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Fuel problem?

When I press the throttlle on my mculloch hedgetrimmer the engine dies. What could be the cause?
Gareth llewellyn, May 2005
Hello,

Your problem sounds like it most likely is due to dirty carburetor. Has your machine been stored with fuel in the carburetor for longer than two months? Old gas forms a residue that is like furniture varnish. Gas these days is quite unstable, due to the stuff added back in at refining to be able to obtain more auto gas out of the crude. You can greatly reduce varnish problems and get more reliable results from your outdoor power equipment if you use fuel stablizer per directions. Most better quality 2-cycle oils, have a small amount of fuel stabilizer included these days, but use of additional stabilizer is adviseable in my opinion. Better yet to remove the gas from the equipment after use, and run it till it quits even when choked. If this is done every time the machine is put away for more than a week or two, you can be assured varnish problems will be rare indeed.

As for your case. I would guess that the carburetor will have to be removed and completely cleaned. Special attention will need to be given to cleaning the accellerator ports. (The tiny little row of holes in the carburetor throat). Most carburetors will have these under a welch plug in the carburetor chamber, and it requires a bit of trainning to do this service properly. Just dipping the dissasembled carburetor in carb cleanner may or may not do the job. (Most likely not). Gaskets and diaphrams should be replaced upon reassembly, making sure you have all the parts and in the correct sequence. An exploded drawing of the carburetor is a major help.

Regards,
Walt Galer
WE Sharpen It.com

walt and eileen galer, July 2005