High speed circuit in the carb may be clogged or adjusted too lean. The low speed circuit may need to be richened up as well as these carbs don't have an accelerator pump and when you gun them they can go lean and hesitate or die.

Fuel filter should be a quick & easy check.

You may want to start with the basics first. Plug, clean air filter, fresh gas.

Probably a Zama Carb nightmare. Good luck in getting it clean! There are a millions of them with the same problem. I got 4 hanging in my shed.

1st... There is no reed valve in your HOMELITE. I've never had any plugged ZAMA Carbs...BUT you will likely need to check the following.
-> The carb (WALBRO or ZAMA) probably need new Diaphragms. The Kits are about $5 and simple to R & R.

-> The fuel Lines age and get pin holes & get soft and need replacing. The Primer will get dark, then brittle and crack.

-> check the intake screws to insure they are tight and the muffler spark arrester to be sure it is not plugged with carbon (too rich a mixture).
I have parts for your trimmer. 785-562-3539

Not very tech. sounding, but I was told that the muffler might be plugged and if air can't get out - no air coming in. I am currently going through same problem, and trying to find place to get muffler.

Tomp IMO no need for a new one unless it rotted away, you can disassemble the muffler can scrap all the carbon off the screen sandwiched between the two muffler halfs and clean it with carb. cleaner. Look into the jug and you can see if the walls and piston are scored. Also the crank cover screws some times work loose and suck air along with the jug mounting screws.

First of all your SX135 comes with a Zama. Nothing wrong with Zama. Echo and Stihl both use them, and Stihl recently acquired Zama.

Usually complaints about Zama are because people took a ham-fisted approach to working on them. You can screw up a Walbro, Tillotson, or Mikuni just as easily.

You Homelite has an EPA mandated Emissions carb, meaning it has limiter caps on the Low and High Speed needles. These only allow you to adjust about 1/4 turn.

Sounds like you have a lean High Speed or Low Speed mixture. However, could also be clogged muffler.

Suggest you start by opening both mixture screws as far as limiter will allow. Screw closest to air cleaner is High Speed; closest to engine is Low Speed. If the 1/4 turn is enough to fix the problem, congratulations.

If not, then I'd clean carbon from muffler and the cylinder ports. You can be fairly rough with the muffler and not hurt it. However, only use an orangewood stick or popsicle stick to clean the ports. You don't want to scratch piston or cylinder.

If that doesn't help, you need to go back to carburetor. While you are not supposed to (EPA or CARB may be looking over your shoulder) you can cutoff the tabs on the limiter caps, permitting full rotation. I'd try a 1/2 turn on High speed jet, and 1/4 turn on Idle jet. If that still doesn't help, you need to tear down carb, remove all rubbers and plastics, soak in carb cleaner and reassembly using new kit (diaphragm, etc.). Initial setting for the two jets to tighten GENTLY, then back out 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 turns each.

Final adjustment is when warm, and correct when engine idles smoothly, accelerates without stumbling from idle, and runs at high speed just lean enough to prevent "four stroking". Do not be tempted to continue leaning High Speed to make engine scream. Err on the side of slightly too rich. Your engine will last a lot longer, although will be slightly "dirtier".

IMO the are cheap made carb. one area of concern the plastic fuel inlet adapters glued on which are easily broke/cracked when your ham-fisted people try to change the fuel line, But, that don't apply to me cuz I cut mine first, but I have a few nice ones I got out of the trash that leaked. You need special tool kit to properly install the welch plugs and you have to be careful with you remove them not to punch a hole in the body rendering it recycleable material. I have several older homelites with walbro's that still run like a dream, it's the newer models that are hanging in M31. People not going to pay $40 to $60 bucks to fix the carb on a $79 dollar wally world weedeater due to carb problems nor are they going to buy a 45 dollar carb to put on the $79 dollar weedeater. IMO They cheap'en the homelite/MTD brand which makes a great little engine. Course I sure Stihl use the higher quality ones???!!!?

Anybody know a good place to get a replacement feeder head for the SX 135? I have a broken one that has part number A98231A on it.

Google A98231A. I got more than 20 hits, at prices from $10 to $15.

I need advice on my trimmer. I just replaced the gas lines and inspected the carb. When starting, the trimmmer works fine at high speed but I cannot back the choke off as it will stall (now set in the middle position). At low speed it simply sputters out. I suspect a lean/rich setting problems. Any suggestions?

ethanol gas... get Mechanic in a Bottle at HD & add to gas before mixing

Rob: Since your a fellow Canuck your problem is most likely not Ethanol Related ! Your issue is fuel starvation from either a fuel filter restriction or fuel cirucit fouling from residual dirt or gum from sitting . Remove your fuel cap and inspect for filter . You have not given deatails on Manf. or Model . So if unit has a filter you can inspect for restriction by blowing trough the unit usually with in the fuel tanl to verify . Also remove your High and Low jests and blow some fuel cleaner through the orifices and reinstall with settings of 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 from closed . Also use some concentrated carb cleaner (2 ounces) within your fresh fuel . If this does not help then your carb diaphram may be in need of replacment , since I have no idea of the age of your unit ?

Im working on one and its hard to start it runs good for about 5a mins. Then starts bogging out. I suspect the coil is the bandit..lol

Im working on one and its hard to start it runs good for about 5a mins. Then starts bogging out. I suspect the coil is the bandit..lol

Im working on one and its hard to start it runs good for about 5a mins. Then starts bogging out. I suspect the coil is the bandit..lol