OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Trimmers and Brushcutters Homelite Trimmers & Brushcutters Homelite trimmer ..is this right?

Homelite trimmer I
picked up.. Not sure if they are clutch drive head somehow??, or this is a broken cable...when engine is started, head still spins, but I was not sure if it was with full drive efficiency or not..




is it also normal for a big flat spot at full throttle..I thought this might be some kind of governor effect to discourage over-revving to destruction..starts fairly readily...idles nicely...but past about half throttle, just flattens, no further throttle effect up the range..it trims, but I'm unsure if it is working properly, I am used to a 30cc Ryobi which is obviously upmarket of a smaller Bunnings-grade unit like this..

Since I can't view the Youtube video for some reason here can you post the model number?

yep, sorry the YT won't play for you..HLT25CNB

latish-looking model, made in china no doubt..

Ipl show it has a clutch setup though it is the first I have seen that the clutch drum is part of the front starter cover. I would check the flex cable for damage since that is a curve shaft model.

It also show it having a Ruixing carburetor which here we can't get parts but it look like you Aussies can. All we can get here is the complete carburetor but it is fairly cheap at 16 usd plus shipping.

There shouldn't be a flat spot in the acceleration so either the fuel needs adjusting or the carburetor rebuilt.

Ruixing RX-HR Repair Kit

The following IPL link should give you the idea how the parts are laid out though it don't give part numbers. Looks they are trying to force you to buy from them.

Homelite HLT25CNB Spare Parts

t/y AVB

so if clutch is engine end, is conceivable that the head spinning freely like that when engine is not running, is normal?

I found it on junk, actually, although Ryobis are the most common junk finds due to the sheer preponderence of the LAwn Hornet/Scorpion Weed Wasp and 30cc PLT-style ryobis here, I figure maybe Home Lite is the #2 most common type come across.

the difference is that most ryobis on junk look like they have done their share of work..some still work, some don't, some work with shortcomings...I've noticed that often though, the Homelites are almost new looking, like this one.
I thought if it works, it's a quick few bucks on ebay, but I'm trying to clarify myself even whether to class it as 'working' or "parts/needs repair"..
Carried it home on back of my bike last weekend..

Yes with clutch it normal to free spin as is the safety factor.

As repairable or not it depends if it is for yourself or for sale as parts are the main factor. Here the curve shaft models are usually the low end products that most repair shop cost to repair is more than a new unit. I very seldom repair any except for elderly ladies that have hard time learning new equipment which I usually just do at parts cost with no labor added. My way of paying back the community for supporting me otherwise.

It is very difficult to try and repair any of these sort of machines, they are very fiddly, frustrating and time consuming and the only satisfaction is in getting them running, certainly not something you can make any money on

yes, was my impression Norm.

I'm recycling starter cord pulleys on the fleet of about 6 Ryobi 30cc PLT shape I have, as the cost of a new plastic pulley for one is far above what I even value any used Ryobi whipper snipper at.

It too is a fairly fiddly job, replacing them.
It is the most involved I've gotten with repairs on any of them, so far..
Given the battering those pulleys take during start-ups , it is probably surprising that they last even as well as they do..

Here the curve shaft models are usually the low end products [i][/i]

oh, here too, the straight-shaft ones that more typically have solid-blade options are almost always upstream in the range compared to the curve-shaft ones..

Hmmm I don't have any problems fixing them as long as they haven't been straight gas. Maybe it is that I just work on a lot handheld 2 cycles.

It is the 4 cycle Mtd line that are a waste of time to look at as they are usually failing because of oiling problems. Now the Stihl 4 mix system are very good and I repair several of them every year. I hear that Honda produces a 4 cycle handheld model but I haven't seen any of them in the shop so I can't say one way or the other about them.

AVB, you missed the most important factor in there, has somebody else had a fiddle in there and what have they broken/stripped

I heard somewhere a few years ago that Honda overcame their oil starvation problems, from tilting the machine, by redesigning the sump. I think I heard they put in a double sump. Not positive.
Having once used one, they certainly perform as capably as a two stroke counterpart, with a much quieter idle noise. Quite a novelty

Yes someone else may have mess with them but nearly everything I work on has been monkeyed with at one time or other. Its just something that I have come to expect after working on equipment for over 35 yrs. Besides a broke in Queensland once sent me pictures where he merge two different makes of cars into one so some there are very good at making things work.

Its like the Homelite 23AV chainsaw I repaired last week. The customer had attempted to repair it. He had taken the carburetor a part and damage all the gaskets. The carburetor and gasket were fine before this; actually looked new. The real problem was the loose carburetor to cylinder adapter which destroyed a gasket. I did need to make the gasket as it is no longer available and install a new K20WAT carburetor kit. It cost the customer about 50% of the cost to replace price but saw is like new and runs much better than anything in it class. Well worth the expense.

But I tell the customers here it is their call if they want something repaired once the costs exceeds 50% of replacement. The overall condition is something that should taken into account too. A ragged out unit isn't worth it but one that well keep can be.

AVB, do you ever repair leaf blowers much?
I get the impression you are nearly always better off getting new as they are constructed in such a way as to make repairs difficult and labour intensive.
What has been your experience?

Yes as I done anything from the consumer handhelds to the commercial backpacks. Actually restore a Redmax EBZ8000 over the Winter months here. Purchase two of them that were used to maintain a golf course. One was repairable and other is part donor as I was unwilling to repair the cylinder damage along with the replacement of all the makeshift parts. I also redid a Stihl BR600 and also got part donor with it too. I paid 80 usd for all four units. Now I have the BR600 for sell at 250 usd and the Redmax for 300 usd. Once sold there will be a nice profit.

As for repairs it depends on make and model. Some are fairly easy to access the works and others can take a half day just to disassemble and reassemble if it require repairs other than the carb. Luckily most repairs are carburetor related.

Repairing these are much like repairing today's Auto, ATV and UTV where they are so compacted. They are a little challenging for the beginner but once you get into them it not really that bad; just need to know how to go about it and only experience can teach you that.

Just remove to carburetor on some of the ATVs that I have work on requires half disassembling the unit. A beginning tech's nightmare. I did a Cam Am ATV last year that needed the rear driveshaft u-joints replaced. I had to remove the whole drive axle assembly just to get the driveshaft out. It took 8 hrs plus the actual u-joints replacement first time around but only took 2 hrs the second time as I knew what needed to come loose.

I work ATV that the front drive assembly would only come out of the frame only and go back the same way I had only a few thousandths of inch to get it in. It took 30 minutes just to get the center section back in without damaging the seals. Not a job for an inpatient person.

AVB, I'm sure manufacturers design thing so they are near impossible to get apart to repair so it becomes more cost effective for the consumer to replace the item

I think manufactures are just worried about ease of assembly on factory assembly line with little thought to repairs later. When it comes to ATVs and UTVs the customer are going to repair them whenever possible as you just don't throw away 8-10 thousand dollars machines.

I had the last ZTR customer spend 2,500 on a John Deere 925A Z-trak to get it back up and running. That one required removing both transaxles as they bolted together as one unit so I could just replace one of them. 10hrs of shop time. No way to remove the bolts otherwise. And it required a shop crane and two jack stands to do the job beside the other tools.

People who have ATV's and UTV's have a different perspective on their vehicles/equipment, part pleasure, part use/need, in a similar manner to motorbikes and as such they know and expect that these things will cost money to repair and maintain. The average blower/whipper snipper owner o wants to spend as little as possible because they get little pleasure out of using these machines, they are just work. Contractors using these machines know that they cost money to maintain and accept that as it is their way of generating money, as opposed to the home owner who see it just as work that has to be done.

It is the 4 cycle Mtd line that are a waste of time to look at as they are usually failing because of oiling problems. Now the

TROYBILT is another 4 stroke machine I've run into here...got it to start easy enough, idled well...sold it 'not working/repair /for parts to be safe, got a worthwhile price for it at least on ebay..American-made, according to the labelling on it.

The TB is basically the same design as the MTDs. The last one I attempted to repair which was a blower ran fine until I took it out tested it. With running at operating speed I went out to the end of my driveway. I didn't get turn around for the return trip before it started failing.

Well I took it back to shop and disassemble it. The piston and cylinder was badly scored from the lack of oiling. I was fairly certain this was the problem before I even took it apart but wanted to verify my diagnosis.

I personally I don't even waste my time on these MTD, Ryobi, and Troy Bilt units anymore. They are use it until broken and replace units. What a shame the engineering is so lousy. If they resolve the oiling problems then they would be a great little engine. Just not repairable without a press and parts.