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08 Nov 2025
0 Comments By Earl Gibson Small Engines , , ,

No Start, No Problem: Tracing the Fault in Your Electric OPE

The beauty of electric Outdoor Power Equipment (OPE) is its simplicity—no spark plugs to check, no carburetor to clean. But when your trimmer, blower, or mower refuses to start, the troubleshooting process is different from gas engines. You need a simple, linear approach to isolate the electrical fault.

Don’t panic and assume your expensive tool is dead. Follow this step-by-step guide to trace the problem from the power source (battery) to the motor.

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06 Nov 2025
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💧 Fuel System Fixes: Troubleshooting and Cleaning a Gummed-Up Small Engine Carburetor

Few things are as frustrating as pulling the cord on your trimmer or blower and getting nothing but sputtering, coughing, or silence. In small engines, especially after long storage periods, the main culprit is almost always the carburetor, which has been fouled by stale, ethanol-laced gasoline.

When your engine is surging, stalling, or struggling to maintain a consistent idle, it’s time for some focused carburetor cleaning.

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02 Nov 2025
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Breathe Easy, Power Up: The Air Filter Trick for Small Engine Performance 💨

When your small engine equipment—your mower, generator, or snow blower—starts feeling sluggish, running rough, or burning through fuel faster than usual, your mind might jump to complex issues like a carburetor overhaul or a pricey repair.

Stop right there.

The single cheapest, fastest, and most impactful piece of maintenance you can perform to restore peak power is simply replacing the air filter. It’s the engine’s lungs, and if they’re clogged, your machine is literally being choked.

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30 Oct 2025
Stihl FS130 brush cutter 1
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Fuel System Fix: Renewing Your Weed Trimmer’s Lines and Filter 🌿

Your string trimmer, or “weed whacker,” is a workhorse, but its tiny two-stroke engine is extremely sensitive to fuel delivery issues. Over time, the clear lines inside and outside the fuel tank become brittle, crack, or—most commonly—get stiffened and dissolved by ethanol in modern gasoline.

If your trimmer runs for a few seconds and then dies, bogs down under load, or if you see cracked lines near the primer bulb, it’s time for a vital, budget-friendly repair: replacing the fuel line and filter. This simple fix often revives a seemingly dead trimmer!

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27 Oct 2025
0 Comments By Earl Gibson Small Engines , , ,

How to Clear a Flooded Engine in Under 60 Seconds

It’s a frustratingly common scenario: you go to start your lawn mower, pressure washer, or generator, and it just cranks and cranks, refusing to catch. You might even smell gas. Chances are, you’ve got a flooded engine.

A flooded engine means there’s too much fuel in the combustion chamber, making it impossible for the spark plug to ignite the air-fuel mixture. The good news? For most small engines, you can often clear a flooded engine in under 60 seconds and get back to work.

Here’s your quick-fire guide to resolving a flooded engine.

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