Did you replace the fuel line inside the tank that goes to the stone filter? My weed wacker's fuel line in the tank dissolved and was sucking air before it left the tank.
Kevin
Kevin
need small engine diagnostic... (2 Viewers)
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- #22
yes, it's a new one
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- #23
OK, got myself a carb repair kit.
2 million pieces in there, some unknown as of now, all for $11 at the local (very) friendly lanscape supplies dealer.
we'll see if that makes any difference.
2 million pieces in there, some unknown as of now, all for $11 at the local (very) friendly lanscape supplies dealer.
we'll see if that makes any difference.
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- #24
oh, man!
took that carb apart yet again and had a good look at the system. This is really cleverly done. Little diaphragm going back and forth activated by crankcase pressure, 2 one way valves little flappers (like D' said) that are part of the diaphragm sheet, not metal, a bunch of passages, then fuel goes across the carb via a filter and metering valve to the jets sump where it finally goes various places in the throat via holes of various sizes... Neat and pretty simple!
I now have some hope I can fix this thing, maybe even without that repair kit.
took that carb apart yet again and had a good look at the system. This is really cleverly done. Little diaphragm going back and forth activated by crankcase pressure, 2 one way valves little flappers (like D' said) that are part of the diaphragm sheet, not metal, a bunch of passages, then fuel goes across the carb via a filter and metering valve to the jets sump where it finally goes various places in the throat via holes of various sizes... Neat and pretty simple!
I now have some hope I can fix this thing, maybe even without that repair kit.
- Thread starter
- #25
dang.....
the saga continues.
Yesterday, I took the screen filter out, it looked either very tight or very clogged. Put the carb back on without the filter. It ran great with existing screw settings.
So I take it out and clean it very thoroughly with solvent. I could then see a big difference in the orifices in fact so it needed some cleaning apparently.
Leave the screen filter in solvent all night. Put it back in with the clean carb (and still old diaphragms etc). Was preparing myself for it firing right up. Nothing. Refuses to start. If I prime it with solvent, it runs for 1/2 sec maybe then stops. This with all positions of throttle and choke.
Plug looks dry. Seemed like it has no gas. Took screen out again. Same.
sheesh....
the saga continues.
Yesterday, I took the screen filter out, it looked either very tight or very clogged. Put the carb back on without the filter. It ran great with existing screw settings.
So I take it out and clean it very thoroughly with solvent. I could then see a big difference in the orifices in fact so it needed some cleaning apparently.
Leave the screen filter in solvent all night. Put it back in with the clean carb (and still old diaphragms etc). Was preparing myself for it firing right up. Nothing. Refuses to start. If I prime it with solvent, it runs for 1/2 sec maybe then stops. This with all positions of throttle and choke.
Plug looks dry. Seemed like it has no gas. Took screen out again. Same.
sheesh....
What solvent did you use to clean the carb?
Man
Just put that thing in a box and send it to D'Animal so he can toss that turd out and you can buy a new one
Just put that thing in a box and send it to D'Animal so he can toss that turd out and you can buy a new one
With shop labor rates at $75 an hour in E9999's area, you can begin to realize why most shops will not work on Craftsman, Troybuilt, Poulan/WeedEater, Ryobi and other items that did not cost that much when new.
It is really hard to spend 1.5 hours ($115 labor) plus $$ for parts on something that cost $129.95 when new.
I will do a comprehensive carburetor module for hand held equipment. I have been saying I would for a year now, maybe it's time to do it.
It is really hard to spend 1.5 hours ($115 labor) plus $$ for parts on something that cost $129.95 when new.
Man
Just put that thing in a box and send it to D'Animal so he can toss that turd out and you can buy a new one
I will do a comprehensive carburetor module for hand held equipment. I have been saying I would for a year now, maybe it's time to do it.
- Thread starter
- #29
NAPA carb and throttle body cleaner.
there are 3 little holes under the halfmoon gasket that open up to the throat. I could see at least one of those opened up after cleaning that was barely open before. Maybe that threw all the settings off?
But more likely, there is now something wrong with fuel supply in the carb. Either the pump diaphragm or the metering needle. I don't see a lot of gas in the carb and it runs briefly with a squirt of carb cleaner. The spark plug looks dry even after repeated startup attempts with choke on.
Do you think it's worth replacing the gaskets, diaphragm, and needle?
This whole thing must be just a quirk cuz it was running fine a couple of days ago after full carb disassembly.
One good thing about all this is that I am now able to have the carb in pieces on the table in less than a minute from being still mounted on the thing... Another valuable new skill?
(FWIW, I don't think it's obvious to blame it on being a Craftsman since it uses a ubiquitous Walbro carb that apparently most manufacturers use as well. Does Stihl make a better carb?)
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- #30
Man
Just put that thing in a box and send it to D'Animal so he can toss that turd out and you can buy a new one
I'll probably buy a Stihl anyway just to keep D' employed, but I ain't quitting just yet on that Craftsman sucker....
Dont worry
I just screwed up my chainsaw after I sharpening then I thought I clean it up , well now it wont run so thanks for the bad VooDoo e9999
Walbro and Zama build carburetors for most all handheld equipment.
I doubt the carburetor is the problem. If the secondary strainer screen is clean and you did not touch anything else, that would have backed up my theory.
You more than likely screwed up you carburetor if you used a dip tank. The check valve in the main nozzle is probably destroyed.
I doubt the carburetor is the problem. If the secondary strainer screen is clean and you did not touch anything else, that would have backed up my theory.
You more than likely screwed up you carburetor if you used a dip tank. The check valve in the main nozzle is probably destroyed.
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- #33
no, I didn't dip the carb, just used a spray can on it several times. It was probably wet a total of 15-20 mins. Only dipped the screen. I didn't know you can't dip the carb, though. In fact, the dealer lady told me that the carb cleaners are now much weaker than earlier and some pros just replace the whole carb rather than trying fruitlessly to clean them with current chemicals.
I did run a very fine wire though some of the passages though, but I was careful.
Check valve now? WTH is that and where is it?
And not seen more than one screen inside, only the one at the fuel inlet.
I'm suspicious about this intake metering needle affair. It does not look like the diaphragm would make it move much if any at all.... Maybe the lever arm is bent.
I'm leaning towards just replacing everything I can in there with my little repair kit, but of course that may be throwing more $$ and effort into this, perhaps for nothing...
mmm..... or scavenge another carb from a defunct Weedeater?
I can't let this thing beat me...
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- #34
OK, so I tried again as is. No go.
Then I decided I should do something about this dubious metering needle. Took everything apart again. The inside of the carb was indeed pretty dry. Looked like not enough gas in there. So I bent the metering lever arm to make the diaphragm more likely to raise the needle since it looked like it didn't do much if anything. Slapped it back together. Tried. Started right up....!
Of course, don't know if the needle bit did it or if it is just the fact that I took it apart and reassembled everything and maybe repositioned something correctly that wasn't, like the pump diaphragm.
Anyway, now it's running. That normally would be good....
Except that now I have a fuel leak of sorts at the carb. Aaargh.... Not sure yet if it's the gasket on the fuel inlet side or excess gas coming out of the carb throat (I was running the thing without air filter). Maybe cuz the needle got raised a bit?
Then I decided I should do something about this dubious metering needle. Took everything apart again. The inside of the carb was indeed pretty dry. Looked like not enough gas in there. So I bent the metering lever arm to make the diaphragm more likely to raise the needle since it looked like it didn't do much if anything. Slapped it back together. Tried. Started right up....!
Of course, don't know if the needle bit did it or if it is just the fact that I took it apart and reassembled everything and maybe repositioned something correctly that wasn't, like the pump diaphragm.
Anyway, now it's running. That normally would be good....
Except that now I have a fuel leak of sorts at the carb. Aaargh.... Not sure yet if it's the gasket on the fuel inlet side or excess gas coming out of the carb throat (I was running the thing without air filter). Maybe cuz the needle got raised a bit?
The height of the inlet needle lever is pretty critical.
What model?
Dont worry
I just screwed up my chainsaw after I sharpening then I thought I clean it up , well now it wont run so thanks for the bad VooDoo e9999
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- #37
I imagine so.
Unfortunately, I need 3+ hands to put that thing in with the spring. Last way I did it was to have the holding screw in already but loosely, the lever in place raised all the way and then try to squeeze the spring in from the side. As a result, it may well be that things got bent a bit out of wack. Although that would be bent in the opposite way to what I did (?) to make it run again so maybe not an issue.
I have a new arm in my kit, but may be at the same risk of distortion.
Any trick to putting that sucker in without sproinging the spring across the garage (besides doing it in a bag)? Maybe glue the spring to the lever?
Interestingly, when I was running the engine at full throttle without air filter I could see some slight fine spraying of gas coming out of the carb throat towards the outside. Is that normal?
No real trick. Put the spring in the bore. Install the inlet needle. Hook the "U" end of the lever into the inlet needle. Center the spring in the dimple of the lever. Push the lever down and install the screw.
Took longer to write it than it does to do it.
That is called spitback. Some of it is normal on all natually aspirated engines.
A lot of it can mean you ahve a plugged spark arrestor, carboned up exhaust port or you have low compression do to rings being worn out.
Took longer to write it than it does to do it.
That is called spitback. Some of it is normal on all natually aspirated engines.
A lot of it can mean you ahve a plugged spark arrestor, carboned up exhaust port or you have low compression do to rings being worn out.
- Thread starter
- #39
No real trick. Put the spring in the bore. Install the inlet needle. Hook the "U" end of the lever into the inlet needle. Center the spring in the dimple of the lever. Push the lever down and install the screw.
Took longer to write it than it does to do it.
That is called spitback. Some of it is normal on all natually aspirated engines.
A lot of it can mean you ahve a plugged spark arrestor, carboned up exhaust port or you have low compression do to rings being worn out.
that little spring
has shown its willingness to fly large distances during that operation... I'll just put a string or metal wire through it in case it flies off again. I don't want to bend the lever U fingers while installing a new one, though. don't know about exhaust port or arrestor. However, I did happen to check the compression yesterday. 120 psi. I suppose that's good enough?
Interestingly, this repair kit I got must have something like 10 or 15 gaskets and diaphragms in it. Must cover a wide number of carbs... Interesting marketing approach.
Hopefully new gaskets may cure the outside wetness issue. A bit too wet for comfort.
I'm learning a lot about these engines and carbs... Thanks!
You really need to take a picture of the carburetor and the area you are having problems with.
