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so, having a functional weed eater is very important to me in the summer because I have a big lawn. There also aren't very many landscaping businesses around where I live, and that can be extremely expensive anyways. So, I have to keep doing this myself.

I thought that STIHL was a great brand, but every single piece of STIHL equipment has broken so far this summer. The local repair shop said it was the carbuerator/dirty gas the first time with both my chainsaw and brushwhacker, and I got that fixed, but I've still been having problems with it. I have a small weedeater from a few years ago, and that has broken as well, I asked the shop about the symptoms and they said it was likely the shaft that was causing the blade to spin very slowly. I just took in my honda push mower to them because it was having so much trouble, and they said it was the spark plug but now that it's back at home it still isn't starting. My brushwhacker also is no longer starting despite the fact that it's filled with premixed gas and I've started it many times.

I accept that with machinery there will be repairs, but it seems like neither the equipment I've been using in this summer, NOR THE REPAIR PEOPLE, are adequate for getting anything done. What are some brands that you have used that aren't constantly plagued with mechanical issues? Are there any equipment repair manuals that succinctly describe all the problems you encounter with lawn equipment and what needs to be replaced/fixed?

Echo trimmer, 25 years old. Only 'problem' has been to remove and discard the spark arrestor screen and remove and replace the hoses, filter and grommet in the fuel tank. Homeowner use, not commercial. I also have a new one bought last year.

I avoid ethanol gas. I like to eat corn, not burn it.

I first want to say you live in a beautiful state. After I got out of service I would drive to Pennsylvania to visit grandparents & take my grandfather trout fishing, the drive & countryside was beautiful. I would first look online to see if there have been any recalls on your equipment, have your model & serial numbers handy. You can call local certified Stihl dealer also. Our youngest son ran into this problem a year ago with an Echo chainsaw that he purchased at H.D. on used equipment shelf with price lowered $100. He registered saw online with Echo & was notified by Echo large dealer/repair shop in Tennessee about a recall. We live in N.W. Ga. & drove 45 minutes to their factory above Chattanooga. Turned out oiler was not working because of a defective part & repair was free & saw was ready after having it two weeks. The saw was brand new, no sign of gas or bar oil in saw prior to purchase. I have 2 Echo weed eaters that are more than 10 years old & 2 leaf blowers, one handheld & one backpack that are several years old. I use premium gas with a fuel treatment on all outdoor power equipment. Let us know how things work out, thanks, Mark

They don’t make them the way they used to. I also have several older weed eaters that always work well. Stihl was always the go to weed eaters in my area until the 4 mix type came out. I have 2 Stihl FS80’s and a 85 that I been running 15 years now semi-commercially and no problems. Filters, plugs and greasing gearboxes is all I’ve done...never even have had to clean the carb. If I had to purchase another weed eater I would go with a SRM model Echo. They have high end homeowner model that’s pretty good without getting into commercial model prices.

Because people are no longer able to make informed decisions on small equipment they buy on price & advertising hype.
Because of this quality brands like Stihl have been force to make very low quality, low service life, equipment in China, to match prices with other imported throw away junk.
SO how well it works & how long it lasts is generally directly proportional to the price paid.

We have no idea which you bought because you have not provided model numbers and in some cases we would also need the serial number as the same models can be made in several different countries to different quality standards.

Having said that your repair shop sounds highly suspect.
I give 12 months warranty on all my repairs & provide loan tools when I am snowed under.

Small engines are not Apollo Mission complicated so can be repaired by any one with a modicum of common sense and there are plenty of people here more than willing to take you by the hand then walk you through your repairs.

But , and VERY IMPORTANT, start a new thread for each item and better still in the appropriate sub section
Title it with a good description like "FS120 fires but won't run "

Up until last year when the drive shaft became unavailable I have been loaning out my FS25 we bought new in 1984 to customers with dead line trimers and chain saw customers get loaned the saw we bought at the same time to cut 2 ton of firewood every season.

As for garbage, garbage is everywhere.
So what you see in every hardwear shop , discount department store, on line and every corner shop is generally throw away.
What you only find in pro gear shops is usually good
Tanaka & Shindawa are examples of this, hard to find because they last a very long time so the store does not sell many and has little chance of replacement sales every couple of years.

I've been using Stihl products for a long time and have always been satisfied, but after my lawnmower broke down, I decided to buy a Makita lawnmower. Not once have I regretted that I chose this manufacturer because their products turned out to be very high quality and reliable. After the mower, I bought a chainsaw and a drill, realizing that I would never buy another Stihl product. You can throw them away in the disposal bin because they don't seem to be as good anymore. Try to buy something from Makita and see for yourself. It will be better than taking my word for it.

I'll stick to my Shindaiwa T-235, Going on 7 years now, & I do edge a lot.. Best weed-whip I've ever had.

I doubt they are made anymore, but I got over 40 YEARS on a Robin Weed trimmer, & it was still running. Just converted to battery.

Echo SRM 225 or above models. Keep it greased. There is a small bolt in the head. The grease goes in there. Same thing with edgers. Now to fuel. Keep your fuel fresh. If you don’t use much, buy the canned stuff. At the end of the season, drain the fuel then crank and run till they shut down.

Stihl equipment is very good but it sound you are having one of my days where everything go wrong at the same time. What pisses me off as a shop is the fact the Stihl is making it impossible to repair the carburetors by making it nearly impossible to get the repair kits. I currently having to replace a $100 carburetor simply because Stihl refuses to sell the $15-$25 repair kit. Matter of fact this makes the 10th carburetor so far this year that I had to replace for customers because of this attitude from Stihl. I missing the days where I could get the kits thru my Zama distributor for these Stihl carburetors.

I have to disagree that the Echo SRM 225 are good units especially when used commercially. They make it only a couple years before the cylinder plating wears thru. Home owner use usually last a lot longer; unless, me where I have 14 acres to trimmer every few weeks.

It is also to be noted that new equipment simply don't last like the older equipment. Cheaper designs.

I like stihl products and i like working on them but i hate trying to get parts. So far i have not had to buy a carb for one this year. I think aftermarket is coming out with more zama type stuff
like G&D kits since stihl put the screws to us.

Hammermechanicman said:

I like stihl products and i like working on them but i hate trying to get parts. So far i have not had to buy a carb for one this year. I think aftermarket is coming out with more zama type stuff
like G&D kits since stihl put the screws to us.

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I really hope they do as Stihl is just ripping off their customers. But finding them is harder as Stihl changing over to a new system of labeling the carburetors. The new ones has model numbers like 4147/25B instead the familiar Zama C1Q numbers.