# Starting Green Machine Trimmer



## wolly6973 (Mar 18, 2009)

I have an old Green Machine 1900 trimmer. Got it used for $10 and worked great last summer. Trying to start it up again and I am having problems. Initially I got it to start and it ran for a minute and died. Now to get it to start I have to pour some gas in the spark plug hole. I got a rebuild kit and replaced all of it as well as shooting some brake cleaner and air through the air passages. New fuel filter as well. It still won't start. Any ideas? btw it has the Walbro WT-238 carb.

Edit: Noticed this morning that if I don't tighten down the two screws that hold on the primer bulb that it will start and run (although it will occasionally die). I can't run like this though since fuel spills out while it runs.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

Green machine smaller trimmer engines were mfg. by IDC, which was bought by Ryan, which was bought by Ryobi, which was bought by MTD.
They haven't changed much, and on older engines I often saw the reed plate gasket leak, which is the plate assembly behind the carburetor. You should also look for a cylinder gasket leak, as that sometimes happened too.

All two strokes rely on CC (crankcase) integrity as part of the intake "manifold." Any leak in the CC or around the crankshaft can cause starting or operatability problems.

If it starts on a prime and then stays running, while it could be a carb. problem, most likely it's not.

Two strokes are a whole different animal, and can be difficult for novices to diagnose, especially without special equipment such as a crankcase pressure-vacuum tester.


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## wolly6973 (Mar 18, 2009)

Thanks for the reply. I did manage to get it running. I'm not sure what did it. But I just kept disassembling everything, cleaning, and reassembling. I also think that it was out of tune. This was my first time dealing with a carburetor, so it was a learning experience.
Any by the reed plate gasket, is that what is between the carb and the actual motor?


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

In short, yes.
The carburetor mounts to the manifold block assembly, and with the IDC motors like yours the manifold block and reed plate are a combo.
Two strokes are either reed-valve or piston-ported. Most are the latter.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/two-stroke1.htm


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