troy built string trimmer DOA!

[glshubert]

I hope this is the place for this post....

I have a 4 stroke string trimmer. Model TB525SS. It has worked great till now. It is like 2-3 years old. I have never had any problems with it. I used it the other day and it was working fine. I used it about 10 mins and I got something in my eye so I shut it off.

I let it sit about 5 mins. It started and didn't want to run. I thought I'd let it set and try it when it cooled off. The cooler it got the less it would try and start. It would spit and sputter but not run. Finally it wouldn't even do that. NOTHING.

Drained the gas and still nothing.

It has spark..I can pull rope and get an arc on the plug when held against case. SI I have spark. Didn't act like it was getting gas so I sprayed some in the carb and nothing still won't hit.

Now I don't know about you all but usually in my times and travels if you have spark and introduce gas it will TRY and start. Nope nothing!

The local small engine guy says he talked to the technicians and they say might be a cam, cam bracket, or get this recoil spring....??...

I took the valve cover off and the valves are moving. The thing has compression. I can feel it when I put my thumb over the spark plug hole.

I even sprayed some raw gas in the cylinder and quickly screwed plug in and it will not do anything like start.

Anyone ever hear of this problem? The valves wouldn't be operating if it was the cam would they? Seems like it might be a timing thing...?

ANY help would be appreciated!!!

 

[Jimmy Joe]

The only thing I can think of is somehow the timing got way off, do weed trimmers have flywheel keys?

 

[glshubert]

The only thing I can think of is somehow the timing got way off, do weed trimmers have flywheel keys?

If the key was sheared wouldn't quit sparking?

 

[Jimmy Joe]

It would spark at the wrong time instead of top dead center maybe on the down stroke or when exhaust valve was open.

 

[glshubert]

ok. How would I go about checking on this?

 

[Jimmy Joe]

Take the nut off the flywheel end of the crankshaft, you should be able to see the key, see if it aligns with the notch in the crankshaft and the one on the flywheel. If you can't see the key you may have to pull the flywheel.

 

[glshubert]

I can't get the clutch off. It has a torx screw and is down in the thing an inch or 2. The end of the clutch is made to accept the drive shaft and is smaller than any shaft I have ever seen on a torx. Is too small to even get that size allen wrench to it.

I am not too happy with the Troy Builts right now.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

The flywheel should be on the recoil end of the crankshaft, remove the recoil and you should see the nut. It could have a left hand thread depending on which way it rotates.

 

[NuBota]

I can't get the clutch off. It has a torx screw and is down in the thing an inch or 2. The end of the clutch is made to accept the drive shaft and is smaller than any shaft I have ever seen on a torx. Is too small to even get that size allen wrench to it.

I am not too happy with the Troy Builts right now.

Funny - I just went through this last weekend - I used a long shaft, flat blade, screwdriver - it just barely fit down the little, "square" shaft and wouldn't turn inside it - I just turned the clutch with it to loosen the torx screw.

Mine is a Ryobi, but all the same MTD parts. I got it all back together, ran great for a day, then the splines (plastic) on the pull start flywheel shaft sheared off. I either put it back on wrong or too tight or something. Finally said forget it and and went out to get a new one - wanted a brushcutter anyway -I went back to 2-cycle. Got a Cub Cadet, which is a re-branded Troy-bilt, knowing full well the problems people are having, but the Ryobi lasted 7 years of hard use before it gave me issues - so not bad. I may still fix it - part is only $7.

 

[shot_gun]

When is the last time the spark plug was changed? Even if you see spark out side the engine, under compression it may be a different story. I had this happen to a small tecumseh engien once. I spent all day chasing down a problem that ended up being the spark plug that I could see spark jumping the gap out side the engine. I replaced the plug for gigles and three years later still no problems.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

Shotgun has a good point, I remember hearing of this before.

 

[EastTexFrank]

When is the last time the spark plug was changed? Even if you see spark out side the engine, under compression it may be a different story.

When my Poulan chainsaw died a friend told me exactly what you said. I replaced the spark plug and off she went. Unfortunately (or not ) in the interim I had bought a new Stihl. But hey, there's nothing wrong with having back up .... for back up .... for back up.

 

[Jimmy Joe]

I wonder if he found the problem.

 

[glshubert]

I wonder if he found the problem.

no I have not!

 

[Dargo]

Is it the one that calls the engine "Big Red" or something silly like that? I went out one day to buy a Stihl Combi-System (or whatever they are called) and just about defecated said brick when I priced the entire system along with a separate edger (with 3 wheels of it's own for the 2000' + I have to edge). Being disgusted with the Stihl setup going to cost more than my first car, I went and bought the comparable setup at Lowes which was the Troy -Bilt setup. Other than the string trimmer being a little beast to start, it's all worked well for me. I'm actually quite surprised what the little chain saw extension on the string trimmer will cut. Still, I get quite annoyed and frustrated pumping that little gas bulb dozens of times and getting a good workout yanking the starter rope a hundred times or so.

I have changed the 3 or 4 ounces of oil in the engines several times per season, cleaned the air filters about once a month and changed the spark plugs at the beginning of each season. Still, I get this ticked off feeling rising up in me before I even begin trying to start one of the little buggers because I know it's going to be another "man vs machine" war to get them started. It can't be good for them, but I've resorted to giving them a little shot of starting fluid this year to get 'em started. It seems to work so far. If I destroy one this way, oh well, it will probably save me some grief in the long run. Good luck!

 

[glshubert]

I went and bought a $24 corded Weed Eater brand. It is a single line, and thin line at that but it works fine for what I will do with it. I am not going to clear hill sides with it. Just light trimming. I also bought a quart of brush killer and am going to edge everything.

I guess my attachments [which are like new] will sit and collect dust.

The worst thing about this is that the $24 one will probably out last me.

I knew better. More $$ doesn't mean a better product! I have proven that again.

 

[glshubert]

I went and bought a $24 corded Weed Eater brand. It is a single line, and thin line at that but it works fine for what I will do with it. I am not going to clear hill sides with it. Just light trimming. I also bought a quart of brush killer and am going to edge everything.

I guess my attachments [which are like new] will sit and collect dust.

The worst thing about this is that the $24 one will probably out last me.

I knew better. More $$ doesn't mean a better product! I have proven that again.

 

[Blackhammer]

I had the same trimmer and had the exace same problems. I was actually switching attachments when I shut it off and I couldn't get it restarted. I wound up tossing it and got a Husqvarna and havent looked back. I never really liked the troy-built 4-stroke. It always bogged down and had poor power. I love the Husqvarna, 10 pumps, starts the second pull the first is the choke.

 

[glshubert]

anyone interested in it?

 

[TigerfaninAR]

I had the same trimmer and had the exace same problems. I was actually switching attachments when I shut it off and I couldn't get it restarted. I wound up tossing it and got a Husqvarna and havent looked back. I never really liked the troy-built 4-stroke. It always bogged down and had poor power. I love the Husqvarna, 10 pumps, starts the second pull the first is the choke.

Can't believe this thread is going because my Troybilt did the same exact thing last weekend. Worked great for 3 years, ran out of string, put new in and went to start and nada. Just thought I had it flooded it somehow with the way it was laying but never did start. Had a friend look at it who tinkers with these things and he said it was over his head. He tried a new plug and nothing. I had a Troy bilt "horse" riding mower and it was a piece of you know what, made the mistake of buying the weedeater during the only year the mower worked fine.

So that leaves the question what trimmer do I get now? Don't mind paying for a good one.