Echo weed whacker motor seized??

[pashworth]

Echo Grass trimmer Model SRM-210 about 6 years old

Alright now for the story, trimming along the driveway yesterday and noticed the mix fuel dripping out of the underside of the motor. At this time the engine started to bog down but it was not due to what I was trimming. The motor seemed to be starved for air. I turned off the motor and removed the air filter cover and.... gas dripped out to the turn of a tablespoon or so.... removed the air filter which was FILLED with the gas oil mixture.

Left the filter out, put the air filter guard back on and she started first pull. Ran with more power than I ever remember it having!?!?!!

Here's where it gets good; 5 to 6 minutes of trimming and ku, ku, kukuku, ku, BANG! The motor started throtling hard and rough, almost like the choke was put on full wid eopen while running at full RPM. This happenend for 25 to 18 second and then a quick bang and the unit shut off.

Now I cant pull the started cord out of the housing. It wount turn over.

For all you super smart samll engine mechanics, what happened and can it be fixed cheaply? Did the motor seize and if so why?

As always thanks for your guys help!
Paulie

 

[Willl]

A fuel/air mixture must be just right to burn correctly.

To much fuel, and it'll flood out, a 'rich' condition.

Not enough fuel and it'll burn out, a 'lean' condition.

 

[greenmule]

No,but a srm280 costs about 400,[going to buy one] got a srm 260 now,about 7 years old,works fine.

So,just throw that little thing away,and get you the srm 280!!!

 

[Travelover]

You may have scored a piston. For starters, take off the muffler and look in the port at the piston to see if it is scored.

Doesn't sound good, but you may get lucky and just need a piston and rings. Back in the day, we used to take Homelite pumps and generators (2 cycle) and just start them (after seizing and cooling down) with a squirt of 30 weight oil in the spark plug hole to temporarily boost compression, then run them on a rich mixture until the rings loosened up. Those were tough engines.

 

[pashworth]

Thanks for the insight. I will take it apart tommorrow and let you guys know what I find.

Paul

 

[barneyrb]

Sounds like the gas line split and was sucking air instead of gas thus creating a lean trimmer and the end result is siezed.

 

[IXLR8]

Since you said you ran it without the air cleaner and it had more power than ever. I suspect it was letting more air in, same fuel, lean condition and overheated the engine. Two cycle engines are very sensitive to fuel/air mixtures. As others have said, a quick look in the exhaust port will give a good indication of what you are up against. It doesn't sound good if you can't pull the engine over after it has cooled down. I would be prepared for a new piston and rings at a minimum.

 

[Flatheadyoungin]

i might be able to use some parts off of it...i have a srm2400 with a broken choke lever and some missing engine shrouds....if your's will fit....

honestly, it's probably not worth fixing......when they fry a piston and cylinder, the factory wants big jack to fix them and at $55 per hour shop rate...it adds up very quickly....

 

[pashworth]

Yep to everyones comments! It is seize due to overheating of the engine and a craked fuel line. I brought it to my local small engine shop and they were very helpfull in diagnosing and showing me the problems.

I walk out with a Stihl Kombi system; KM 110, straight head grass trimmer, chain saw pruner, 135 deg adj edge trimmer and 37" extension shaft.

All I can say is WOW! The power, balance and precision of the Stihl compared to my old Echo is like dragracing a moped verses a Vette!

Thanks again for the help guys!
Paul