A quick question please. I’m having problems tweaking my convertible trimmer. At one point it would run at half choke but as soon as I moved it off of half choke it would die. At that point I researched and read that I could open up a little screw knob about a 1/4 turn and it might do the trick. Surprisingly it did actually work on the first try. Well after a few months, it has started dieing again. Several times after that I have moved this dial with the screwdriver and pretty much lost track as to where it started out. I can get this thing to run on half choke and it will continue running so long as I don’t let off the trigger. Is it ok to run it like this?
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If you are running it on half choke, it means that it is not getting enough fuel when the choke is opened all the way. Things to check are the filter in the fuel tank. Is it plugged? I would look at replacing this first. It is cheap and usually fairly easy to get at. If this does not work, then you will either need to clean the carburetor or have it rebuilt.
Do a Google search for your make and model and see if you can find a repair manual. Some of these have carburetors that can be rebuilt and others, like some of the Craftsman, have carburetors that need to replaced. Sometimes the parts and labor cost more than what you paid for the trimmer.
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My old trimmer did not start so it sat in the back of my toy shed for four years. Last summer I took my old trimmer and cleaned the carburetor with some old carburetor cleaner I found in my garage. I used a toothbrush, tooth picks and q-tips. Cleaned the filters both the one in the gas tank, needed a long nose pliers to get it out, and the air filters. rinsed out the gas tank with the carb cleaner and filled the tank with new gas with the right measured mixture. It now works well.
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A brand name would help but most older machines have three screws. The smaller of them should be grouped together. Screw both of them in gently until stop. Do not force as damage to jets can occcur. Then screw out each of them 1 1/4 turns and try. The other one is idle and you can set that to keep going without the head turning. I would not set them any further out but rather in and not less than 1 turn.
A quick question please. I’m having problems tweaking my convertible trimmer. At one point it would run at half choke but as soon as I moved it off of half choke it would die. At that point I researched and read that I could open up a little screw knob about a 1/4 turn and it might do the trick. Surprisingly it did actually work on the first try. Well after a few months, it has started dieing again. Several times after that I have moved this dial with the screwdriver and pretty much lost track as to where it started out. I can get this thing to run on half choke and it will continue running so long as I don’t let off the trigger. Is it ok to run it like this?
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It’s a Craftsman. Garry according to your description it must have been the idler that I’ve adjusted in the past. I actually lucked out. I turned it in a smidge today just for the heck of it before starting it and it worked no problem. Used it for quite some time. The other two knobs are red and blue I think. What function do those knobs serve?
I’ll check the fuel filter. I’ve changed one out on a blower before. Might as well inspect the tubing while I’m in there. Great ideas on dumping the old fuel and even cleaning things up. I’ve got some degunking spray that I will spray into the spark plug area and into the fuel tank too. I’ve used it once before and it seems to work well. Might as well set some time aside to attach the mower as well.
One question for anyone that might know please. For pull strings that seem to catch and don’t pull smoothly, I’m going to assume that the easiest way is to break it down to make any adjustments or look for worn parts. Anything to look for in general?
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I was able to pick up a new head at a garage sale for my trimmer – I gave up trying to adjust it. I also changed my spark plug. Once my trimmer starts having problems again, I am going to spend the bucks for a well built one that can be fixed easily. I want a machine that will run properly for a season without problems and then with the proper maintenance fall put-away, run for many years – season after season with few problems. The cheap trimmers are a pain.
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Sounds like you need to have the carburetor cleaned and inspected, it could be getting gummed up with varnish or have a vacuum leak. I use stabil (some folks swear by a product called seafoam too) in all my gas cans when I fill them and it seems to help to minimize the formation of varnish deposits, seems to be a lot longer between carb cleanings that way. About running at 1/2 choke and full throttle, I can’t see where you are doing that little motor any good– would you run your car that way?
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I’m definitely going to set aside time to clean ‘er up if nothing else just for preventative maintenance. I did not mean to imply that I would be operating it at half choke every time I need to use it. There were times when the dern thing did not want to stay on unless it was on half choke. I hate to admit it but during those times I did not have time to tinker with it for a few hours so I just kept it as is, made sure not to let up on the throttle and got what I needed to get done despite that it did not sound right at all. I wasn’t sure if this was the worst thing in the world for it or if it would be bad in terms of fuel or exhaust or heat or what. Either way I’ll be getting it up to speed.
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Its not good to run your trimmer that way. It will get increasingly worse. Your carberator is dirty. It needs a good cleaning. Either that or you have little granuals of crud in the bottom of the carberator bowl. If you take the bottom part of the carberator bowl off and blow it out, you should be able to run with no choke at all.
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Use a wire hook to pull the filter out of tank. Do not pull too far. A blow out with air compressor will get most gunk out but while at it drain all the old fuel out as it gets stale and suspect impurities would have blocked the filter in the 1st place.
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Are they fixed settings or do they have screw slots ?? If set you have to go to plan B. Clean your fuel filter and tank. Then try. Plan C is to follow the advice of others here. Unsure of how good carby cleaners are but a little gel forms in a very tiny round filter on the top cover of the carby. Take that out very carefully and clean it. Do not lose it.