Export thread

Hello, and thank you for reading this. I am new to this forum, so please excuse me for any forum faux paus. Anyway, I recently purchased an older 2500 string trimmer, which was running fine but had a leaky primer bulb. Replaced the bulb and everything was fine. Today, it started and ran a few seconds and cut off. Since then I can't even get it to try to start. Tried a new plug, the spark appears ok, I wouldn't say it is blue, but it is yellowish and consistent, and kicks hard when i hold a screwdriver in my hand, stuck in the plug wire, and spin it over. Even with a new plug, it does not even try to start with starting fluid or putting a little gas in the carb throat. The compression seams fine ( I can't hold back the compression by putting my finger over the plug hole, and it pulls with the same compression as it did when it was running fine). Lastly, while pulling it I can feel that plenty of air is coming out of the muffler. The only thing I can think of is something in the coil, maybe the spark Is too weak to jump the gap with compression on the plug, or somehow the timing is off. The funny thing is the last echo string trimmer I had, given to me not running, had the exact same symptoms, and I eventually threw it out, as my best guess was a coil and they are $100.00. Anybody run into anything like this before? Really don't want to drop a boat load of cash on parts. Thanks...

Money on the carb. Leaky bulb probably sucked in some unwanted debris or when changing bulb something got dirty.

Also when you changed bulb did you take carb off machine? If so the gaskets could be old and leaky as well. If you have spark and compression it is most likely the carb.

I guess I'll try pulling it apart and going through it. I may try draining the gas first and see if it will even try starting on starting fluid first. I just don't understand why it does not even try to start on starting fluid at this point. I might add, that at this point, if I put a fresh plug in and pull it say 20 times, choking it a pull or 2 every 10 pulls, the plug will eventually get wet. Still, never sputters or anything.

Could just be real flooded, or the gas you have has gone bad, or both.

Dump out all of the fuel, then push the primer bulb until all of the fuel is out of the carb, then take off the spark plug, and pull the rope 10 times or so, then leave it sit out in the sun for an hour or two, then put the plug back in and pull the rope another 10 times or so, until you are sure it is totally dry.
Then with some fresh gas mix, squirt a dribble into the carb throat, just a dribble, tank still empty, and pull the rope until it starts then dies when the fuel is gone, then put some gas in the tank and try it again, and if it floods again,
go through the carb.

Test the coil.

A quick test with a multimeter should show any continuity between the low tension terminal (which is used to switch off the engine) and earth.