Weed Wacker Revisited.

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deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
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north carolina
Okay the chainsaw is again on the back burner. If I come across an ignition module that isn't more than the motor, I might give it a shot at a fix. But the good news is I bought a nice little Ryobi 30cc whacker. I'm going to give it a shot.

First of all it has a bad carb so I have to see about fixing that. Then I have to work out a mount. I am going to try to save the case, if I can. That remains to be seen. I have a few new tricks since the last time I tried to use one of these things.

So here we go again.
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
Thank you. The ryobi is almost the same cc as the chainsaw I was working with but it has only a half crank so it will probably wear out faster than the chain saw would have. It should be interesting.
 
H

happyvalley

New Member
Jul 24, 2008
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upper Pioneer Valley
I like your projects too Deacon, in a very real sense they are at the heart of what motorizing a bike is all about, being innovative and making good use of it of what's at hand. There must be a lifetime's supply of weedwackers hanging on garage walls right now, never run out.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
The Ryobi will basically run forever, as will a Homelite. Im speaking of the earlier ones made in the USofA. The later ones not so much. They WILL NOT make comparable hp compared to a chainsaw of the same ccs. I wouldnt mess with any thing less than 30ccs. There are Homey blower engines of 30cc, the common Ryobi is 31cc, the old Poulan "suitcase" weedeater is 30or so ccs. They are out there. If you can score brand name back pack blowers, Still, Husquvarna, Echo, there are 40-60+cc engines in those. Start scrounging!
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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I put an add in craigs list that I was looking for them. I hope peole will contact me if they don't see quickly on Craigs list.

I forgot to mention that I am going to use the front fork to mount these things. So for usually under ten bucks you can find a junker bike to use as a donar for parts. Get yourself a 20" bmx and you can use the crank to lower the frame of a larger bike if you want just by switching wheels. It is easier for me to fit into a 26" frame with small wheels and a small crank. The small crank keeps the pedals from dragging the ground on a turn. The lower bike makes it easier to get on and off. Thats why I have extral parts laying around.

Off to feed my dogs and pull that carb to replace the gasket and diaphram first to see if that solves the problem if not then to switch out for the blower carb that I know works.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
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Colonial Coast USA.
Hey deacon, dont give up on the Mac saw yet. I bet you can ride it all winter, the module will probably behave then. Thats the cool thing about using forks as mounts. You could swap out different engine combos in a matter of a few minutes!
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Just had a thought on a variation of the cheap and easy roller for the weedeater. Get 2 sleeve(coupling) nuts in 5/16. You will have to rethread one to fine thread to fit the engines crank, no big deal. Remove the stock nut and screw it down tight against the flywheel. commect the second nut with a short section of bolt or threaded rod. Then make the rubber roller in what ever size you want but make the center hole so it fits tightly over the hex on the sleeve nut. Find a washer that just fits over the sleeve nut, will probably need 2-3. Slip on the roller, then the washers then draw it all down tight with a 5/16 bolt on the out side.
 
rustycase

rustycase

Gutter Rider
May 26, 2011
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Left coast
Gosh Deacon, that trimmer looks brand new!


I went out yesterday to look for some scrap to make mounting plates and did not find what I was looking for... but I brought home this. So now I'll stray with even another tangent!
rc
 

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deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
ain't surprises grand... I got the weed eater running an on the bike. I could not use the forks but I did use the hub as a hinge. God I love that thing. So many ways to use it I just never recognized them before.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
221
63
Colonial Coast USA.
rustycase said:
Gosh Deacon, that trimmer looks brand new!


I went out yesterday to look for some scrap to make mounting plates and did not find what I was looking for... but I brought home this. So now I'll stray with even another tangent!
rc
Click to expand...
I love tangents! I try to have as many going at one time as I can, hoping a few might actually become a reality!
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
I start a build and hope it works out but whether it does or not I get the fun of building the bike. If I can ride it a few times that's a bonus.
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
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north carolina
I had a case of the stupids yesterday. I was switching carbs so many times that I forgot to tighten them some of the time. The motor would run good sometimes and crappy other times. This morning I'm going to put a little bearing grease on the gasket and tighten it down good. I want to see how it does then.

The carb that was on the motor's problem was that the choke plate was missing. I have no idea what could have happened to it, but it was gone. It didn't even look like there had ever been one but surely there was or it never would have started I guess.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
Deacon, Ill tell ya a story and try to keep it short. My Dad and I used to buy and rebuild airplanes. We had one that needed a com radio upgrade. My Dad bought a used radio to save money. After much time and many trips to the radio shop we finally had a nicely working radio for $35 less than a brand new one! Why dont you fit a Ryobi get it worked out and then throw a NEW $79 one on! You can sell the cast off stuff on ebay and recoop some of the cost. It wont take long @ $10 or so a pop on carbs, kits etc. to buy a new one. Just a thought, I hate to see you struggle. I worked on these things for years and they have to be some of the most abused stuff on the planet.
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I know exactly what you mean. I have bought so many parts and junk, that I could have bought a hundred motors already, I just dont have them.

I ask myself over and over why I do it. I make a point of putting aside a few bucks every month to buy a new motor or kit. At the moment I have several times the price of the new weed eater. But I have never bought one. Since I don't have a schedule or a customer to satisfy, this is like a mystery story to me. It's a challenge to see if they are going to beat me, or I am going to beat them. That's about the only thing I can figure. It's like my dad used to say sometimes you eat the bear and sometimes the bear eats you.

Let me give you an example. I got this one running in about an hour. Once I switched the carbs which I knew I would probably have to do from the start. Then I began to experiment with other carbs. I worked to long and my mind drifted off to making stupid mistakes.

I spent a whole day in my shop happily puttering around working on my mystery. Now, If I had not been doing that, I would have been watching daytime tv with my wife. Or wandering around like a homeless person with no purpose. It's why I keep working on the junk, to be honest. To keep me busy and my mind active.

I know that you are absolutely right. There is no doubt in my mind about it. I just need to stay in the game. I have said before I would rather build the bikes than actually ride them. If I can work it out, so that I spend less than a hundred a month on parts, then my wife never complains and I get to stay out of the house. It's the only explanation I have. Oh yeah I have destroyed new engines as well as old junk ones. They are going to be junk when I finish with them anyway lol.

Speaking of wandering around like a homeless man, there was this guy who used to walk up and down our street talking to God. Everyone was terrified of him, he went to the mental health clinic here and they gave him an old dead cell phone. They told him it was a direct line to God. Whenever he wanted to talk to God, just open the phone and speak into it. Strangers are no longer afraid of him. Building bikes is my cell phone I guess.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
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Colonial Coast USA.
I figured it was something like that. I agree that staying with it keeps you going. I had a blast with the 10 junky bikes I bought. Wound up with three to give away at Christmas, and unfortunately two more MBs. A few tips on weedeaters. As I said for MBs 30cc min. If you come across any Poulan Pro suitcase models get em as they are 2 ring with a chrome bore and as I rember maybe 32cc:confused:, The Ryobi with a yellow boom is really a Homelite clone. I converted one and it didnt make the power of the original. Black boom Ryobis are the original style. You would be happenning with a 4stroke version. Blowers generally have the long shaft, REAL easy to make a roller for. Try to leave em fan cooled(shrouds in place) they cool better that way. Who knows you may want to ride in a 4th of July parade with a lot of idling(I going to). Have fun!!
 
deacon

deacon

minor bike philosopher
Jan 15, 2008
8,114
9
0
north carolina
I am and trust me I plan to pick your brain regularly. I converted a couple of blowers and they did have the good shaft. I wondering how long it will take this clutch to blow out.

I put the chainsaw carb on the ryobi and it works great except I can't figure a way to hook anything to the throttle. it has the crescent shaped connector with no holes in it. It's way to small for me to drill. There must have been some kind of clip on it. It doesn't really matter the one made for this trimmer is on the way.
 
cannonball2

cannonball2

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2010
3,682
221
63
Colonial Coast USA.
It worked with the throttle trigger having a post that acted as a kind of roller. If they are both Walbros you can probably swap shafts. Dont mix up the butterflys!
 
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