MF - I have several Homelites that are perfect to use. My hatred is aimed squarely at the TTI 'engineered' Half crank 2 stroke. Ryobi also sell them.
Need a shop press to get the piston out
The previous HLT25CS that finished up in about 2010 is a fairly good half crank, then going back to the old mid 00's 'Zip start' Homelites were quite good.
Go back further and you see the engines from the 90's back when John Deere owned Homelite - great engines
Back in the 80s they even had Kwaka TG18 & 25 - some of the best engines you could want.
I have a 90's homelite (same engine used on black and decker 'whipper snipper' models). They called them 'Bandits', but I think mine just says sx135. Smooth 1/2 crank engine, good power. It had been in a shed for 20+ year - still had the price tag on it:
$219 back in the 90's
Would use it over a modern one any day of the week
The TM251 is also fairly well made, and has the credit of being the only domestic line trimmer engine I have ever seen where the engine was physically worn out - it wasn't turfed due to a stuffed ancillary part; the engine physically wore out with no signs of scoring or anything.
It looked well used, but looked after
Last edited by Tyler; 14/03/21 11:55 PM.
