I've got a Trim Rite 733 lawn edger for making nice lines between grass and concrete. It won't start. I'm no mechanic and don't really know where to start on getting this fixed. My mom gave it to me and it was running well a year or so ago but was stored with gas for 12+ months or so. I drained all old gas, put in fresh gas and cleaned the spark plug. I can't find a primer on the unit anywhere. I just pull and pull on the string and it won't start. What do I need to chack and how do I go about checking it? I can post pictures of the unit if that helps.
Won't start...HELP!
- Thread starter Chris B.
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JHZR2
Staff member
Sounds like bad gas, maybe a gummed carburetor. I'd try to dump the gas, put fresh with some stabilizer and a bit of injector cleaner or something like seafoam... Then give it a try... I would at least make sure the plug is nice and clean.
Get a can of starting fluid (ether) and
1) take the spark plug out, spray 1/2 second inside, and put the plug back in, it should sputter.
2) take the air cleaner off, look for mouse nests inside, make sure the element isnt all soaking wet. Spray a spritz of ether in and pull the rope.
If you manage to get it running, keep spraying ether in the carb on/off. Sometimes these small engines need to run faster than you can pull the rope to get a good draw on their carbs and work the fuel through.
PS what everyone says about old fuel is true. I would take the bowl off the carb, one brass nut on the bottom, and have a drain pan handy. If everything works right gas will start dribbling out of the carb, because nothing is holding the float. Usually you'll find some green schmootz in the bowl; just wipe with a paper towel and put the mess back together with fresh gas.
If you could find the manuals for the trimmer, you will probably find a motor manual and a trimmer manual. Since you are having motor problems, take ALL the serial numbers off the engine near the spark plug, and poke around the briggs website; you should get a pdf for the motor at least.
1) take the spark plug out, spray 1/2 second inside, and put the plug back in, it should sputter.
2) take the air cleaner off, look for mouse nests inside, make sure the element isnt all soaking wet. Spray a spritz of ether in and pull the rope.
If you manage to get it running, keep spraying ether in the carb on/off. Sometimes these small engines need to run faster than you can pull the rope to get a good draw on their carbs and work the fuel through.
PS what everyone says about old fuel is true. I would take the bowl off the carb, one brass nut on the bottom, and have a drain pan handy. If everything works right gas will start dribbling out of the carb, because nothing is holding the float. Usually you'll find some green schmootz in the bowl; just wipe with a paper towel and put the mess back together with fresh gas.
If you could find the manuals for the trimmer, you will probably find a motor manual and a trimmer manual. Since you are having motor problems, take ALL the serial numbers off the engine near the spark plug, and poke around the briggs website; you should get a pdf for the motor at least.
Maybe the spark arrestor is clogged.(If it has one). If it does have one you just need to remove it from the muffler and clean build-up with carb cleaner or equivalent. Good luck.
Give the air cleaner a snort of starting fluid, and see if it starts. I am not sure about keeping it running on starting fluid, I think that it may just take off and blow up. Thats some wicked stuff.
I put about 1 .oz of gas in the spark plug hole and it fired right up on the 2nd pull! It was surging in the low to mid range of the throttle but pretty even with it all the way open. How do I smooth out the engine through all it's full range? Thanks again everyone!
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Pull the carb, completely disassemble it, and clean everything including high and low speed jets, float bowl needle/seat, and air/fuel galleries in the carb body.
Blow everything out with compressed air, put it all back together. It should run just fine.
Blow everything out with compressed air, put it all back together. It should run just fine.
boraticus,
Your advice is spot on, but do you think that adding a heavy dose of fuel line/carb cleaner (Seafoam, etc.) to a tank of gas and just letting it run might clear out the carb?
Ya, I know, just do it your way and be done with it. Just wondering.
Your advice is spot on, but do you think that adding a heavy dose of fuel line/carb cleaner (Seafoam, etc.) to a tank of gas and just letting it run might clear out the carb?
Ya, I know, just do it your way and be done with it. Just wondering.
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
boraticus,
Your advice is spot on, but do you think that adding a heavy dose of fuel line/carb cleaner (Seafoam, etc.) to a tank of gas and just letting it run might clear out the carb?
Ya, I know, just do it your way and be done with it. Just wondering.
Well, personally, from my experience, carburetor cleaner in a bottle is more wishful thinking than practical. If it's a matter of a slight case of gumming causing a bit of a restriction, it might work. However, nine times out of ten it's a physical blockage requiring physical cleaning.
I know that pulling/disassembling and cleaning a carb might be intimidating to some but generally speaking, if one pays attention to how the carb comes apart, takes a few digital pictures and is fortunate enough to find an exploded view diagram, the job isn't that tough. I really enjoy cleaning a carb provided the parts are big enough to be seen. Not too crazy about small diaphragm carbs. They have extremely small components that like to spring free or fall out, usually unnoticed.
boraticus,
Your advice is spot on, but do you think that adding a heavy dose of fuel line/carb cleaner (Seafoam, etc.) to a tank of gas and just letting it run might clear out the carb?
Ya, I know, just do it your way and be done with it. Just wondering.
Well, personally, from my experience, carburetor cleaner in a bottle is more wishful thinking than practical. If it's a matter of a slight case of gumming causing a bit of a restriction, it might work. However, nine times out of ten it's a physical blockage requiring physical cleaning.
I know that pulling/disassembling and cleaning a carb might be intimidating to some but generally speaking, if one pays attention to how the carb comes apart, takes a few digital pictures and is fortunate enough to find an exploded view diagram, the job isn't that tough. I really enjoy cleaning a carb provided the parts are big enough to be seen. Not too crazy about small diaphragm carbs. They have extremely small components that like to spring free or fall out, usually unnoticed.
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