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Question for you small engine gurus:
Echo tiller - Why would the engine create a vacuum on the fuel tank?
I have about 1 hour on this machine. It worked great for the first 45 minutes I used it to till a small patch for planting sunflowers. Now when I go to use it, it will not run other than idle and creates a vacuum in the fuel system that only gets corrected by opening the tank. If I run the engine with the tank slightly cracked open then I can rev the engine just fine but the fuel tank vibrates open.

It appears to have a fuel breather that tucks under the plastic, could this be bad already?

 

It has to breathe, could have gotten clogged with something like a small spider, or who knows what.

 

Does the gas cap have a small hole in the top of it? Like @six5crèéd said, they have to breathe. Post a pic of the gas tank.

 

Here’s the gas tank and what I think is the breather.

 

I’ve never seen one of those before. Everything I’ve owned had a hole in the center of the cap.

 

Same here.

 

I've never seen one but did a search and you can get a 20 pack cheap enough, be worth a try to replace it and see if it is your problem.

$10 AUNMAS 20Pcs Fuel Line Vent Breather, Trimmers Fuel Line in Vent for All Echo Equipment, Grommet Trimmers Weeds Cleaner Patio Garden Replacement Supplies Kit, Breather Valves for Echo

https://www.amazon.com/AUNMAS-Breat...cint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584345026163153

 

Might be some new safety feature, maybe with a 1 way valve?

 

Bet there is a check valve in the white part stuck or gummed up. It's really the only logical explanation.
Stuck shut causing your issue of course.

 

It is defiantly most annoying that its already gone bad... Might need to call the Echo hotline and see if they send me a new one.

 

Probably a reason you can get 20 of them for $12. Not a good sign.

I'd pull the tubing off of it and hit it with some brake cleaner and see what happens if you gotta have it working now.

 

Had one of my Predator powered project come back today.

Thought it was warranty work.

Nope.

Mouse nest got in the drive pulley and and wedged the belt causing shearing of the bolts.

There was a second mouse nest in the fan fins.

It did take out the fan when this happened, but no structural damage to the engine.

If course, the use of Easy Outs is never a joyfully time.

I hope I'm not making a mistake replacing the stainless with black oxide bolts.

Anyone know which is a more durable bolt?

 

@My Name is Rahl can tell us about the bolt strength I bet

 

Actually they both look stamped 12.9 so they may be the same.

 

@My Name is Rahl is our hardware professional.

 

Are we going to see "where in the world is @My Name is Rahl memes now?

@wilcam47

 

The bolt with the blue paint is metric grade 10.9 or a grade 8 equivalent. Metric 12.9 is Grade 9 equivalent.

The difference is in the metallurgy, not in the finish. A Black Oxide finish is the least corrosion resistant followed by Zinc finish. Zinc finish will only give you about 3 months before red surface rust. Even Yellow Zinc isn't any better. You need a Geomet coating, especially for finer threads like on SHCS. It's a dacrotizing, or cold mechanical zinc, finish and it's just as good as galvanized.

If you give me a size, I can get you the a link to a properly finished SHCS.

 

Great! Glad to see the Republic of China sprung for a quality flywheel to crank bolt!

I figured it was a finish thing.

I'll measure the bolts and report back .

Thanks for the response.

 

I just miced' the bolt. Is the info you need?