Talon Strimmer won't keep idling!

[Hpd]

Hi guys,

Ive gone and bought a Talon strimmer for £10 that is in great condition, starts well but won't really idle unless you keep the revs up. I have given it a good clean, removed and cleaned the carb and spark plug etc, fuel lines all look pretty good and the primer bulb pumps well.

Im after ideas? The carb adjustment screws have a plastic clip on them which i removed... that doesn't reveal much other than two plastic limiter things on the screws with barely any adjustment potential.

Any help would be great!

 

[Nige F]

Picture 3 the black screw @ the top - throttle stop ? is it adjusted to give a fast idle.

 

[Hpd]

its in a little bit past half way so giving quite a decent idle, shall i just try screwing it in further?

 

[Mursal]

Yes screw it in until you feel it increasing the revs.
But you might have to gig out the two adjustment screws L and H, hopefully not as they can be hard to get right.
double check the condition of your air filter and inlet manifold gasket?
But as long as it starts, you have a chance, mess to much with the L and H setting you might loose this

 

[Hpd]

Thanks okay so I've had another mess around with it.... it seems like when I move both of the adjustments (low and high) as far out as the restricter things will let them it seems to idle much better. It's almost like I need to rip off those plastic things and loosen both screws another 1/8 of a turn! Is this possible or would I wreck it trying to remove them?

 

[Burnerman]

By all means remove the plastic covers - the H and L screws need to come completely out for cleaning anyway. If you remove them, turn them in first and count the turns - don't mix the screws up!
A slight word of warning though...sometimes (i.e Honda) these caps also hold the means to turn the screw, and breaking them off leaves you with a screw with no head so 'gan canny'!
Lock the screw in place with a dab of touch up paint, if the spring goes with it, once you're done.
John

 

[Hpd]

Brilliant I'll give that a go tomorrow. Can I just pry them straight off with some pliers? It looks like the typical splined screw head underneath them as far as I can tell!

 

[Burnerman]

Yep, gently does it!
If I find the screw has no head, I gently cut a slot with a junior hacksaw.
The problem with your strimmer is a slight obstruction in the fuel passages that feed the screw marked L (low speed) but you may be able to adjust the problem out.....dismantling the carb is no big deal but there are gaskets and diaphragms that are dead easy to tear - and not always that easy to get!
Be lucky
John

 

[Hpd]

Hah thanks John yeah I took the carb apart up until a the gaskets/diaphragms that wouldn't budge so I just sprayed and cleaned every other parts of it as best I could. If I can find a kit for it I might buy one, it's a Walbro but I'm not sure what model etc. Thanks for the advice again

 

[Burnerman]

Walbro spares aren't usually a problem .....try GHS Ltd for replacement diaphragms etc.
Don't delve in unless you have a can of carb cleaner, and preferably an air line - you never see any muck that's dislodged, the fuel drillings are so small.
John

 

[lostinthelight]

There is a good chance that the screws will have a special head.
These can be shaped like a pacman, D shape or splined. They are not tight so if you can't get hold of the special driver or don't want to cut a slot then the plastic end of an electrical crimp fitting pushed over the screw head can work .
litl

 

[Nige F]

Or just keep blipping the revs as you use it - 1000 council workers can't be wrong

 

[Mursal]

We blip the revs, because you're only a blip away from letting the revs off, so no drive.
Very useful if you might hit an obstacle, in unknown ground.
Flat out with the finger hard on, snap a drive .............

 

[Hpd]

Well I got the plastic covers off the adjustment screws and they had a nice neat notch for a small flathead. Tiny bit more anticlockwise on them both and it starts, idles and revs perfectly. Cheers guys!

 

[Burnerman]

Nice one - seems like you have a bargain there!
Turning the screws anticlockwise richens the mixture just a bit.....L is for low speed running, H is for high speed or full throttle use.
John