Huskee/Speeco 22T won't start in the cold (even mild cold)

[Halligan]

I just replied to another thread on these Huskee 22ton splitters with a Briggs and this is what I posted. I hope it's a solution for some of you.

It seems this is a common complaint when the mercury drops below 35-40 degrees. I went to split some wood today and my Huskee 22t gave me a fit to start. So I got to thinking about this whole choke deal and heres my solution.

THE SHADETREE SOLUTION

The air filter cover on the Briggs allow air in at the bottom of the filter cover. Buy a 99 cent roll of electrical or masking tape and when it's cold out run a piece of tape across the air inlet holes to create a "choke". Once the machine fires up and runs for 10 second you can pull the tape off. You may need to leave small opening for some air to get in but it should work, at least in theory.

 

[chugbug]

Mine will fire on the first pull but quit right away , it always fires just won't stay running unless I can get to the primer bulb in time !!!! This EPA crap is frustrating to say it mildly , and I also blame Briggs they could have done better than this !!! And now they want to go with E15 ethanol

 

[Fifelaker]

I just went out and split some maple. 26* primed 3 times gave it a pull it sputtered and died. 3 more times on the primer gave it a pull . had to keep on the primer for about 20 seconds and it ran on it's own. So far all I have done is re-gap the plug to .025" and syn oil. The plug looks like the ez start plug but the numbers don't match the ones I have seen in the store. I can live with this . I don't really like no choke but I can live with it. I am going to try when it's colder just to see if this still works.

 

[stihl023/5]

I just went out and split some maple. 26* primed 3 times gave it a pull it sputtered and died. 3 more times on the primer gave it a pull . had to keep on the primer for about 20 seconds and it ran on it's own. So far all I have done is re-gap the plug to .025" and syn oil. The plug looks like the ez start plug but the numbers don't match the ones I have seen in the store. I can live with this . I don't really like no choke but I can live with it. I am going to try when it's colder just to see if this still works.

Keep us posted.

 

[chugbug]

Just ridiculous were going backwards in are engine building in the USA , pretty soon the junk from china will be better than a Briggs and Stratton .

 

[haveawoody]

Fifelaker,

After i changed pluggs on my friends splitter he tells me it never has any trouble starting.
Been some mighty cold days he has used it on some huge piles of rock elm.

I think this engine will be just like some of the small garden equiptment that pluggs get fouled for no apparent reason.
Try a brand new plug and even if it doesn't fix the problem it's a very inexpensive test.
If it does fix the problem get another new plug for reserve when the splitter starts being a pain again.

I've got a couple pieces of equiptment that have reserve pluggs because they get fouled and even a gap and clean do little to nothing to make them easy to start, a new plug does though.

 

[stihl023/5]

I just noticed a yard machines splitter at a local store with a diff. briggs vert. shaft and it had a choke?:msp_ohmy:

 

[haveawoody]

stihl023/5,

Cool!
I bet same engine with just a different carb or maybe same carb mount.
I bet it would be easy to put a choked carb on the one without, maybe.

 

[chugbug]

I've been talking with Briggs a bit about this problem hoping that maybe they had come up with a fix that we could install ourselves . Well they act like there's no problem at all and I must be the only one out there with a problem . They went through the normal stuff first try a new plug , then try cleaning the main jet ( which is the bowl nut itself ) then they said maybe I could put a different carb. on it with a choke . I'll find out if they do have a different carb. with a choke that will bolt right up . Just frustrating when you buy a brand new machine and now you have start buying parts for it that should have been on it in the first place .

 

[haveawoody]

chugbug,

That would be cool if they recomend a different carb you can put right on the engine.

Like everything made now it's a crapshoot, most of the time things are fine but more often not.
Not like the old days when companies cared about what they built, now it's $$$.

Tell them to send you this new carb that will fix the busted A_ _ machine for free and see what reply you get.
Let them know you have been thinking about taking it back to the store and buying the one with the honda engine instead.

 

[chugbug]

I bet that won't go over very well , They should but then again that would cost them money !!! I'll see what they say .

 

[artbaldoni]

Just split about a cord this morning with the 22T Huskee. 17F, started then died. 3 hits on the primer, throttle half way and it fired and kept running. 30 seconds at half,moved to full, cycled ram 3x and started to split. No worries.