Go ahead and laugh. I beat the tar out of this Homelite ST-145 weed whacker for THIRTY SEVEN years.
Over the years I have scoured garage sales and roadside pickups (dumpster diving) looking for parts like brush guards and spools to keep it going. The parts supply dried out years ago. About 5 years back I changed out the outside covers from a 90's vintage machine and rebuilt the carb. But underneath the engine and shaft body remained the same.
If I get one third the life out of this Stihl that is dependability!
Last week when I got a blister on my index finger pulling the rope I decided I had had enough
Out with the old in with the new
- dag1450
- Posts: 2376
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:16 pm
- First and Last Name: Dave Gibson
- Location: Chalfont, Pa
Re: Out with the old in with the new
Yeah... there's a certain pride in keeping old equipment in use ( like our Cubs)....and my old Lawnboy but sometimes it's just time to let go. Lol.
Looks nice!
Looks nice!
127, 1650, 1572, 1872, 2072 . A mower, blower and blade for each.
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- Posts: 1363
- Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:25 pm
- First and Last Name: Kenneth LaPatta
- Location: Rockingham VT.
Re: Out with the old in with the new
The same thing that killed it five years ago as last week. Ethanol blend gas.
About a month ago the gas Sunoco gas station about eight miles away from me started offering 91 octane non ethanol. Since then I have changed over all my small engines to it. But it was too late for that one.
And I can tellya what, I think that the Cubs run better on it.
About a month ago the gas Sunoco gas station about eight miles away from me started offering 91 octane non ethanol. Since then I have changed over all my small engines to it. But it was too late for that one.
And I can tellya what, I think that the Cubs run better on it.
- dag1450
- Posts: 2376
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:16 pm
- First and Last Name: Dave Gibson
- Location: Chalfont, Pa
Re: Out with the old in with the new
Wow...good gas in VT....thats surprising!
Funny...my youngest was weed whacking for the neighbor horse farm today....and i showed him how to use that same or similar stihl unit. Very nice! but what is that black rubber grip in between the throttle and the handle?? I grabbed it there a couple times and the unit just spins and flips over...idk
Funny...my youngest was weed whacking for the neighbor horse farm today....and i showed him how to use that same or similar stihl unit. Very nice! but what is that black rubber grip in between the throttle and the handle?? I grabbed it there a couple times and the unit just spins and flips over...idk
127, 1650, 1572, 1872, 2072 . A mower, blower and blade for each.
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- Posts: 1363
- Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:25 pm
- First and Last Name: Kenneth LaPatta
- Location: Rockingham VT.
Re: Out with the old in with the new
Yeah. What is it with that thing? I used it for three hours today and the only thing that handle is good for is turning the machine upside down
There was a lot to be said for the old one, it was lighter and more compact. And the curved shaft was better for cleaning out the ditches too.
I can't understand why their selling non ethanol there, there are no lakes nearby. Perhaps people were requesting it. I intend to keep buying it.
There was a lot to be said for the old one, it was lighter and more compact. And the curved shaft was better for cleaning out the ditches too.
I can't understand why their selling non ethanol there, there are no lakes nearby. Perhaps people were requesting it. I intend to keep buying it.
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- Posts: 1363
- Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:25 pm
- First and Last Name: Kenneth LaPatta
- Location: Rockingham VT.
Re: Out with the old in with the new
Well, I have an unexpected twist to the end of this story.
I had some time on my hands today and took the carb apart. One of the first things that I noticed was this little blob of fiberous material lodged inside the filter screen. You can see it at the tip of the pen.
After a good cleanup and figuring how all those gaskets stack together I installed it not expecting much of anything much to happen so I left the basement door closed It spurted to life on the first pull I took it outside and set the hi and lo jet and idle adjustments. The thing runs like new.
So what's the end line to this tale? Well, I have seen these hair like structure formations in small engine carbs before.
And it's the result of what Ethanol gasoline turns into after sitting around for awhile. I am not using that stuff in any of my small engines anymore.
I had some time on my hands today and took the carb apart. One of the first things that I noticed was this little blob of fiberous material lodged inside the filter screen. You can see it at the tip of the pen.
After a good cleanup and figuring how all those gaskets stack together I installed it not expecting much of anything much to happen so I left the basement door closed It spurted to life on the first pull I took it outside and set the hi and lo jet and idle adjustments. The thing runs like new.
So what's the end line to this tale? Well, I have seen these hair like structure formations in small engine carbs before.
And it's the result of what Ethanol gasoline turns into after sitting around for awhile. I am not using that stuff in any of my small engines anymore.
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- chzuck
- Posts: 364
- Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:51 pm
- First and Last Name: Charlie Zuck
- Location: Elizabethtown, PA
Re: Out with the old in with the new
Are you sure that blob is not lint? Unless you have a filter on your gas can, how can you know? I had similar debris on the pickup screen of a B&S engine on a lawn Mower and I just figured it was lint.
http://www.zucksrototillers.com
There is only ONE ROTOTILLER.
147 with 48" mower deck & 42" QA snow thrower
70 with 42" mower deck, 42" blade, & Brinly 10" plow
There is only ONE ROTOTILLER.
147 with 48" mower deck & 42" QA snow thrower
70 with 42" mower deck, 42" blade, & Brinly 10" plow
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- Posts: 1363
- Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:25 pm
- First and Last Name: Kenneth LaPatta
- Location: Rockingham VT.
Re: Out with the old in with the new
It looks like microscopic corn cobs to me
My old push mower sat around for an entire year while I was recovering from some back issues, that thing was always a pain in the neck to get started needing at least five to seven pulls to get it going every time. A couple of weeks ago I pulled it out of storage and tipped it on it's side to drain the old gas out. I refilled it with the 91 non E and wham! it started on the first pull.
So yeah, I'm staying with the non E whenever possible from now on.
My old push mower sat around for an entire year while I was recovering from some back issues, that thing was always a pain in the neck to get started needing at least five to seven pulls to get it going every time. A couple of weeks ago I pulled it out of storage and tipped it on it's side to drain the old gas out. I refilled it with the 91 non E and wham! it started on the first pull.
So yeah, I'm staying with the non E whenever possible from now on.