FS-90r straight shaft, head turns at idle.

[joea99]

FS-90r, straight shaft. I'd say lightly used, in homeowner context.

Head spins at idle. If I press it hard against the ground to stop it, the engine stalls. If I turn it by hand, engine off of course, it "cogs" at different points in rotations.

Bad clutch/drum?

 

[StarTech]

Sounds like the clutch spring has broken.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

You need to pull it apart and check the clutch. Could be a broke spring binding things up or a seized bearing. The "cogging" is probably the piston turning in the cylinder.

 

[joea99]

Any solution other than replace the clutch assembly? I see it runs around $35.

 

[StarTech]

IF it is just a broken clutch spring then you can just replace it. It would be PN 0000 997 5902 under $2.

It could just rust on the two pivot pins too.

 

[Fish]

Yeah, if it has been sitting for a while, it could just be rusted up.

Not too difficult to take off the cover and see what is up.

 

[Fish]

Just loosen the two larger screws holding the throttle trigger assy. in place, and loosen the screw on the clamp on the tube, and slide straight back/off.
Then just remove the 6 screws and lift off the clutch housing.

 

[joea99]

The spring is not broken. A bit of rust in the area. When I loosened the two screws holding the clutch I heard a little click for each one.

Did not remove the spring/clutch part just applied some penetrating fluid and reassembled, thinking it would have freed up things.

It did not "cog" when I rotated the cutting head by hand. But once I fired it up it was stalling at idle. Now it "cogs" again by hand.

I guess those "pivot pins" need better servicing?

 

[Fish]

Yeah, a squirt of juice would probably do it, just lube the pivot areas only, or removing and buffing.

 

[joea99]

Problem seems to be when tightening down the two screws reasonably tight the arms will bind if I pry them out a bit, as they would move when rev;'d up. They stay there until I back the screw(s) out a bit, then pop back to "rest".

I did clean things up a bit more. The two pins do not want to come out, are they supposed to be free to rotate?