I'll get things started

I have a "Troy bilt" weed trimmer that I bought from Lowes a while back. It's a 4 stroke model and I have to say it's complete junk.

It's hard to start and hard to keep running. I had the carb replaced under warranty a short time after I got it. That helped for a while but by the end of the summer it was back to "normal".

Anyone have experience with these things? I really hate to spend more money for a 2 cycle. But I avoid doing any edging because it's so hard to start. It's one of the models with the interchangeable tools so I avoid doing trimming, limb cutting, etc, etc. because of it too.

Moved to the general forum, you posted in the classified section for selling things.

I'll have to make it little clearer, coincidentally I was thinking about that this morning.

jpete I have the 4 cycle craftsman weed trimmer and I like it a lot you can switch out different attachments just by pushing a button. It runs well, just don't over fill the oil as it will cause it to make to much preasure in the engine. I just burn regular gas in it, and seems to run fine.

Hope you get your's straightend out.

Richard S. wrote:Moved to the general forum, you posted in the classified section for selling things.

I'll have to make it little clearer, coincidentally I was thinking about that this morning.

Maybe a Freudian slip on my part. I'd love to get rid of it if I didn't think I'd feel guilty about doing it.

I have the same one and bought it in '06 I also bought the tiller attachment the grass trimmer, the blower and the saw blade cutter for serious weeds and small trees.

Havnt had a iota of trouble from it. runs very good and strong and being a gearhead i run the living hell out of it. I bet i have put 25 full tanks thru it. I have changed the oil in it 6-8 times.

what do you mean by "normal" after the carb replacement did it run well??? then after a season run like crap again??

"Normal" means like crap.

After the carb was replaced, it ran OK. But since I hate yard work of any kind, that only amounts 3 or 4 uses of possibly an hour or two each.

By the end of the summer, it was back to having to pull on it about 4 dozen times(no exaggeration) before it even coughs, and then maybe another dozen times before it runs.

Hmm ok so if you push the fuel primer bulb 4-5 times and put the choke lever to full it should start first shot then imediatly open choke lever. dont worry about pushing primer bulb to much this does not squirt fuel into the engine it mearly circulates it from tank to carb and back to tank.

what procedure do you use to start it???

maybe you need to hire the swedish bikini team to cut your lawn while you get them cold drinks.......

No choke lever on this model. That's one of the things that makes me crazy about this thing. What kind of a manic builds small engines with no choke?!

but there is one...... its not very obvious but it is there. did you read the ......... destructions?


on the backside ( inner) of the air filter toward the shaft side is a little black plastic lever. down is choke on and up is choke off....

p.s. i have the same one bought at lowes....

The model is a TB475SS

Here's the .pdf of the exploded view.

http://www.m-and-d.com/pdfs/MTD/TB475SS ... C766pl.pdf

if you read reference # 24 it says carb/choke............

actually it says air filter/choke assem........

Nope, just went out and checked just to make sure I'm not insane.

I am, but not in relation to this.

I remember asking where the choke was when I had the carb replaced and was told they didn't have them. Of course, at the time I had it fixed, the local TB dealer didn't even know they made 4 strokes. Seems they were "Lowes only" at the time.

Poconoeagle wrote:if you read reference # 24 it says carb/choke............

actually it says air filter/choke assem........

But no lever!

I tell ya it is almost impossible to differentiate it but I assure you it is on the black plastic air filter housing. I am unable to get to mine right now but i will take a zoom pic for ya tomorrow after lunch and we can compare.

it dont look like a lever....

Yep my craftsman has the choke and also the fuel bulb. The choke on the craftsman has full half and off on the choke control.