Taking good care of your weed eater will ensure that it stands the test of time. However, you have to keep in mind that this involves good cleaning routines. Parts within the weed eater will become built-up with dirt, grease and grime over time.
One such part is the carburetor. This can be expensive to replace so a lot of people prefer to clean it. This easy step by step guide tells you everything you need to know about cleaning a string trimmer carburetor.
A carburetor is a component found in a combustion engine although you may sometimes see it being called a carb or a carby, depending on where you come from.
This part of your weed eater is designed to mix the fuel and air in order to start the process of combustion. It allows the perfect ratio of fuel and air for this process so it isn’t difficult to see why it’s such an important part.
Your carburetor will get dirty over time and this can prevent enough fuel from getting into the gas chamber which in turn won’t allow the process of combustion. The result? You may find it difficult to get your weed eater engine to start.
Where Is The Carburetor On A Weed Eater Located?
The setup of each weed eater may be slightly different but the carburetor will always be located in the same place. You can find it by following the fuel line from the fuel tank as these connect the two parts together.
If you are in any doubt about where the carburetor is then you can always consult your user manual which will provide you with specific details for your model.
Cleaning A String Trimmer Carburetor
If you don’t keep your weed eater carburetor clean then eventually, your tool will stop working altogether. This is because the fuel cannot get through to the combustion chamber so the process won’t happen. To prevent problems like this you will need to know how to clean a weed eater carburetor.
Remove The Air Filter
You will need to start by removing the air filter. Note that, depending where you are, this may be referred to as a breather plate.
You’ll typically find this part on the outer part of your weed eater’s engine and it’ll normally be black in color. Once you have removed this, you will see the carburetor underneath.
Remove The Two Fuel Lines
The next thing you’ll need to do is to remove the two fuel lines which are connected to the carburetor and run to the fuel tank. These are quite easy to disconnect
Disconnect The Carburetor
It is now time to disconnect the carburetor. There are two main connections that you’ll need to remove. The first of these connections runs into the crankcase of the engine and is a hose. You’ll also find that there is another connection at the carburetor diaphragm which you can remove using a wrench. Do keep in mind that there is a good chance that your carburetor will leak during this process so you may wish to lay down some newspaper or old towels to catch any leaks.
Once you have done this, you can then remove the carburettor from your weed eater by loosening the screws. Depending on the model you have, you might need to use different tools for this so check your user manual for more information.
Drain The Carburetor From The Filter Side
When you remove the carburetor from your string trimmer, you will notice that it falls into two parts.
The next thing you’ll need to do is to drain the carb from the filter side and in here, there may be some sludgy gas which can be an issue. To get rid of this, you will need to use a variety of equipment including carburetor cleaner and pipe cleaners.
Clean The Carburetor With Carburetor Cleaner
It’s now time to start cleaning your carburetor with a carburetor cleaner. These products are widely available and are specially designed for this job so we wouldn’t recommend using anything else. They’re great at removing the build up inside the carburetor.
Spray The Cleaner Into The Air Intake Part
When using the carburetor cleaner, don’t be shy about being generous with how much you apply. It is much better to use a decent amount to make sure you get an adequate clean.
You’ll need to spray the carburetor cleaner into the air intake. Once you have done this, depress the throttle trigger a couple of times as this will help to spread the cleaner through the internal parts of the carburetor. Also don’t forget to open and close the choke which will clean its valves.
Prime The Carburetor
The next step is to prime the carburetor which you will do by using the priming bulb. You’ll need to push this between three and four times before closing the choke. Now you can pull the starter cord to get the engine going.
Make sure that the choke is set to ‘run’ before you start the engine. You can then spray a couple of squirts of the carburetor cleaner into the air intake again. Since the engine is running, this fluid will be pulled through the chamber and give it a good clean. Note that the engine will surge as this happens and that is nothing to be concerned about.
Put Everything Back Together
Your carburetor should now be clean and ready to use again. However, before you do, you’ll need to put your weed eater back together. To do this, all you need is to follow the instructions in reverse and you’ll be ready to get back outside and tend to your garden.
