TRM 231 needle setting?

[Dash]

I have about 3/4 gal of Coleman fuel mixed with Lawn-boy Ash-less oil run thru my TRM 231 engine so far. It's running on a Spectra-G. Both my low speed and high speed needle are set 1.5 turns out. I get quite allot of black oily residue coming out of my muffler. Is this normal or do I have the motor set too rich. I have checked the spark plug and the oil on it looks very black. No grainy deposits on it. I notice that I cant really get a good low reliable idle with my current needle settings. Any suggestions? Also, I just want to verify that turning the needles clockwise makes the mixture more lean and counter clockwise makes the mixture more rich.

[Fredrik aka. mrNoodles]

Originally Posted by Dash

Also, I just want to verify that turning the needles clockwise makes the mixture more lean and counter clockwise makes the mixture more rich.

Yepp, thats correct.
The manual recommends something around 1 3/8 and I think I read that some guys is running the high needle at 1 1/4turn out from fully closed.

[lawrenmd]

Mine does exactly the same, I'm almost through the first gallon of camper with Lawnboy! Keep following this same procedure as stated by John Garst. Toxic Al took a look at my motor this week and it is breaking in beautifully!

Dave

[Dash]

One other thing I noticed is that when I removed the muffler and took a flash light to look at the top of the cylinder head, I found allot of black deposits. Is this normal?

[bigrcr]

Sounds like you have too much oil in the mix. Being Extremely rich can also do as you describe. What fuel, oil and mix ratio are you now using? How many ounces per gallon?

Later,

[Dash]

Lawn Boy Ashless (4.5 ounces per gallon) mixed with Coleman camper fuel. Needle settings are both about 1.5 turns out.

[WillJames]

It should run fine there with that amount of oil Dash. I have run mine with as much as 6oz per gallon of the lawnboy liquid sandpaper. Does your motor sound happy? Does it run good with good power and smooth? It should run smooth and good. Start easy and idle relatively good even when not broken in fully.

[Dash]

The engine seems to run smooth once spun up to speed. After having my Hatori muffler come loose twice, I changed to using the stock muffler. It didn't seem to run as smooth after that. I have never been able to get a good clean reliable low idle. At idle it always seemed to load and then stop. It takes about 6 pulls to start the engine.

[WillJames]

Interesting. I top start my machines, but I have seen a lean and a rich bottom needle nixture cause hard strarting.

You sould be able to tun your bottom end to provide a decint idle. Probably around 1 and 3/8 or so. TUne it so it runs rough, but stays running.

[bigrcr]

Good advice Will. NoteO NOT run the high needle as low as 1 and 3/8 turn open or lower as this is TOO Lean! If your needles are much lower than 1 and 1/2 turns open then there is something else going on (assuming the use of the WT 643 carb as supplied). Give me call, e-mail or PM and we can figure it out.

Black oily residue, especially running more oil as you would with non-synthetic oils is not a totally bad thing! You just may need to adjust the oil ratio a bit. Learn to read the plug. HHHMMMM...new topic??