I've used the 94r, their lightest weight, only true 2 stoke powerhead for weekly trimming for over 9 years . Love it, nothing comes close to how light and agile this trimmer is. The newer iterations seem to get way more carb problems within the second season, My first one lasted 5 years with no problems and only changing air filters. I sold it for half of what I paid! Stihl used to be the top dog in reliability. Me thinks Stihl is now riding on their old trusted brand name and making cheaper garbage now.. I'm a stihl fanboy too.
I was having the same problem out of my 94r. What I did was checked the fuel filter. They put 2 fuel filters in the tank in stead of one and when you would edge or do steep hills it would bog down. I took 1 of the fuel filters out and readjusted the carb and haven't had any problems since. It is a design flaw with the fs94r
I worked at a small engine shop for 2 months and we had FS94Rs coming in every single day with customer notes of “starts and dies” or has “no power and bogs out” every time we found that the carbs were never adjusted correctly from factory and were running extremely rich. Plugging mufflers, clogged spark arrestors, fouled spark plugs. We could fix them and send them on their way for a charge and they would always come back with more problems. What my boss and I have found that the carb adjustment screws somehow turn clockwise enrichening the mixture automatically, not sure if it’s from vibration or a inferior design, but just keep those carbs adjusted correctly and you shouldn’t have too many problems.
I wonder whether a small spacer/washer, or something like Loctite 222MS Threadlocker, or Vibra-TITE 213 VC-3 Threadmate Threadlocker could be used to remediate problems with carb adjustment screws "walking" in/out due to vibration...?
I bought one this year for my father mainly because of the weight from what I've seen from other guys on here and people that I know it's usually a hit and miss some people have great luck with it others not so much. For us personally it's been ok so far it has good power and really light but it does have its issues. For us it takes a while to warm up at times especially when it's hot here in South Texas sometimes it runs right away after 1 or 2 pulls other times it can take up to 10. The gas tank isn't vented so it'll blow out gas when you open the cap in the hot days. Nearing 3 months with it and my dad uses it every day. Took the spark arrestor off right away since it gunked up within a week like I said it's ok but for the $350 dollars that it retails for I'd probably go for another echo 2620t much more power and easier start ups only downside to it is it's a bit heavier.
Id like an update. How long do your batteries last. How do you charge them through the day? How many 94rs could you have bought for the price of the batteries.
These issues are easy to fix. Debris likely got into the cylinder from a dirty or warped air filter. Order a new piston and clean out the spark arrester and exhaust. Easy to do and you only need 1 cheap part
Bought my 1st FS94 a few years ago and had the same issues. Took it back to the dealer and got the same story as you did. "Oh, it's the carburetor ", we replaced or adjusted it. After several trips, I thought I just bought a bad one and bought ANOTHER ONE! Same issues!!! I'm sorry I bought them. They're light weight and cut down on fatigue but Stihl needs to do a better job on the design of the FS94.
I've bought my first Stihl weed eater this year and it's a Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer from Big Blue it's amazing to use for my first Stihl trimmer ever and I've never own a Stihl FS 111R or a Stihl Fs 91R string trimmer I've used the either the the 91R or the 111R the trimmer was a beast to use in my opinion I had to put the trimmer down to take breaks during the trimming but my Fs56 RC string trimmer is 27.2cc the Stihl 91R or the 111R is 28cc stronger than my Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer
My business like the fs94r. We do 70 service. I clean up the muffler and a new spark every week. Broke the rope spinning. That's all after 1year. I used the Stihl oil and that's it. Bought a new one and I used both now🎉
Sounds like some neglect on maintenance. I'm not a great example either, but all those little filters are supposed to be cleaned regularly. Sounds like debris wasn't cleaned and got inside causing bigger issues which is definitely a shame. I like to hope that otherwise these are solid units. I would like to pick one up as an upgrade from what we have now.
If it has been running rich for a long enough time, carbon cunks and fouling from the piston head and combustion chamber/spark plug will make it's way past the compression rings on the piston and cause piston and cylinder scoring which results in loss of compression. You said carb was clean, but air filters need to be replaced after 10 to 15 cleanings. If it was starved for air because of restrictive airflow, that will make it run rich too.
I had a FS 94R which ran well for two years. Loved it. Then had the same issues if engine quitting after 10 minutes run time. Used Stihl oil and unleaded gas. Took back to local dealer and they told me Stihl was going to phase out gas trimmers and go to battery powered. It would have been nice if they had told me that when I purchased the unit!! Bought an Ego trimmer at half the price of Stihl and love it. Done with Stihl.
You can thank California and their joke of a governor for that. California is banning gas SORE (small off-road engines) such as those in leaf blowers, trimmers, lawn mowers, etc.
I think you'll be just as disappointed in the battery trimmer. Echo and Husqvarna make excellent trimmers. Especially the Husqvarna is very light and powerful. Why didn't you get one of those?
If you didn't want to go with the same trimmer I would have given RedMax a shot I have a FS 94r and also RedMax can't remember the model number but it's the same weight as a FS 94r how did four years what's zero issues never been in the shop and has a heck of a lot more torque than FS 94r
Hey there, can I ask you a question? I'm looking to buy a brush cutter to tackle the undergrowth on 2-3 acres of forest and once that's done it'll mostly be used as a weed trimmer for maybe 30 minutes a week and occasional maintenance in the woods. I've been looking at the units that come with a blade but I'm wondering can a unit like this fs94 take a blade attachment and do a good job with undergrowth up to an inch or two? Also, with the problems some people seem to have with it would I be better off with another model or different brand? I definitely want something very reliable and well made but also don't need something professional that's designed to run for hours a day every day. Thanks for any help you can offer, might save me from spending the next week researching models.
I love how they always blame the gas and the way we mix oil. It's the fact that the carburetors are built cheaply because they don't want to spend the extra money to build carburetors that can handle the ethanol fuel. Stihl is notorious for this. Try Echo/Shindaiwa. I bought a Shindaiwa T262 trimmer in the spring. Fantastic trimmer...lots of power...pretty good on fuel...well balanced.
Ethanol ruins rubber man….. carburetors have a diaphragm …. And if it becomes dry and stiff from ethanol useage it will not meter fuel properly. It’s very simply …. Stop using ethanol fuel. The manual suggests not using it , the dealer suggests not using it , everybody that knows anything about 2 cycle equipment suggests not using it , 99% of people on the internet suggest not using it and yet people use it , their equipment hesitates to operate correctly , and they blame the equipment ….. to be fair it’s a actually a simple fix but nobody wants to take the time to try to learn .
@@danielsmith8659 I have NEVER used eth free gas in my equipment and have had ZERO problems. I have left gas in my saws for months at a time and they still fired right up, no tuning at all. It really depends on where you get your gas. I always get gas from Shell, Turkey Hill, or Sunoco. Stay away from the indian gas station bs.
I'm a homeowner & have had one for the past 4 years - It's been really good. My opinion is that just by looking at it it's not made to be used every day in commercial applications - I don't care how it's marketed. Of course he's gonna have problems quickly using it at customers homes every day - He doesn't even know what a Piston is...
I bought the Fs 94 r and it just didn't work for our business... 😞 not fast enough for us on details. I tried swapping brands to stihl... but ill just keep echo for ever . My only issues with echo is if it gets wet from rain...that's it so now im buying dry wraps to take care of my babies...lol
@@douglaslawncare2843 actually you are the one that's funny. I literally laughed out loud when you were asking if the piston is down the shaft with the bearings. I quickly realized you were lost.
@@96bansheepilot Yup, I was going to comment something similarly and scrolled first to find your comment. I'm not saying there are no recurring/typical problems with the fs 94 r, but that part of the video did make me wonder whether it might at least be partially user error.
You don’t need to be mechanically inclined to own a lawn/landscaping business that’s what warranties are for. just need to know how to do the job, get clients and be on time.. if equipment breaks just make sure you have a spare and turn the other in to the dealer.. lmao
@joshhazel742 - I disagree completely. You need to be mechanically minded to properly maintain and use lawncare equipment. I've come across farcical examples down through the years of people without the proper knowledge and equipment, trying to tackle overgrown gardens. I've picked up a lot of work because others, 'sunshine warriors', couldn't replace strimmer wire, tried running power tools on straight petrol, ran a fresh hedge trimmer dry of lubricant, etc.
yep my 94 r went down carb was junk stihl didn't cover warranty also chainsaw and blower all had bad carbs stihl dealer said same thing they are not covering their carb. Found out from 3 separate dealers they all said stihl is trying to use cheaper carbs on all products and all 3 said get away from stihl go for echo redmax or husky.
Watch videos on Spark arrester cleaning or removal. I do lawn care, same trimmer,same problems. Removed spark arrester fixed. Same thing 1 year later. I believe the entire muffler gets clogged. Have a blessed one.
Here one for you, replace the air filter ran like crap afterwards. I started thinking it was fine at the end of last year when I put it up, So I got a new plug for it nope didn't help. Then I was stump. I was thinking only thing I replace was the air filter, so I took the new one off and started it without the filter, IT RAN GREAT. Then I put the old one back in and ran fine with that to. I got like a pack of 5 air filters on Amazon, so I took the old one back off and used another one of the new air filters and put it on it ran good again. So, the first new one was exactly the same but for some reason it wouldn't let enough air through.
I understand what you're saying 3 years ago I went ahead and invested into buying all stihl products for my lawn care same thing I kept having issues with my weed eaters I don't have time for breakdowns so I basically gave everything away didn't care I went back to my RedMax weed eaters and blowers had no trouble. My opinion the only thing good about stihl are there chainsaws
That's easy problem to fix the 94 engine exhaust plugs up with Stihl hp oil for Some reason 1st remove the exhaust and clean the exhaust port mower medic has a video on you tube will show you how then clean the exhaust screen or throw it away then change your oil to amsoil sabre mix it 50 to 1 or 100 to 1. Hope this helps 😊
I’ve had the same issues with mine. I removed the spark arrestor after a couple months of use and 3 times of having to clean it out. I’ve had to remove the muffler and clean out tons of carbon a couple of times as it would just plug up. I always ran non ethanol with amsoil Sabre at 80:1. I’ve switched to echo red armor and premium pump gas as I’m sick of going out of my way for non-E and still having issues.
@@douglaslawncare2843 I know this. Amsoil claims you can run their oil as lean as 100:1. Though you can argue running leaner than 50:1 may lead to premature wear and overheating, I can't imagine it leading to excess carbon build up.
Well it definitely is leading to carbon build up . Even a 50 to 1 ratio properly mixed can have carbon build of. First adjust trimmer properly and check color of spark plug to confirm correct fuel/ air ratio,second and or if you don't run your stihl equipment at full throttle then it can cause carb build up as well.
Which charger did you buy (AL300 or 500), how do you plan to run it during the work day (small generator?), and how many batteries will you need to get you through a typical work day? I've got a couple of those AP300S and I think they were about $240; not cheap.
I have the AL 300 charger and two batteries. You are correct, the batteries are expense! I first thought I was going to buy an inverter and run it through my cigarette lighter. But either the inverter wasn’t big enough or the cigar lighter just can’t handle it. Then I looked into electric power stations/ generators. Right now I’m actually charging them when I’m at customers properties. Everyone I’ve asked so far are totally fine with it!😂 so far it’s working but I think I eventually will buy an inverter and run it directly from the battery off the truck.
I think a lot of us are hesitant to jump into this whole battery thing because it's a very expensive experiment number one and number 2 you have a whole additional job at the end of each day to charge the batteries
I've had my 135R for awhile now, and up until a week ago had only used it for residential maintenance trimming. I recently tackled a clearing project with weeds around 6 feet, and to say I was impressed with it is an understatement. The thing has a lot more power than a 94R; it refuses to "bog". And though I'm not a "greenie", the lack of exhaust smell and noise is nice. Prior to this experience, even after buying it, I used to habitually peruse craigslist for gas trimmers; no more.
I've had same issues, the spark arrestor is BS. I get 2-3 seasons out of them and didn't really care about buying new ones, every spring my dealer would run a sale at 275 so would just get a new one but just like everything else going up they now cost 400!!! WTF. So trying to find a way to go with the battery stuff, just sick of dealing with constantly having to work on them due to emission restriction getting worse every year.
That’s exactly what I did! I’m running the Stihl FSA135R battery trimmers. They are heavier but they do have more power. Third season running then. Almost 0 Maintenance!
Srry to hear that. I bought a new FS94r and it is nothing but problems. it won't start up easy after the first yard. I would never buy another one. Let us know how the battery one is because I want to switch .
Geeze, I would have demanded a replacement model. Jump up and down when the shop is full of customers. Watch them roll out the red carpet for you. All the frustration you have gone through. They deserve a bagging.
We are running the Stihl FSA135R battery trimmers. I love them and so do my guys! Been running them over three years without any issues! I’ll never go back!
Scored piston means it is damaged. Either ran a tank of straight fuel or air keak somewhere or bad tuning. I have had mine for 3 years i regularly run amsoil 2 stroke oil and premium fuel. Also every 2 months i will throw in a mixture of sea foam to clean carb and muffkee
My dad has a FS 94 R with the hard white paddle head on it. I assume there is a way of switching it to a string trimmer head, I just don't know how and am to embarrassed to go ask if it can be done. One of these days I'll build up the courage to look like an idiot. Anyone know if it can easily be switched.
@@douglaslawncare2843 The hard white plastic or nylon blades. I'd like to know if the head attachment of the FS 94R that is currantly the one with the white blades can be switched for a string trimmer head. I prefer the string trimmer and really don't want to have to buy one if I can switch the heads on this one.
Yuck, 8 years ago I bought a FS 56, still $ 219. I have had zero issues using pump gas. I know it far from a commercial trimmer, but I’m probably getting near 250 hours, I think that it would supplement your electric well, tough when you have to deal with a lemon
I do have a fs 91 r that I’m going to use as a backup. I think I am starting to have a collection 😂 Maybe I should give it to you and have your students dissect it. 😂
@@douglaslawncare2843 if you have the room, I’m sure some of those parts are interchangeable. If you want to clean house, we’ll gladly let the students learn from it
The kombi ,fs 56 don't buy their 4 mixes,they ain't nothing but problems,
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Good fix take muffler off and take screen out and clean muffler soak it in some cleaner over night drill hold in ankle where screen fix at you can see drill bits from exhaust side into muffler and replace screen trimming will run hold lots better
Sounds like you would not recommend the 94r. What about the 91r? I've been debating trying either one of these models. My preference is the 94 due to the lighter weight but from your experience, the 91 seems better even though it's heavier. My dealer also recommend the 91 over 94.
@@douglaslawncare2843 Awesome. Those electric trimmers sure look interesting but the cost and short run time on the batteries still need to be worked on. How much run time do you get on the 135r?
Probably late to this but choosing between the 91 and 94 is very dependent on what you using it for. The fs 91 is a “4-mix” engine they are incredibly powerful and “torquey” if you expect to want to use things like brush knives or you want to cut extremely thick grass, the 91 is a better option The 94 despot it’s larger number is much weaker. If you just plan on regular Maintaince of your grass, nothing too thick and no brush cutting it would be a better option If you haven’t bought one yet, find a dealership with knowledgeable staff, ask specific questions and if they give you non specific answers find a different dealer. Finding someone that understands the actual differences between models will greatly help you pick one that best suits your needs
Where are getting your fuel ? Regular gas station most have 10% ethanol . So using STIHL mix with regular gas station is a problem . Home Depot has premix fuel with no ethanol
The FS94 is definitely a gamble when it comes to reliability for some reason but the FS70 is cheaper and much more reliable trimmer. I want your old FS94 please 🙏
Got to run them hard, if you use less then full throttle on a regular basis it will clog up the arrestor screen. Also still ultra oil contributes to carbon build up. Basically run them flat out on fresh ethenol free fuel and don't use stihl ultra oil
FS 94r it’s going to be my next purchase trimmer this week. Six years ago I made the switch to stihl for my yard maintenance toys…blowers, chainsaw, trimmers with zero problems but I learned how to operate these small engines. I can definitely see how problematic FS94r can be just looking at it. In my experience stihl engines operates the best on full throttle and that is the key of their longevity. They don’t like half throttle. That speed adjustor on FS94r may not be the best thing for current stihl engine also a high risk adventure of sthil company. Not many sells rep. are educating the buyers on how to operate the machine properly beside on how to/ starting them in the store. Every time I have to use half throttle on my sthil trimmers cleaning around fences, I go full throttle right after at least 5 min trimming around grass or so just to clean up the carburetor/exhaust. I avoid using half throttle on the chain saw and blowers it’s not needed and overall I’m avoiding it as much as I can. Before shutting it off I let it run for a minute to cool off the exhaust temperature. If stihl equipment doesn’t have manufacture problems then you should not have any problems for many years if you follow what I wrote above….. For this input I think stihl owns me this trimmer now 😄😄. Have a great day!
@@cloudbase7799 Great! Very powerful engine for the weight of the trimmer. It took me some practice to get used to the speed settings. I have to trim around a chicken wire fence where I had a hard time with the previous trimer but not with FS94r. Neither the wire fence and string trimmer line gets broken anymore. Around trees and fences does a great job. It does flex in speed once encounter dense grass or heavier obstacle from shaft not the engine. I see it's mainly design for trimming around sensitive objects and it does a great job. I can only say good things about it. I leave the bulk grass to the end where I run the trimmer on full throttle for a couple of minutes to get it cleaned out than less than a minute on the idle to cool of the exhaust but that's my normal habit with all stihl products.
G'day mate I've been using a 94rc for 3 years now . 40:1 98 premium petrol and I ring the bloody guts out of it after its warmed up never serviced just a clean airfilter never use e10 fuel the 94rc is a little pearla off a machine. It's not a sandwich short of picnic. You stuffed up you killed the bustard you fair dinkum mate 👍
@@douglaslawncare2843 G'day mate bloke l said is you yanks have poo fuel and in Australia the 94rc rocks to hell and back 9 hrs of hell all day for 3 bloody yrs mate in Australia we have 98 premium fuel I use it on my ms500i chainsaw and lawn mowers for you to go through 2 94rc is your fault not the 94rc you stuffed up mate! You're a sandwich short of a picnic...keep singing until the cows come home! Good onya mate! Clearly, I don't agree with what you say!
@@douglaslawncare2843 gday bloke even your vehicles that are sent to Australia are purely utter rubbish just like your fuel and that's fair dinkum mate Detroit GM shut down G.M.Holden Australia no more HSV GTS R W1 SUPER CARS NO MORE AUSTRALIAN MUSCLE CARS EVER TO BE MADE AND YOU WHINGE ABOUT SHIT FUEL & DESTROY OUR CAR INDUSTRY AMERICANS THINK TANKS KILLED HOLDEN YOU GOT THE CHEVY SS FROM AUSTRALIA PROBABLY RUNNING LIKE POO BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT POOR FUEL TOO!
G'day mate when you add 2 stroke oil to 98 premium it lowers the octane 94rc never fails you stuffed up mate in America you poo fuel just like your car industry poo mate
I have a "Professional" STIHL 192 TS chainsaw and had to immediately replace the carburetor. Probably started making the vitals in China... HUSQVARVA, no problems... Ever.
@@douglaslawncare2843 I have 4 ECHO trimmers for my business and I haven't had any problems. Been running them full tilt for 3 years. I get the you can tune up kit through Home Depot because it's cheaper than my dealer. Tune them up once a year and good to go. My dad has an ECHO trimmer he bought in the 80's and it starts every time and all he uses is cheap gas.
No going to say one way or the other about the FS94 but the 4 mix trimmers are complete garbage. Oh and the Stihl oil is a joke. Try running a real oil companies oil not some stuff that was bottled up from the cheapest bidder. Stihl make equipment not oil. Oh and i do own 12 stihl saws and a 4 mix trimmer and the trimmer is junk. Way better oil on the market and better equipment also.
Carbon in the spark arrestor on a weed eater is 100% user error , you have piston scoring from carbon buildup that has backed up into the cylinder . I have no idea why stihl gives people selectable throttle on these models . It is too their demise ….. stop! You can run a 2 cycle engine partially throttled sometimes only to always be followed up by running it wide up open. It’s the only way to mitigate carbon build up in any 2 cycle engine. One more thing regardless of how you feel …. Only run 50:1 fuel in stihl products …. Stop trying to come up with your own concoction of fuel mix, believing it’s safer for the engine . When you pick it up from your dealer , it’s gonna be tuned with 50:1…. So if you put 40:1 or anything else in it it will not be tuned for it …..
@@douglaslawncare2843 I mean … you made a video about a trimmer that you took to the dealer over and over …. Maybe you don’t know was much as you think you do…..it doesn’t matter. Good luck , I hope your next weed eater last longer than this one did for you.
Just learn how to work on them it’s not hard you’re Piston probably got scored from you not properly warming it up your muffler got clogged because you probably aren’t running it at full rpm all the time which is common all you need to do is take the spark arrestor out from time to time and clean it with carburetor cleaner or burning off the carbon with a torch just learn basic maintenance and your shit will run forever
I had my FS 94R trimmer for almost 4 months and it has so far worked well for me.
Legend has it that he’s still searching for the piston a year later.
I've used the 94r, their lightest weight, only true 2 stoke powerhead for weekly trimming for over 9 years . Love it, nothing comes close to how light and agile this trimmer is. The newer iterations seem to get way more carb problems within the second season, My first one lasted 5 years with no problems and only changing air filters. I sold it for half of what I paid! Stihl used to be the top dog in reliability. Me thinks Stihl is now riding on their old trusted brand name and making cheaper garbage now.. I'm a stihl fanboy too.
I was having the same problem out of my 94r. What I did was checked the fuel filter. They put 2 fuel filters in the tank in stead of one and when you would edge or do steep hills it would bog down. I took 1 of the fuel filters out and readjusted the carb and haven't had any problems since. It is a design flaw with the fs94r
Thanks for this info!
I worked at a small engine shop for 2 months and we had FS94Rs coming in every single day with customer notes of “starts and dies” or has “no power and bogs out” every time we found that the carbs were never adjusted correctly from factory and were running extremely rich. Plugging mufflers, clogged spark arrestors, fouled spark plugs. We could fix them and send them on their way for a charge and they would always come back with more problems. What my boss and I have found that the carb adjustment screws somehow turn clockwise enrichening the mixture automatically, not sure if it’s from vibration or a inferior design, but just keep those carbs adjusted correctly and you shouldn’t have too many problems.
Good information to know! Thanks for the comment!
I wonder whether a small spacer/washer, or something like Loctite 222MS Threadlocker, or Vibra-TITE 213 VC-3 Threadmate Threadlocker could be used to remediate problems with carb adjustment screws "walking" in/out due to vibration...?
So what whipper sniper would you recommend? Thanks
There is a fix for that, find the sweet spot on the adjustment screws and put some blue Loctite on it.
@@cloudbase7799 Yes it can.
I bought one this year for my father mainly because of the weight from what I've seen from other guys on here and people that I know it's usually a hit and miss some people have great luck with it others not so much. For us personally it's been ok so far it has good power and really light but it does have its issues. For us it takes a while to warm up at times especially when it's hot here in South Texas sometimes it runs right away after 1 or 2 pulls other times it can take up to 10. The gas tank isn't vented so it'll blow out gas when you open the cap in the hot days. Nearing 3 months with it and my dad uses it every day. Took the spark arrestor off right away since it gunked up within a week like I said it's ok but for the $350 dollars that it retails for I'd probably go for another echo 2620t much more power and easier start ups only downside to it is it's a bit heavier.
Id like an update. How long do your batteries last. How do you charge them through the day? How many 94rs could you have bought for the price of the batteries.
I had 2 94r's same issues. Gave them both away after a couple years. 111rx. No problems.
These issues are easy to fix. Debris likely got into the cylinder from a dirty or warped air filter. Order a new piston and clean out the spark arrester and exhaust. Easy to do and you only need 1 cheap part
Bought my 1st FS94 a few years ago and had the same issues. Took it back to the dealer and got the same story as you did. "Oh, it's the carburetor ", we replaced or adjusted it. After several trips, I thought I just bought a bad one and bought ANOTHER ONE! Same issues!!! I'm sorry I bought them.
They're light weight and cut down on fatigue but Stihl needs to do a better job on the design of the FS94.
Agreed. I had three in less than two years…
I've bought my first Stihl weed eater this year and it's a Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer from Big Blue it's amazing to use for my first Stihl trimmer ever and I've never own a Stihl FS 111R or a Stihl Fs 91R string trimmer I've used the either the the 91R or the 111R the trimmer was a beast to use in my opinion I had to put the trimmer down to take breaks during the trimming but my Fs56 RC string trimmer is 27.2cc the Stihl 91R or the 111R is 28cc stronger than my Stihl fs56 RC string trimmer
My business like the fs94r. We do 70 service. I clean up the muffler and a new spark every week. Broke the rope spinning. That's all after 1year. I used the Stihl oil and that's it. Bought a new one and I used both now🎉
Sounds like some neglect on maintenance. I'm not a great example either, but all those little filters are supposed to be cleaned regularly. Sounds like debris wasn't cleaned and got inside causing bigger issues which is definitely a shame. I like to hope that otherwise these are solid units. I would like to pick one up as an upgrade from what we have now.
If it has been running rich for a long enough time, carbon cunks and fouling from the piston head and combustion chamber/spark plug will make it's way past the compression rings on the piston and cause piston and cylinder scoring which results in loss of compression. You said carb was clean, but air filters need to be replaced after 10 to 15 cleanings. If it was starved for air because of restrictive airflow, that will make it run rich too.
I had a FS 94R which ran well for two years. Loved it. Then had the same issues if engine quitting after 10 minutes run time. Used Stihl oil and unleaded gas. Took back to local dealer and they told me Stihl was going to phase out gas trimmers and go to battery powered. It would have been nice if they had told me that when I purchased the unit!! Bought an Ego trimmer at half the price of Stihl and love it. Done with Stihl.
You can thank California and their joke of a governor for that. California is banning gas SORE (small off-road engines) such as those in leaf blowers, trimmers, lawn mowers, etc.
I don’t believe they are phasing out gas trimmers. However I do think something is wrong with the 94r than needs to be addressed.
Buy Echo.
I think you'll be just as disappointed in the battery trimmer. Echo and Husqvarna make excellent trimmers. Especially the Husqvarna is very light and powerful. Why didn't you get one of those?
If you didn't want to go with the same trimmer I would have given RedMax a shot I have a FS 94r and also RedMax can't remember the model number but it's the same weight as a FS 94r how did four years what's zero issues never been in the shop and has a heck of a lot more torque than FS 94r
Douglas lawn care I have Echo SRM2620 trimmer it’s been great I use 91 octane premium unleaded non ethanol gas no problems at all
Nice! I’ve heard they are good trimmer.
Us too. Had one for 3 years now and haven't had any problems yet. We have stihl too just can't put down the 2620
Hey there, can I ask you a question? I'm looking to buy a brush cutter to tackle the undergrowth on 2-3 acres of forest and once that's done it'll mostly be used as a weed trimmer for maybe 30 minutes a week and occasional maintenance in the woods. I've been looking at the units that come with a blade but I'm wondering can a unit like this fs94 take a blade attachment and do a good job with undergrowth up to an inch or two? Also, with the problems some people seem to have with it would I be better off with another model or different brand? I definitely want something very reliable and well made but also don't need something professional that's designed to run for hours a day every day. Thanks for any help you can offer, might save me from spending the next week researching models.
The kombi fs 56,94r.stay away from sthil s 4 mixes
I love how they always blame the gas and the way we mix oil. It's the fact that the carburetors are built cheaply because they don't want to spend the extra money to build carburetors that can handle the ethanol fuel. Stihl is notorious for this. Try Echo/Shindaiwa. I bought a Shindaiwa T262 trimmer in the spring. Fantastic trimmer...lots of power...pretty good on fuel...well balanced.
👍🏻👊🏻
Yeah echo has the best carbs!
Downside is the vibrations and extra weight with Echo.
Ethanol ruins rubber man….. carburetors have a diaphragm …. And if it becomes dry and stiff from ethanol useage it will not meter fuel properly. It’s very simply …. Stop using ethanol fuel. The manual suggests not using it , the dealer suggests not using it , everybody that knows anything about 2 cycle equipment suggests not using it , 99% of people on the internet suggest not using it and yet people use it , their equipment hesitates to operate correctly , and they blame the equipment ….. to be fair it’s a actually a simple fix but nobody wants to take the time to try to learn .
@@danielsmith8659 I have NEVER used eth free gas in my equipment and have had ZERO problems. I have left gas in my saws for months at a time and they still fired right up, no tuning at all. It really depends on where you get your gas. I always get gas from Shell, Turkey Hill, or Sunoco. Stay away from the indian gas station bs.
How do you have so many problems with the 94 r it is the best for my business no problems and that is what all the big lawn business use around me
Whelp, I just bought one of these today. Will see how it holds up
I'm a homeowner & have had one for the past 4 years - It's been really good.
My opinion is that just by looking at it it's not made to be used every day in commercial applications - I don't care how it's marketed.
Of course he's gonna have problems quickly using it at customers homes every day - He doesn't even know what a Piston is...
😏
I just bought one today for residential use. Hopefully I have more luck
I bought the Fs 94 r and it just didn't work for our business... 😞 not fast enough for us on details.
I tried swapping brands to stihl... but ill just keep echo for ever . My only issues with echo is if it gets wet from rain...that's it so now im buying dry wraps to take care of my babies...lol
I’ve only heard good things about echo!
I run the sthil fs 56, put a fs 91r shaft on it, mid grade gas, heavy duty 2 cycle oil, running for years no issues
Mid grade gas still has ethanol in it.
@@douglaslawncare2843yes it does
How in the world do you have a lawn business and have no idea what a piston is?
You’re funny! Thanks for the comment and the view! 😗
@@douglaslawncare2843 actually you are the one that's funny. I literally laughed out loud when you were asking if the piston is down the shaft with the bearings.
I quickly realized you were lost.
@@96bansheepilot Yup, I was going to comment something similarly and scrolled first to find your comment. I'm not saying there are no recurring/typical problems with the fs 94 r, but that part of the video did make me wonder whether it might at least be partially user error.
You don’t need to be mechanically inclined to own a lawn/landscaping business that’s what warranties are for. just need to know how to do the job, get clients and be on time.. if equipment breaks just make sure you have a spare and turn the other in to the dealer.. lmao
@joshhazel742 - I disagree completely. You need to be mechanically minded to properly maintain and use lawncare equipment.
I've come across farcical examples down through the years of people without the proper knowledge and equipment, trying to tackle overgrown gardens.
I've picked up a lot of work because others, 'sunshine warriors', couldn't replace strimmer wire, tried running power tools on straight petrol, ran a fresh hedge trimmer dry of lubricant, etc.
yep my 94 r went down carb was junk stihl didn't cover warranty also chainsaw and blower all had bad carbs stihl dealer said same thing they are not covering their carb. Found out from 3 separate dealers they all said stihl is trying to use cheaper carbs on all products and all 3 said get away from stihl go for echo redmax or husky.
Watch videos on Spark arrester cleaning or removal. I do lawn care, same trimmer,same problems. Removed spark arrester fixed. Same thing 1 year later. I believe the entire muffler gets clogged. Have a blessed one.
Spark arrestor was removed on day 1
Here one for you, replace the air filter ran like crap afterwards. I started thinking it was fine at the end of last year when I put it up, So I got a new plug for it nope didn't help. Then I was stump. I was thinking only thing I replace was the air filter, so I took the new one off and started it without the filter, IT RAN GREAT. Then I put the old one back in and ran fine with that to. I got like a pack of 5 air filters on Amazon, so I took the old one back off and used another one of the new air filters and put it on it ran good again. So, the first new one was exactly the same but for some reason it wouldn't let enough air through.
I replaced everything. Air filter, removed spark arrestor, changed, fuel filter. 😢
I understand what you're saying 3 years ago I went ahead and invested into buying all stihl products for my lawn care same thing I kept having issues with my weed eaters I don't have time for breakdowns so I basically gave everything away didn't care I went back to my RedMax weed eaters and blowers had no trouble. My opinion the only thing good about stihl are there chainsaws
Still going battery powered? My dad has used this for at least 6 years with no issues. I am strongly considering purchasing the 94R.😊
Yes, still using the fsa 135r’s
That's easy problem to fix the 94 engine exhaust plugs up with Stihl hp oil for Some reason 1st remove the exhaust and clean the exhaust port mower medic has a video on you tube will show you how then clean the exhaust screen or throw it away then change your oil to amsoil sabre mix it 50 to 1 or 100 to 1. Hope this helps 😊
Exhaust screen was taken out on day one. Might have to switch oil.
I’ve had the same issues with mine. I removed the spark arrestor after a couple months of use and 3 times of having to clean it out. I’ve had to remove the muffler and clean out tons of carbon a couple of times as it would just plug up. I always ran non ethanol with amsoil Sabre at 80:1. I’ve switched to echo red armor and premium pump gas as I’m sick of going out of my way for non-E and still having issues.
It’s supposed to be 50:1.
@@douglaslawncare2843 I know this. Amsoil claims you can run their oil as lean as 100:1. Though you can argue running leaner than 50:1 may lead to premature wear and overheating, I can't imagine it leading to excess carbon build up.
Well it definitely is leading to carbon build up . Even a 50 to 1 ratio properly mixed can have carbon build of. First adjust trimmer properly and check color of spark plug to confirm correct fuel/ air ratio,second and or if you don't run your stihl equipment at full throttle then it can cause carb build up as well.
Time you think about switching to Echo or a professional Husqvarna 🤔 🙂 😏 🙄 🙃 😉 🤔.
Which charger did you buy (AL300 or 500), how do you plan to run it during the work day (small generator?), and how many batteries will you need to get you through a typical work day? I've got a couple of those AP300S and I think they were about $240; not cheap.
I have the AL 300 charger and two batteries. You are correct, the batteries are expense! I first thought I was going to buy an inverter and run it through my cigarette lighter. But either the inverter wasn’t big enough or the cigar lighter just can’t handle it. Then I looked into electric power stations/ generators. Right now I’m actually charging them when I’m at customers properties. Everyone I’ve asked so far are totally fine with it!😂 so far it’s working but I think I eventually will buy an inverter and run it directly from the battery off the truck.
ttps://m.th-cam.com/video/1LQB0z-a-w4/w-d-xo.html
I think a lot of us are hesitant to jump into this whole battery thing because it's a very expensive experiment number one and number 2 you have a whole additional job at the end of each day to charge the batteries
I've had my 135R for awhile now, and up until a week ago had only used it for residential maintenance trimming. I recently tackled a clearing project with weeds around 6 feet, and to say I was impressed with it is an understatement. The thing has a lot more power than a 94R; it refuses to "bog". And though I'm not a "greenie", the lack of exhaust smell and noise is nice. Prior to this experience, even after buying it, I used to habitually peruse craigslist for gas trimmers; no more.
@@jmljml5065 Wow thanks for sharing your experience
Weird, I’ve ran the 94s for several years and I haven’t had ongoing probs w the carbs in them.
scored piston is another way to say blown up ( I work at a stihl dealer )
💣
I've had same issues, the spark arrestor is BS. I get 2-3 seasons out of them and didn't really care about buying new ones, every spring my dealer would run a sale at 275 so would just get a new one but just like everything else going up they now cost 400!!! WTF. So trying to find a way to go with the battery stuff, just sick of dealing with constantly having to work on them due to emission restriction getting worse every year.
That’s exactly what I did! I’m running the Stihl FSA135R battery trimmers. They are heavier but they do have more power. Third season running then. Almost 0 Maintenance!
@@douglaslawncare2843 how many batteries do you go through in a day?
Srry to hear that. I bought a new FS94r and it is nothing but problems. it won't start up easy after the first yard. I would never buy another one. Let us know how the battery one is because I want to switch .
How long did yours last?
@@douglaslawncare2843 just bought it a few months ago and it gave me problems right away.
Return it to the dealer! Hopefully it’s under warranty! They said mine didn’t qualify for the warranty. 🤷♂️ I guess it’s really not a true warranty….
Geeze, I would have demanded a replacement model. Jump up and down when the shop is full of customers. Watch them roll out the red carpet for you. All the frustration you have gone through. They deserve a bagging.
Get an echo, done deal, your welcome, 5 in our unit and couple over 10 years old never had a problem
We are running the Stihl FSA135R battery trimmers. I love them and so do my guys! Been running them over three years without any issues! I’ll never go back!
Scored piston means it is damaged. Either ran a tank of straight fuel or air keak somewhere or bad tuning. I have had mine for 3 years i regularly run amsoil 2 stroke oil and premium fuel. Also every 2 months i will throw in a mixture of sea foam to clean carb and muffkee
👍🏻
What is a muffkee? 😆
The problem is the stihl oil mix, it is terrible. Use Amsoil or the Red Armor by Echo.
This may be the issue!
Amsoil is great oil
My dad has a FS 94 R with the hard white paddle head on it. I assume there is a way of switching it to a string trimmer head, I just don't know how and am to embarrassed to go ask if it can be done. One of these days I'll build up the courage to look like an idiot.
Anyone know if it can easily be switched.
Not sure what paddle you’re talking about.
@@douglaslawncare2843 The hard white plastic or nylon blades. I'd like to know if the head attachment of the FS 94R that is currantly the one with the white blades can be switched for a string trimmer head. I prefer the string trimmer and really don't want to have to buy one if I can switch the heads on this one.
@@rachelgibson1858 Echo Speed Feed 400 Head
What you don't keep, can I have? I'll make a Frankenstein out of it.😮
Yuck, 8 years ago I bought a FS 56, still $ 219. I have had zero issues using pump gas. I know it far from a commercial trimmer, but I’m probably getting near 250 hours, I think that it would supplement your electric well, tough when you have to deal with a lemon
I do have a fs 91 r that I’m going to use as a backup. I think I am starting to have a collection 😂
Maybe I should give it to you and have your students dissect it. 😂
@@douglaslawncare2843 if you have the room, I’m sure some of those parts are interchangeable. If you want to clean house, we’ll gladly let the students learn from it
Which is better in your opinion FS 94 or FS 131?
The 131 is a 4 mix trimmer and they are complete garbage.
The kombi ,fs 56 don't buy their 4 mixes,they ain't nothing but problems,
Good fix take muffler off and take screen out and clean muffler soak it in some cleaner over night drill hold in ankle where screen fix at you can see drill bits from exhaust side into muffler and replace screen trimming will run hold lots better
Sounds like you would not recommend the 94r. What about the 91r? I've been debating trying either one of these models. My preference is the 94 due to the lighter weight but from your experience, the 91 seems better even though it's heavier. My dealer also recommend the 91 over 94.
I’ve actually switched over to Stihls battery trimmers. 135r. I will never go back!
@@douglaslawncare2843 Awesome. Those electric trimmers sure look interesting but the cost and short run time on the batteries still need to be worked on. How much run time do you get on the 135r?
I would recommend the kombi fs 56 rc,worked on the 4 mixes,they don't last
@@snoopfurlow1275 Thanks.. Any reason for picking the 91r or 56?
Probably late to this but choosing between the 91 and 94 is very dependent on what you using it for.
The fs 91 is a “4-mix” engine they are incredibly powerful and “torquey” if you expect to want to use things like brush knives or you want to cut extremely thick grass, the 91 is a better option
The 94 despot it’s larger number is much weaker. If you just plan on regular Maintaince of your grass, nothing too thick and no brush cutting it would be a better option
If you haven’t bought one yet, find a dealership with knowledgeable staff, ask specific questions and if they give you non specific answers find a different dealer. Finding someone that understands the actual differences between models will greatly help you pick one that best suits your needs
Where are getting your fuel ? Regular gas station most have 10% ethanol . So using STIHL mix with regular gas station is a problem .
Home Depot has premix fuel with no ethanol
I am aware. We use ethanol free gas
The FS94 is definitely a gamble when it comes to reliability for some reason but the FS70 is cheaper and much more reliable trimmer. I want your old FS94 please 🙏
His old 94 is blown up though
@@shrimpyape1207 why you replying for him. I know it’s blown up but I still want it
This is why youre only suppose to run VP race fuel or trufuel in stihls
I have the older version of the 94r
Got to run them hard, if you use less then full throttle on a regular basis it will clog up the arrestor screen. Also still ultra oil contributes to carbon build up. Basically run them flat out on fresh ethenol free fuel and don't use stihl ultra oil
FS 94r it’s going to be my next purchase trimmer this week. Six years ago I made the switch to stihl for my yard maintenance toys…blowers, chainsaw, trimmers with zero problems but I learned how to operate these small engines. I can definitely see how problematic FS94r can be just looking at it. In my experience stihl engines operates the best on full throttle and that is the key of their longevity. They don’t like half throttle. That speed adjustor on FS94r may not be the best thing for current stihl engine also a high risk adventure of sthil company. Not many sells rep. are educating the buyers on how to operate the machine properly beside on how to/ starting them in the store. Every time I have to use half throttle on my sthil trimmers cleaning around fences, I go full throttle right after at least 5 min trimming around grass or so just to clean up the carburetor/exhaust. I avoid using half throttle on the chain saw and blowers it’s not needed and overall I’m avoiding it as much as I can. Before shutting it off I let it run for a minute to cool off the exhaust temperature. If stihl equipment doesn’t have manufacture problems then you should not have any problems for many years if you follow what I wrote above….. For this input I think stihl owns me this trimmer now 😄😄. Have a great day!
Don't buy it
@@jiveturkey231 I did buy it …
@@ovidiuailinchi5479 How is it working for you so far?
@@cloudbase7799 Great! Very powerful engine for the weight of the trimmer. It took me some practice to get used to the speed settings. I have to trim around a chicken wire fence where I had a hard time with the previous trimer but not with FS94r. Neither the wire fence and string trimmer line gets broken anymore. Around trees and fences does a great job. It does flex in speed once encounter dense grass or heavier obstacle from shaft not the engine. I see it's mainly design for trimming around sensitive objects and it does a great job. I can only say good things about it. I leave the bulk grass to the end where I run the trimmer on full throttle for a couple of minutes to get it cleaned out than less than a minute on the idle to cool of the exhaust but that's my normal habit with all stihl products.
Guessing he used HP Ultra oil
from the looks of it you never really kept you weed eater clean ,clean the muffler clean adjust the carburetor once and awhile
G'day mate I've been using a 94rc for 3 years now . 40:1 98 premium petrol and I ring the bloody guts out of it after its warmed up never serviced just a clean airfilter never use e10 fuel the 94rc is a little pearla off a machine. It's not a sandwich short of picnic. You stuffed up you killed the bustard you fair dinkum mate 👍
Nobody knows what you said…. Also premium fuel is not recommended in this machine.
@@douglaslawncare2843 G'day mate bloke l said is you yanks have poo fuel and in Australia the 94rc rocks to hell and back 9 hrs of hell all day for 3 bloody yrs mate in Australia we have 98 premium fuel I use it on my ms500i chainsaw and lawn mowers for you to go through 2 94rc is your fault not the 94rc you stuffed up mate! You're a sandwich short of a picnic...keep singing until the cows come home! Good onya mate! Clearly, I don't agree with what you say!
@@douglaslawncare2843 gday bloke even your vehicles that are sent to Australia are purely utter rubbish just like your fuel and that's fair dinkum mate Detroit GM shut down G.M.Holden Australia no more HSV GTS R W1 SUPER CARS NO MORE AUSTRALIAN MUSCLE CARS EVER TO BE MADE AND YOU WHINGE ABOUT SHIT FUEL & DESTROY OUR CAR INDUSTRY AMERICANS THINK TANKS KILLED HOLDEN YOU GOT THE CHEVY SS FROM AUSTRALIA PROBABLY RUNNING LIKE POO BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT POOR FUEL TOO!
G'day mate when you add 2 stroke oil to 98 premium it lowers the octane 94rc never fails you stuffed up mate in America you poo fuel just like your car industry poo mate
How about that head ?
m.th-cam.com/video/j_aE51yCkZ4/w-d-xo.html
Sounds like carbon build up because running rich, and as for the scoring on the piston it sounds like they are blaming the air filter
We’ve switched to the Stihl FSA135R battery trimmers. I’ll never go back to gas!
I'll buy it all that's an easy fix
There's better trimmers out there dude, you may have to switch brands though. Check out a Husqvarna 525LSt
I have a "Professional" STIHL 192 TS chainsaw and had to immediately replace the carburetor. Probably started making the vitals in China... HUSQVARVA, no problems... Ever.
👍🏻
FS91R IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!
Damn Chinese Zama carburetors
Yup!
Please
If you bought echo or husqvarna you wouldn't have issues.
🤷🏻♂️
Get the Hus, 525L
We are using the Stihl FSA135R’s. We love them!
Fs 131 all day long
Love my fsa 135r!
Learn to work on your own stuff and it gets way cheaper. 🙂
👍🏻🤷🏻♂️
This guy has no idea what he is doing with his trimmers. The problem was literally a 20 minute fix if that.
Buy ECHO
I actually do have a dealer close by.
@@douglaslawncare2843 I have 4 ECHO trimmers for my business and I haven't had any problems. Been running them full tilt for 3 years. I get the you can tune up kit through Home Depot because it's cheaper than my dealer. Tune them up once a year and good to go. My dad has an ECHO trimmer he bought in the 80's and it starts every time and all he uses is cheap gas.
I've had nothing but problems with Echo's
@Curtis is the 2620 similar to the fs94r?
@@BigMike-Soetoro 25 c.f. I believe
Seems you are doing something wrong
What? Please inform me. I’d love to know!
Send it to me I fix them
It will probably cost at least $50 to ship it.😂
@@douglaslawncare2843 what ever u want to do
Just let me know
No going to say one way or the other about the FS94 but the 4 mix trimmers are complete garbage. Oh and the Stihl oil is a joke. Try running a real oil companies oil not some stuff that was bottled up from the cheapest bidder. Stihl make equipment not oil. Oh and i do own 12 stihl saws and a 4 mix trimmer and the trimmer is junk. Way better oil on the market and better equipment also.
I am starting to think it’s the Stihl oil that’s the issue.
LOL made in china.
What is?
Carbon in the spark arrestor on a weed eater is 100% user error , you have piston scoring from carbon buildup that has backed up into the cylinder . I have no idea why stihl gives people selectable throttle on these models . It is too their demise ….. stop! You can run a 2 cycle engine partially throttled sometimes only to always be followed up by running it wide up open. It’s the only way to mitigate carbon build up in any 2 cycle engine. One more thing regardless of how you feel …. Only run 50:1 fuel in stihl products …. Stop trying to come up with your own concoction of fuel mix, believing it’s safer for the engine . When you pick it up from your dealer , it’s gonna be tuned with 50:1…. So if you put 40:1 or anything else in it it will not be tuned for it …..
I know what I’m doing buddy…. 50:1 has always been ran in this machine. It has never had any ethanol in the engine. Go bother someone else.
@@douglaslawncare2843 I mean … you made a video about a trimmer that you took to the dealer over and over …. Maybe you don’t know was much as you think you do…..it doesn’t matter. Good luck , I hope your next weed eater last longer than this one did for you.
Just learn how to work on them it’s not hard you’re Piston probably got scored from you not properly warming it up your muffler got clogged because you probably aren’t running it at full rpm all the time which is common all you need to do is take the spark arrestor out from time to time and clean it with carburetor cleaner or burning off the carbon with a torch just learn basic maintenance and your shit will run forever
Yeah buddy… I know what I’m doing. All this stuff was done.