# Echo SMR 260 weed eater won't accelerate



## vatrader01

Hi. New to your forum, and need some guidance. I have an Echo SRM 260 weed eater. I let it sit with gas / oil mix in it for about 10 weeks. Ran fine when used last. Today, I went to fire it up. It starts, will idle a little bit, but will not gain RPM's when I press accelerator lever. Bogs out. If I shut choke off, it will idle, but when I press accelerator, it dies. Dumped out old gas, went and bought fresh gas / oil mix. No change. Removed air cleaner and carb, sprayed everything I could see, put in back together, no change. Took it back a part, went deeper into the carb, using spray can carb cleaner on everything I could see. Re-assembled, no change. Seafoam in the tank to assist in clean out. No change. Sprayed carb cleaner around intake area while at idle, no change. Pulled muffler off and started. No change. Spark plug looks good, no buildup. Any ideas?

And thanks in advance for your time and patience!


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## 30yearTech

Check for a plugged or restricted exhaust ports, dirty spark arrestor screen.


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## vatrader01

30yearTech said:


> Check for a plugged or restricted exhaust ports, dirty spark arrestor screen.


I removed the muffler from the engine and started the trimmer. It behaved the same...start, would idle, bog out on depressing the throttle.
I have tried spraying the carb / intake area with brake cleaner. Twice the engine gained RPM's while spraying carb area. I can not identify exactly where. Today, I will figure out how to tie down trimmer and hold throttle while spraying. Any thoughts?


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## shortlid

Intake vacume leak?


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## vatrader01

shortlid said:


> Intake vacume leak?


Possibly. 
I had posted this issue in another forum before inquiring here. Out of respect for people's time and effort, I will continue to seek advice and post results in both places. 
I have secured the string trimmer to the top rail of the deck, taped the fuel trigger wide open. With trimmer secure and running, I was able to methodically check gasket by gasket with a can of carb cleaner. I will describe what I found best I can:
On this machine, there is the
1.Carburetor
2. gasket
3. Insulator
4. gasket
5. trash guard 
6. intake port

I was able to get the engine to stall by spraying [carb cleaner]the gasket between the carburetor and insulator. I had no reaction from the running engine at any other gasket or connection. The gasket is intact, no tears, but it is thinner on the top than at the bottom. The solution a new gasket?


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## geogrubb

Replace the gasket and check the insulator very closely, it might be cracked. Have a good one. Geo


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## 30yearTech

vatrader01 said:


> I removed the muffler from the engine and started the trimmer. It behaved the same...start, would idle, bog out on depressing the throttle.
> I have tried spraying the carb / intake area with brake cleaner. Twice the engine gained RPM's while spraying carb area. I can not identify exactly where. Today, I will figure out how to tie down trimmer and hold throttle while spraying. Any thoughts?


Did you inspect the exhaust ports while the muffler was off?? Are they open??

If the ports are plugged, then removing the muffler will not make any difference, that would only change if the muffler or spark arrestor was the problem.


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## Twmaster

Funny, I was just about to post this very same issue with an SRM 2100 from Echo. Same exact deal. Idles, very low acceleration/bogging. I've gone as far as swap the carb, insulator and gaskets off another trimmer. Same deal. Muffler removed too....

I did not look inside the engine to the exhaust ports. I'll do that shortly.


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## Twmaster

Just looked into the ehaust port. I can see it wide open all the way into the bore. I guess it's gaskets and an insulator time...

Otherwise this idles great.


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## 30yearTech

Twmaster said:


> Just looked into the ehaust port. I can see it wide open all the way into the bore. I guess it's gaskets and an insulator time...
> 
> Otherwise this idles great.


Check for a pinched fuel line or possibly a restricted fuel filter.


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## ptmike

open high speed jet screw 1/2 turn see if that works, otherwise remove carb and clean all jet passages (well). corn gas, i love it!!!!!!.


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## vatrader01

Well, I replaced the gasket between the insulator and carb. No change. This is enough to make a preacher cuss. When I had the muffler off [twice], I detected no blockage or carbon build up anywhere. The exhaust port area is clean. I'm gonna fasten the weed eater to the deck rail again and see if I can can find another air leak. Seems a few years ago I had to take a weed eater to the shop for a similar situation. If I recall correctly, the tech said something about blowing out the accelerator pump by pumping the primer bulb to much. Now, I do pump away on that bulb. Any chance I have blown something out? I did not see anything damaged internal to the carb when I had it apart and cleaning. Of course, I would not know if the diaphragm was damaged or not if it did not have a visible tear or obvious damage....


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## vatrader01

I replaced the gasket between the insulator and the carburetor. No change. So.
I took the carb apart for the fourth or fifth time, cleaning everything in sight with aerosol cans of choke and carburetor cleaner. I stuck the straw everywhere. Opening and closing....This was the first time I opened the throttle mechanism as I cleaned ports and flushed every hole and crevice. I had already taken that part off in the previous cleanings.... I put it all back together and....I have a good running string trimmer again. Wish I could pin point what I cleaned that brought about the change.

Thank you for the input and moral support.


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