# Stihl Carb Kits ( BG55 )



## ham (Dec 25, 2020)

Why is it so difficult to buy carb kits for Stihl equipment? I was told that Stihl actively stops companies from selling these. I prefer rebuilding carbs vs Chinese or OEM. Trying right now to find a carb kit for a BG55 blower, seems impossible


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## stihl86 (Dec 25, 2020)

Go to the Zamacorp.com site. Banner on top > Support > Parts and Service > Carburetor Look up > Find your carb number etched on the side and click corresponding model family > Find your carb spec and click. Disregard the "Must be purchased......." crap.
Lists everything you need with Zama numbers.


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## OddSawz (Dec 25, 2020)

@ham 

Do you know what the carb model is? The IPL seems to indicate it would be a Zama C1q variant.






Zama - Welcome to the ZAMA Group


ZAMA is a well-known air-fuel-system supplier in the outdoor power equipment industry worldwide. ZAMA supplies diaphragm carburetors, solenoid valves, electronic fuel injection(EFI), oilpumps, various precision machining parts to all major OEMs.



www.zamacorp.com


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## furb (Dec 25, 2020)

I heard Stihl is limiting the availability of certain kits through zama. 261 and 201 are some. I don’t know if they are going to go after old models. You could buy China carbs and take the kits out of them probably cheaper.


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## ham (Dec 26, 2020)

furb said:


> I heard Stihl is limiting the availability of certain kits through zama. 261 and 201 are some. I don’t know if they are going to go after old models. You could buy China carbs and take the kits out of them probably cheaper.


I had a guy at a parts counter mention this, that Stihl has some % ownership in zama, they reduced the price of carbs (still $35 though) and made the kits unavailable.


OddSawz said:


> @ham
> 
> Do you know what the carb model is? The IPL seems to indicate it would be a Zama C1q variant.
> 
> ...



I believe it is a c1q-s55, which is a RB-79 zama kit, which is not available OEM. It looks like my only option is an Oregon kit


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## cookies (Dec 26, 2020)

I have had excellent results using stens, here is some info and a kit # to look for





615-086 Carburetor Kit







www.stens.com


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## ChuckMI (Dec 26, 2020)

Then Stens site says you have to be a dealer.


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## ham (Dec 26, 2020)

ChuckMI said:


> Then Stens site says you have to be a dealer.


The last time I ordered one, I went by I believe what stens sold, and the diaphragm was missing a hole. I ended up cobbling together a "kit" from an old Chinese carb and the stens kit. This time I'm trying oregon


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## cookies (Dec 26, 2020)

you can find stens kits sold online but their website has good information on what to look for, oregon and rotary make decent kits as well


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## ham (Dec 27, 2020)

Okay................... Update. I have a c1q-s68g. Still chasing my tail on a carb kit. Zama, Oregon, stens, rotary, none have a kit for the s68g. I found a stihl UK part number for a kit that SEEMS to reference zama rb-99. However last time I did this I ordered an OEM rb-99 kit and the holes weren't quite right.


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## DND 9000 (Dec 27, 2020)

The RB-99 is the right kit.


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## ham (Dec 29, 2020)

DND 9000 said:


> The RB-99 is the right kit.




Thanks, that is what my research from last time showed, and I ordered this earlier this year:






615-221 Carburetor Kit







www.stens.com





However the holes (particularly the "middle" hole) in the diaphragm didn't line up. Even though the carb clearly says "s68g" on it. I'm going to take the carb apart and to my dealer to see if they can match something up. I know it's cheaper/easier to just buy a new carb, but I have had REALLY bad luck with the Chinese carbs, and even a stihl carb is 1/3 the cost of the entire blower


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## ChuckMI (Dec 29, 2020)

ham said:


> Thanks, that is what my research from last time showed, and I ordered this earlier this year:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Have you thought of punching your own hole in the necessary place? The other hole shouldn't matter if it is blocked. This punch set might work https://amzn.to/3rH0gGq


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## tfp (Dec 29, 2020)

My local dealer gets me kits for any stihl gear I have. I’ve got a pile of them for Zama and walbro carbs. What I have had problems with is getting a replacement carb costs 1/3 or more the cost of a new machine. For example, we have a couple of pro line trimmers that had been sitting a while and when I went to service them for use I snapped one of the adjustment needles as they had rusted slightly. Couldn’t buy the needle, needles out of other carbs for similar sized trimmers didn’t fit, new carb around $375, new machine $900. These are a few years old and mainly used as spares so now they are just parts machines. If I could fix them they would last a homeowner a lifetime even after their commercial life is over.


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## cookies (Dec 30, 2020)

if forced to get a chicom carb order multiple, 3rd ones the charm...worst case scenario pull their gaskets to use in the oem


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## ham (Dec 30, 2020)

I had my dealer look up the correct kit, they also came up with RB-99 from Oregon. $20 whew. I went ahead and bought it. Maybe the zama rb-99 I got earlier in the year was a knockoff


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## ham (Jan 10, 2021)

Final update. RB-99 is the correct kit.


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