# Uses for small 2-stroke engine?



## figbat (28 Jul 2021)

I have got an old strimmer in the shed; it has been there for years and last time I tried to use it I failed due to it not starting and peeing fuel everywhere. Well, after no-mow May we decided to leave the lawn to become a wildlife meadow and haven't mown it at all, other than a couple of paths through it so we can access certain areas easily. Now that most of the flowering is over it's time to tackle it and the strimmer is the obvious choice.

I pulled it out yesterday to see what's what. It's a Kawasaki TG20D engine mounted to a generic strimmer pole through a centrifugal clutch and four bolt flange. Undoing the four bolts and disconnecting the engine-stop switch removes the engine from the strimmer - once in my garage I took the carb off, cleaned it up, tightened the bolts holding the priming bulb (the most likely cause of the fuel leakage), cleaned the spark plug, put it back together, mixed up a fresh batch of fuel and after two pulls it fired up and ran perfectly. I need a new air filter as the one that was in it had largely crumbled and disappeared (presumably through the engine) but for the purposes of checking it worked I ran without one briefly.

However, in researching parts for the engine it seems it's a generic power plant for bolting to whatever needs power. Any suggestions as to thing I can bolt to it? I thought about, for example, a water pump, leaf blower, compressor or alternator but can't find if the four bolt flange is a standard mounting or not (90° spacing around an 82mm BCD). I'll admit I also considered mounting it to a bicycle but that's not really my style. It's only 0.7 hp anyway so not going to set the world alight (unless that leak comes back). I'd love to find a way of using the engine more, rather than once in a blue moon (although now it's running I'll use the strimmer more often for tidying edges etc).


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## matticus (28 Jul 2021)

Model hovercraft?


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## yello (28 Jul 2021)

Watching this with interest as I now have 2 defunct strimmers (electrical problems on one, broken drive shaft on the other) and the motors on both work OK. One is unrepairable and the other, the repair would cost more than it's worth. I'm loathed to throw them out and would love some little project or other. I thought maybe of a water pump, or maybe a little go-kart (though what I'd do with that, I'm not sure!)


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## HMS_Dave (28 Jul 2021)

I would just recommission it back as a strimmer and if your use is that low, perhaps offer your services out/loan it out or perhaps sell it on and borrow one for those rare occasions. Perhaps not the most adventurous of ideas likely to pop up in your thread...


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## figbat (28 Jul 2021)

A bit more research shows you can get a clutch housing with a splined output, into which various tools can go - long reach chainsaws, hedge trimmers etc.







Hmmm....


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## RoubaixCube (28 Jul 2021)

Build a 4x4 go kart or two smaller go karts


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## BoldonLad (28 Jul 2021)

Are two-stroke engines environmentally friendly? It may be kinder to "retire" it?


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## fossyant (28 Jul 2021)

Bike engine !


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## slowmotion (28 Jul 2021)

BoldonLad said:


> Are two-stroke engines environmentally friendly? It may be kinder to "retire" it?


It's probably less than 30cc so it's not going to be pumping out that much exhaust.


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## Salad Dodger (28 Jul 2021)

Take the silencer off, and then use the engine to annoy the neighbours every Sunday morning by running it for several hours. Much noise, much blue smoke.
For added fun, stick some Castrol R in with the petrol for authentic two stroke smells!


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## figbat (28 Jul 2021)

It’s 20.7cc and 0.7hp - I’m not sure vehicular use will be on the cards!


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## slowmotion (28 Jul 2021)

Salad Dodger said:


> Take the silencer off, and then use the engine to annoy the neighbours every Sunday morning by running it for several hours. Much noise, much blue smoke.
> For added fun, stick some Castrol R in with the petrol for authentic two stroke smells!


Ah yes! Two stroke exhaust is the smell of FUN......chainsaws, outboards, mowers, motorbikes.........
What's not to like?


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## MichaelW2 (28 Jul 2021)

Make an "air bike"


View: https://youtu.be/UoP92BYqpEw


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## BoldonLad (28 Jul 2021)

MichaelW2 said:


> Make an "air bike"
> 
> 
> View: https://youtu.be/UoP92BYqpEw




If the propeller diameter is set at a suitable size, it will solve close passes too


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## Drago (28 Jul 2021)

slowmotion said:


> It's probably less than 30cc so it's not going to be pumping out that much exhaust.


An hours use of a small petrol powered device such as a chainsaw, mower, etc, produces as much CO2 as a 100 mile car journey.

Not that Im bothered - im currently restoring 3 x Suffolk Iron Foundry mowers.


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## dodgy (28 Jul 2021)

Horrible noisy bloody things. Let it die.


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## Drago (28 Jul 2021)

dodgy said:


> Horrible noisy bloody things. Let it die.


Politicians or engines?


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## dodgy (28 Jul 2021)

Drago said:


> Politicians or engines?


Now you mention it, both (I know you won't be surprised to read this).


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## tyred (28 Jul 2021)

You could build a two-stroke pencil sharpener


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## Drago (28 Jul 2021)

Food mixer?


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## slowmotion (28 Jul 2021)

Make a big vibrator.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjGsLTQZBo


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## classic33 (28 Jul 2021)

1/4 scale R/C car.
Close on £200 for a similar sized engine.


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## figbat (31 Jul 2021)

Well, ahead of any thoughts about new uses, today it was used as intended for the first time in several years - after fitting a new, freshly-oiled air filter it started easily and performed flawlessly, hacking down our ‘no mow‘ wildlife lawn over the course of two tanks of fuel.

I love a whiff of 2-stroke, although it was sadly not Castrol R.


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