Not a happy bunny. The strimmer - Stihl FS55 wouldn't run properly the other day. It'd start, it'd idle, but not well - but the slightest throttle saw it cough and fart and die.
Took the top off the carb and the fuel pump diaphragm looked to be made of cardboard. Again. So in went a new one. Again.
And now it's pissing fuel everywhere.
So - anybody got any recommendations (for or against) for sources of a new carb? They're less than a tenner on the 'bay or Amazon, but then there's a swathe at £30ish. But are they the same carb just with a big markup to make you more confident...?
I don't bloody know. Nobody seems to sell genuine Stihl parts online. My local places just want to take the damn thing in and charge me a fortune for looking at it. In a fortnight.
I think it's only 'ridiculous' if you compare unlike's? ;-)
Then it was either:
Not the actual fault (duh). Not the right replacement bit (even though it was supposed to be). (Respectfully) Not fitted correctly or was faulty.
NP. I have used them a couple of times and the service was fine (no connection etc).
Cheers, T i m
p.s. I stripped a Stilh blower that uses the same engine as your strimmer because the regular 'mechanic' said the carb as faulty. I
*knew* it was down to (possibly 'also') no compression as the seized ring and scored bore later proved. A new ring was sufficient to get the thing to actually run (all be it badly etc).
It ran last year. It ran, just, badly, when I started it up the other week. Then I changed the diaphragm. Not quite sure what I did, but fuel is now pissing out of the carb.
No, just the diaphragm and spacer for the pump. Everything's clean and looking unmarked.
Frankly, given that a diaphragm kit and primer bubble were more expensive than the new carb, this is the cheap option. If the new carb turns out to be shit, then it's not much money wasted - certainly compared to taking it to the little bloke in the next village, which is probably the next option. Although a new genuine carb's probably not much difference in price there.
I was recently looking at a ride-on mower for a family friend and that's what she said (as some sort of questioning statement though, like that should make any difference to why it wasn't working now). ;-)
Fuel fresh and ok (not that I find that an issue but in the small quantities you find in a strimmer and it being 2/ it could be).
It may be that the diaphragm was or got damaged in the process or isn't in the right way round (if that is possible unless done in the dark ) or 'something else' is now leaking, like the fuel hose to carb joint (often the case when perished / weak and the joint broken / disturbed etc).
I don't think there is much between fuel hose and the diaphragm on these things so can you see *where* (on the carb) the leak is coming from? If from where the fuel hose joins it can sometimes look like it's coming from elsewhere (close). Is the primer bulb split?
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(assuming this is the same carb etc)
If it's not suffered any issues since the last time it ran ok and assuming it wasn't damaged when it 'ran badly' (all the 2/ oil settled out and congealed etc) so unless something has been affected by it being stored in the damp (ignition coil) then the most likely issue is one of fuelling and it's unlikely for the carb itself to have been damaged, outside the disclaimers above (mouse chewed though the fuel hose or primer bulb etc). ;-)
So, if it were me I'd strip the carb and carefully clear it out over a large sheet of white paper in a tray (using carb cleaner but being careful how hard you spray it in case there are any loose (wanted bits, like jets) bits still down holes etc) then carefully inspect all the sensitive parts (mostly rubber bits) and replace where necessary. Clean the entire fuel path and then, even if it doesn't help (but stops the leak) you can tick that off the list.
Obviously you have to fix the leak before you can do any other diagnostics.
Whilst it may be the cheapest it might not be the best value for money. What I mean is that I think I'd rather spend the same money on genuine parts (or tried and tested aftermarket ones) and know you have a good / genuine carb on there that would then be like new that some other unknown solution that may never be as well tuned as the genuine offering.
I doubt it will be s*1t but it may never be as god as the original. It may be better of course. ;-)
I guess all this sort of thing is down to confidence, time, attitude and aptitude. Like, I wouldn't take anything to anyone preferring / trusting that I'd do it better myself (in most cases and where it's practical). That's not me saying I'm better than everyone else, just that I'm not generally doing it against the clock and being that it's 'mine', may put more care and attention into what I'm doing. I'm guessing it's the same for many on this group. ;-)
All these tools are pretty basic, although again that can depend on your experience and especially interest. Whilst I would look upon your strimmer issue as an interesting challenge, you may only be seeing it as a PITA.
But then I always take such things down to their basics and with things like this they really are that (basic).
Fuel, spark, compression.
To test for fuel (or lack thereof), spark and compression a puff of Easy Start up the inlet or into the plughole should be sufficient. If it fires up easily then you are probably only looking at a fuel issue.
You can probably clean / check the entire fuel path from tank to inlet manifold in under an hour (30 mins the second time) and most of the service parts are only a couple of mouse clicks away.
Being that this is a Stilh strimmer (and assuming you know it's history and know it was working well the last time it worked) I'd spend the money on it (with genuine service parts).
Once it is 'running' again, if it still doesn't run 'well' then it could also be crank seals, another job I wouldn't hesitate to do on something like that. ;-)
Good. Unless it's completely worn out *and* doesn't contain anything that might one day get me out of trouble on something else, I simply can't throw such things away. Further, it's often not the (whole) problem and so would make a good spare in any case. ;-)
Understood. I have those days when I might start something and I immediately know it wasn't the day to be doing that so either go to something else (or on a really bad day, go back to bed). ;-(
The other day I welded a handle on our daughters garden chipper (as it only came with a tow hitch for a quad or summat) and then the only suitable paint and colour I could find to hand was some brush on smooth Hammerite in red (red so it can be seen easily and it become a trip hazard etc). This was one of those jobs where I really wanted to get it done and back on quickly so I just carried on with what I had. Except it came out a mess and so a few days later I've stripped it all off again (not so easy without real Nitromors) and am now going to
*spray* it with the smooth Hammerite I've since bought (and what I know I should have done in the first place). ;-)
When you say fuel is pissing out of the carb, do you mean from inside the carb?
If it's the type of carb I think it is, then the fuel needle valve is u/s. By default it shouldn't dribble any fuel until there's a vacuum in the venturi; where the diaphragm can exerts a pressure on the sprung needle valve and open it.
I know what you mean. You aren't near Nth Lundin by any chance?
OOI, isn't it worth a look at the carb again just in case you can spot the cause of the leak? If you cleaned the carb right out it could now be just down to something you could fix with a tiny dob of silicone?
As you say, that would only be the case if the fuel was coming (back) out of the venturi (possibly hidden behind the air-filter, disguising the actual leak point) and not out of the carb body, primer bulb or hose etc.
And if the body, is it from one of the joints or the breather hole as shown on your diagram (the latter indicating a punctured diagraphm).
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