Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

[sbbamafan]

I assume I am having a carb or fuel issue. I have only been out twice this year but the problem has been very consistent. When cold (2 occasions) it will not start until I five it a shot of starting fluid (I don't like using the stuff). If I don't, however, I am afraid that I will kill the battery. I guess this could be a choke issue too, except there is another issue. The idle speed is excessively low and occasionally stalls when idling. FWIW, after it is initially started on a given day, there is never a hesitation restarting.

Fresh oil, good plugs (I inspected but did not change). Cap, rotor, etc all good. I use Stabil stabilizer for ethonal religiously.

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

Are you pumping the throttle lever a couple of times in the throttle only position and leaving the throttle lever to about 1/4 to 1/2 thottle while cranking? Or are you just leaving it in idle and trying to start it like you do your car/truck that is EFI?

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

Don - yes I take it to full throttle 2 or 3 times and then leave it higher than idle, maybe 1/4 to 1/3 throttle. I am worried I will (or have) flooded it.

 

[Don S]

Re: Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

Remove the flame arrestor and see if the choke is closed when it's cold.

You can also disconnect the throttle cable, open the choke and look into the throttle bores and operate the carb linkage to full throttle. Does the accelerator pump squirt out two nice streams of fuel into the carb? It won't flood with no gas. If not, you may be due for a carb rebuild.

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

Flame arresters are clean. I'll pull them next weekend and see how it looks. Thanks. Just for clarification, what should my starting procedure be?

 

[Rixster510]

Re: Hard to start this year (only first time of the day) and low idle

Sounds like you need to either pull and clean the carb or run some fuel system cleaner through it. I run a bottle of fuel system cleaner through mine on the first run of the year every spring.