Ok, well I am putting the Ryobi on the bench as back up. After 6 trouble free seasons with her, and the thing performs flawlessly, I have purchased my neighbors North Star for $400.00
I don't know the age of it, but he said he bought it new for $1,600.00 years ago. I borrowed it occasionally when I had cuts out in the field to split, and rather than lug them back to the house to split with the electric Ryobi, I just borrowed and towed his into the field and split on site.
So I get it to the house, start it up, runs for a few and dies. Worse under more throttle. At idle it would idle forever, but the more I gave it more throttle, the worse it ran, and would die after a minute or so, but start right back up on first pull. I was perplexed as after its last use, which I used it last, I added stabilizer, topped it off, shut the fuel lever off and ran her dry. It did run like crap when I fist started it last year, but felt the carb was gunked up some, and after running it a few minutes, it seemed to clear out. I told him the carb would prolly need to be cleaned this year, but then I bought it.
So I pulled the carb off when i got it home, took it apart, cleaned it up, put her back on, same thing. This carb has more channels and ports that are just not accessible, and I was going to soak it, but found a new aftermarket on Ebay for $20.00. So I purchased the new carb.
Carb came in, I installed, started it up, and same thing. Now I am really perplexed.....and being me, getting a bit frustrated and pissed off.
I drain the tank, pull it off, look inside, the filter looks ok, so I put back on and fill with new fuel, start it up, same thing......
Getting a bit more frustrated and even more pissed off at this point. Thinking, great I just paid $400.00 for a big paperweight.
I get on the net and start researching....
Check oil sensor as they fail and you can just unplug the lead to it and that should cure that.....Done, same thing..... Pissier
Pull and inspect & clean spark plug and check gap.....done..... same thing.... Getting more pissier....
Start reading how the exhaust lobe on the came can round off and cause these symptons....look around, new OEM is like $135.00... pissier still...
Find aftermarkets in then $35.00 range..... a little less pissier, but not wanting to tear the engine down.
Find a new engine on Ebay in the $345.00 range....hmmmm thinking about it... don;t have the cash...pissier again.......
Find a Kholer replacement new on Ebay fopr $250.00....still don't have the cash.
Saw a couple guys say they replaced the spark plugs and ran fine. Hmmm, skeptical as had the same hopes when I disconnected the oil safety switch. And didn't want to get my hopes up that it could just be a $3.75 spark plug. Given my luck in the past, it could just not be that simple.
But, I ran to town today, bought a new correct spark plug, and installed it. I say correct cause the one I took out was a BPR7ES, and it calls for a BPR6ES. Although it ran fine all the other times I used it.
Gapped and put the plug in, prepare for....same thing.... and started at idle, ran good...gave slight increments of more throttle, still ran fine, full throttle....running fine, put a nice round of white oak on her, pulled the lever, split with no hesitation. Still not believing, I split a few more rounds...pouring rain at this point, but I am happy as it is running well and doing her job!
So the moral of the story, prepare for the worst, but start with the easy typical stuff, saves time, money and less pissiness! LMAO
Pissiness gone, and happy again ;-)
Now I got a hell of a deal, and am happy.
Hogz
P.S. Most plugs come gaped already, but always check to save yourself from unnecessary grief.
I don't know the age of it, but he said he bought it new for $1,600.00 years ago. I borrowed it occasionally when I had cuts out in the field to split, and rather than lug them back to the house to split with the electric Ryobi, I just borrowed and towed his into the field and split on site.
So I get it to the house, start it up, runs for a few and dies. Worse under more throttle. At idle it would idle forever, but the more I gave it more throttle, the worse it ran, and would die after a minute or so, but start right back up on first pull. I was perplexed as after its last use, which I used it last, I added stabilizer, topped it off, shut the fuel lever off and ran her dry. It did run like crap when I fist started it last year, but felt the carb was gunked up some, and after running it a few minutes, it seemed to clear out. I told him the carb would prolly need to be cleaned this year, but then I bought it.
So I pulled the carb off when i got it home, took it apart, cleaned it up, put her back on, same thing. This carb has more channels and ports that are just not accessible, and I was going to soak it, but found a new aftermarket on Ebay for $20.00. So I purchased the new carb.
Carb came in, I installed, started it up, and same thing. Now I am really perplexed.....and being me, getting a bit frustrated and pissed off.
I drain the tank, pull it off, look inside, the filter looks ok, so I put back on and fill with new fuel, start it up, same thing......
Getting a bit more frustrated and even more pissed off at this point. Thinking, great I just paid $400.00 for a big paperweight.
I get on the net and start researching....
Check oil sensor as they fail and you can just unplug the lead to it and that should cure that.....Done, same thing..... Pissier
Pull and inspect & clean spark plug and check gap.....done..... same thing.... Getting more pissier....
Start reading how the exhaust lobe on the came can round off and cause these symptons....look around, new OEM is like $135.00... pissier still...
Find aftermarkets in then $35.00 range..... a little less pissier, but not wanting to tear the engine down.
Find a new engine on Ebay in the $345.00 range....hmmmm thinking about it... don;t have the cash...pissier again.......
Find a Kholer replacement new on Ebay fopr $250.00....still don't have the cash.
Saw a couple guys say they replaced the spark plugs and ran fine. Hmmm, skeptical as had the same hopes when I disconnected the oil safety switch. And didn't want to get my hopes up that it could just be a $3.75 spark plug. Given my luck in the past, it could just not be that simple.
But, I ran to town today, bought a new correct spark plug, and installed it. I say correct cause the one I took out was a BPR7ES, and it calls for a BPR6ES. Although it ran fine all the other times I used it.
Gapped and put the plug in, prepare for....same thing.... and started at idle, ran good...gave slight increments of more throttle, still ran fine, full throttle....running fine, put a nice round of white oak on her, pulled the lever, split with no hesitation. Still not believing, I split a few more rounds...pouring rain at this point, but I am happy as it is running well and doing her job!
So the moral of the story, prepare for the worst, but start with the easy typical stuff, saves time, money and less pissiness! LMAO
Pissiness gone, and happy again ;-)
Now I got a hell of a deal, and am happy.
Hogz
P.S. Most plugs come gaped already, but always check to save yourself from unnecessary grief.
Rick
That stuff eats rubber!
