Chinese carbs... my experience

[Nathan Bruce]

I, like many of the people on this forum (I assume) am kind of a cheap skate and one way to save money it seems is by purchasing amazon/chinese carburetors. I have ordered a few and have one on order for a Stihl ms260 but I think that will be the last one I purchase, here's why. In my experience chinese carbs are not consistent, you will get one that runs great, tunes great and lasts but you will also get ones that won't run, won't tune and are just built really poorly. Often it seems that amazon carbs are missing parts (that special cover for ms260 metering diaphragm as an example). The real reason that I am righting/venting about this can trace its roots back to 2 things.
1) the ms260 I bought that came with an amazon carburetor that is missing the metering diaphragm cover with the vent to the air filter, and the fact that in order to get that saw to run close to decent it needs the hi screw at almost 3 turns!
2) I bought an amazon carburetor for a troybilt (MTD) weed eater that is owned by a friend, it looked great in the photos but when it got here I notices that it didn't have a choke flap, it also didn't have a threaded hole for the little screw.
So, I was just wondering what you guys thought about chinese carbs and what has your experience been? I am planning on going OEM from this point forward and I will give an update on that amazon carb I have on order when it gets here. Sorry for the "rant".
The top photo is the chinese carbs choke flap, the bottom is the original walbros.

 

[Lawless]

I have bought a few. My FS55R trimmer which has untold hours on it has one now and it runs better than ever. The factory one had a weird issue I couldn’t seem to fix after 2 kits. The BG55 blower still has the factory carb, bought both these tools at same time

The first carb I bought for the trimmer was junk and went back. Different brand is perfect. Carb, line, air filter and fuel filter for $15

My MS250 had the hot start issue that plagues those saws. Chinese carb was recommended to me as a fix and it absolutely fixed it. Perfect in every way.

My Husqvarna 359 wore one a while til I could mod the factory 199 carb. It didn’t run perfect and the screws seemed to lack effect. Factory one is modded and back on it now.

It’s a roll of the dice. Some are crap, some are a fantastic bargain.

 

[Mad Professor]

Huuuummmmmmm............Chinesium

 

[KASH]

I wonder how many perfectly repairable carbs are trashed each year.I have over 40 saws and the only carb I ever bought was a used one for a 038 Mag because it did not have one when I bought it.
Kash

 

[Nathan Bruce]

I wonder how many perfectly repairable carbs are trashed each year.I have over 40 saws and the only carb I ever bought was a used one for a 038 Mag because it did not have one when I bought it.
Kash

That's a good question, I won't ever throw away a OEM carb if there's any chance of saving it but amazon carbs are real convenient.

 

[Dannoh]

I'm a bit of a collector too with 40+ and another 25 that I've worked on for others this year. Unless parts are missing just get a kit and fix it.
I have bought a few china carbs for grass trimmers as well top ends for many saws and the parts from China have held up ok so far. No issues with setting the needles.
Last week I had a saw with a cracked piston because the screw from the choke flap on the carb had came loose and entered the cylinder as piston came down... that was a Walboro.

 

[Mad Professor]

I'm a bit of a collector too with 40+ and another 25 that I've worked on for others this year. Unless parts are missing just get a kit and fix it.
I have bought a few china carbs for grass trimmers as well top ends for many saws and the parts from China have held up ok so far. No issues with setting the needles.
Last week I had a saw with a cracked piston because the screw from the choke flap on the carb had came loose and entered the cylinder as piston came down... that was a Walboro.

I bought a Chi-Com carb once, for a string trimmer I got for free.

 

[Old2stroke]

2) I bought an amazon carburetor for a troybilt (MTD) weed eater that is owned by a friend, it looked great in the photos but when it got here I notices that it didn't have a choke flap, it also didn't have a threaded hole for the little screw.

Had the same thing happen with a new Poulan blower, Walbro carb with no choke plate.

 

[NSEric]

It's a crap shoot.
I have had good luck with the ones I bought. 365 carbs for ported 52cc saws. They're fussy to tune but it's a big carb for the cc too.

Some trimmers have choke flaps built into the air filter not on the carb, you may have gotten the wrong carb.

 

[ZeroJunk]

You can buy 5 Chinese carbs or more for what one OEM Stihl costs. On most pieces of equipment it is a 10 minute process or less. Some OEM Stihl carbs are $115 or more.
So, that is the decision you have to make. Is it one carb for one saw that you really like. Or, for saws that you run in to regularly.

I usually keep about 5 carbs for FS90R's, 5 for BR600's, 5 for FS91's, 5 for FS85's. Have a few for 021's, 23's 25's, MS170's, MS250's. Gets a little more complicated because there are like 5 different versions, and they are only like $45 anyway.

So, how was that for a round about answer.

 

[slowcar281]

I’ve bought several of those Chinese carbs and a few worked ok but more often than not I’ve had a hard time adjusting them and they wouldn’t really hold a tune well

 

[Nathan Bruce]

It's a crap shoot.
I have had good luck with the ones I bought. 365 carbs for ported 52cc saws. They're fussy to tune but it's a big carb for the cc too.

Some trimmers have choke flaps built into the air filter not on the carb, you may have gotten the wrong carb.

The carburetor I got hada choke shaft, it just didn't have a choke flap.

 

[MacAttack]

Me personally.... I'll spend $15 for a rebuild kit for the OEM carb before I'll spend $15 for a complete Chinese replacement carb. But, I've had good luck with the Chinese carbs at least after a short amount of time running.
A lot of new OEM carbs are made in china anyway on the less-than-premium equipment. For example, the newer Zamas are Chinese now.

 

[MacAttack]

I wonder how many perfectly repairable carbs are trashed each year.I have over 40 saws and the only carb I ever bought was a used one for a 038 Mag because it did not have one when I bought it.
Kash

I'd bet money that 95% of the discarded weed eaters on the side of the road are a carb kit, fuel lines and primer bulb away from running like new. It's a damn shame.

 

[The Shooters Apprentice]

I think it depends on where you get them. I’ve had no issues with any of the farmertec carbs I’ve bought, but I have yet to get a good one from Amazon yet.

 

[Nathan Bruce]

I think it depends on where you get them. I’ve had no issues with any of the farmertec carbs I’ve bought, but I have yet to get a good one from Amazon yet.

That's interesting, I haven't tried farmertec carbs yet.

 

[sean donato]

Haven't really had any issues with aftermarket carbs. Choke shaft linkages ect not being right is just as much the buyers fault as the sellers fault. I've had more issues with replacement carbs for old kohlers and Briggs then issues with 2 stroke carbs. Haven't had an aftermarket carbs that wouldn't adjust properly. Unless its a specific carb that is nla its really not worth the time to tear one down.

 

[Mad Professor]

Just don't do E10

 

[sean donato]

Just don't do E10

Thats easier said then done. First im not paying an extra $0.50 -1.00 per gallon for gas thats going to get used up within a month, let alone drive way out of my way to buy it. Biggest issues is letting equipment sit. Not our fault if a customer/friend doesn't drain fuel out/use a stabilizer or follow any sort of long term storage procedures.

 

[Mad Professor]

Thats easier said then done. First im not paying an extra $0.50 -1.00 per gallon for gas thats going to get used up within a month, let alone drive way out of my way to buy it. Biggest issues is letting equipment sit. Not our fault if a customer/friend doesn't drain fuel out/use a stabilizer or follow any sort of long term storage procedures.

Airport is 2 miles from me. I buy 10-15-gal 100LL and mix what I need. It's never gone bad, and I have Stihls from 80s-90s with OEM factory carbs never been rebuilt (036 038 BR400 009 064 066 056...). I did go into my 028s and few 038. I've got a stock of kits for all these when the time comes, kits are old OEM, just like oem gasket sets for the same.

I can't afford nor like: paying to buy new saws, paying to fix yourself can't, can't get parts, az wipe dealers, az wipe service....

I lost my go to chainsaw man, Billy in Bennington (God bless you Bill) . He retired. I think I've found a good man in Cannan Ct. Cousin Introduced when we were fixing old tractors. I'll make the trip when needed....