Do-It-Yourself Hand Repair: Faults And Their Elimination
One of the main garden tools in the garden or in the country is a brushcutter or trimmer. Gardeners use this tool for mowing grass, weed control, lawn mowing. Like any other tool, the trimmer requires careful maintenance and the do-it-yourself maintenance of the brushcutter is required.
Design of the brushcutter
The trimmer consists of three parts: a gasoline engine, a rod with a shaft inside and a cutting element. Torque is transmitted through the shaft from the motor to the cutting head. In trimmers with a curved rod, the role of the shaft is played by a cable. The rod itself is attached to the gearbox of a gasoline engine. There is engine control on the bar, a belt can also be attached, for convenient use of the trimmer. A cutting element in a petrol mower uses fishing line wound on a trimmer head or a special knife used to trim large weeds.
The main and most complex unit in the trimmer is the engine. In domestic and semi-professional motor-scythes, two types of engines are used. 2 or 4-stroke. Depending on the type of gasoline engine, its refueling and maintenance are different.
- 2-stroke engines do not have their own lubrication system, so they do not work on pure gasoline, but on a mixture of gasoline and oil. The latter, entering the ignition chamber, lubricates the moving components of the engine.
- 4-stroke engines are lubricated with oil in the crankcase. They work on pure gasoline without impurities.
Do-it-yourself repair and maintenance of the trimmer can be done without outside help. If replacement of motor spare parts or its adjustment is required, then it is necessary to contact a repair shop.
First launch at the beginning of the season
In late spring, when the active use of gas mowers begins, before starting work, you need to do an inspection and a test for the performance of your tool. Be sure to lubricate the rotating parts, inspect and, if necessary, replace the cutting elements (knife or fishing line). Check for fuel mixture in the tank. If you drained fuel at the end of the previous season, do not forget to pump fuel into the engine using a suction (if it is in the engine).
Starting most two-stroke engines is quite simple. Use the procedure described in your trimmer instructions if it differs from the following:
- Move the choke lever to the open position. Position the trimmer on its side so that the air filter is on top.
- Hold or lock the throttle in the on position (the throttle must be held until the engine warms up).
- If the device has an on / off switch, move it to the on position (usually indicated by “I” rather than “O”).
- Make sharp, quick jerks with the starter handle until you hear the engine try to start. This should occur between 1-6 jerks, but no more.
- Close the throttle halfway and restart the starter. The engine should start after 2-6 additional jerks. If not, move the throttle lever to the full position and pull the starter handle again. Return the lever to half the throttle and pull another 3 times.
- After starting the engine, keep the start button pressed and let it warm up for 10 seconds, then turn off the start system.
- When the brushcutter warms up, it must restart with the throttle in the closed position.
Video: Do-It-Yourself Hand Repair: Faults And Their Elimination
You can also use another proven trick. If before starting, remove the air filter and pour a couple of drops of the mixture into the carburetor and collect again, the engine should start.
How to repair a brushcutter if the engine does not start.
Before you make repairs to your petrol brush yourself, you first need to identify the malfunction. First you need to check the filters. both fuel and air. If necessary, the air filter can be washed in gasoline or using water and detergents.
Air filter
After the filter is well wrung out and dried. Before installing on an air filter, it is advisable to moisten a couple drops of oil for 2-stroke engines.
The fuel filter is not flushed, only a replacement.
Checking the glow plug.
On a cold motor, remove the high-voltage wire from the spark plug and unscrew it using a special key. This key is provided by the manufacturer so that you can easily repair the brushcutter with your own hands.
photo of twisting glow plugs
First visually inspect it for contamination, also check if it is filled with fuel mixture. If the candle is dirty, it must be cleaned with a file or an iron brush. If the spark plug is filled in, it must be dried and the remaining fuel drained from the combustion chamber through the spark plug hole. Be sure to check the clearance at the spark plug. it should be no more than 0.6 mm.
If cracks are visible on the ceramic part of the candle, be sure to change the candle.
Check for spark.
Insert the high-voltage wire into the removed spark plug and press the metal part of the spark plug to the engine housing. This may be difficult to do, as the plastic cover usually closes the engine, and the candles are difficult to access the metal casing. You can use a bolt or something else to make the candle contact the body. Turn on the trimmer and pull the starter cord. It can be difficult to do it alone, so find a reliable helper who can help you carry out the brushcutter repair!
Spark test
The spark should be blue. If it is difficult to see the spark in bright sunlight, move the trimmer into the shade or into the room. If there is no spark, try changing the spark plug or high voltage wire. If this does not help, you should contact the repair shop.
What to do if the trimmer is wound up and stalls.
Check the air access valve in the fuel tank. If the valve is clogged, a vacuum is created in the tank and the carburetor does not receive enough fuel. The trimmer will start, but then stall. Clean valve. You can also start a brushcutter with a tank cap that is not fully screwed in. Check fuel and air filter.
Benzokosa can also work unevenly or stall due to a poorly adjusted carburetor. How to find out what is a carburetor? uneven operation of the engine or vibration during its operation. There may be a couple of problems:
- Poor idle speed control
- The changed composition of the fuel mixture
- Carburettor adjustment bolts loosened due to vibration
Adjustment of the carburetor must be carried out with clean fuel and air filters and be sure to follow the instructions that come with the trimmer.
A properly adjusted engine is considered when:
- A cold engine idles evenly.
- A hot engine has low rpm without load.
- The engine runs uniformly in any position.
Muffler cleaning
The exhaust silencer is equipped with a mesh. anti-spark screen. Over time, this grid becomes clogged, fouling with soot from burnt oil and reducing engine output. This problem is solved by cleaning the mesh with an old toothbrush, compressed air or a small wire brush.
Mesh Screen Cleaning
As you can see, DIY do-it-yourself repair is not such a complicated matter and many can fix most of the problems.
Additional questions about servicing the brushcutter
Is it possible to leave fuel stored in a brushcutter?
No, fuel should not be stored in the unit. If the trimmer does not work longer than 30 days, drain the fuel and start the brushcutter and let it run until the engine stops.
What type of gasoline should i use?
Most mowers run on 92-octane gasoline. Never use lower octane gas or diesel. Try to use freshly purchased gasoline and mix it with the recommended oil for 2-stroke engines.
What is the correct spark plug clearance?
The spark plug clearance on all engines is 0.5. 0.6 mm.