I know it's odd...

[Jeremysdad]

But really? A 1 year old weed-eater won't run on fresh gas (with oil and Seafoam, and I drained the tank last year and ran the carb dry)???

My local store here sells 100% gas...which is what I use in my small engines. (They were 100% gas in all 3 octane levels, guess I didn't drive enough!!!)

It's a Homelite, ftr.

It'll run most of the way up at half choke...and if you flip it upside-down, it'll run all day long. Plug looks brand new.

I'm out of ideas.

[Jeremysdad]

I do realize that this is a 2-stroke forum.

[Rob5073]

I have a Homelite weedeater also an it was the hardest starting, weakest running weedeater  I ever owned.  I switched to an Echo and haven't had any issues since.

[ladylake]

Not much quality left with Homelite, mac or poulan any more and the Epa makes them set the carbs lean and a lot cant be adjusted .   Steve

[jargo432]

So does the EPA make Stihl set up their saws lean?

[Jiles]

But really? A 1 year old weed-eater won't run on fresh gas (with oil and Seafoam, and I drained the tank last year and ran the carb dry)???

My local store here sells 100% gas...which is what I use in my small engines. (They were 100% gas in all 3 octane levels, guess I didn't drive enough!!!)

It's a Homelite, ftr.

It'll run most of the way up at half choke...and if you flip it upside-down, it'll run all day long. Plug looks brand new.

I'm out of ideas.

Regardless of what brand, or octane of gasoline or brand of oil, motor will not operate correctly with a stopped up carburetor. Even the tiniest grain of dirt in the right place in a carburetor will give you fits. There are many ways contaminants can enter your fuel system.
I would suggest a thorough cleaning of all fuel related items, mainly the carburetor.

[Jeremysdad]

Thanks for the ideas.

I took it off yesterday and sprayed it out as well as I could. Further testing determined that it runs best upside down.

The Home Depot was less than helpful, so I am either going to cut slots in the mixture screws so I can adjust them myself, or suck it up and take it to the local small engine guy. I hate to buy a new one, but with as cheap as it was, it's not worth throwing parts at, and a new carb is 30 bucks (can't find a kit for it).

[breederman]

Did you check to make sure the primer bulb is not cracked? They don't last long and can cause those symptoms. 

[67L36Driver]

More than one chainsaw, weedwacker, leaf blower or whatever won't run after the first seasom as lean as they are set. 

Remove the limiters on the mixture adjustment screws and give 'em a half turn and try it again.


The EPA has Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overstepped their mandate.

[petefrom bearswamp]

You are spot on regarding the EPA (especially poor agency)
My small Husky the model of which I cant remember doesnt have any slots in jet  screws
Pete

[Jiles]

More than one chainsaw, weedwacker, leaf blower or whatever won't run after the first seasom as lean as they are set. 

Remove the limiters on the mixture adjustment screws and give 'em a half turn and try it again.


The EPA has Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay overstepped their mandate.

Ever wonder why most new equipment requires 50-1 oil/gas mix.
I consider this to be an EPA thing and I usually run all my equipment on 40-1.
Of course the oil is so much better then it was years ago and that could certainly be a factor.

[Jeremysdad]

Further follow up:

Used a bullet connector that was tight enough to turn the mixture screws, got it running a lot better. Needs some fine tuning, but it will run with the choke off now. In fact, it runs better than it did when I bought it last Spring.

Thanks for the help!

[ladylake]

So does the EPA make Stihl set up their saws lean?

If a company has quite a few 4 stroke engines that run real clean then they are allowed to set their 2 stroke engine a little richer just so all they sell balance out.  Company's like Homelite  might not have any 4 stroke engines and end up having to set their 2 strokes too lean.   Steve