de-carbon-ating my Shind.

[Hustla Kid]

Did use the search, but.....any little things to look out for when cleaning the carbon out of the head of this Shind.? (never done it before) does it use a gasket? (just started losing power today, like it's not getting enough gas) new plug, clean air filter, new fuel filters,fresh 2-stroke. Can remove the air filter and put my hand over the carb., nd it will rev up. Seems like a problem with the main jet. Sound like a carb prob.?

[Hustla Kid]

(ran out of time to edit the last post) It runs better when turned upside down, but only idles in the normal position, after doing that. (it may have gotten alittle wet last week, if the truth be known)

[MOW ED]

Check to see if the spark arrester screen is plugged. If so take care of it then switch to Amsoil 100:1 synthetic 2 cycle oil and you will be amazed at the results.

[Hustla Kid]

Cleaned the spark arrester last week, and just checked it again a min. ago. Also, checked the gas lines, ect. It's weird, kinda revs up till about 75% thottle, but anymore, and the RPMs fall off. Tring to find Aimsoil around here.

[wallzwallz]

I am not familiar w/ shindaiwa but my echo's have a breather[vent] for gas tank,to let air into tank as gas is used to ease pressure or something,if not ahose from tank could be in your cap check this before you tear it apart. I have had them clog w/ similiar problems your having. good luck

[Cleve]

This same problem was discussed a few days ago on the mechanic forum.
You might want to adjust the jet screws a little. I have an Echo stick edger that was doing the same thing. Seems that something might have gotten on the tip of the jets and caused the trouble because after I screwed them in (caution, do not screw them in tight), and then adjusted them out 1 1/2 turns, the motor started running like new. I did have to adjust both screws a little each way to get the best running.
Cleve.

[Eric ELM]

When the exhaust port gets closed in from carbon, you will lose rpm's too. If this machine is over 1 year old, it could be the problem. Take the muffler off and check the exhaust port. If it has carbon around it, break it off by pulling it our towards you until the opening is all clean. If any gets gets in the cylinder, take out the spark plug and blow air into it and let it blow out the exhaust port.

A blocked gas vent will cause problems as others have said.

Hope this helps. :)

[Keith]

Popsicle sticks work well for cleaning exhaust ports and will not damage anything.

[AltaLawnCare]

Hit the Amsoil website and ask for some info, a local rep will find you.

[Hustla Kid]

Just took the head/cyln. off. Carbon not too bad.
The bottom ring was (what I call) collapsed. Tried to free it up, but it broke. The top ring came off ok. Fixing to go buy some more.....hope their not too high. Exhaust port was pretty clean. Still think the problem will be in the carb. Not getting enough gas. Thanks for the good tips, though. Going to the Amsoil website now AltaLawnCare. Oh, anybody ever found a good way to get the carbon out? Like you spray it on, and it magicly disapears. or atleast fall right off.

[KerryB]

Try adding a little sea foam once a week. Works wonders on carbon. Also use it in anything with a carb. a little in the gas keeps the mechanic away.

[gusbuster]

Are you using too much Line??? To much line will kill the diaphram(sp) in carb, causing this problem. If this is the case, just replace the carb. They're around $45 to $75.
Easy to replace.

Sometimes, it's not a carbon build up, but a bad diaphram in the carb that causes loss of power.

John

[Hustla Kid]

Went through the carb. yesterday, and the diaphram appeared to be fine. Checked everything I knew to on it, but I'm sure some passage way (?) or somethings stopped up.Just ordered the piston kit at my dealer. Piston wasn't too bad, but knew before I had to press it off the wrist pin, that I might get it out-of-round, doubt if it really did. (I've been looking for the right thing to hang from my rear-view mirror.... looks pretty good after putting it on a brush)

[Keith]

Replace the fuel lines, filter and vent too.

[Hustla Kid]

Did..... about 5 mach-hours ago.(well, didn't replace the vent)

[awm]

echo or stihl 50-1 and high octane. no more carbon in the exhaust ,no varnish buildupb in the carb.just pull a couple times and you are gone time after time with no unwelcome surprizes.
mix to exact if yours has a tendacy to vapor lock mix just a fraction oil rich

[wallzwallz]

Hustla kid
how old is this engine? Why would you take the piston out first? I don't want to be a jerk but always start troublshooting w/ simple fixes then work your way down the list. The piston should have been one of the last things to check that way. If exhaust ports weren't bad, should have checked carb. Maybe you just like to work on these, if so fine but always check the small stuff that doesn't cost parts first. How much for the ring + gasket? Let us know how this works out

[Hustla Kid]

Had already checked all the little things. Checked all I could on the carb. at the time. Just happen to notice the ring during the annual check-up the other day, and figured I'd go ahead and fix it. Considering how much I've run the absolute dog-stuffing out of it. Love working on them, and might go ahead and just see how much HP I can get out of it. The whole "kit" was 42.9? (piston, rings, gasket, ect.) Anybody ever "build" one? (maybe I can be the first)

[Keith]

What model Shindaiwa is it?

[Hustla Kid]

T-260

[Eric ELM]

How old is this Shindaiwa and what model is it? I had 2 T27's that had 6 years of hard use on them and they still ran fine. The only thing I replaced on them was clutches, but they got stolen. :(

[Dave]

not to sound dumb,but did you take the breather cover off to make sure the slide barrel was pulling all the way up at full thottle,from past experience,besides plugged exaust this has been the problem

[Hustla Kid]

Yeah, Ihad the breather cover off, and checked the slide. With the slide 3/4 of the way up, it did rev up. Anymore thottle than that, the rpms fell off. With my finger covering 90% of the throat, it reved up better. (deff. not a dumb suggestion. Actually, it was about the first thing I checked.)

[Hustla Kid]

I could see a few micro-droplets of fuel comming through the jet (at the max rpm it was producing that day) Not sure how much is supposed to be going through. I could invert it, and it would pick up a few rpm, and then return it to the standard poss., and it would bog down off idle.
Would idle all day long, but no higher.

[Eric ELM]

Originally posted by Eric ELM
How old is this Shindaiwa?

I'm still wondering how old it is and how many hours a week this machine gets put on it? I still am wondering why your putting in a piston ect.

[Hustla Kid]

Well, I've had it for awhile. It runs hard 20+ hours a week (and I do mean hard). One ring was "glued" in the "varnish" (What I always refered to as collasped (sp)) and broke before it came unstuck.
I wanted to change the bearing as long as I was there, and the only way I had to press the wrist pin out, more than likely would have deformed the piston to a certain extent. That's it.

[HacMan91]

Im a do-it-yourselfer but I would have put in the shop before I went through all that trouble. Your time working on it is probably equal to what the shop would charge and if its wrong you can take it back so they can get it right. Ive heard the shin has a complicated carb not like the stihl or echo. Good luck on getting it running!:D

[Hustla Kid]

Appriciate it HacMan91. To me it's no trouble (love my Shind). I was wanting to put it off till winter, but it laid down before, so I might as well do it all while it's down. The carb. really has me botherd. All I can do is look at it more or less. Not a clue. I look at what I can, but it's not much. (yeah, the little screen inside it is clean) To me the diaphram looked fine, but it might not be....would make sence.

[Dave]

you might just as well buy a new carb with the rings.I believe you solved your own problem by putting your finger over the carb tio increase more fuel flow,also i would buy better oil in the future

[jeffex]

just took my kawasaki kbl23a in for the same thing . I changed spark plug cleaned fuel filter cleaned carbon from exhaust port and still low rpms. It turned out to be clogged breather and needed new gas cap vent. runs like a top now!!!

[jeffex]

the bill also said removed carb to clean screen

[Hustla Kid]

I've always used the Shind. oil, but going to let a friend have what I have left over, and go with amsoil. Did ask the price of the carb. yesterday, and the salesman just said it was "high". We'll see.