petrol strimmer

[lambert]

wombled myself a ryobi petrol strimmer, with a busted pull start. fixed that but it refuses to start, it spins sparks and puts fuel in the cylinder. any ideas as to why it will not start would be appreciated.

[Tommo]

Maybe your not using enough easy start?



Or more constructively maybe the rings are wazzed and or stuck. pour oil down the bore and see if compression improves.

[lambert]

ok tried that, still nowt.  there seems to be compression and the whole thing looks almost new like it has run for like ten mins then stopped and been chucked out.

[bilge rat]

wrong two stroke mix ?. might be worth putting fresh fuell in iff its been standing a long time..

[lambert]

did wonder that but it was empty when i got it so had to put fresh in. if the previous owner had not put oil in then would it now not spin at all or just not fire?

[carbore]

Sounds tricky, hence in was thrown away by past owner!

Are all the wires from the switch plugged in and intact? You would think so as its sparking, but worth testing with a meter, could b e a duff switch or contact.

If it was run with no oil the it would either seize or ware the bore, however as it turns and has compression then it sounds ok.

Have you changes the spark plug? if you do may be worth checking its the right plug as it could be too short or worse too long. Try to download a manual of the web or find a few spares shops with you strimmer listed. I thinkI had a strimmer that was not running, plud has a spark but too weak so a new plug was all it needed.

[Sharpshooter]

Do you have a good spark??

[Disco Matt]

I may be trying to teach aged relatives about egg consumption here, but is there a manual choke on it? I know most small petrol tools I've used had one, and if you didn't use it the results were similar to what you're experiencing.

Then again, I had a petrol strimmer do exactly the same thing a while ago, there was plenty of compression, fuel seemed to be getting through, but it just wouldn't fire.

[lambert]

had the plug out again and the spark is fairly timid not like on a car should it be? also a new plug is on order.

[discowoman]

we have a Ryobi petrol strimmer, and even after 12 months of sitting starts on 2nd or 3rd try.
we usually run at 50:1 mix - seems to suit it.. ps dont foget to pump the little plastic bubble to get the fuel into the carb.

[lambert]

we use them at work and my dad has  a smaller one, but when you find a nearly new one destined to end in a skip it's hard to pass it over. just a pitty it is being a donkey to get going!

[burgerman]

on other pertol engines with " issues" i have had a spark when tessted outside the engine but fails when under compression, also not un common for fuel lines to gum up and stop the flow of fuel, but saying that a good sniff of easy start direct in the plug hole usually overcomes that, as mentioned a glob of oil down the bore may raise compression of that is a issue, good luck i love a free challenge also  :lol:

[waveydavey]

How did you check the compression? That really sounds like a bore/ring problem, the run 15mins is the big giveaway, it is just about the right timing to wreck it if it were run without the oil mix.

[sleepy straven]

Had a Ryobi strimmer last year. It ran fine under throttle but kept cutting out under idle. Finally it refused to start. The compression seemed fine so was also like you at a loss. Took it to the local agricultural chappie who found the piston to be scored. There appears not to be a filter fitted inside the fuel tank and due to the cheap engine any debris wrecks the piston. Mine went to the strimmer heaven in the sky. I have been holding off buying a new one as once bitten twice shy

[mike142sl]

Did you ever get a solution to this. Friend of mine has same prob.

[lambert]

not as such as i have changed jobs and working patern so it is on the proverbial back burner, i will give it another look see and let you know if i sort it.

[diggerdog36]

We have exactly the same problem with ours, in the end, I took the bladey/cutter spool off and hooked it upto my electric drill, give it a wazz and she fired up.  I then took the drill off once it had run for a few mins, then refitted the cutter spool, give it a pull and she fires up. But it wont start without doing this first!! PITA, its going in the bin soon!!