Echo gt-200r string trimmer wont stay running

[Jesush91]

Hi all! I have an echo gt-200r string trimmer i recently replaced fuel filter fuel lines the gas tank vent i got a brand new carb as well i changed the intake manifold and carb and intake mani gaskets yet the trimmer runs then dies. My frustration is the primer bulb sometimes wont pick up gas even though the brand new fuel filter is submerged and the tank is full of gas. I push the button and it purges out the gas in some positions. Then i tilt the trimmer and it will pick gas up like normal and the fuel filter is STILL in a position where it picks gas up. This leads the trimmer to run fine but then die as i need to tilt it to do my lawns. While the trimmer runs though, the trimmer head spins meaning it is idling faster than it should and touching the idle screw will only make the trimmer stall. No gasket is leaking and engine seals are dry too. This thing is only 3 years old know echos are supposed to be way better than this. I refuse to throw it away knowing there has GOT to be an easy tiny little problem and i need your help to find it. All help is VERY appreciated!

[bgsengine]

Hi all! I have an echo gt-200r string trimmer i recently replaced fuel filter fuel lines the gas tank vent i got a brand new carb as well i changed the intake manifold and carb and intake mani gaskets yet the trimmer runs then dies. My frustration is the primer bulb sometimes wont pick up gas even though the brand new fuel filter is submerged and the tank is full of gas. I push the button and it purges out the gas in some positions. Then i tilt the trimmer and it will pick gas up like normal and the fuel filter is STILL in a position where it picks gas up. This leads the trimmer to run fine but then die as i need to tilt it to do my lawns. While the trimmer runs though, the trimmer head spins meaning it is idling faster than it should and touching the idle screw will only make the trimmer stall. No gasket is leaking and engine seals are dry too. This thing is only 3 years old know echos are supposed to be way better than this. I refuse to throw it away knowing there has GOT to be an easy tiny little problem and i need your help to find it. All help is VERY appreciated!

First - wrong forum, this should be posted in tech discussion.

Second, dry seals are a bad thing - they leak and will cause your problem as the carburetor will not pump fuel.

and third, it can't be 3 years old - they have not made the GT-200r in a very long time since - that model has long since been replaced by the GT-225 so if it is only 3 years from the time you bought it new, you got somebody's new old stock - and at that age and time spent without running I would not be the least surprised to find the seals had dried out and hardened and no longer do the job they are supposed to.

You need to do a proper crankcase pressure/vacuum test on the machine, which I would bet you will show you the leak at the seals.

[KE4AVB]

Haven't got the fuel lines reversed have you? I know a dumb question from a dummy but it does sound like your priming the return line and using the fuel line as the return; although, crank seals can cause dying issues when changing positions. It the not priming all the time that make me wonder about the fuel lines.

[Jesush91]

Hi all! I have an echo gt-200r string trimmer i recently replaced fuel filter fuel lines the gas tank vent i got a brand new carb as well i changed the intake manifold and carb and intake mani gaskets yet the trimmer runs then dies. My frustration is the primer bulb sometimes wont pick up gas even though the brand new fuel filter is submerged and the tank is full of gas. I push the button and it purges out the gas in some positions. Then i tilt the trimmer and it will pick gas up like normal and the fuel filter is STILL in a position where it picks gas up. This leads the trimmer to run fine but then die as i need to tilt it to do my lawns. While the trimmer runs though, the trimmer head spins meaning it is idling faster than it should and touching the idle screw will only make the trimmer stall. No gasket is leaking and engine seals are dry too. This thing is only 3 years old know echos are supposed to be way better than this. I refuse to throw it away knowing there has GOT to be an easy tiny little problem and i need your help to find it. All help is VERY appreciated!

First - wrong forum, this should be posted in tech discussion.

Second, dry seals are a bad thing - they leak and will cause your problem as the carburetor will not pump fuel.

and third, it can't be 3 years old - they have not made the GT-200r in a very long time since - that model has long since been replaced by the GT-225 so if it is only 3 years from the time you bought it new, you got somebody's new old stock - and at that age and time spent without running I would not be the least surprised to find the seals had dried out and hardened and no longer do the job they are supposed to.

You need to do a proper crankcase pressure/vacuum test on the machine, which I would bet you will show you the leak at the seals.

I dont have pressure testing equipment nor the proper plugs to seal the engine up, and if i did i wonder how or where id hook the pressure tester to, wether the intake or exhaust ports or how in the world id get it to fit in the teeny carb pulse hole: I can get genuine echo seals for $10 the pair i know how to replace those. I will try that. However back to the other issue i ordered a genuine echo repower kit that has the rubber plug for the gas tank as well as the 3 lines and the gas tank vent. Plus a new carb. Hooked up the fat yellow line to the intake nipple on the carb (Zama RB-K70) and the skinny black line to the return nipple on the carb being the return side. So with a full tank of leaded 100 octane gas mixed at 32:1 using blue marble high perfomance 2 stroke oil im like why will this carb only bring in fuel thru the primer bulb when i tilt it a certain way and when i tilt it a little i push the primer bulb and it purges all the gas. Baffles me, however im sure its something small and dumb...

[KE4AVB]

That the problem...The yellow line is the fuel return line (3 x 6 x 90mm) and black is the fuel pickup line (3 x 5 x 180mm). As you see from the measurements the pick line is twice as long and should have the fuel filter on it.

As for pressure and vacuum testing one of the seal off plates should have a nipple on it so the tester hose can be attached.

[bgsengine]

I dont have pressure testing equipment nor the proper plugs to seal the engine up, and if i did i wonder how or where id hook the pressure tester to, wether the intake or exhaust ports or how in the world id get it to fit in the teeny carb pulse hole:

Not necessary in this particular case - as you just found the problem. But, Echo pressure tester kit used with block offs (91041) and spark plug hole adapter (91018 or 91081 for the 10mm one) make it a quick and easy task.

I can get genuine echo seals for $10 the pair i know how to replace those. I will try that.

Dont bother you just found the problem - see below

However back to the other issue i ordered a genuine echo repower kit that has the rubber plug for the gas tank as well as the 3 lines and the gas tank vent. Plus a new carb. Hooked up the fat yellow line to the intake nipple on the carb (Zama RB-K70) and the skinny black line to the return nipple on the carb being the return side.

Therse is your problem - the fat yellow line is the return - the skinny black line (if only one) is the fuel pickup and has fuel filter attached.. If there are TWO skinny black lines, plus the yellow, the longest line has fuel filter attached in tank and the other end to the carb fuel inlet.. the shorter one is the tank vent line and should have the tank vent attached to it.

So with a full tank of leaded 100 octane gas mixed at 32:1 using blue marble high perfomance 2 stroke oil im like why will this carb only bring in fuel thru the primer bulb when i tilt it a certain way and when i tilt it a little i push the primer bulb and it purges all the gas. Baffles me, however im sure its something small and dumb...

Yup - very simple - lines hooked up wrong.

[Jesush91]

I dont have pressure testing equipment nor the proper plugs to seal the engine up, and if i did i wonder how or where id hook the pressure tester to, wether the intake or exhaust ports or how in the world id get it to fit in the teeny carb pulse hole:

Not necessary in this particular case - as you just found the problem. But, Echo pressure tester kit used with block offs (91041) and spark plug hole adapter (91018 or 91081 for the 10mm one) make it a quick and easy task.

I can get genuine echo seals for $10 the pair i know how to replace those. I will try that.

Dont bother you just found the problem - see below

However back to the other issue i ordered a genuine echo repower kit that has the rubber plug for the gas tank as well as the 3 lines and the gas tank vent. Plus a new carb. Hooked up the fat yellow line to the intake nipple on the carb (Zama RB-K70) and the skinny black line to the return nipple on the carb being the return side.

Therse is your problem - the fat yellow line is the return - the skinny black line (if only one) is the fuel pickup and has fuel filter attached.. If there are TWO skinny black lines, plus the yellow, the longest line has fuel filter attached in tank and the other end to the carb fuel inlet.. the shorter one is the tank vent line and should have the tank vent attached to it.

So with a full tank of leaded 100 octane gas mixed at 32:1 using blue marble high perfomance 2 stroke oil im like why will this carb only bring in fuel thru the primer bulb when i tilt it a certain way and when i tilt it a little i push the primer bulb and it purges all the gas. Baffles me, however im sure its something small and dumb...

Yup - very simple - lines hooked up wrong.

I switched the lines and now my weedeater idles well. Now i feel like an idiot for comitting that error. No wonder I suspected the seals were ok since my engine is bony dry at both seals and all gaskets. Now my problem is when i give my trimmer more than half throttle or i accelerate it too quick it bogs and dies. To me sounds like when the high jet is lean on a carb. I speak this because i have previous experience on working on redmax komatsu zenoah engines as i own a california goped scooter. Hell, you even gave me diagrams. THANK YOU! I was able to at least do my lawn on lower rpm's today and that made my day you helped lots! Now, does the rb-70 carb have an adjusteable high jet? Because i can only see the idle adjust screw ontop of the carb.

[KE4AVB]

Yes both the RB-K70 and K70A have adjustable high speed mix per Zama but they have EPA tamper resistance emission ball plugs over them normally. Items 33 and 34.

[bgsengine]

Now, does the rb-70 carb have an adjusteable high jet? Because i can only see the idle adjust screw ontop of the carb.

Yes, but your problem sounds more like a low speed adjustment - (which is adjustable) BUT before even trying to adjust it, first you need to look down the bore of the carburetor and open the throttle wide open by hand and see if the throttle rotary valve lines up perfectly with the bore (so that you can see straight through top and bottom) - if it does not (probably hangs down a little "low"?) - then you most likely had the rotary valve removed (which almost never needs to be removed) and lost the tiny (1 millimeter O.D.) Valve roller part number P005001000 - Item # 2 in that picture above- if that is missing, it will cause your problems since the idle adjust is part of the rotary valve and if it is not opening up far enough at the proper time (which that roller will control) it will be lean on acceleration. (the idle mixture is that long rod down the middle, and only adjustable with a special tool - very very small D tip - Have had the tool for years since they came out, and have never - not once -needed to use it. )

if you need to replace that missing roller, you will probably want the o-ring too (P005000280) which does not come in a repair kit (nor does the roller)

[Jesush91]

Now, does the rb-70 carb have an adjusteable high jet? Because i can only see the idle adjust screw ontop of the carb.

Yes, but your problem sounds more like a low speed adjustment - (which is adjustable) BUT before even trying to adjust it, first you need to look down the bore of the carburetor and open the throttle wide open by hand and see if the throttle rotary valve lines up perfectly with the bore (so that you can see straight through top and bottom) - if it does not (probably hangs down a little "low"?) - then you most likely had the rotary valve removed (which almost never needs to be removed) and lost the tiny (1 millimeter O.D.) Valve roller part number P005001000 - Item # 2 in that picture above- if that is missing, it will cause your problems since the idle adjust is part of the rotary valve and if it is not opening up far enough at the proper time (which that roller will control) it will be lean on acceleration. (the idle mixture is that long rod down the middle, and only adjustable with a special tool - very very small D tip - Have had the tool for years since they came out, and have never - not once -needed to use it. )

if you need to replace that missing roller, you will probably want the o-ring too (P005000280) which does not come in a repair kit (nor does the roller)

I purchased this carburetor new and installed it when replacing the fuel lines this month. So youre saying maybe this carb came this way from factory? By the way this rb-k70 carb was purchased and i was told it was a stock part on the gt-200r trimmer however the original carb based on closer inspection says its an rb-k75. By the way, closer inspection of the trimmer parts date of manufacture state this trimmer was manufactured in 2007