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Re: [Shop-talk] Leaf blower issues...need the elders' advice

Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] Leaf blower issues...need the elders' advice
From: Bill Rabel <brabel@comcast.net>
Date: Sat, 24 Oct 2020 08:24:30 -0700
Cc: "shop-talk@autox.team.net" <Shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: shop-talk@autox.team.net
References: <CAK73_u69cEQ1YU67rOFLOgXTmxYCveKhDdKzVAL754PM6bb8wg@mail.gmail.com>
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I bought a battery-powered leaf blower. It works great. The sound and stink o=
f a two-cycle blower drives me round the bend. Just sayin=E2=80=99.

I=E2=80=99m a cranky elder...

- Bill Rabel
  Anacortes

"Prejudice is a great time saver. You can form opinions without having to ge=
t the facts.=E2=80=9D  - E.B. White


> On Oct 24, 2020, at 6:42 AM, Scott Hall <scott.hall.personal@gmail.com> wr=
ote:
>=20
> =EF=BB=BF
> And to complete this one too:
>=20
> The leaf blower had bad compression. Either a worn ring, piston, or cylind=
er. I didn't take it apart to find out which because Troy Bilt only sells th=
e piston and ring and not the cylinder--if the cylinder is worn, it's garbag=
e and the piston is only sold as part of a short block--literally you pull t=
he cylinder off the old one and everything else is new, apparently.
>=20
> I might take it apart this winter and see if it's the piston or ring--it h=
urts my heart to just toss that much metal and plastic in the trash--but I h=
aven't looked to see if the specs are available online yet to even know what=
 they should be.
>=20
> The takeaway here for future searchers is NOT to buy Troy Bilt, apparently=
. I tried to take it to shops locally to repair it. None of them would even l=
ook at it and every single one said to buy an Echo. So I'm off to buy an Ech=
o this morning. Also disappointed the parts aren't available and that it's s=
o worn. On the one hand, I *did* get several years out of it. On the other, i=
t had its oil, filters, etc. changed regularly and it wasn't used heavily. =20=

>=20
>> On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 2:33 PM Scott Hall <scott.hall.personal@gmail.com=
> wrote:
>> I have a Troy Bilt 4-cycle backpack leaf blower, the older version of thi=
s thing:
>>=20
>> https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/leaf-blowers/tb4bp-ec-backpack-gas-leaf-bl=
ower/41BR4BEG766.html=20
>>=20
>> I need intelligent more experienced folks to advise me before I slip into=
 insanity.
>>=20
>> The past year or so the choke has lost effectiveness--you used to start i=
t as directed: pump the primer bulb a few times, choke on full. Start. Choke=
 to 1/2 until warm, then choke full-off.
>>=20
>> At first it wouldn't start with choke full-on, I had to start it on half-=
choke. Then 1/4-ish.=20
>>=20
>> At the same time, the throttle became more of an an/off switch. It would b=
og at anything other than idle. If I open it full, it would die. And it neve=
r achieved full-power.
>>=20
>> Note: the choke is an actual choke--a plastic plate slides over the air i=
ntake on the carb.
>>=20
>> This sounds like something that needs a carb cleanin', right? So I did. T=
ook it apart, soaked it in carb cleaner, re-assembled.
>>=20
>> I also replaced the fuel intake line and fuel filter--a weird little thin=
g, looks like a pumice stone on the end of the fuel line.=20
>>=20
>> Worked...better. Not back to new, but better. For a day. =20
>>=20
>> Now it won't start at all.
>>=20
>> There's just not that much to this carb. I blew it out with compressed ai=
r, chased the passages I could, etc. There's just not much there...there.
>>=20
>> What's making me question my sanity is that this happened on my riding mo=
wer last year too and I similarly cleaned that carb, which was similarly sim=
ple and it absolutely would not run again until I just bought a new carb and=
 replaced it.
>>=20
>>  So here's the question: what am I doing or not doing that I can't clean a=
 small engine carburetor? Is there some secret air passage on small engine c=
arbs that I'm not reaching? I tool them completely apart. There were no idle=
 jets, or enrichment circuits, or...whatever. Just a hunk of metal with a fe=
w small holes. What on earth would make the new one better than the one that=
's on there?
>>=20
>> I feel like this should be so simple and I'm missing something so basic.=20=

> _______________________________________________
>=20
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.96
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hive
>=20
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/brabel=
@comcast.net
>=20

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto"><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: au=
to; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">I bought a battery-powered leaf b=
lower. It works great. The sound and stink of a two-cycle blower drives me r=
ound the bend. Just sayin=E2=80=99.</span><div><span style=3D"-webkit-text-s=
ize-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><d=
iv><span style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255,=
 255, 255);">I=E2=80=99m a <u>cranky</u> elder...<br></span><div style=3D"-w=
ebkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adj=
ust: auto;">- Bill Rabel</div><div style=3D"-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"=
>&nbsp; Anacortes</div><br><div dir=3D"ltr"><p class=3D"p1"><span style=3D"b=
ackground-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class=3D"s1">"Prejudice is a=
 great time saver. You can form opinions without having to get the facts</sp=
an><span class=3D"s2">.=E2=80=9D &nbsp;</span></span><span style=3D"backgrou=
nd-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 13pt;">- E.B. White</span></p><=
/div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Oct 24, 2020, at 6:42=
 AM, Scott Hall &lt;scott.hall.personal@gmail.com&gt; wrote:<br><br></blockq=
uote></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<div dir=3D"l=
tr">And to complete this one too:<div><br></div><div>The leaf blower had bad=
 compression. Either a worn ring, piston, or cylinder. I didn't take it apar=
t to find out which because Troy Bilt only sells the piston and ring and not=
 the cylinder--if the cylinder is worn, it's garbage and the piston is only s=
old as part of a short block--literally you pull the cylinder off the old on=
e and everything else is new, apparently.</div><div><br></div><div>I might t=
ake it apart this winter and see if it's the piston or ring--it hurts my hea=
rt to just toss that much metal and plastic in the trash--but I haven't look=
ed to see if the specs are available online yet to even know what they shoul=
d be.</div><div><br></div><div>The takeaway here for future searchers is NOT=
 to buy Troy Bilt, apparently. I tried to take it to shops locally to repair=
 it. None of them would even look at it and every single one said to buy an E=
cho. So I'm off to buy an Echo this morning. Also disappointed the parts are=
n't available and that it's so worn. On the one hand, I *did* get several ye=
ars out of it. On the other, it had its oil, filters, etc. changed regularly=
 and it wasn't used heavily.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_=
quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, Jul 24, 2020 at 2:33 PM=
 Scott Hall &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:scott.hall.personal@gmail.com";>scott.hall.=
personal@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote"=
 style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);pa=
dding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr">I have a Troy Bilt 4-cycle backpack leaf bl=
ower, the older version of this thing:<div><br></div><div><a href=3D"https:/=
/www.troybilt.com/en_US/leaf-blowers/tb4bp-ec-backpack-gas-leaf-blower/41BR4=
BEG766.html" target=3D"_blank">https://www.troybilt.com/en_US/leaf-blowers/t=
b4bp-ec-backpack-gas-leaf-blower/41BR4BEG766.html</a>&nbsp;</div><div><br></=
div><div>I need intelligent more experienced folks to advise me before I sli=
p into insanity.</div><div><br></div><div>The past year or so the choke has l=
ost effectiveness--you used to start it as directed: pump the primer bulb a f=
ew times, choke on full. Start. Choke to 1/2 until warm, then choke full-off=
.</div><div><br></div><div>At first it wouldn't start with choke full-on, I h=
ad to start it on half-choke. Then 1/4-ish.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A=
t the same time, the throttle became more of an an/off switch. It would bog a=
t anything other than idle. If I open it full, it would die. And it never ac=
hieved full-power.</div><div><br></div><div>Note: the choke is an actual cho=
ke--a plastic plate slides over the air intake on the carb.</div><div><br></=
div><div>This sounds like something that needs a carb cleanin', right? So I d=
id. Took it apart, soaked it in carb cleaner, re-assembled. </div><div><br><=
/div><div>I also replaced the fuel intake line and fuel filter--a weird litt=
le thing, looks like a pumice stone on the end of the fuel line.&nbsp;</div>=
<div><br></div><div>Worked...better. Not back to new, but better. For a day.=
&nbsp;&nbsp;<br></div><div><br></div><div>Now it won't start at all.</div><d=
iv><br></div><div>There's just not that much to this carb. I blew it out wit=
h compressed air, chased the passages I could, etc. There's just not much th=
ere...there.</div><div><br></div><div>What's making me question my sanity is=
 that this happened on my riding mower last year too and I similarly cleaned=
 that carb, which was similarly simple and it absolutely would not run again=
 until I just bought a new carb and replaced it.</div><div><br></div><div>&n=
bsp;So here's the question: what am I doing or not doing that I can't clean a=
 small engine carburetor? Is there some secret air passage on small engine c=
arbs that I'm not reaching? I tool them completely apart. There were no idle=
 jets, or enrichment circuits, or...whatever. Just a hunk of metal with a fe=
w small holes. What on earth would make the new one better than the one that=
's on there?</div><div><br></div><div>I feel like this should be so simple a=
nd I'm missing something so basic.&nbsp;<br></div></div>
</blockquote></div>
<span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span></span=
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tox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/brabel@comcast.net</span><br><span></=
span><br></div></blockquote></div></body></html>=

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