Craftsman E405 Edger won't start

steptoe

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This edger is a 4 cycle machine. I cannot get it to start unless I use starting fluid. It will fire up immediately. I disassembled the carburetor and found nothing wrong. Finally gave up after many tries and bought another carburetor. Same problem. Won't start unless using starting fluid. Dies after using the fluid. Simple carburetor but I don't know what to do. It revs right up on the fluid runs great for about 4 seconds. That's it. There are no adjustments to the carb except for the idle screw. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, David
 

Rivets

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What would you say if your first sentence read? “This car is a 4 cycle machine.” I’ll bet you would say this guy is nuts. Here’s a few questions you would be asking if you were a local mechanic.
1. What brand of edger?
2. What model or model number?
3. What brand of engine?
4. What are all the engine numbers?
5. What was the part number of the new carb?
6. Where did you buy this carb?
7. Did you replace the gaskets to eliminate possibility of an air leak?
8. How old is this edger?
 

steptoe

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Rivets, I don't understand your reply. I listed the make, model #, engine, etc. What are trying to say? I just need someone to give some ideas for getting this edger running.
 

Rivets

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You sound like you are a freshman student who just walked into my Small Engines class on the first day and with a few questions thinks they can be a small engine mechanic. Craftsman is not a brand name, just a company who sells equipment they have other manufacturers build for them. E405 is not a model number, just a series name for an edger. So now you expect someone to give you a solution on how to get it running With this information. Craftsman had at least four different companies build equipment for them and at least five different engine manufacturer build engines for these companies. You did say it was a 4-cycle engine, so we can remove about 500 possible 2-cycle engines that are not on your piece of equipment. What do we have left? Too many possible combinations to even start to guess what you are dealing with. I’m asking you basic questions to narrow down what you have sitting in front of you, the same questions I ask each student in my class on the first day, so they understand that fixing a small engine is not just putting in fresh fuel and a new plug. You have to know what you are working on. Example:
Brand? LawnFlite, Poulan, Husqvarna, MTD, etc.
Model? Craftsman uses model numbers to designate which manufacturer it can from. Depending on the year it will start with a specific prefix. Check this site. http://vintagemachinery.org/craftsman/manufacturers.aspx
Engine Brand? Clinton, Jacobson, Briggs, Tecumseh, Honda, etc.
Engine Model? Again depending on the year of manufacture, they may have numbers just like the equipment number, or use the engine manufacturer numbers.

You never answered questions 5-8, I’m assuming you understand those questions, just forgot. Most freshman get overwhelmed when they see what a mechanic needs to know before tackling a problem. Hopefully you now understand why I posted what I did.
Does your edger look like one of these? One is a Jacobson and the other is Little Wonder.
1724272344019.png
1724272438948.png
 

steptoe

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You still don't understand . If I asked you what time is, then that's all I want- - the time. Your reply is telling me how to build a clock. Let me make this simple. I have a carburetor problem. That's all. The edger runs perfectly with starting fluid but not with gasoline. This is the same gasoline I put in my mower on the same day so it's fresh gas. The carb is just a basic small edger, weed eater, etc model. It doesn't even have a fuel bowl or float. Just a primer bulb which works just fine. For whatever reason the gasoline isn't getting in the engine to the combustion chamber. Starting fluid does. Also, the fuel lines are routed properly allowing the primer bulb to function. Make, model, serial number, etc. doesn't help. Now, with this in mind, can you help with a possible fix? Thank you for trying. David
 

Rivets

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How in the world can anyone help you when we have no idea of what you have. We are not psychic., but live hundreds of miles away from you. Are you that stupid that you don’t understand that? If you asked me what time it is in your location I would have a 1 in 24 chance of guessing the correct answer. I may now down to this answer. “Yes dear you are right. I’ll be out in the garage if you have any other questions “.
 

Rivets

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If the experienced techs on this forum think I’m asking the wrong questions, please rip me a new one!!!
 

steptoe

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I have a Walbro carburetor. Only moving parts are the rubber flexible diaphragm which allows the needle valve to open and send fuel to the engine and the primer bulb which starts the fuel flow to the engine. Almost every small engine person on this web site has used a week eater or edger with this type carburetor . There are no other details to offer. Why doesn't gas get to the engine. Well, the old carburetor was probably plugged up with crud and wouldn't allow gas to go through some of the small ports. However, the brand new carburetor is also not allowing gas to flow. There should not be any internal restriction. The only way to get the process started is to use the primer bulb thus allowing the carburetor to work. This is what I am posting to see if anyone has had this problem and what they did to correct it. I don' need a college professor to teach me the theory of engine operation. I have been a mechanic for over 60 years working on cars, trucks, heavy equipment, etc. I have never had a problem of this nature in all that time. I have a Corvair Monza ( if you know what that is) with 4 carburetors and can rebuild, balance and synchronize their operation with excellent results. This Walbro carburetor is considered by some to be a throwaway item. It has some extremely tiny passages which are almost impossible to clean if plugged.
 

Hammermechanicman

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If the experienced techs on this forum think I’m asking the wrong questions, please rip me a new one!!!
Hey rivets. I have a red mower that won't start. How do I fix it?
🤔😵‍💫😂😂😂😂

Looks like the the e405 uses that crappy little 4 stroke crapsman and trash bilt is using on all the small stuff.
 

steptoe

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Hammermech you need to repaint it Green and it should be fine
 
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