Outdoor Power Equipment and Small Engines - Ryobi 31CC weed trimmer wont start

PLEASE HELP! I borrowed a weed trimmer from a neighbor and the fuel lines cracked and broke and i had to replace them. In the difficult task and numerous tries with different configurations i am stuck. I got the fuel lines right finally. Unfortunately now it wont start. I can spray carb cleaner into the intake and it runs until the cleaner is burned up. I am scared I may have messed up the valves inside the carb or something from the numerous primer bulb connections i had to try. I think i tried every possible fuel line configuration before I got it right. Any Ideas???

since the fuel lines broke only when you borrowed the trimmer I must assume that they was already brittle.And if that be the case,the damage (if any) to the inside of the carburetor has already been done.

Are you sure though, that you got the lines in the right places?There are 3.The bottom fitting on the carb.is where the line out of the fuel tank goes.Then a line runs from the top fitting on the carb to the largest nipple on the primmer bulb.The other line runs from the other nipple of the primmer to the other hole in the fuel tank.This is only the return line.Make sure too that the fuel filter inside the tank is on the fuel line.does the primmer button fill with fuel and hold it??If not reverse the two lines on the primmer only.If the trimmer still wont prime,or run,the carb.will have to come off.Be soaked in carb.cleaner and a repair kit put in.

i also have a ryobi gas trimmer problem. mine is new (less than 6 months), but it will not run. at first, i thought i had the gas/oil mix ratio wrong, so i altered that. nothing. i cleaned the spark plug, the carbureator. nothing. i disassembled the carb and thoroughly cleaned it, i bought new gas and oil mix. nothing. it will start strong, while the switch is in 'start', but once i squeeze the throttle, it's like it bogs down or something. sort of like the engine doesn't have enough power to spin the shaft. so i tried pumping the throttle, to try to rev it up, start it spinning slowly. it doesn't matter, it still just dies after a while. the little flapper thing in the gas cap is not clogged. the fuel filter is not clogged. i can't take the stupid thing back to the store, because i'm a dummy and didn't keep the receipt. i've heard about some hi/low screws or something. can someone please explain that to me, or offer some other advice. i'm in need of help. thank you.

sounds to me Jimmy that the muffler or the exhoust ports might need cleaning out.There clogged with carbon.Take spark plug out.clean port holes with piece of wood to keep from scrstching the inside of the cylinder or the piston and blow it out with air.Put plug back in and crank.

thanks for the advice. i tried that, and it was not clogged, so no luck with that. BUT, i figured out that if i barely squeeze the throttle, it runs like a champ, but wide open. as soon as i squeeze it more it bogs down. maybe it's getting too much gas, flooding it out? the quarter-disc thing on the carb where the throttle cable connects, that moves the disc inside the carb, i moved the cable to a different hole so that it wouldn't open the valve so much, and it runs alright. the shaft spins and i used it for a little bit. still not much power though. is there some adjustment i can make to something to have better control, so it's not just shut or wide open?

turn the high speed adjustment screw out (CCW) 1/16 to 1/8 turn and see if the problem clears up.The adjusment screw is prob.going to have a piece of plastic over it ( a lemiter). This can be pulled off with a good needle-nose.

I too have a Ryobi gas TrimmerPlus 15", 31cc that won't keep running. Mine is very old, I bought it 11 yrs. ago from Home 'Despot' with the blower attachment (long type no longer in production). I use it lightly but all year around. I've never had to do anything to it except change a worn out bumper knob. I've always been very careful mixing the oil and have never touched any adjustments. It has started faithfully and exactly the same for over a decade until the last time I used it. It wouldn't keep running. I ignored it a month and now it won't start at all.

Can you elaborate on some low tech routine maintenance or cleaning rather than screwing with the carb jets? I'm thinking my problem is spark or maybe fuel flow related. I pulled the plug and it looks good but dry after many tugs on the rope. I never got any indication of a spark on any choke setting, which is very unusual. It always started and ran a few seconds on full or half choke until today. I don't suppose there is a magneto that needs replacing is there?

I'd take it to a local shop but I know they will mess with and smash the carb jets and it will never run right again. That's exactly what happened to my next door neighbor's identical unit. After the repair shop his never ran right and he had to junk it and buy a new one including all new attachments. I don't want to go down that road.

Take the muffler off and try to start it without,the muffler,it will very loud,do not let it run very long,you might have a clogged muffler,if so I soak it in carb,cleaner over night and rinse it out with water then I heat it with a propane torch and get it wery hot and then pick it up with some pliers and hit it on the concrete to get any carbon out of the muffler flakes will come out when you hit it on the concrete,be careful not to get burn in doing this,hope this helps.

Jerry

If the muffler try does not work, then you have a carb problem and not getting enough fuel at the high speed jet. This could be due to the adjustments are not open (backed out) far enough or that the diaphram and fuel pump portions of the carb have hardened up and need replacing. Kits are available but the numbers are in various locations on the carb.

I removed and checked the muffler. I don't think it is blocked or causing the problem. I stuck a wooden stick in through the plug opening and moved it around. There was carbon present but the ports were clear. I checked the plug and gap. It is fine. I squirted carb cleaner into the cylinder, reattached the plug and muffler and gave the rope a pull. It sputtered, so there is spark.

That leaves fuel flow as the problem. I removed the dark, brittle fuel line from the bottom of the fuel tank and fuel dripped slowly from the tank. Unfortunately, each time I tried to reconnect the hose, it cracked. I need to replace all the fuel lines and in doing so hope to find the air leak or blockage that could be my main problem. I still find it hard to believe that it would run exactly the same for eleven years then suddenly change air mixture out of limits unless it was from an air leak in the fuel line eliminating suction or a blockage in the line or carb as suggested. I'm sure the carb needs a rebuild of any parts that deteriorate over time but it did start and run well until quite recently.

First, I'm hoping I can find more of this tiny clear plastic fuel line somewhere and then replace all the lines. One short fuel line from the carb appears to end at a bracket with an open hole. Is that an overflow or is something broken off?

Replacing the fuel lines didn't clear the apparent blockage. Is there any kind of filter in the carburetor I could clean or replace?

Yeah, FLPCGuy,there is a filter in the carbretor,its on the fuel pump side (the side with just 1 screw).But more than likely the diaphragms in it is hardened and not working as they should and you'll have put a G&D kit in it.

Thanks Repair_Guy. I'll try to find a 'G&D kit'. I took apart the 2 screw side already and didn't see any dirt or blockage. Any tricks I should know about the rebuilding this carb, special tools, etc.?

Aaaaah you have a Zama carb. with the primmer pulb.momnted right on the fuel pump.Just take the red duck valve that is just under the primmer bulb out B 4 U put the carb.and end plates into your carburetor cleaning solution.Be careful and run something through this valve to see if it clear of any debre,and will open.And get any bits of old gesket that might stick on the carb off.Otherwise it will suck air from these places.If the primmer is very dark in color,replace that too now,Because you will have to B 4 long anyway.Reply back with type and number on carb (which will be prob.a C1U ******or C1Q******)?? ETC. and someone can look it up and tell you the right primmer bulb to use.

You don't have to worry so much about the metering lever.these come pre set and are right on the money 98% of the time.

I have a Ryobi 767rj with a 31cc engine. I believe it is about 6 years old. It suddenly bogged down when I reave it up. I thought the spark plug had gone bad and replaced it. The engine cranked and run normal, but this week I was weed eating and about 30 minutes into my trimming the engine bogged down again. I found the engine would start if I put it on full choke. I moved the choke control to center position and it would run for a few seconds and die. I can't get it to run on non choke position. I check the gas lines and primer and the carbruetor is getting fuel. The spark plug is wet.

Do you have any suggestions.

Thanks in advance.

Sounds to me Sam Smiley,like your trimmer is getting too much air and not enough gas.Take the plastic limiter cap off of the high speed adjustment screw on the carb (the nearest one to the air filter) unscrew it 1/16 - 1/8 turn.Then try it.

Reply Guy,

I removed the plastic cap covering the adjustments. One being black and the other white. the white was located toward the front of the engine and the other toward the air cleaner. I tried ajusting but to avail. I found the black one had to be set total counter clockwise(on the stop) for the engine to start. I finally shook the trimmer real hard and the engine started and ran normal. I think that is telling me there is some trash in the carb. Could this be the trouble and if I need a repair kit for the carb where do I get it?

In my repairing I found out to check the starter rope knot before getting to carried away. (I check my chainsaw and tied a new knot in it) The thing broke and the rope went inside. I was able to rethread the rope and put on the handle, but I have about 2 inches of slack. Please tell me how to remove the clutch, install a new starter rope and adjust the rewind.

Thanks so much.

Sorry I meant Repair Guy.