Craftsman Trimmer - Just Quit

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Feb 16, 2005
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Scituate MA
I have had my craftsman trimmer for about 3 years, use it probably 30 mins. each week. Worked fine. So I fired it up Sat., worked for about 5 mins then just wouldn't start. Lots of gas/oil (mix).

Anything I can look at? Funny how it worked for about 5 mins then just would fire up.
 
Promise, not trying to ask a stupid question..but are you sure your mix was right?

The reason I ask: I was driving one of my last nitro R/C cars around an open field one day and it was running great. All of a sudden it bogged down and stopped.

After an hour of trying everything I could think of to get it started, I took it apart. Turns out that a small piece of grass got into the fuel intake side of the carb and starved it for fuel...not enough to kill it, but enough to make it run very lean while running full-out across an open pasture. This fried the piston, causing it to lose compression.

Your problem sounds very familiar to me in regard to inadequate lubrication.
 
So would you recommend taking the carb apart. Can you use Carb Cleaner on that?

I have been using that same mix for the past 2 months so I am pretty sure it is ok, but certainly something to start fresh with.

Thanks for the replies.
 
My weed eater quit running suddenly too. It turned out the fuel line in line between the primer bulb, the tank and the carb had disintegrated. I got some new fuel line at Napa but have yet to find the time time to fix it.
 
Just went out to giver another hail mary...bugger still doesn't work. I sprayed some carb cleaner inside the carb...didn't open up the carb itself. Gave it a pull...started as usual, 10 seconds later...stalls out.

So still think it is the carb? Do I have to take it apart to get to carb...then what?

Thanks.
 
Didn't notice. I just kept pulling. About five mins. later would briefly start then stall out again.

If I open it up, will I be able to tell if the diaphragm is leaking?
 
It is a thin piece of rubber. look for pin holes in it. Have you tried emptying the tank an filling with fresh gas?
 
Its a bit of a long shot, but find the brand and model # of the carb (the carb, not the trimmer), and check ebay.

When mine was acting up, I got a new carb for about $8 delivered off ebay. For that, I didn't think it was worth buying tune up parts for the carb.
 
Get the model number of the unit. It should be on the bottom or side of the engine in xxx.xxxxxx format. Take this number to the Sears partsdirect website (google it) and that'll get you the part numbers you're looking for. I just had to do the same thing for a craftsman trimmer I was given.
 
Here are some pics...what am I looking for? I cleaned the parts as I took them off.

pic
pic1
pic2
pic3

I will order new parts if you think that is easiest, I don't want to spend four days fiddling with something when a new part is 8 - 10 bucks. But what part am I ordering?
 
Well, first of all we need to look at the engine housing. There should be a little sticker on one of it's sides with the number I was talking about above (formatted: xxx.xxxxxx) Sometimes the sticker is clear and you need to peel the sticker from the housing in order to read it. From there we will be able to tell exactly what carb it is you have there and what a replacement would cost either from Sears directly or through eBay.
 
Based on your description here is my suggestion. Unscrew the low adjustment needle and spray carb cleaner. You may need a $3 tool off of EBAY to get around the EPA restrictors....or dremel a slot in the top of the screws and use a screwdriver. You probably have varnish in the 2 or 3 small low end jets and it runs off the prime/circulation, then quits. Be careful not to use air pressure or a chemical dip. There are small plastic checkvalves that will disolve in solvent, and air pressure can blow the check valves and welch plug out of these little carbs.

Here is a site with some knowledgable Techs.
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/forumdisplay.php?f=109

good luck
 
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These are the parts lists and order forms for the Engine and Driveshaft of the unit, respectively.
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdir...mponents%20list

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdir...mponents%20list

If you click the first link, and go down the page to item #13 you'll see the entire carb listed for $27.68. I have a discount code I can send you for an additional 20% off. I just ordered something from this site 3 days ago, so that's why I have the code. Shipping added, you're looking at about $35 I'd guess.

Edit: Coupon Code is 90007 It's only good for the parts section of the sears site.
 
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