Walbro small engine carb interchange?

[gaalcom]

I have three Homelite trimmers that I want to get working properly. My daily driver runs well for a few years after I either disassemble and clean the carb or repair fuel lines. The other two were given to me and don't run at all, again, fuel (carb) issues. Both have dry and hardened pump and metering diaphragms and sketchy needle seats. I'm having no issues finding rebuild kits (or carb replacements) for the WT-220 carb that I've been overhauling for years but for the other two (WT-1059 & WT-640) parts or replacements are few and far between.

So, how different are these carbs aside from exterior choke lever design and swapped locations of the pump and metering diaphragms (along with associated primer bulb)? Shouldn't these be much like the universal application of Holly's, Carter's and Rochester's? CC's for these engines are pretty much identical. Just curious as I'm thinking of simply getting a couple of those $13 carbs off eBay to go along with my o-hauled WT-220.

Thanks!

 

[ericg]

Have you tried the Walbro website for parts listings? The WT-640 uses a D22-WAT diaphragm and gasket kit that is available on Amazon for $6.98. Here is a link to the parts listings for the WT-640. You can then check the web for parts availability

https://walbro.spread.name/?search=Wt-640

 

[four.cycle]

I know absolutely zero about Walbro carburetors, and even less about two-cycle engines.

What I CAN offer is that the Chinese-made carburetors I've been bolting onto Briggs & Tecumseh engines for the last several years work fabulously, except for ONE last summer on which the PLASTIC float failed and caused the carburetor to dump gasoline all over the mower.
And they're crazy cheap. (sales tax here is 10.52%)

(Last "carb kit" I bought for a Tecumseh (bowl gasket, nut gasket, and needle & seat) was just over $7 bucks at the mower shop.)

YMMV

 

[gaalcom]

Have you tried the Walbro website for parts listings? The WT-640 uses a D22-WAT diaphragm and gasket kit that is available on Amazon for $6.98. Here is a link to the parts listings for the WT-640. You can then check the web for parts availability

https://walbro.spread.name/?search=Wt-640

Thanks for the insight! Can't believe I didn't think to check the Walbro site. Funny thing is it answered one of my expectations -- All three of these carbs take the same exact rebuild kits. This eases all my options.

I know absolutely zero about Walbro carburetors, and even less about two-cycle engines.

What I CAN offer is that the Chinese-made carburetors I've been bolting onto Briggs & Tecumseh engines for the last several years work fabulously, except for ONE last summer on which the PLASTIC float failed and caused the carburetor to dump gasoline all over the mower.
And they're crazy cheap. (sales tax here is 10.52%)

(Last "carb kit" I bought for a Tecumseh (bowl gasket, nut gasket, and needle & seat) was just over $7 bucks at the mower shop.)

YMMV

Appreciate the reply! True, I've heard nothing but good results from those using the Chicom carbs. Now I have to decide whether to just buy three $13 carb replacement kits (assembled carb, fuel line, clunker, spark plug, 3 primer bulbs, base gasket, 2 air filters) and swap any parts if required OR purchase three rebuild kits at about $8 each which only includes gaskets, diaphragms and needles, knowing I'll likely still require fuel line and a plug or two. Yeah, the Chicom kit spark plug would probably only last a season and the fuel lines will ethanol rot by the end of summer but it might be worth a fun gamble.

 

[four.cycle]

^ I have a $600 Stihl here that need carb work because I left ethanol-laced fuel in it over the winter.
If and when I ever get around to getting it running, I will be buying ethanol-free fuel down at the boat shop at Pt. Defiance.

Bob, the guy who owns one of the two local lawnmower shops still in business here, told me that ethanol was the best thing that ever happened to the lawnmower repair industry.
Seems to run okay in the Ranger, but it's caused me all kinds of grief on lawnmowers.

 

[Semi-hole mechanic]

^ I have a $600 Stihl here that need carb work because I left ethanol-laced fuel in it over the winter.
If and when I ever get around to getting it running, I will be buying ethanol-free fuel down at the boat shop at Pt. Defiance.

Bob, the guy who owns one of the two local lawnmower shops still in business here, told me that ethanol was the best thing that ever happened to the lawnmower repair industry.
Seems to run okay in the Ranger, but it's caused me all kinds of grief on lawnmowers.

I use Startron fuel stabilizer in all of my small engine gas. I dump it in the can before filling the can with 87 octane 10% alcohol gas. It keeps the gas and alcohol from separating and I’ve never had any problems. I even left half a tank of gas in my Predator 212 mud motor on my boat all winter, I started it on the third pull the other day. I even dump a little in the car and truck every so often especially when I know they’re going to be sitting for a while.

 

[four.cycle]

^ yeah okay but.... do you live on the west side of Washington State where the air is wet 8 months out of the year?

 

[Mr_B]

Thanks for the insight! Can't believe I didn't think to check the Walbro site. Funny thing is it answered one of my expectations -- All three of these carbs take the same exact rebuild kits. This eases all my options.


Appreciate the reply! True, I've heard nothing but good results from those using the Chicom carbs. Now I have to decide whether to just buy three $13 carb replacement kits (assembled carb, fuel line, clunker, spark plug, 3 primer bulbs, base gasket, 2 air filters) and swap any parts if required OR purchase three rebuild kits at about $8 each which only includes gaskets, diaphragms and needles, knowing I'll likely still require fuel line and a plug or two. Yeah, the Chicom kit spark plug would probably only last a season and the fuel lines will ethanol rot by the end of summer but it might be worth a fun gamble.

i would buy rebuild kits first as from my experience the cheap chinese carbs are not great long term, they give you 3 spare primer bulbs as the quality that junk they split in few months, fuel lines are bubble gum and gaskets/diaphragms in the carbs can be far from amazing .

 

[gaalcom]

Thanks again for the replies!

Now that my eyes were opened to me overlooking the Walbro website interchange info a decision was made to acquire all the parts-n-pieces to simply major(?) o-haul the carbs. This offers the advantage of hopefully not only better quality parts but also rebuild stock of spare primer bulbs and tubing (as these were bulk items) which will inevitably be used down the road.