Weedeater Model 599 String Trimmer with No Spark

marsh58

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Hi Everyone,
I am trying to revive or restore an old 1979 Weedeater Model 599 with an Echo g-1ak 2 cycle engine. I don't have any spark from the spark plug when grounded to any metal on the engine. I have tried 2 new spark plugs, 1 new ignition coil and replaced the points breaker and condenser on it as well. Could the no spark issue be related to a sheared flywheel key? I have set the air armature to 0.10 or should it be something different? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Marshall
 

Micah Haarhoff

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Set the armature to the width of a playing card or a buisness card and see if that does any thing
 

motoman

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Try the search function here. A ton of discussion. If you have breaker points you may have a separate auto type coil with windings that may fail? If the points are controlled by the flywheel somehow a sheared key would only put the spark at the wrong place , not stop it from occurring. Someone here with specific info may respond. Don't give up. If you know your TDC try setting a transistor radio nearby tuned to smooth static . Rotate the engine and listen for a POP on the radio to see if you're close, or have spark.
 

Lawnranger

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I am not familiar with that particular trimmer but it sounds like you've replaced the entire ignition system with the exception of the camshaft. Take a good look, if possible, at the cam lobe that opens the points. Remove the spark plug and rotate the crankshaft while watching the points to make sure they are opening. If they don't open you won't get a collapsing field across the coil. Just one more thing to check.

In the past I have had to totally bypass the points by using a Nova II (no, not the Chevy from the 60's) ignition module on chainsaws and it worked great. I saved a vintage Stihl 075 from the scrap heap and the owner was thrilled. He had taken the saw to a Stihl dealer twice and spent over $200.00 and the saw was not fixed. For under $15.00 in parts I fixed his saw that others could not fix.
 

marsh58

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I know I started this thread almost 2 years ago about the 1979 WeedEater model 599 with engine Echo/Kioritz G-1AK. With being able to get back to look at this trimmer, in process of taking the engine apart, the piston is scored on some of it. I wanted to get a new piston for this model, but it is no longer available from the manufacturer. I believe I have measured the piston as 25mm. I have tested with a compression tester and only get 50 PSI with putting a new ring on the existing piston. I was wondering if there is any place that anyone here could find me some place on the Internet a new piston to see if that would revive this old string trimmer and raise the compression. Also since this engine has breaker points on it, if the breaker points aren't set just right, could that cause low compression reading. If I take out the spark plug and hook up a spark tester and ground it to the engine, I am able to get spark that way, but not with spark plug in the spark plug hole and hook up the spark tester between spark plug and ignition coil. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

upupandaway

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Marsh:

piston- look for a stihl fs51 piston. At that time 1 company was making trimmers for Echo and Stihl among other brands before they made their own. The echo 200da has almost all parts of the 70's fs80. fs51 is smaller cyl than the fs80 so maybe fs51 is your clone.

compression- no. if testing correctly, timing doesn't affect compression. Measure the cyl diameter Top, Middle, Bottom and see if cyl is out of round or worn top.

ignition- is it still gapped to .02?? My fs80's are gapped at .018. I tried .02 when i was new with it and no go.

Model 599?? I cant find any pic of it. like I said above- your worst case, maybe the cyl of the 51 will fit yours.
The only gripe I would have is that your piston being smaller than fs80(32mm) that is smaller than last fs80(34mm) and here and there trimming I see how more Ooomph would be nice where the "new" fs80 I just sold blows through everything. I don't know how much yours could handle even if working properly.
Interesting echo made trimmers for weedeater...
 
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