Most of those small engines call for way too much oil in the fuel mix, in my opinion.
Get a good quality, brand name oil and mix it at 50:1
I know they usually call for 24;1 or 32:1, but I find that at 50:1 they start easier, run cooler and smoke less.

 

I use a Toro 2 cyle trimmer/edger with a cable drive. I do some minor lawn cutting part time and so far the only problem I've had is the trimmer cartridge head worked it's way loose from the shaft. That's why the Lord made DUCT TAPE! I wrapped the head/shaft joint and "SHAZZAM" I'm back in business!!!!!

 

I add my vote for the echo It's the best weed eater I have owned and hopefully will be the last one I will ever buy.

 

The rental company has only Shindaiwa small equipment, it works quite well. This summer, we are replacing all the cutoff saws, even the nice Partner saws with Shindaiwa. The trimmers are great, there are a couple here with several hundred hours on them, they come back with bent blades, missing teeth from hitting rocks and getting tangled in fences, throw a new blade on it and it's good to go.

 

I found a green? whacker in the garage when I bought my house 4 years ago. It looked new. I assumed it was now mine as I signed the papers and it was there! I have been using it with no issues ever since. I put it in the garage when I'm done, and it starts next time I need it. I have never drained the tank, or done anything to it. It has always started with a couple pumps of the primer, and a couple pulls of the rope. I'm not complaining. It's like my Ford truck- always ready to go!

 

Green Machine, by chance?

 

> bought a new Roybi straight shaft weed eater

Me too and it was a piece of junk out of the box and never ran correctly. After using it for less then three months, now it will not start. I don't know if I should toss it and get a Husky or Stihl or try to repair it.

 

I think it might have something to do with a tool sitting around for over a week at a time. When they run every day with maybe a 3 day weekend once in a while, all the fuel is being refreshed nearly daily. You might also try a higher grade motorcycle oil in the mix at 50 to 1.

 

What about Homelites? Had great service from mine. For a mower, I wouldn't trade my Snapper for anything. It's been through 25+ years of abuse and still going strong.

 

I am a new owner of a 2 Cycle blower. I've never owned a 2 stroke before. Is it ok to store it with fuel in the tank and use it on weekends during the summer season, or will it be more beneficial to always run it dry and store it that way?

 

Nah, it is one of those "cheapies". I think Poulan?

 

Interesting. I have seen several posts regarding "run it dry", or drain tank and "run til it stops". Keep in mind- a 2 stroke engine is lubricated and partially cooled by the fuel/oil mix that goes thru it. If you "run it dry", or out of fuel, what happens to the lubrication to the internal moving parts? Drain the oil from your car and see what happens. This is what you are doing to a 2 stroke engine when you "run it dry".
My $.02 worth.

 

Your logic would be right if it kept running but since it stops when it runs out of fuel your not running it completly dry. yes once the fuel is gone, the oil is too, but once the fuel is gone its done running. What do you think your doing when your pulling on the cord 10 times trying to get it to start! most of the time they don't start due to a lack of fuel, not air or spark! So in essence, with your theory, everytime you pull the cord and it doesn't start your running it dry and still ruining the engine, or am I missing your point?

The whole reason for doing this is to rid the carbs of fuel so they don't gum up and tarnish. if you'd rather, just drain the carbs! and son many of these small engines that can be a real PITA. The number one reason these things don't run properly is because the carbs are either gummed up or because the carb is way out of adjustment or a combination of the two!

After working in the motorsports industry for multiple years, back in the days of highschool and collage, the general concensus was when we put stuff into storage for the year to either fill the tank completely or drain it dry, pull the fuel lines off and run the machine untill the carbs were dry, stuff a rag in each carb to keep critters out and put em away. The only thing we fogged were jet skis due to the extra moisture always in the system. of course the sleds were always placed on track jacks or something to keep the tracks offf the ground, and the bikes although they had the least thing to do were always the hardest due to the location of the carbs. Both 2 & 4 stoke machines were always put away the same. I almost forgot about disconnecting the batteries but then again we're talking about weed eater so I guess thats a non Issue anyway, lol.

 

SLE- I kind of agree with ya. But today's (weed whackers) don't have a fuel bowl to drain. They use a diaphragm carb, which basically has very little residual fuel in it. The oil mixed in retards the evaporation of this fuel, and reduces the crap left over when gasoline evaporates. If I was a normal person (which I'm not, lol), I would put a fuel preservative (Stabil, or similar) in the tank, at last use, and put it away. But being me, I just throw it in the corner, and pray that it will start next time/next year, which it has for the last 4 years. So.........

 

This is Exactly why I said that on many of todays small engines "draining" the carb can be a huge PITA. This is also the reason I elec to run em till there out of fuel, its a whole lot easier than trying to do iot the other way if you know what I mean.