Starting a Gas-Powered Leaf Blower
Gas blowers generally break down into two-cycle and four-cycle engines. The two-cycle variety require a special mixture of gas and oil to properly start the engine. The general rule is that for every gallon of gas you add 2 ½ ounces of oil. Adding too much oil to the mixture can cause serious problems with your gas blower, including:
- A damaged spark plug
- Difficulty starting the engine
- Smoke emissions while the blower is running
Four-cycle engines found on new gas blower models save you the trouble of mixing oil and gas together. However, both types of gas blowers follow the same basic steps.
- To begin, you need to mix the gas and oil together if the blower has a two-cycle engine. Make sure the oil is mixed into the gas before you pour it into the blower’s tank.
- Press and release the primer bulb about six times. This bulb pulls a small amount of gas to the throat of the carburetor.
- Put the choke in the closed position and pull the cord once.
- Switch the choke to the halfway position and pull the cord again up to four times.
- When the engine starts, let it run for about 10 seconds before opening the choke all the way.
Starting a gas blower may take a little muscle, but with a good model and clear instructions, it shouldn’t take more than one or two tries to get it running.
 |
Brittany Rowland researches new developments in Appliances, Kitchen and CE products features with a vigor to which few would aspire… but someone has to do it. See more about Brittany |
Related Top 10 Lists
Top 10 Leaf Blowers
The best leaf blowers, be they gas, electric, or cordless, must be effective at blasting away leaves, twigs, and other lawn debris. We looked for a number of factors when selecting the top 10 leaf blowers: Easy to start up, Powerful engine with high air speeds, Durable mulching blades… [more]
Filed Under: Lawn & Garden • Leaf Blowers
