Titan strimmer not working after a month

[rb02259]

Have a 2 in 1 petrol strimmer ran on the 40 to 1 syntehtic mix for a while then only 2 stroke oil i had was stihl hp which i think is a mineral based oil

I mixed 40 to 1 and on first use engine overheated with smoke from exhaust after shut off

Engine now hard to start and when it does bogs down and dies. Primer also soft and not rebounding

Could the mineral based 2 stroke oil have done this or is it a coincidence?

 

[Kram]

Both oils are suitable and 2T engines are not that sensitive to the oil mix. All of my tools get 50:1 with decent oil.
Are you sure it overheated? Worth pulling the exhaust off and look at the piston and rings. Get a photo.

How long have you had it? How do you store it? Is your fuel a freshly made mix or old stuff?

If its been left months with old fuel in, that can cause carb and starting issues.

 

[rb02259]

Both oils are suitable and 2T engines are not that sensitive to the oil mix. All of my tools get 50:1 with decent oil.
Are you sure it overheated? Worth pulling the exhaust off and look at the piston and rings. Get a photo.

How long have you had it? How do you store it? Is your fuel a freshly made mix or old stuff?

If its been left months with old fuel in, that can cause carb and starting issues.

Thanks mate

Good to know as i have other titan tools and was worried about ysing the mix in them.

Not sure it overheated but when shut down smoke continued to come from exhaust area for 5 mins. Apprreciate that could be residue or whatever.

I have had since february so 3 months and stored in shed. Fuel was fresh from pump but was e10 as my local doesnt do e5

Its under warranty so being picked up otherwise i would strip! But was curious if oil was problem

Thanks

 

[Kram]

They say you should only buy enough fuel that you will use that month. 3 is stretching it, although I do it and not had problems. Fresh fuel can make a big noticable difference to how a tool starts and runs. Its worse with E10, but thats what I use.

After use, its best to tip any unused fuel out of the tool, back to your fuel can, pump the primer until the carb is clear of fuel, then run the tool dry. Particually for long term storage.

 

[rb02259]

They say you should only buy enough fuel that you will use that month. 3 is stretching it, although I do it and not had problems. Fresh fuel can make a big noticable difference to how a tool starts and runs. Its worse with E10, but thats what I use.

After use, its best to tip any unused fuel out of the tool, back to your fuel can, pump the primer until the carb is clear of fuel, then run the tool dry. Particually for long term storage.

Thanks mate sorry fuel was like a day old brand new i meant the strimmer was 3 months old albeit i only used it for 4 weeks

Good tip on storage thanks

 

[frank horton]

as Kram says but metal fuel cans are so much better for longer storage......
Those Titans and other of that like are really not upto much......
BUT Lidil's stuff works well and lasts.....

said before have one of their petrol chain saws that done tons of work and is still running 3 years on.....

There's a brand here called TOTAL....it's the same as ur's but painted a diff colour.....they r not very good....usually havre ur probs and by the end of the warranty they hope u'll just chuck it away and buy another....all kinds of probs getting them to repair or replace under a claim....but in the UK u have better customer rights than here.....

if u dont want a commercial model just buy a small Echo....it'll still be working in 10 years....
I have a big Kawasaki thats gotta be 30 years old and still works great.....
just giving it away to a friend as it's to heavy for me now plus the athritis in my elbows means I can only start it on the floor not on the strap....

 

[rb02259]

as Kram says but metal fuel cans are so much better for longer storage......
Those Titans and other of that like are really not upto much......
BUT Lidil's stuff works well and lasts.....

said before have one of their petrol chain saws that done tons of work and is still running 3 years on.....

There's a brand here called TOTAL....it's the same as ur's but painted a diff colour.....they r not very good....usually havre ur probs and by the end of the warranty they hope u'll just chuck it away and buy another....all kinds of probs getting them to repair or replace under a claim....but in the UK u have better customer rights than here.....

if u dont want a commercial model just buy a small Echo....it'll still be working in 10 years....
I have a big Kawasaki thats gotta be 30 years old and still works great.....
just giving it away to a friend as it's to heavy for me now plus the athritis in my elbows means I can only start it on the floor not on the strap....

Thabks mate yes i love lidl stuff and have a chainsaw from them too and leaf blower. I had a parkside petrol strimmer from lidl and did have problems but they refunded under warranty i fixed forst problem then handle broke but as id claimed under warranty cluldnt have it repaired again

But yes titan is the worst so far im afraid. I had d3bated geting domestic model of stihl or echo but thought id try it but sort of regret it now

As u said maybe get warrantyperiod from it then chuck and go with a big brand

Thanks

 

[jmp49]

Different scenario as higher tuned but a friend seized a 2 stroke motorbike (road legal kdx250) after topping off with a different brand 2 stroke oil at a garage in a emergency that had been running flawlessly since new on the recommended full synthetic oil. We found the oil in the system weird and gloopy like it had reacted to the original oil remnants and the motor had seized and needed a new liner/piston with just moderate road use. I cant remember the brand he bought at the garage but he'll never do that again for sure...

Unless you have a acre to strim every week or do grounds work for a living, battery pack powered strimmers have come a long way, and they dont have any of the hassle of premix or engine maintenance. I'm all for petrol based stuff for other stuff, but I love the time freed up for me to work on stuff I like working on by the sheer ease of just sliding a charged battery into one at the start of the season. I have two ryobi ones, one strimmer and one set up as a brushcutter and after 3 batteries I'm done for the day anyway, so I just have three 5a packs on the go ready...

 

[rb02259]

Ù

Different scenario as higher tuned but a friend seized a 2 stroke motorbike (road legal kdx250) after topping off with a different brand 2 stroke oil at a garage in a emergency that had been running flawlessly since new on the recommended full synthetic oil. We found the oil in the system weird and gloopy like it had reacted to the original oil remnants and the motor had seized and needed a new liner/piston with just moderate road use. I cant remember the brand he bought at the garage but he'll never do that again for sure...

Unless you have a acre to strim every week or do grounds work for a living, battery pack powered strimmers have come a long way, and they dont have any of the hassle of premix or engine maintenance. I'm all for petrol based stuff for other stuff, but I love the time freed up for me to work on stuff I like working on by the sheer ease of just sliding a charged battery into one at the start of the season. I have two ryobi ones, one strimmer and one set up as a brushcutter and after 3 batteries I'm done for the day anyway, so I just have three 5a packs on the go ready...

Thabks mate

Good pount about battery stuff and something i keep hearing so i might look into that

 

[oldbikedavey]

There's a lot to be said for Turk scythes, which are a pretty evolved system.
Keep them sharp, and yourself fit, and they'll perform very well indeed.
A bit of a knack to the things, but they don't break down, and the fuel consumption is mainly confined to cheese sandwiches.....

 

[BrokenBiker]

As much as I like titan power tools, I wouldn't buy anything of theirs with an engine...my mother had a petrol strimmer of some moderate brand that failed one day, proper dead and not worth saving..bought her a titan replacement and it lasted maybe 5 uses before it seized and I was using branded good quality oil and good fresh fuel each use...replaced with electric when she downsized

 

[tom2207]

I never run anything leaner than 35/1 ,, a bit of extra oil saves a lot of grief I find.

 

[Gragson]

I "try" to mix to the manufacturers recommendation but it's not exactly a precise process for me and always tend to generous.
50:1 would seem a bit lean on some of mine

 

[Argonman]

I had a titan 2 stroke garden multi tool. Hedge trimmer, branch saw, brush cutter. Drained after every use. Dry stored. Very light domestic use. Failed spectacularly after two years. Big end broke up. Shards of metal in the crankcase. Totally beyond repair. Very disappointing. Replaced with Dewalt hedge trimmer. So far so good.

 

[Migmac]

All the small engine guys I know are advocating using the premixed fuels now. As Kram said, 30 days and fuel from the pump is starting to deteriorate

 

[Kram]

I never run anything leaner than 35/1 ,, a bit of extra oil saves a lot of grief I find.

I "try" to mix to the manufacturers recommendation but it's not exactly a precise process for me and always tend to generous.
50:1 would seem a bit lean on some of mine

Manufacturers say 50:1, or on cheaper tools, 40:1. The more oil you use, the more it will soot up and give other issues.

I've had some of my tools apart and even at 50:1 theres a good thick oil film where it matters.

I have a small measuring beaker, 60ml oil for 3L of petrol, is my usual mix.

 

[JOEPRO]

All the small engine guys I know are advocating using the premixed fuels now. As Kram said, 30 days and fuel from the pump is starting to deteriorate

I use superunleaded in my cars and 2 stroke stuff. 0% ethanol and not much more expensive. The premixed fuel cans are very expensive I cant justify em especially if I'd burn 5l a month on occasion which I do.

 

[Kram]

We dont have 0% over here and if we did, likely double the price.
Anyway its no great effort to empty tools after use, wont have any problems if you do that.

There are real issues if you have been using normal fuel then switch to premix, or switch back. It can cause hoses and rubber to rot.

 

[Migmac]

I use superunleaded in my cars and 2 stroke stuff. 0% ethanol and not much more expensive. The premixed fuel cans are very expensive I cant justify em especially if I'd burn 5l a month on occasion which I do.

It is expensive, that’s why I still use pump fuel.

 

[Rudi McAnichal]

Engine now hard to start and when it does bogs down and dies.

I had that trouble a couple of years ago with a Titan multi-tool (strimmer + hedge trimmer + pole saw), and it was all due to the carb diaphragm. I was advised to soak it in brake fluid for a week, but was able to buy a complete new carb from ebay for £8.75 (including VAT and postage).