# Craftsman weedwacker



## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

*Craftsman weedwacker smokes*

Hello guys 
I'll be visiting by parents this week and Dad will for sure want me to run the weed wacker for him. His weed wacker just smokes like a freight train. Thick black and grey smoke, seems to run ok but smokes bad. Kills any bugs that are around for sure. I've played with the carb in the past but dosen't seem to change anything. It also seems to leak black oily looking stuff out the exhaust as well. I doubt it's even been started since the last time I fooled with it. The machine cant be more than 7 years old, so it would be nice to get it fixed.
Any ideas guys ? 

Mike


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## geogrubb (Jul 28, 2006)

Sounds like the fuel mixture is too rich, mix up some fresh fuel(fresh from the pump not fresh from a can that has set since last year). I think 40:1 or 50:1 is correct and the smoking will go away. At some point you will need to remove the muffler and clean the spark arrestor(the screen in the muffler). Although it is not recomended for 2-cycles, if one is really carboned up, I will mix Cheveron Techron fuel systems cleaner(not the cheap stuff)real strong in enough gas mixture to run the motor for about 30 minutes, about 1/4 Cheveron Techron to 3/4 fuel, dump the other fuel out of the tank put in the new mixture and start the motor, don't rev it up, let it idle until all the fuel is gone, the carbon and junk will start dripping from the muffler, when the fuel is gone the combustion chamber will be spotless. I repeat don't rev it up during this process because it can make chunks of carbon break loose and that is when things break. Have a good one. Geo


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## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

Hi Thanks 

That does sound like a dad thing, having old gas expecting the thing to run on the old stuff. I think it calls for 40:1 mix. I like the fuel system cleaner trick, I am sure it is gunked up badly inside. 

Mike


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## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

*update*

Ok guys 

I used the weed wacker today. I tried using some fuel system cleaner and fresh gas, that seemed to clean up the smoke. It eventually lost power, I richened up the mixture some and the power was back but so was the smoke. It seems like there is no adjustment point where it will have power and not be running too rich. I was able to use it to cut what I wanted. But at this point I would like to get it running right. I know I will be expected to use it to cut weeds again. I choked on the smoke today, would be nice to not do that the next time around. I got some more info. on the machine. 1998 craftsman 24 cc SER. 98135N701416 MOD.358. 795300 It's a Walbro carb with one mixture adjustment screw. The other one is for the idle.  

Thanks Mike


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## hankster (Jan 1, 1998)

How much oil are you putting in the gas.... like oz. per gal.


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## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

I am using a 40:1 mix, do you suppose it could run better on a 50:1 mix?

Mike


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## hankster (Jan 1, 1998)

40:1 is correct. How many oz. per gallon are you putting in?


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## tommyj3 (Sep 16, 2006)

40:1 ratio is: 1 gal of gas plus 3.2 ozs of oil = 40:1


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## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

Yes 3.2 oz to one gal


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## tommyj3 (Sep 16, 2006)

What brand of oil?


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## junkyarddoggie (May 24, 2007)

Craftsman two cycle oil


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## justin3 (Apr 10, 2007)

I've got some of that Craftsmen two cycle oil mixed somewhere here, if I recall it did the same thing, made my homelite leaf blower shoot out and drip oil from the muffler..


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