Weed Whacker dies after warm-up

[Puddin' Man]

Hi,

I've had this Homelite Bandit sx-135 for years. Generally a good little machine ...

Fired it up today, started normally. Ran OK for maybe 2 minutes, then wouldn't take gas, finally died. Added lots of gas. Same result.

Gas and oil properly mixed, exhaust shows proper smoke. I checked the manual and blew out the fuel line. Same result on retest.

Anybody got a handle on such a problem?

TIA, Puddin'

[timbirr]

Had a carbon copy on a Husky, it was a fuel line clog, but you said you checked that....how about the fuel tank CAP, is the breather hole OK>

[Carpenter]

I would check/clean spark plug and carburettor. Either one or both could be gummed up with fuel gunk. Also the gaskets could be cracked... Some carb cleaner and a new spark plug is where I would start from...

[trainfan1]

YES.

Stuck piston ring(s) - and/or scored cylinder & scuffed piston. Carbon builds up in ring grooves and prevents rings from floating freely on piston, compression falls off when operating temp is reached.

Try it again from cold - it'll do the same thing again.

Rob

[Puddin' Man]

Checked this morn: looks clean. Tested whilst cap was loosened to be sure. Same result.

Unit has not fouled a plug in about 8 years. I pulled the plug and checked anyway: electrodes are nice, medium-lite brown. As clean as I've ever seen onna 2-stroke.

This unit has never been mis-used (ie. run with insufficient oil in gas). It's clean as a whistle. I get a measure of compression every time I start it. Compression feels sufficient when cold as well as when it poops out (mostly warm).

I blew out the fuel line again with a can of air. Fiddled the carb "adjustments". Tried semi-choke after warm, etc. Air filter was mostly clean: now it's plenty clean. Re-primed the carb to see if that would bring it back to life. Nothing seems to help.

I noticed it wouldn't take full throttle early this season. Problem might have been slowly developing over the last year or so.

Doesn't sound electrical to po' me. Suspect fuel/air mixture, but don't see any evidence of a problem.

Y'all got any other ideas, I'm all ears.

Thanks, Peetie

[m Ransley]

See if you get spark after it dies, it could be a bad coil or ignition module, pull the wire and hold near the block. Is your gas regular, high test can vapor lock, are all screws, bolts tight, maybe something seperates when heated and allows in air.

[John Lawrence]