Topic: trouble starting a petrol strimmer

[simonh67]

got a ryobi strimmer - any tips or trouble shooting suggestions on starting it ... got correct petrol mix/spark plug it sparks fires then dies!!
Cheers   

[diggerrick]

have you pumped all the air bubbles from the clear pump blister?if not do this 1st before you try and start it also make sure to use choke as the instructions. ;D

[lincsyokel2]

must be fuel block, air block (try cleaning the air filter),  air leak, or worst case the compression has dropped off because the bore is worn or scratched.

[chriscross1966]

did you leave it with fuelin through the winter?... could be carb blockage from that.... always store empty.....

[kimbobill]

You might have flooded the spark plug? have look and they recommend a new one each year

[lincsyokel2]

Take the plug out, hold it against the cooling fins with a rubber glove, pull the engine over? is there a spark?

pull the thing a few more times.sniff the plu hole,  can you smell unburnt  petrol?

put you thumb over the plug hole, pull it again, is the cylinder compressing ?

no to any of those is the primary cause. and it has to be one of them. The only thing theres no quick check for is timing, but small engines like that  cant really slip there timing.

[blackcountrysteve]

The starting process is important
1) try starting it in the first choke position, and when it trys to start
2) move it to the second choke position it should then start up for you.

failing that see answers above !!

[Melbourne12]

Leave it to warm up with the choke half on.

[Kea]

Mine did that last year...then after moving to the 2nd choke position it started easily..as suggested by blackcountrysteve.
Also if you've been using it and stop then try to start it i find mine sometimes won't start when it's hot.

Thanks to whoever recommended the Ryobi one+ battery strimmer to me onA4A, I have it now and have used it a number of times and it is brilliant. on Friday it went for 30 mins and I was able to strim 1/3 of the grass (mid shin length) on my plot that's about 1/6th of 250 m2 plot. I will be selling the petrol one which although very good is just too heavy for me.