craftsman blower vac runs for a few mins and then quits

[northstar32]

im working on a craftsman blower/vac. it starts and runs good for about 3 minutes and then loses power and quits. it starts right back when cranked. we have ran carb cleaner and star tron through it with no change. what to do next? carb is obsolete for it.

 

[davbell22602]

Need to clean and rebuild the carb.

 

[Woody71]

Just went through a similar situation with my Craftsman blower. I've always run SeaFoam in my gas so I didn't think it was a carb issue. Turns out the hi/low mixture screws needed adjustment.

Check the following:

1. Loose cylinder head bolts
2. Loose Carb mounting bolts
3. Clogged air filter/fuel filter
4. Exhaust port/spark arrestor screen for carbon buildup
5. Fuel lines for cracks/deterioration, be sure to check the line inside the tank as well.

Mine started/ran fine at full throttle but would cut off as soon as it started to idle.

Unfortunately the hi/lo adjustment screws require a special tool to adjust and they're not cheap. EPA regs prevent dealers/service centers from selling them and impose hefty fines for violations. I took mine to a local mower repair shop and was out the door in 10 min.

 

[DaveTN]

im working on a craftsman blower/vac. it starts and runs good for about 3 minutes and then loses power and quits. it starts right back when cranked. we have ran carb cleaner and star tron through it with no change. what to do next? carb is obsolete for it.

Welcome to LMF! Sounds like it's starving for fuel. Could be the carburetor inlet screen stopped up. Remove the carb top cover plate and squirt some carb cleaner in it at an angle, watch your eyes, that stuff really stings! Could possibly be a stiff diaphragm in it causing it not to meter properly. Sounds like a minor nuisance problem rather than a major fix. Where are you in TN?