Spark Plug question for those familiar with Echo Leaf Blowers

[sgkent]

Have an older Echo PB-201 hand held 2-cycle leaf blower about 2006 vintage. Runs great and going to pass it on to a friend who can use it. We have converted to battery because the Mrs insists on using a leaf blower and she has a bad arm and can't pull starters. So here is the question. The Echo manual I have is a down loaded version of the original. That Echo manual calls for an NGK BPM7Y. The plug I pulled out of it today was a NGK BPM8Y. It was tired, top corroded from years of use, but had a nice gray color to the porcelain tip, with black on the body. The unit has a catalytic converter in it, and has been used lots of hours. The spark arrester screen was clean with no carbon or soot. So I bought a new BPM8Y and discovered when researching the gap it was supposed to be the 7Y instead. The 8Y is one range cooler than the 7Y. I honestly don't know if I ever replaced the plug but maybe I did a long time ago, I dunno. Sometimes when it idles it is a bit touchy if left to idle too long, and will die, although the carbs on these are troublesome - I do drain the tank and run it out of fuel each time I use it to save the carb and hoses, hence maybe the light gray plug from being lean running itself out of fuel. Anyway, one range isn't too much but I am puzzled how I would have come by a plug one range colder than the manual unless Echo substituted a colder plug than the manual calls for or the Echo dealer handed me one a long time ago. I certainly would not have ordered a part not in the manual. Not really sure which direction to go here with what plug to put in it since the 8y has been working other than being hard to keep idling a long time. I tend to follow the manuals explicitly when buying parts but not sure whether to just go with what was in there or go one range hotter thinking that maybe it will idle better. Thanks

Edit: I might add that if one goes to Echo-USA.com and pulls up Echo tune-up parts, they list the resistor version of the colder plug (BPM8Y). Kit #90114Y. But if one goes to some of the small engine sites, some list a kit with the resistor version of the hotter plug (BPRM7Y) and some list the resistor version of the colder plug (BPRM8Y). RepairClinic.com lists the colder plug while Jack Small Engine lists the hotter one (which is the same listed in the 2006 online Echo manual). Other than flip a coin, which plug would you choose?

 

[ILENGINE]

Looks like the PB-201 serial range 02001001-02999999 used the hotter BPRM7Y were as the later 06001001-06999999 and 09001001-09999999 used the colder BPRM8Y And the kit that contained the BPRM7Y superceded to discontinued. So in the end if the colder plug is working properly then I wouldn't be worried about staying with the plug. But the other plug wouldn't hurt anything either. The hotter plug may help assist with the idle issue which I suspect is due to running slightly rich and loading up. But could also be slightly lean and just slowly running out of fuel.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Have an older Echo PB-201 hand held 2-cycle leaf blower about 2006 vintage. Runs great and going to pass it on to a friend who can use it. We have converted to battery because the Mrs insists on using a leaf blower and she has a bad arm and can't pull starters. So here is the question. The Echo manual I have is a down loaded version of the original. That Echo manual calls for an NGK BPM7Y. The plug I pulled out of it today was a NGK BPM8Y. It was tired, top corroded from years of use, but had a nice gray color to the porcelain tip, with black on the body. The unit has a catalytic converter in it, and has been used lots of hours. The spark arrester screen was clean with no carbon or soot. So I bought a new BPM8Y and discovered when researching the gap it was supposed to be the 7Y instead. The 8Y is one range cooler than the 7Y. I honestly don't know if I ever replaced the plug but maybe I did a long time ago, I dunno. Sometimes when it idles it is a bit touchy if left to idle too long, and will die, although the carbs on these are troublesome - I do drain the tank and run it out of fuel each time I use it to save the carb and hoses, hence maybe the light gray plug from being lean running itself out of fuel. Anyway, one range isn't too much but I am puzzled how I would have come by a plug one range colder than the manual unless Echo substituted a colder plug than the manual calls for or the Echo dealer handed me one a long time ago. I certainly would not have ordered a part not in the manual. Not really sure which direction to go here with what plug to put in it since the 8y has been working other than being hard to keep idling a long time. I tend to follow the manuals explicitly when buying parts but not sure whether to just go with what was in there or go one range hotter thinking that maybe it will idle better. Thanks

Edit: I might add that if one goes to Echo-USA.com and pulls up Echo tune-up parts, they list the resistor version of the colder plug (BPM8Y). Kit #90114Y. But if one goes to some of the small engine sites, some list a kit with the resistor version of the hotter plug (BPRM7Y) and some list the resistor version of the colder plug (BPRM8Y). RepairClinic.com lists the colder plug while Jack Small Engine lists the hotter one (which is the same listed in the 2006 online Echo manual). Other than flip a coin, which plug would you choose?

Probably go with the little bit hotter spark plug. You mentioned gap with no further context. Gap should be around .022”. Ideally a plug should be a light brown color when checking.

Draining the premix fuel every time you use it to “save the fuel line, etc.” is completely unnecessary. I have a 2003 handheld blower (BG85), that runs as good as the day I bought it. I do not drain fuel in equipment. Only time to drain fuel in handheld equipment is over winter, long term storage, or when fuel is too old and need to put in fresh to get it started.

 

[StarTech]

Please use the resistor plugs some us still operate using amplitude modulation transceivers. Non-resistor plugs even mess with CW receptions.

And it is a pain hunting down those dang local electric fence shorts.

 

[sgkent]

Looks like the PB-201 serial range 02001001-02999999 used the hotter BPRM7Y were as the later 06001001-06999999 and 09001001-09999999 used the colder BPRM8Y And the kit that contained the BPRM7Y superseded to discontinued.

thank you. I think that the superseded plug will be best and will stay with it.

Probably go with the little bit hotter spark plug. You mentioned gap with no further context. Gap should be around .022”. Ideally a plug should be a light brown color when checking.

Thank you. set it to .026" as that was the manual spec and old plug was about .027"

Please use the resistor plugs

I get it. My old garage door opener would not work when a neighbor was using his cheap Chinese leaf blower. That said, resistor plugs work well to solve problems with solid core and low resistance plug wires. But resistor plugs and resistance wire are redundant as they are both current limiters. When this devices was built they took RF transmission into account because it cannot be heard on AM. Now maybe if someone put in a cheap coil that had cheap plug wire, it might make RF.

I do not drain fuel in equipment. Only time to drain fuel in handheld equipment is over winter, long term storage, or when fuel is too old and need to put in fresh to get it started.

The ethanol and chemicals in the fuel here in California play havoc with the small Zama carbs. When I leave fuel in the engine and just shut it off, the carb diaphragms only last about 18 - 24 months before they start to malfunction and become un-tuneable. But when I drain the fuel and run it out, I get 5 to 7 years between rebuilds. It has been a consistent problem whether a hedger, leaf blower, or small 2-cycle tiller. There is a small flap on the diaphragm inside the carb that warps when fuel is left in it. That flap acts as a fuel pump valve, allowing fuel in and stopping it from going backwards. The tanks are also pressurized, and the fuel softens and swells the tank hoses, causing issues there. I am not trying to save fuel, I am trying to stop having to rebuild these small Zama, Walbro 2 cycle type carbs, and replace the hoses. I use the best 2 cycle oil I can buy too.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

I use nothing except 10% ethanol fuel in all my two stroke equipment. The leaf blower from 2003 has never had the carburetor off and metering diaphragm replaced. People love blaming ethanol fuel for many problems. I see water in fuel and old fuel causing substantially more problems than ethanol ever caused.

 

[StarTech]

It all on the quality of the materials used. I have fuel components last for years or only last less than a day when exposed to fuel.

And ethanol gets most of the blame but even non-ethanol fuel can damage components depending on what additives are in from the supplier.

I had one customer back in 2023 that we were losing vacuum fuel pumps withing 30 minutes of use. It turn out to be his non-ethanol fuel from the local Co-op. When drained and filled with my 10% ethanol the problem went away. But of course he didn't listen and was back after refilled the tank with his fuel again with another destroyed fuel pump. He finally got the point when I billed yet again for another fuel pump and labor.

 

[sgkent]

regardless, the station bought fuels here cause havoc with the zama and walbro carbs that can be avoided by draining the fuel out and running dry after each use. Doing so only takes about a minute and they last years that way. I used the cooler plug. It started up on first pull after sitting for six months of non-use.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Please use the resistor plugs some us still operate using amplitude modulation transceivers. Non-resistor plugs even mess with CW receptions.

I wonder how many here know what CW is. IMI K