Edger: Starts But Immediately Dies

Your edger’s carburetor provides the engine with the correct mix of fuel and air for combustion. If the engine starts up but immediately dies, you may want to begin by ensuring your carburetor is properly adjusted. An improperly adjusted carburetor won’t provide the engine with the correct ratio of fuel and air and this can cause poor performance. Check the choke and butterfly valves to ensure proper carb performance. A clogged carburetor can cause this symptom as well. If your carburetor is clogged, you can try to clean it, or rebuild it using a carb kit. If your carburetor is damaged or malfunctioning, you may have to replace it entirely before your engine runs properly.

For your edger to run properly, oxygen needs to enter the engine along with fuel from the carburetor. This is necessary to both start, and subsequently run your edger. The air filter is designed to prevent airborne debris from entering the engine along with the air. Routine maintenance should keep your air filter clean and free from debris. However, if debris does build up, it can cause less oxygen to enter the engine, ultimately decreasing its performance. At this point, you may be able to simply clean the filter and the symptom will be solved. However, if the filter is damaged, you should replace it.

A damaged fuel filter can allow debris into the fuel lines, which can cause them to clog. This will lead to your edger’s engine to start but then immediately die. Although the fuel filter is designed to prevent this debris, it can also occasionally become clogged. A clogged fuel filter can result in an engine that is starved of fuel. If the filter is clogged, it can often be cleaned to prevent the engine from stalling. Regular fuel filter maintenance and cleaning can also help to prevent this symptom in the first place. However, if the filter is damaged or so clogged that it can’t be cleaned, it should be replaced.

Your edger’s carburetor has a gasket that provides a seal to prevent too much air from entering the engine. These gaskets are usually small and made of rubber, and as such they are prone to breaking. If your gasket is leaking, the carburetor will pull more air into the engine and cause a loss of power. This can lead to the engine dying shortly after it starts. If your gasket is damaged, you will need to replace it to run your edger properly.

A cracked or damaged spark plug can result in a lack of fuel getting to the engine of your edger. If the primer bulb is cracked, fuel can leak out, and this can be dangerous as the leaking fuel could start a fire. A cracked primer bulb may also prevent the carburetor from pumping fuel into the engine. Without fuel, the engine will either start up and then subsequently die, or not start at all. A cracked primer bulb will need to be replaced for both safety and performance reasons.

The carb kit is not a part that would cause this symptom, however it can help to correct it. If your edger starts but stalls out right away, it could be an indication that your carburetor is damaged. Over time, your carburetor can become clogged. This can cause some of the smaller pieces inside the carb to become brittle, and eventually break. In this case, you may want to look into cleaning and rebuilding the carburetor with a carb kit.

Damaged or clogged fuel lines in your edger can cause the engine to start, but die right away. This will occur because the fuel lines are meant to bring fuel from the tank to the carburetor where they enter the engine. If the fuel lines are cracked, fuel will leak out and won’t make it to the carburetor. Similarly, if they are clogged with debris, this can prevent fuel from entering the carburetor and engine as well. A clogged fuel line can often be cleaned to prevent the engine from dying. You should also check the fuel clamps to make sure they are tight, and not causing your fuel lines to leak. A cracked or damaged fuel line will likely need to be replaced.