swisher walk behind HD string trimmer heat / run issues?

[Soundguy]

I have one of them big walk behind string trimmers on steroids. uses 2 big square profile cords you pretzle tie ont he front cutter head.

got is a couple years ago.

was cleaning a fence line yesterday. heavy thick stuff, lotsa chaff. I had to stop every 5 m to clean fuzz off the top and sides of the engine.

I eventually ran it slap outta gas.. BONE dry.

walked back. got gas.. added it.

pulled till my arm was tired ( yes i did use the primer plunger)

figure di had flodded it. pulled the plug. not bad. checked spark.. and don't think I saw any.

I say think as you have to hold a safety bar down to pull start, and spark plug cord is a liberal 3" long and hard to hold plug to head and pull start. bottom line.. I think it lost spark. sun was real bright too. all added up to make it hard to diagnose with no helper or much tools on hand.

later that night I walked outside and gave it a pull and it started like it always had???


do these have a thermal cutout ?

I don't mess with new stuff much.

I assume oit has some kind of pickup and electronic module in it.

No points eh?


any ideas?

got hot? and ei stopped. or I just ran it out of fuel and was so hot it didn't take till it cooled, and sun was too bright for me to see spark?

brigs engine by the way. 6.5hp maybee.. guessing / memory?

 

[Sysop]

Sometimes when they get hot they will quit putting out spark. It is generally just a sign the ignition module/coil/magneto is failing. New ones are generally less than $40, they're held in with a couple screws and you use the cardboard from the packaging to act as a feeler gauge to ensure proper clearance. Taking to cover off the top of the motor is generally the most difficult part depending on the model of Briggs it is...

 

[Soundguy]

i have only one time messed with a modern small engine like that. and yeah.. i do remember using a piece of thin cardboard to set with.

will see how it acts next time.

I was giving it a real workout.

thanks

 

[Sysop]

Well, the copper windings inside the module can have a small break and will work when cool but after they heat up and expand, lose connection and no longer function until they cool down. I'd imagine this is what is occurring.

 

[Soundguy]

i'll monitor it next use and see if it dies hot. if it does. i suspect i;'ll be repalcing some black epoxy potted lil module..

 

[MoKelly]

I have the same model and mine does the same thing. It works fine as long as its running. If I run out of gas, or if I stop it to refuel, I can't restart.

However, if I remove the float bowl, jiggle the float a little, and then replace the bowl, it will start real easy.

I don't think that process is long enough that the thing cools down.

So, my issue could be completely different than what you guys are experiencing. But, if you really need to use the thing before it totally cools off, perhaps you can try removing the float bowl and replace.

MoKelly

 

[Soundguy]

next time I'll monitor use and fuel it before running it dry and see what it does.