Blower: Hard To Start

A broken choke lever will prevent you from choking the engine during start up. When you engage the choke, it restricts the air flow to the carburetor, creating a rich fuel mixture which can help your engine to start. If the choke lever becomes damaged, you will not be able to choke the engine, making it more difficult to start. Like the primer bulb, the choke is key to the start up procedure of your leaf blower, but it is also located on the outside of the blower, making it easy to inspect for damage.

A dirty or plugged carburetor will make the engine hard to start. If your blower is having a difficult time starting, then you may be dealing with a carburetor issue. The carburetor’s job is to ensure the proper mix of fuel and air is directed to the blower’s engine. As mentioned, the carburetor can become clogged, making it difficult for fuel and air to enter the engine. The internal rubber and plastic pieces in your carburetor can also become hardened, keeping them from functioning properly. In this case, you may want to consider picking up a carb kit, which contains everything you will need to replace the interior carb parts. Carburetors should be disassembled and cleaned regularly to prevent clogging and debris buildup, but can also be replaced completely.

The air filter in your leaf blower prevents debris from entering the engine. Over the life of the blower, the debris can build up in the filter, causing it to become clogged, and making it difficult for air to get through to the engine. If there is a lack of air in the engine during the combustion process, it can make the engine hard to start. To prevent it from clogging, cleaning or replacing your air filter should be a part of your normal maintenance routine.

Your blower’s fuel filter is located in the fuel tank attached to the fuel lines. Its function is to keep debris out of the fuel line and ultimately the engine. Over time, the fuel filter (like the air filter) can become clogged with debris, which makes it difficult for the required amount of fuel to enter the engine. Even if your fuel tank is full, this can make starting the blower difficult. The fuel filter can be removed from the fuel tank and disconnected from the fuel line for cleaning. If your fuel filter is damaged, however, you may consider replacing it so you don’t run in to this issue in the future.

The spark plug in your leaf blower takes voltage from the ignition coil and turns it into the spark that ignites your fuel mixture during the starting process. Over time, spark plugs can become worn or damaged which can impede them from completing their intended function. This can make it very difficult to start your blower. You can test your spark plug to determine if it needs to be replaced, or if you need to investigate other potential causes of this symptom. Your spark plug can also become carbon-coated over time, which can make it difficult to run your blower as well.

Your leaf blower’s primer bulb can be at the heart of solving the problem of a leaf blower engine that is difficult to start. The primer bulb is designed to purge the carburetor of air, which can help your engine to start. However, if the primer bulb is cracked or damaged, it will not be able to perform this function. This can lead to difficulty when attempting to start your blower. The primer bulb is located on the outside of the blower, so you will be able to easily assess the damage and determine if a replacement bulb is needed.

Like a clogged fuel filter, a clogged or cracked fuel line can make it difficult for the required amount of fuel to enter the engine. A cracked fuel line will simply leak fuel back into the fuel tank, and can make it more difficult for the rest of the fuel to travel through the line. It can also allow air into the line, and this will result in a hard to start situation. A clogged fuel line will prevent enough fuel from reaching the engine as well, and will make the engine difficult to get going. You can disconnect your fuel line from the engine, remove it from the fuel tank and inspect them for damage. If it is clogged, a simple cleaning could fix the issue but if there is a crack in the line, it will need to be replaced.