Running out of ideas!!!

[knackered]

My McCullough strimmer will not start. It was working fine and then just stopped and has defyed any effort of mine to restart it. I've put in fresh fuel and oil (in recommended proportion), there's a decent spark and fuel appears to be getting into the engine. All pipes, cables are intact and the On-Off switch is working. There is enough compression to push my finger off. That is about the limit of what I know about these things. Any and all suggestions would be more than welcome. Help.

[Cicero]

=============================== Where did you check the spark - at the plug or the lead? The plug may be defective.

Cic.

[Tim Downie]

Could the ignition timing have slipped? I used to have an old outboard with an unkeyed flywheel/magneto. The flywheel slipped on the shaft and after that there was no chance that it could start without retiming.

It's possible that there may be a similar set-up in your strimmer.

Tim

[meow2222]

Really you need to go thru the usual fault finding, we cant just guess.

You could start by checking the basics: compression present spark at plug fuel line vapour lock, debris in valve, float level etc

NT

[Autolycus]

Give it a sniff of Easy-Start, or similar (one of the ether-based sprays, not WD40 or similar snake oil). If it fires and runs for a second or two, you know the ignition side and timing are reasonably OK. It may even draw enough fuel through to keep running.

Is the plug wet with petrol after you've tried to start it? If not, you could either have a blockage in the carburettor jet or the rubber diaphragm in the carb could be at fault. One some of these little engines, over-vigorous prodding at the priming lever can damage to diaphragm.

[Andrew Mawson]

I've

[e-mail])***

How is the timing set? Has it slipped and the spark is at the wrong part of the cycle?

AWEM

[Jeff]

We bought a McCullough strimmer/brushcutter (32cc I think) and it was working fine and then one day just refused to start no matter what, had a spark and everything. Had to return it in the end, the ignition circuit had gone bad apparently (out of timing). If it is in warranty, get in touch with McCullough or take it back to the shop.

We bit the bullet and bought an Echo brushcutter (which had been MY first instinct), three times the price but ten times the machine.

[Steve Walker]

Buy a can of Bradex EasyStart. Can get combustion out of anything that's not physically broken, in my experience.

[knackered]

Thanks for your help men. It gives me something to play around with tomorrow now. Who knows I might even get it going. I've tried squirting WD40 into the plug hole without success - Easystart will be my first avenue. Thanks again.

[Cicero]

================================ I wouldn't put too much faith in 'Easystart' or similar products. If your engine won't run on the 'petroil' mixture it was designed to run on then there's something else stopping it running. Try to find the cause of the breakdown rather than trying to get it going with expensive aerosols. Try a new plug first. Plugs can occasionally fail to spark under compression even when they show a spark outside the engine.

Cic.

[Caliban]

On mine it was the coil pack that had failed, which is quite common, got a second hand one for nothing which agave it a new lease of life. I don't think its economical to repair these strimmers, best chuck it and get new one.