Stihl 4mix

[Beechbone]

I'd agree with others, use a strimmer like fs70 with hedgecutter head on. Alternatively go for km56 kombi engine with the hedge attachment, both cheaper options than hl95

 

Sent from my HTC One using Arbtalk mobile app

[spudulike]

Look at the amount of moving parts in a four stroke engine compared to a two stroke - all the timing on a two stroke is done by a solid cast aluminium cylinder - the only thing that moves is the piston and bottom end.

 

Compared to the 4T engine, you have valves, tappets, cam followers, cam, timing chain, timing chain tensioners, advance and retard mechanism, gears, valve springs, collets etc etc.

 

Now tell me that this is an improvement over a simple cast cylinder with no moving parts:confused1:

 

I worked on Wolfies KM100s, got it working fine, a week later, it was back - I had to kep adjusting the tappets and we gave up in the end as the next thing was to start stripping the engine -under 30 mins on a two stroke, much longer and more complex on the four stroke:thumbdown:

[jamesd]

Cheers for the opinions guys, i'm leaning towards the fs94rc e because of the handle position has anyone used one before and whats the new ecospeed thing?

[doobin]

Ecospeed is basically a throttle lock like on a blower. Totally useless for strimming.

[Wolfie]

To be fair the Stihl attachments are easily the toughest around, and if you've got a few that's quite an investment which would not realise enough value if sold separately without an engine. Although I've used an Echo polesaw and liked it.

 

I've been very pleased with my two FS-70s. I've just this week sold them both for £140 a piece locally to a mate, and replaced them with two brand new ones at £276 a pop. That's akin to a fixed cost of £136 to have a new engine for a year, under warranty, to run the polesaw, garden strimmer, hedgecutter, tiller and edger. Works for me- I've not had to worry about a thing except petrol.

 

 

Hi Doobin,

I was using my FS70 conversion yesterday when the cutters lost all power. I've stripped it down and it looks like the square spline holder that is part of the clutch drum has rounded off. This is after less than 6 months use.

Have you every come across this?

Cheers,

Ed

[doobin]

Hi Doobin,

I was using my FS70 conversion yesterday when the cutters lost all power. I've stripped it down and it looks like the square spline holder that is part of the clutch drum has rounded off. This is after less than 6 months use.

Have you every come across this?

Cheers,

Ed

 

Ah. Not sure if I've mentioned this but the FS-70 outer tube has a small cutout at the clutch end. If fitting a different shaft (say a solid FS-85), then you would need to replicate this or just cut the shaft down by 5mm ish. Otherwise the inner shaft will not be totally engaged with the clutch or head. This usually causes disengagement of drive as you elevate the machine, accompanied by a graunching noise. It can lead to rounding off if left unchecked, but usually of the actual driveshaft.

 

Is your clutch drum female square bit rounded off just at the entrance to it, with good square beneath it? If so then check the tolerances on the tube, cut it down a bit as described above and you should be fine. I've had the same on mine, but twigged as soon as it disengaged and cut the tube down a smidge, it's been fine since.

 

On an aside, I bought an FS94 the other day. I love it, it's so well balanced with the hedgecutter on, it's solid shaft out of the box (and a good reach on it too), and most importantly, the vibration levels are VERY impressive. Despite what I said about the 'ecospeed' function being useless for strimming (which I stand by) it's sort of handy as a top end limiter when hedgecutting, normally 3/4 revs is plenty to give a good cut unless it's really fine stuff. The throttle has a nicer feel than an FS-70 too.

 

My recommendation would now be an FS-94 to replace a 4-mix combi tool. The FS-70 is good, but the FS94 is much better than the £20 or so price difference would suggest.

Edited November 29, 2014 by doobin

[Wolfie]

Yeah, i did realise about the outer tube needing a notch cut out when I was initially switching it over.

Its seems to have rounded it off right through to the drum bolt.

I've just taken the clutch drum back to the supplier and he's ordering me a new one. Will just have to go easier on the new one - no gnawing at bits slightly too big.

[mowandgo]

Ours is the same!

 

My KM100 would not hold revs a bitch to start and fuel would fill the air filter via the tank breather. I change the little breather for like £6. It never fixed the untit being too heavy and hard to start and 2 stroke machine beating its perfomance but did make it rev & run better. My Husqvarna 327 combi wins every time!

[IVECOKID]

I have a long reach stihl 4mix headgecutter from new for 6years now and used daily without any issues what so ever,still got same plug in ,original air filter (cleaned regularly) and it starts without the choke all the time but there is only me that uses it and only me that mixes the fuel .

Quality bit of kit it is .

 

 

Ste

[wisecobandit]

Burn me at the stake but half the issues with the 4mix are as mixandgo says is the tank breather failing and causing a wet filter or particles of oil to block/stuff the air filter up. On kombi systems due to the angles they get used at make it 3 times worse.

I personally do away with the pipe from the breather to the air box. You can either just route the pipe somewhere different and let it vent to atmosphere or what I do is just fit an ms260 tank vent which doesn't have the vent nozzle. That beats most of the starting issues be it hot or cold.

Another 1/4 of the issues are obviously valve clearances and using 2 stroke they don't like.

The final1/4 is as spud says...