I’ve had this blower for 3-4 years and it has always started like a dream. A couple months ago, I noticed some oil underneath the carb when I primed it, but I didn’t think much of it. Today it finally failed on me. Runs with the choke closed and gas, but dies if I open the choke or let off the gas. Not an easy repair for a novice like myself, but this video gives me a shot. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for watching. Please be aware that if the machine isn't used regularly, and sits with untreated (the only treatment that works is seafoam) ethanol based fuel in it, and/or is being fed from a container of fuel that sits around untreated for more than 30 days, the ethanol will destroy the carburetor. This will leave you with a machine that won't run unless choked.
@@austinado16 i’ve used ethanol free fuel from day one with this blower. I only use it 15-30 min/week. Gas sits in it for a couple months before I have to refuel. I buy new (ethanol free) gas every couple a months for all my equipment. In the winter I left it filled with ethanol free gas and ran it for a few minutes once a month. I’m hoping it’s just a leaking fuel line or a carb rebuild as what you did in this video is a lot of tear down. Will take a closer look at the blower tmrw and see what I find…
@@austinado16after further inspection, I’m not seeing any oil leaks from the crank case. I pulled the starter and it was very clean inside. Checked the fuel lines and I didn’t see any leaks there. I think the gas/oil that was leaking qas coming from the air filter. I took the carb apart and that looked clean inside. Sprayed it down with some carb cleaner, put it back on and now the blower won’t start at all, even fully choked. I’m think next step is to do a full carb rebuild, unless yoi have another idea. Thanks!
@@PerfectBiscuits There's no way for me to accurately diagnose it. My suggestion would be to take it to a repair shop. There are just too many variable, now that it's been worked on.
@@austinado16 put a new carb kit in it, changed the spark plug and it’s running again. I’m guessing the spark plug was the culprit as it was pretty fouled while the carb looked clean. I didn’t see any signs of crank case leaks when I pulled the starter. Piston and exhaust port looked great too. I think this is a testament for using ethanol free gas as the blower is in great shape and just needed some basic maintenance after 4 years.
I just bought a used one for $50 that wouldn't start. I got it to start with carb cleaner and it runs good but needs the carb adjusted. No leaks at all
Nice score! TriFlow is a better choice for "2 stroke engine starting fluid" because it contains oil. They'll fire right up and run great on it for a few seconds. Try running it at full throttle, and then rack the choke closed and open the choke again quickly, just as the engine is about to die. Doing this repeatedly, at full throttle (like 3-5 times) will clear out the passages in the carburetor and you'll sometimes be able to wake up a carburetor that's poorly functioning, and have it work fine again. Another trick with blowers is to hold your end over the end of the blower nozzle, blocking off most of the air flow, and letting the engine rev high for a few seconds. This will also clear out the circuits in the carb and may return the engine to normal running function. Nice blowers. Good luck with it.
Bull Hockey 😂😂😂 I've owned my 350BT for 12 years and it has never failed to start. I actually didn't even know it had a primer bulb until you just showed it 😂😂😂 I have literally never done anything to this machine except dump gas in it and go! I've never even cleaned the air filter! I choke it and give it 3-4 good pulls and she fires right up! In the 12 years ive owned it, I've used it on two different 8 acre properties which are my personal residence and multiple other rental properties i own. She's definitely put in some hours and i wouldn't trade it for a brand new one!
I've had mine for nearly 7 years and only recently had the non-start issue. I'm no mechanic and wouldn't be confident it trying to take this thing down that far and expect a good result. Hopefully it isn't this serious. GREAT VIDEO!
@@ggaggagga4 Rule out all the simple stuff first. So replace the fuel filter, air filter, and spark plug. Inspect the area between the carburetor and the engine, and if it's goopy with oily dirt, you know you have an air leak either from loose carburetor screws, loose intake block screws, or the gaskets in that location have failed. If you find loose screws for the carburetor and/or intake block, replace the gaskets before re-tightening the screws. The vibration of the running engine, with the screws loose, damages the gaskets and they won't seal well by just tightening the screws. When you attempt to start it, move the throttle trigger to nearly full throttle, and with the choke turned on, pull the engine over, either until it starts, or if it doesn't start in about 4 or 5 pulls, turn the choke off, and move the throttle to full throttle. Using this starting method "wets" the crankcase with fuel/oil mix, and briefly seals most of the crankcase leaks. Then you leave full throttle, and turn off the choke, which allows a lot of air to enter the engine as you pull start it. It'll usually fire right up in about 3 pulls, as that wet crankcase and flooded cylinder start to air out, and the fuel/air ratio approaches 12.5:1 Not uncommon for these to blow the rear crankcase seal out of position, just behind the starter cup, and it's worth inspecting that, and inspecting the base of the cylinder, if the above info doesn't help. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Good evening, Todd. I know you have said you are a part time mechanic, is this what you do part time? Also, are the problems you showed inherent to other Husqvarna products such as the Rancher 455? Also, what advice would you give to the owner of this now repaired machine. Excellent and informative video and I hope you are continuing to heal.
Hi Ken. Just got back home from having the surgery to my left leg. They only kept me 1 night, and released me this afternoon. The 455 is a solid saw, but it suffers from ethanol damage to the carburetor, just like all 2 stroke and 4 stroke equipment. Best thing you can do is to run Echo Power Fuel, which is ethanol free, and comes pre-mixed with oil at 50:1 Due to how saws are used, I like to mix their oil 40:1.
@@austinado16 I know you are happy it was only one night and that you are back home. I use my rancher 455 year-round. I usually poor the fuel out of my Rancher 455's tank after ending each session for the day. Then I start the saw and run till stops. Then put it up. Will that procedure help? I do that because I've always done that with my Stihl 3-foot 2-stroke hedger that I only run once or twice a year. It keeps me from having to have special 5-gallon cans of ethanol free fuel just for the two 2-stroke machines I run. The only problem in 4-years of ownership I've had is needing to adjust the low and high settings for the first time this year after changing out the fuel and air filters. I purchased that special "screwdriver."
@@kensshowtell Just like with 4 stroke machines, running the engine until it dies, still leaves an amount of fuel in the carburetor. So if what's left behind contains ethanol, the potential for damage is still present. My suggestion would be to buy a quart of the Echo fuel, put a little in the machine that's being stored, (once you've drained the fuel and run the machine until it's died), and then fire the machine up for a couple seconds. That way, the carburetor and fuel lines are left with ethanol free fuel in them, during periods of storage.
@@austinado16 Thank you. Another question. Is it true that the primary damage that comes from ethanol containing fuel occurs while sitting for long periods of time?
@@kensshowtell Ethanol chemically fails after 30 days. Doesn't matter if that fuel is in a 4 stroke, or 2 stroke machine, or a vehicle. As the chemical degradation process takes place, it chemically "cooks" anything rubber, or with a rubber coating. It also phase separates, and becomes hydroscopic, so it pulls moisture out of the air. This creates a caustic environment that then attacks the metal parts of the fuel system. It eats the cad plating off the inside of carburetor bowls, rusts the inside of carb bowls, turns the aluminum parts chalky white, and corrodes the brass jets until they are green, and jet orifices are clogged. Adding SeaFoam to ethanol based fuels, especially in the fuel tanks of cars that sit for long periods of time, is the only thing that works.
I’ve had this blower for 3-4 years and it has always started like a dream. A couple months ago, I noticed some oil underneath the carb when I primed it, but I didn’t think much of it. Today it finally failed on me. Runs with the choke closed and gas, but dies if I open the choke or let off the gas. Not an easy repair for a novice like myself, but this video gives me a shot. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for watching. Please be aware that if the machine isn't used regularly, and sits with untreated (the only treatment that works is seafoam) ethanol based fuel in it, and/or is being fed from a container of fuel that sits around untreated for more than 30 days, the ethanol will destroy the carburetor. This will leave you with a machine that won't run unless choked.
@@austinado16 i’ve used ethanol free fuel from day one with this blower. I only use it 15-30 min/week. Gas sits in it for a couple months before I have to refuel. I buy new (ethanol free) gas every couple a months for all my equipment. In the winter I left it filled with ethanol free gas and ran it for a few minutes once a month.
I’m hoping it’s just a leaking fuel line or a carb rebuild as what you did in this video is a lot of tear down. Will take a closer look at the blower tmrw and see what I find…
@@austinado16after further inspection, I’m not seeing any oil leaks from the crank case. I pulled the starter and it was very clean inside. Checked the fuel lines and I didn’t see any leaks there. I think the gas/oil that was leaking qas coming from the air filter. I took the carb apart and that looked clean inside. Sprayed it down with some carb cleaner, put it back on and now the blower won’t start at all, even fully choked. I’m think next step is to do a full carb rebuild, unless yoi have another idea. Thanks!
@@PerfectBiscuits There's no way for me to accurately diagnose it. My suggestion would be to take it to a repair shop. There are just too many variable, now that it's been worked on.
@@austinado16 put a new carb kit in it, changed the spark plug and it’s running again. I’m guessing the spark plug was the culprit as it was pretty fouled while the carb looked clean. I didn’t see any signs of crank case leaks when I pulled the starter. Piston and exhaust port looked great too. I think this is a testament for using ethanol free gas as the blower is in great shape and just needed some basic maintenance after 4 years.
I just bought a used one for $50 that wouldn't start. I got it to start with carb cleaner and it runs good but needs the carb adjusted. No leaks at all
Nice score! TriFlow is a better choice for "2 stroke engine starting fluid" because it contains oil. They'll fire right up and run great on it for a few seconds.
Try running it at full throttle, and then rack the choke closed and open the choke again quickly, just as the engine is about to die. Doing this repeatedly, at full throttle (like 3-5 times) will clear out the passages in the carburetor and you'll sometimes be able to wake up a carburetor that's poorly functioning, and have it work fine again. Another trick with blowers is to hold your end over the end of the blower nozzle, blocking off most of the air flow, and letting the engine rev high for a few seconds. This will also clear out the circuits in the carb and may return the engine to normal running function.
Nice blowers. Good luck with it.
Bull Hockey 😂😂😂
I've owned my 350BT for 12 years and it has never failed to start.
I actually didn't even know it had a primer bulb until you just showed it 😂😂😂
I have literally never done anything to this machine except dump gas in it and go! I've never even cleaned the air filter!
I choke it and give it 3-4 good pulls and she fires right up!
In the 12 years ive owned it, I've used it on two different 8 acre properties which are my personal residence and multiple other rental properties i own. She's definitely put in some hours and i wouldn't trade it for a brand new one!
That's great to hear!
I've had mine for nearly 7 years and only recently had the non-start issue. I'm no mechanic and wouldn't be confident it trying to take this thing down that far and expect a good result. Hopefully it isn't this serious. GREAT VIDEO!
@@ggaggagga4 Rule out all the simple stuff first. So replace the fuel filter, air filter, and spark plug. Inspect the area between the carburetor and the engine, and if it's goopy with oily dirt, you know you have an air leak either from loose carburetor screws, loose intake block screws, or the gaskets in that location have failed. If you find loose screws for the carburetor and/or intake block, replace the gaskets before re-tightening the screws. The vibration of the running engine, with the screws loose, damages the gaskets and they won't seal well by just tightening the screws.
When you attempt to start it, move the throttle trigger to nearly full throttle, and with the choke turned on, pull the engine over, either until it starts, or if it doesn't start in about 4 or 5 pulls, turn the choke off, and move the throttle to full throttle. Using this starting method "wets" the crankcase with fuel/oil mix, and briefly seals most of the crankcase leaks. Then you leave full throttle, and turn off the choke, which allows a lot of air to enter the engine as you pull start it. It'll usually fire right up in about 3 pulls, as that wet crankcase and flooded cylinder start to air out, and the fuel/air ratio approaches 12.5:1
Not uncommon for these to blow the rear crankcase seal out of position, just behind the starter cup, and it's worth inspecting that, and inspecting the base of the cylinder, if the above info doesn't help.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hi more videos. Great job 🎉
Thank you, I'm on it!
Great
Good evening, Todd. I know you have said you are a part time mechanic, is this what you do part time? Also, are the problems you showed inherent to other Husqvarna products such as the Rancher 455? Also, what advice would you give to the owner of this now repaired machine. Excellent and informative video and I hope you are continuing to heal.
Hi Ken. Just got back home from having the surgery to my left leg. They only kept me 1 night, and released me this afternoon.
The 455 is a solid saw, but it suffers from ethanol damage to the carburetor, just like all 2 stroke and 4 stroke equipment. Best thing you can do is to run Echo Power Fuel, which is ethanol free, and comes pre-mixed with oil at 50:1 Due to how saws are used, I like to mix their oil 40:1.
@@austinado16 I know you are happy it was only one night and that you are back home. I use my rancher 455 year-round. I usually poor the fuel out of my Rancher 455's tank after ending each session for the day. Then I start the saw and run till stops. Then put it up. Will that procedure help? I do that because I've always done that with my Stihl 3-foot 2-stroke hedger that I only run once or twice a year. It keeps me from having to have special 5-gallon cans of ethanol free fuel just for the two 2-stroke machines I run. The only problem in 4-years of ownership I've had is needing to adjust the low and high settings for the first time this year after changing out the fuel and air filters. I purchased that special "screwdriver."
@@kensshowtell Just like with 4 stroke machines, running the engine until it dies, still leaves an amount of fuel in the carburetor. So if what's left behind contains ethanol, the potential for damage is still present. My suggestion would be to buy a quart of the Echo fuel, put a little in the machine that's being stored, (once you've drained the fuel and run the machine until it's died), and then fire the machine up for a couple seconds. That way, the carburetor and fuel lines are left with ethanol free fuel in them, during periods of storage.
@@austinado16 Thank you. Another question. Is it true that the primary damage that comes from ethanol containing fuel occurs while sitting for long periods of time?
@@kensshowtell Ethanol chemically fails after 30 days. Doesn't matter if that fuel is in a 4 stroke, or 2 stroke machine, or a vehicle. As the chemical degradation process takes place, it chemically "cooks" anything rubber, or with a rubber coating. It also phase separates, and becomes hydroscopic, so it pulls moisture out of the air. This creates a caustic environment that then attacks the metal parts of the fuel system. It eats the cad plating off the inside of carburetor bowls, rusts the inside of carb bowls, turns the aluminum parts chalky white, and corrodes the brass jets until they are green, and jet orifices are clogged.
Adding SeaFoam to ethanol based fuels, especially in the fuel tanks of cars that sit for long periods of time, is the only thing that works.