I HAVE JUST BOUGHT A RYOBI PLT 3043YE STRIMMER FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE MANUAL WORD FOR WORD BUT IT STILL WILL NOT START. IT SPLUTTERS FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN NOTHING,I HAVE CHECKED THE PLUG THAT SEEMS OK,DONE THE FLOODED ENGINE ROUTINE BUT STILL NOTHING SHOULD I SEND IT BACK OR DO THE ACTUALLY WORK. PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP

Douglas Hughes, August 2007

Follow all the guys above:-

1) make petrol/oil mix is 50:1 , This means 500cc petrol to 10cc of oil (2 stroke oil! , not 4str engine oil!) , adjust as you see fit (250cc - 5cc , 1litre(1000cc) - 20cc)

2) Prime (clear rubber button on top of engine), x 5-8 times , push yellow warm (red)

3) HOLD DOWN THE INTERLOCK BUTTON WHEN STARTING !! (big yellow button 1/2 way down shaft) - I too suffered the old start for 5 seconds, then cuts out - turns out this was the key to starting

4) Idle for while (20 seconds?) then warm up with throttle (squeeze handle on bottom of shaft)

Chris Peacock, June 2013

Remove all the old petrol (I just turn it upside down into a big mayo glass jar). Put fresh premium petrol (without ethanol) AND MAKE SURE YOU ONLY PUT SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL. My previous experience is hard starting is caused by too much oil mixture.

Jose, February 2011

I love this strimmer. Boy does it do a lot of work. However, I also think the instructions are wrong regarding starting it. Try starting it by experimenting rather than following the book!

Robert, July 2009

I have two of these. One starts perfectly every time, the other is very hard to start.

Once running both are great.

Walts, May 2009

I've sent mine back TWICE (first time the starting cord had snapped off through me trying to start it so much...) with this problem and both times it has been sent back with 'No fault'...

For the first time ever it managed to start today! For about 5 seconds... Now I'm back to 'PULL - rattle-rattle-rattle... PULL - rattle-rattle-rattle... PULL...'

Driving me totally insane!!!

DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE.

Don't buy, June 2008

I had the same problem. Do exactly the opposite to the instructions. Start it in the WARM position while holding down the top yellow button.

Norman Smith, August 2007

May seem daft but have you checked that fuel mixture hasn't too much oil as most should be 50-1, I have used an old mustard jar or Yakult container, 1 oil to 50parts petrol.
When it splutters, too much oil will belch out bluey white smoke. Best of luck m8

andre, August 2007