unrepairable lawnmower what would you try next

[Xeno]

Yep, they have changed a bit over time. Most seem to be OHV 4 stroke beasts these days. That said, my lawnmower is *still* a side valve B&S, very much old school, and it is 10 years old at the most, likely less. What's more, it is eminently reliable, never had to do anything at all to the engine beyond bending the governor spring anchor point back to where it needed to be and a few oil changes. I use it all year round so no need to winterise it for the off season and I don't have fuel issues because of that.

[trader_4]

I just rebuilt a carb on a five year old generator with a B&S engine. I was expecting gunk, varnish type stuff, but instead found corrosion, the brass parts had a bit of corrosion and it doesn't take much to partially block the main jet. That was the problem. Ethanol attracts water and this one had stabilizer too. This was a friends unit, he stores it with a tank closer to empty than full. If it was mine, I'd run it dry after each use if it was going to sit for months to a year or more. He starts it every few months he said, but that obviously doesn't solve the problems of what happens with the old gas that still sits there.

[Ralph Mowery]

I had the same problem with a 5 kw generator of mine. First time I had left the gas in it and had not started it for about a year. Cleaned out the carborator of a bunch of green looking stuff. It would then fire with one or two pulls. A few years later it would not start and I had been starting it about every two months, so cleaned it out again. This time I started using the ethanol free gas in all small engines. Think I will start doing it to my car and truck as I only put about 3000 miles on each in a year.

I now run all my 4 cycle small engines dry and only fill them when needed and drain and run them dry. Been doing that for about 10 years with a tiller and it starts every year after sitting for almost a year with the first or 2nd pull.

I do not like to run the 2 cycle engines dry, but I do use the ethanol free in them and also put the Sta-bil stuff in all the small engine gas. Might not be needed, but I just feel better using it all the time.

[TimR]

I had good intentions of ordering a carb for my string trimmer (Weed Eater GTI-19T, WA199 carb) but they seem to be obsolete.

Even the replacements are obsolete.

Might set this out on the curb at trash day and let the scavengers get it. That's our neighborhood version of Freecycle.

[Dan Espen]

I used to have a gas powered string trimmer. Really hard to start, noisy as hell. I'd rarely use it. It went to the curb.

I replaced it with battery powered. I use the battery powered all the time and love it.

I use if for lots of things including lawn edging. What a difference it makes when you edge your lawn after every mowing.

I actually bought 3 different attachments to the power unit, hedge trimmer, string trimmer, tiller.

I've also got the battery powered lawn mower. Great stuff.

[Wade Garrett]

I gave up on string trimmers a few years back. Problem was the line feed- it never worked right.

The line would always get tangled and not feed. I'd have to stop, pull the cord reel, untangle the line, re-feed it through the holes and start again. Too much of a PIA.

Tried different brands, weights, profiles of line, special feeder heads, different line winding methods, different brands of trimmers. None of them worked a flip- though most of the ones I had did start/restart OK!

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I used to use a string trimmer for edging, and had the same problem.

I now use a real edger (with a blade), which works much better.

[Jim Joyce]

We use a corded electric string trimmer for close-up trimming. It's the cheap one from Home Depot. Not the cheap green brand, Ryobi, but the even cheaper orange and black brand. Skil, I think. The only change I've made is going to the next larger string size. The original string size used to break frequently, but the next size bigger never breaks. It also never tangles, always feeds correctly, etc. I was concerned that the bigger string would overheat the motor, but we're at least 10 years into it now and still no problems.

We use an edger for edging, but my 3 closest neighbors all use string trimmers for edging.

[Clare Snyder]

My problem with the darn things is the line feed works TOO well and I'm always out of line - - -

[TimR]

I bought the cheap corded trimmer from HomeDepot this summer, probably that same model. It had autofeed, ran out too much line, then broke the first time I used it. One of the plastic pieces came off. Home Depot is good about returns so no problem but disappointing.

[Jim Joyce]

Your story is a reminder to me that I've been lucky to have mine still going strong after 10 years, and that's with abusing it by using heavier string. I agree, HD is good about returns. No receipt required if you present the same CC that you used during purchase. Lowes is even better. No receipt required, regardless of payment method, if you scan your MyLowes card.

[TimR]

Well. I have a worse story. I do have a corded string trimmer where the feed quit working long ago. I can't even remember if it was auto or bump or where I got it. It's set up for .065 line of course. But it doesn't feed and the line wears down fast. So I go up two sizes, to .095. I cut a six inch piece, tie a knot in it and tighten with pliers, then insert it in the hole in the line spool. I weed wack until it breaks or stops cutting, stop and do another. Yeah I know I should just buy one that works, but I can't seem to find one, so I keep doing this. It's the second trimmer I've done this to, but the first one the motor got hot and burned up on the heavy line.

[Ralph Mowery]

Sounds about right. I bought some ethanol free today in North Carolina. For 13 gallons it was 33 dollars and change. Not sure what the e-10 is but it is slightly cheaper.

[Clare Snyder]

Here in Waterloo Ontario ethanol free premium is $4.49 canadian per Yankee gallon. Regular E10 is about $3.78