Maintenance on 4 stroke

[BackwoodsMan]

I am about ready to decide on a backpack leaf blower. I tested the largest models from Stihl, Echo, Redmax, Tanaka and Shindawa. Stihl was the most comfortable and smoothest running. I was ready to go with the 4 stroke Stihl BR600 until one of the dealers mentioned that the 4 stroke engines need valve adjustments every 30 hours to keep them running at peak performance. This has me thinking that maybe I should stick with the 2 stroke models while they are still available. Has anyone experienced the need to adjust the valves on their 4 stroke small engines?

 

[DennisArrow]

Having 4 stroke small engines on most everything but my chainsaw, blowers, cultivator tiller, and weed eater........golly thats a bunch of small engines that are 2 stroke......But my main herd of engines are 4 stroke and MUCH to numerous to enumerate what they are with NONE needing any kind of valve adjustment except for an old BMW motorcycle..................HOURS AND HOURS AND YEARS on most and the need to do this is NON EXISTANT..........Good luck if you use this dealer for your maintenance advice........God bless.........Dennis

 

[RandyT]

Dolmar recommends 200 hour valve adjustment intervals on there 4 stroke blowers and trimmers.

 

[WH401]

Check the manual online for the BR600. Unless things have changed, when I bought my 600 in 08' the first valve adjustment was around 130 hours and subsequent ones were at a larger interval than that.

 

[LarryD]

I have a 4 stroke Troy Bilt power head for various attachements that needs (recommends) valve adjustments perodically. It is really easy and doesn't take much time at all.
I like the fact it doesn't require another mix container.