quote:

Originally posted by bubbatime:
Depending on what brand blower, you can often buy a brand new OEM carburetor for like $13. Only idiots rebuild carbs for $10, when a new one cost $13.

How much use does this blower get? If its homeowner use, average size lot, then look at TruFuel or Powerfuel from home-depot. $5 a can, great stuff. The average homeowner would use less than 2 cans a year.

42 lawns weekly, I'm guessing the blower runs about 7 hours per week. I run ethanol free fuel only. I mix with Echo brand oil @ 2.6 fluid ounces per gallon of fuel. Last year I ran seafoam in every refill of the mix gas. I didn't this year because I ran out and just didn't get any until today. I'm going to fix the primer bulb, run a heavy dose of seafoam and see if that clears it up.

Oh, I'll open up the exhaust port, too. I'll probably remove the spark arrest screen.

quote:

Originally posted by btanchors:
Before you pull the carb apart, can you check your exhaust port? I suspect it is clogged, or nearly clogged. When that happens, the symptoms are very similar to a fuel problem.

Cleaning the exhaust port is standard periodic maintenance for these engines, and is easier to do than pulling the carb apart, so might as well check this first...

This is what I found on my Stihl blower. There is a brass screen called a spark arrestor and it was clogged. Pull it out and clean with carb cleaner or replace (they're cheap) and see how it runs. Much easier than a carb rebuild or replacement too.

7 hours use per week definitely has some carbon buildup in the exhaust if it hasn't been cleaned before.