Just bought off ebay, did eventually start, long enough for me to do a first
rough cut to try them out.Then they made a `kind of` knocking noise` which I
am positive was coming from the starter string mechanism.
I took this part off and then re assembled noise now stopped but they won`t
start.

I have checked with manufacturer and the idle/fast screws are correct.
I am getting a spark at the plug.
The fuel is getting to the plug.
I emptied and made fresh 2 stroke at correct ratio.
I replaced spark plug with a fresh one.
When turning engine over there is compression and it runs smooth with the
plug out (or in) so don`t think any engine damage.

I have motorbike engine experience so don`t think any major engine probs.

Help what next?????

It says press `bulb` 5 times for fuel? could I be flooding the carb? I ask
in case it is my starting methods although I am going by the manual.

I appreciate they can be difficult until you become used to them. You did
not mention applying the choke? You could try starting with the plug very
nearly unscrewed. Another idea is to pull with the plug totally unscrewed
but lying across the opening. If flooded this would burn off excess fuel.
Don't have more than a minimum of cutting plastic exposed.
If all else fails a local garden machinery centre would help at minimum
cost for goodwill. Hopefully.
Good Luck.
"Juco" wrote in message
. ..
Just bought off ebay, did eventually start, long enough for me to do a
first
rough cut to try them out.Then they made a `kind of` knocking noise` which
I
am positive was coming from the starter string mechanism.
I took this part off and then re assembled noise now stopped but they
won`t
start.

I have checked with manufacturer and the idle/fast screws are correct.
I am getting a spark at the plug.
The fuel is getting to the plug.
I emptied and made fresh 2 stroke at correct ratio.
I replaced spark plug with a fresh one.
When turning engine over there is compression and it runs smooth with the
plug out (or in) so don`t think any engine damage.

I have motorbike engine experience so don`t think any major engine probs.

Help what next?????

It says press `bulb` 5 times for fuel? could I be flooding the carb? I
ask
in case it is my starting methods although I am going by the manual.

On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 20:41:39 +0100, Juco wrote:

I have motorbike engine experience so don`t think any major engine
probs.

As they ran before I'm inclined to agree.

It says press `bulb` 5 times for fuel? could I be flooding the
carb? I ask in case it is my starting methods although I am going by
the manual.

Small 2 strokes can be very temperamental starting from cold. Is there
a choke? I approach my strimmer like this:

Fuel up, fully close choke, prime as per the book (6 or 7 presses),
fully open the throttle, pull fast and firmly half a dozen or so
times. The moment it shows half a inclining at firing move the choke
to half way, pull again and it'll normally run on the 2nd or 3rd pull.
Keep the throttle open for a 10 seconds or so the let it close slowly
and then take the choke right off if it's idling. Being ready on the
throttle should it start to die...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Wed, 28 Apr 2004 20:41:39 +0100, Juco wrote:

I have motorbike engine experience so don`t think any major engine
probs.

As they ran before I'm inclined to agree.

It says press `bulb` 5 times for fuel? could I be flooding the
carb? I ask in case it is my starting methods although I am going by
the manual.

Small 2 strokes can be very temperamental starting from cold. Is there
a choke? I approach my strimmer like this:

Fuel up, fully close choke, prime as per the book (6 or 7 presses),
fully open the throttle, pull fast and firmly half a dozen or so
times. The moment it shows half a inclining at firing move the choke
to half way, pull again and it'll normally run on the 2nd or 3rd pull.
Keep the throttle open for a 10 seconds or so the let it close slowly
and then take the choke right off if it's idling. Being ready on the
throttle should it start to die...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Could the petrol be old I used to have terrible trouble starting my mower
at the begining of the season until someone told me to change all the petrol
that had been laying in the tank all winter.
Diane

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 17:43:44 +0100, Diane Epps wrote:

Could the petrol be old I used to have terrible trouble starting my
mower at the begining of the season until someone told me to change
all the petrol that had been laying in the tank all winter.

I've heard that as well but not personally experienced it, mianly
because I normally use the strimmer untill it runs out of fuel and
like wise with the mower try and make the last cut of the season
pretty much empty the tank.

However the strimmer has sat with half a tank of fuel this winter,
I've yet to try an start it. Neither did I "put it to bed" properly
either, by taking the plug out and pouring a bit of oil in and turning
it over a few times. That does make a difference, first year I didn't
do that and it took quite a while to get going, 2nd year I did and it
was *a lot* easier to start.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 20:30:46 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Fri, 30 Apr 2004 17:43:44 +0100, Diane Epps wrote:

Could the petrol be old I used to have terrible trouble starting my
mower at the begining of the season until someone told me to change
all the petrol that had been laying in the tank all winter.

I've heard that as well but not personally experienced it, mianly
because I normally use the strimmer untill it runs out of fuel and
like wise with the mower try and make the last cut of the season
pretty much empty the tank.

However the strimmer has sat with half a tank of fuel this winter,
I've yet to try an start it. Neither did I "put it to bed" properly
either, by taking the plug out and pouring a bit of oil in and turning
it over a few times. That does make a difference, first year I didn't
do that and it took quite a while to get going, 2nd year I did and it
was *a lot* easier to start.

What model do you have ? I've a Mc Culluch and recently purchased a
Champion .... cheap but so far I'm very pleased with it . Seems
robust. Never had problems starting - fires after 2 to 3 pulls.
Leave fuel in over Winteras well !

On Sun, 02 May 2004 10:07:10 +0100, Olly wrote:

What model do you have ?

Ryobi. Oddly it takes a 20:1 fuelil mix unlike almost all other 2
strokes I've looked at that take 40 or 50:1.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 02 May 2004 13:51:34 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Sun, 02 May 2004 10:07:10 +0100, Olly wrote:

What model do you have ?

Ryobi. Oddly it takes a 20:1 fuelil mix unlike almost all other 2
strokes I've looked at that take 40 or 50:1.

Yep the Champion takes 40:1 tho it seems to run OK on my mix I'd made
up for my Makita chainsaw @ 50:1 - must say the Champion looks a good
bit of kit for the £75 I paid for it ( Focus ) I used the Mculloch for
a couple of years professionally just for tidying up lawn edges etc.
but tho lighter it is not as well made as the Champion .... which is a
brush cutter as well. Gee hasn't all this stuff come down in
price now ? Strangely - I recently bought the Makita chainsaw thinking
it to be better quality but it was a begger to start and Makita
changed it over in the end - still not a lot better.
The Mculloch 1/2 the price of Makita is still going after 15 years tho
bits keep dropping off ! Even for professional use I will think twice
about shelling out the extra in future......
BTW My Qualcast Trojan mower is still doing the job after 3 years -
an excellent buy at £200 odd quid :-)

My Ryobi strimmer is very tricky to start - far more than my other 2-stroke
tools. It also has problems accelerating until it is fully warmed up - open
the throttle and it dies.

Choke settings are important, as is throttle too. I start on full choke
until there are signs of life and then go through various combinations of
choke and throttle until it gets going. No easy solution I'm afraid. if you
find open then let me know.

By the way, I now run on 40:1 life my other tools - but make sure the oil is
of good quality and well mixed and fuel does not get cold over-winter.
"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Sun, 02 May 2004 10:07:10 +0100, Olly wrote:

What model do you have ?

Ryobi. Oddly it takes a 20:1 fuelil mix unlike almost all other 2
strokes I've looked at that take 40 or 50:1.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 02 May 2004 18:26:24 +0100, Olly wrote:

... must say the Champion looks a good bit of kit for the =A375 I paid=

for it ( Focus )

Champion is just a badge name...

BTW My Qualcast Trojan mower is still doing the job after 3 years -
an excellent buy at =A3200 odd quid :-)

Got one of those as well (18" cut), from Focus in a sale for =A3180
ISTR. Didn't do much work last year as I bent the crankshaft but has
had it's first outing this year last weekend. Saw something
*remarkably* similar at =A3149 in a freebie promo last week. Again all
badge jobs, assembled in Italy. Engine is B&S so from the US.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Sun, 2 May 2004 23:52:31 +0100, Harry Ziman wrote:

My Ryobi strimmer is very tricky to start ...
snip
Choke settings are important, as is throttle too. I start on full
choke until there are signs of life and then go through various
combinations of choke and throttle until it gets going.

See my sequence a few posts back. Works fairly reliably, at least it
starts before I get tired pulling the damn thing.

Has going to 40:1 made any difference to starting? I reckon I could
certainly increase the ratio as it smokes a bit and there is lots of
oil deposit around the exhaust.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Mon, 03 May 2004 09:03:37 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Sun, 02 May 2004 18:26:24 +0100, Olly wrote:

... must say the Champion looks a good bit of kit for the £75 I paid
for it ( Focus )

Champion is just a badge name...

BTW My Qualcast Trojan mower is still doing the job after 3 years -
an excellent buy at £200 odd quid :-)

ISTR. Didn't do much work last year as I bent the crankshaft

How did you do that Dave ?

On Mon, 03 May 2004 18:01:01 +0100, Olly wrote:

Didn't do much work last year as I bent the crankshaft

How did you do that Dave ?

Hit a small bit of 1 x 2" bit of iron tube the far end of which then
hit something far more substantial. Loud bang and Instant stall from
full throttle. Sheared of the two little diecast mounting pins for the
blade and bent the crankshaft at the bottom bearing through about 10
degrees. Had to cut it off right against the oil seal and the stub
only just came up through the long tube in the bottom crankcase
casting.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On Mon, 03 May 2004 20:12:17 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Mon, 03 May 2004 18:01:01 +0100, Olly wrote:

Didn't do much work last year as I bent the crankshaft

How did you do that Dave ?

Hit a small bit of 1 x 2" bit of iron tube the far end of which then
hit something far more substantial. Loud bang and Instant stall from
full throttle. Sheared of the two little diecast mounting pins for the
blade and bent the crankshaft at the bottom bearing through about 10
degrees. Had to cut it off right against the oil seal and the stub
only just came up through the long tube in the bottom crankcase
casting.

Bad luck - I've only hit tree roots + small stones etc. but wondered
what would happen if the blade hit something more substantial,
Did you manage to obtain replacement parts OK ? I guess being a
Briggs & Stratton engine it was straightforward .... dread to think
what it would cost to have fixed ...... Probably cheaper to buy new
mower !

On Mon, 03 May 2004 21:53:40 +0100, Olly wrote:

Bad luck - I've only hit tree roots + small stones etc. but wondered
what would happen if the blade hit something more substantial,

Bed rock and concrete/brick manhole cover surrounds are the major
hazards on our "lawn". I guess I ought to fill in around the manhole
to make it more level, projecting bedrock is more of a problem...

Did you manage to obtain replacement parts OK ?

Not to bad, most of the delay was me getting a convient time to get to
Carlisle to collect. ISTR =A335 for new crankshaft, oil seals and
gasket.

I guess being a Briggs & Stratton engine it was straightforward ....

Hardest part was removing the flywheel had to take it to the local
garage to get the nut undone and the flywheel pulled off, that was
quite a struggle for them as well.

dread to think what it would cost to have fixed ...... Probably
cheaper to buy new mower !

I wanted to fiddle with a small engine, it only had about 30hrs
running and the parts where fairly cheap. A new engine would have been
about =A3100, the cheapest push only mower with the same engine would
have been be less. Indeed looking at the actual engine type numbers on
the mowers in the sheds was an insight. Plastic cowls and stickers
must cost an awful lot...

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail