Wife used straight gas in my Stihl weedeater

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ichabodhawk

New Member
May 5, 2020
1
Kansas
Ran it for a bit and realized it wasn’t running right. She put 2 cycle in later. I ran it and it runs fine but doesn’t idle. Now what?
 
Try increasing the richness of the idle circuit.
 
Try some sea foam ...
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I would pull the jug and check cylinder bore for scoring and scuffing.
As soon as this is discovered the plug should be pulled and oil introduced directly into cylinder. It takes time for the oil in correct fuel mix to condense in bottom end and accumulate. There is actually oil in crankcase when you pull them apart from condensing out of the fuel mix. The cylinder dries out first. You can add a few drops of oil through the plug hole and start it. See if it idles before the oil is burned off. If so, the oil is sealing the rings to cylinder wall. At high speed it doesn't have time to leak the compression down as much.
Weedeaters are still cheaper than new wives. Unless she's old and due for replacement anyway.
(the weedeater of course)
 
Maybe it's time to upgrade to a four stroke weedbeater which takes straight gas? :) ;)
 
Try increasing the richness of the idle circuit.
Yup, I bet some carb adjustments will get 'er going...personally, I'd do this before tearing into it much at all. Wouldn't hurt to dump a few drops of oil in it first, as was mentioned.
If adjusting the carb doesn't get it, then in may need some attention to the top end...could be as simple as removing smeared aluminum from the cylinder walls, or could need new piston/rings, and cylinder to be right. Those parts aren't typically real expensive on weedeaters, especially if you use aftermarket parts...but if you are paying a dealer to do it, labor may put the cost over the top and not be worth fixing...doubtful that it will need a top end rebuild/replacement if it runs as you say though...
 
You could take the muffler off before taking the cylinder off. It would be a little easier
 
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Geez, what’s the point of pulling it apart? If it’s scored it’s scored, what are you going to do about it?
Because an aftermarket meteor piston and rings could be $30. Cleaning up the cylinder, and putting in a new piston could be had, maybe given a learning curve and a few tools. Depends on ones motives. Or give it away and buy a new one, and let someone else do the magic. Pulling a muffler and getting a look inside would be a real simple way to get a pretty good view of what's needed.
 
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Because an aftermarket meteor piston and rings could be $30. Cleaning up the cylinder, and putting in a new piston could be had, maybe given a learning curve and a few tools. Depends on ones motives. Or give it away and buy a new one, and let someone else do the magic. Pulling a muffler and getting a look inside would be a real simple way to get a pretty good view of what's needed.
Sorry, I responded too quickly. I saw this:
I ran it and it runs fine
But I missed this:
but doesn’t idle.
 
I upgraded my 2 stroke leaf blower to a 4 stroke Makita and WOW! It starts on the second pull and is so quiet.

I have friends that snowmobile, and a few of them have upgraded to 4 stroke. The only downside is that they are heavy as balls, and if you get one stuck in a drift you need 3 men and a horse to pull it out.
 
Get her , her very own electric ,they are practically fool proof. And lightweight.
 
I have friends that snowmobile, and a few of them have upgraded to 4 stroke. The only downside is that they are heavy as balls, and if you get one stuck in a drift you need 3 men and a horse to pull it out.

I upgraded to a four stroke sled this past winter . . . mainly because I stick to the trails. Loved it. It was a bit heavier as it is Skidoo's older 1200 sled vs. the current 900 four stroke engine they use, but I felt the power, torque, etc. was pretty close to what I was use to in my previous two stroke 600 carbed sled.
 
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Careful on that Jake, I have a 4 stroke Stihl brush cutter, FS91R, but still uses 50:1 mix.

Geez . . . now you've got me second guessing as to whether I should have been using mixed fuel in my weed beater. Actually I'm pretty sure it takes straight gas . . . but just to make sure I think I'll check it tonight to be sure I haven't been abusing it all of these years. :)
 
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I used to snowmobile here is Michigan as a teenager, I think my last sled was a 2003 Yamaha V-Max, that should date things. Now you have to go to the Upper Peninsula to get good snow, and even my buddies that were really into sledding got out of it because of the cost. Gas, hotel, meals, just got to be too much.
 
I upgraded to a four stroke sled this past winter . . . mainly because I stick to the trails. Loved it. It was a bit heavier as it is Skidoo's older 1200 sled vs. the current 900 four stroke engine they use, but I felt the power, torque, etc. was pretty close to what I was use to in my previous two stroke 600 carbed sled.

Jake, my 4 stroke brush trimmer has taken some time to get used to. It has plenty of power, but revs up to full RPM slower than a 2 stroke, just a little but lagging. I wouldn't worry about your trimmer, if it took straight gas for a few years now, it's fine. If you want reassurance check your manual or your gas cap, mine has a gas + oil symbol on it. Doesn't it have a crankcase that needs changing from time to time?
 
Geez . . . now you've got me second guessing as to whether I should have been using mixed fuel in my weed beater. Actually I'm pretty sure it takes straight gas . . . but just to make sure I think I'll check it tonight to be sure I haven't been abusing it all of these years. :)

I'm pretty sure Stihl is the only ones that make a 4 stroke trimmer than takes mixed fuel, honda run conventional oil in the crankcase and husqvarna runs the honda engine.
 
I upgraded to a four stroke sled this past winter . . . mainly because I stick to the trails. Loved it. It was a bit heavier as it is Skidoo's older 1200 sled vs. the current 900 four stroke engine they use, but I felt the power, torque, etc. was pretty close to what I was use to in my previous two stroke 600 carbed sled.

I'd like to sled out on the eastern side of the continent one day, the huge trails systems out there intrigue me. 4-strokes seem to rule out there, where here we all run lightweight long track 2-strokes, except for the odd turbo'd 4-stroke mod machines.
 
Jake, my 4 stroke brush trimmer has taken some time to get used to. It has plenty of power, but revs up to full RPM slower than a 2 stroke, just a little but lagging. I wouldn't worry about your trimmer, if it took straight gas for a few years now, it's fine. If you want reassurance check your manual or your gas cap, mine has a gas + oil symbol on it. Doesn't it have a crankcase that needs changing from time to time?

Pretty sure it's straight gas . . . and yes . . . I love the quietness of the four stroke, fuel sipping and how easy it starts up after just a few pulls.
 
I'm pretty sure Stihl is the only ones that make a 4 stroke trimmer than takes mixed fuel, honda run conventional oil in the crankcase and husqvarna runs the honda engine.

This makes sense then . . . it is a Husquvarna weed beater.