbo Dude !

I have a freind that owns an older homelite weedeater. He likes it because it has real good compression but when he sets it down after turning the weedeater off, the darn thing will leak gas into the carb and into the air filter!!! It does not matter what position it is in. Can this be fixed???

Rick: The majority of Homelites have a diaphram and inlet needle valve arrangement . It is most likely that there is varnish / gum or small amount if debris which is not allowing the needle valve to close completely . You will have to determine which route of resolve you wish to try . One tap the bottom of the carb with the handle of a large screwdriver to attempt to dislodge any debris from the inlet needle . Secondly use concentrated carb cleaner 2 ounces within fresh fuel and allow this agent to remove the varnish within a tank normally . Or otherwise remove the draphram bottom cover and insect and physically and carefully clean the inlet under the diaphram . Be careful not to damage the diaphram while removing it . Place it within some mixed fuel to ensure it does not dry out . Just a note some of the very old Homelites may also have had a float style carb and if so it may have a pinhole causing it to lose its buoyancy which will also cause the flooding condition . Again the carb will require internal inspection to determine .

I don't have a problem, but I would like to know how I do edging with my 13" weed eater. I can't find my booklet.
Thanks

Just turn it up so the string is vertical while running. I just rotate the lower handle around so it's in the right position.
HTH,
Mike

Usually the problem is a dirty carburetor. I've gotten a lot of good use out of my Homelite. Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: homelite weed eater

Posted by jimthomas (My Page) on
Tue, Jul 17, 07 at 22:36

"Is there a way to oil or grease the shaft of a Homelite weed eater (about 4 years old with a curved shaft) near the string end of shaft? Mine gets hot near the end after 20 minutes of use, so hot that it causes the string to burn."

I'm A Liittle Slow Or This Is A Little Old! Anyway, we both missed the service tip on disassembling the shaft and greasing the cable. My cable got hot enough to melt or ruin some of the plastic bushings spaced in the bowed section. I greased it and added two bushing or so and it works well. I had always known to check and add grease if needed in the head yearly. loger

Ewalk, I don't feel that using 2 ounces of fuel/carb cleaner is such a good idea. The strong solvent will knock the oil in the fuel mix off the walls of the cylinder and could least to galling and scoring of the piston and cylinder. This really thins out the fuel mix and jeopardizes lubrication. A much smaller quantity may be OK but 2 ounces is way to strong (at least for a 2-stroke).

Home : Not to worry for the little time that you are using the product it will not harm anything . Even the cheaper cleaner has lubricity additives which assist in breaking down sludge and varnish but also lubricate top end components rings and also valve train on 4-cycle units.
For routine maintaince a much smaller dosage of 1/2 ounce every 4-5 tanks or once annually is what i usually recommend. Actually have used Lucas Top End cleaner for over 10 years but have just began using Star*tron which a forum member has advised had merit and I found it quite effective and even cheaper at Walmart Stores South of the Border.

the two set screws side by side on on carb turned all the way in Right & left as U
face them.What is correct setting for them???

If you are referring to the High and Low Speed Jets the settings should be from 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 turns out from seated.

Not even close to an expert, but here's what fixed mine: I cleaned the spark plug. It would only run at half choke. I removed the spark plug, brushed the electrode area with a wire brush, re-gapped, blew it off with compressed air and it cranked immediately! I did tinker with the carburator adjustment, but again I don't know what I'm doing, I just started turning the red screw until something happened. I'll be buying a new plug before the next use, hoping it will run!!!

Try the fuel cap..the air vents get cloged..next id say a carbon build in the muffler..2 cheap checks that take about 20 mins in time....

Hello ..i got a problem with mi weedeater.i dont know y bt when i start it an gas it ,it just shut off ..i have check somethings bt can,t find its problem..plz need some help

Review above forum notes , try them all as required , no need in recreation of the proverbial wheel !

TOO MANY ANSWERS AND NOT ENOUGH BRAINS!!

I do not know about the other guys (besides SSEWALK1 who by the way is a crack small engine mechanic in his own right) but I am still here and still playing with small engines. Typically, since I do NOT have enough brains, a very common problem with the little 2 strokes is hardening of the fuel pump diaphragm or metering diaphragm inside the carburetor. A gasket and diaphragm kit can usually fix that fuel starvation problem; fuel enters the carb but does NOT make it to the combustion chamber. The required parts are Also available in a carb rebuild kit. Other malfunctions can develop as well. Again, the comments above cover just about ALL of them. Also, the fine, filter screen in the carb body gets clogged and the carb starves for fuel. HI EWALK if you are still with us!

Loger Here, Hello All! Firewood is kicking me as I try to get back up to speed from a neck fusion. I have worked my splitter on the half and have approx 3 cords and waiting for the Starter's Gun to "Burn"!

If I get this in, it has been a pain above me. Loger

Hi Loger Good to hear you are still at it! It has been quite awhile since we were all on here!

Morning fellas ! Thanks Roy for the kind words , " Jack of all Trades Master of none " lol. Hey loger how you doing Dude ? Long time since I have seen you here , was hoping you had turned the corner on your fusion by now . P.S. I have not seen anything of Tomplum on this or the tractors thread , I hope he is doing ok . we're all getting a little long in the tooth . Be Safe peeps !

Yes ewalk. GREAT To hear from you and Loger both! Shoot, I remember when I spent more time on the forums helping others and learning myself; than I did taking care of my own stuff. But, glad you two are still with us. Take care out there!

A Big 10-4 to all as I appear to be in the Loop Again. My Mid 70s are challenging related to Memory and Physical Health. Long before I expected these matters.. My goal is to adjust and try to move on "Safely". With Help When Needed On Limits, Plus Step Back on Extras.

A question on my Log Splitter that I finisahed building from a friend's start 07-08. I had an initional Hydraulic Oil Leak due to a start with a Rod not guided (IMO) on my 4"x4" Rail. I added a Guide with Brass Shims between 4X4 rail and Rod's Guide. Recently I am noticing some sepage of fluid that might amount to 4 Table Spoons Per Cord. Is that normal after years of wear?

Thanks And Take Care,

Loger

I would not sweat that little leakage , does the rod have a adjustable packing sleeve or is it sealed . The wiper seal may wear and allow residual leakage . Keep an eye on it , it gets worse you can inspect further the actual causation . Happy to see you back on the forum bud !