# Edger won't stay running?



## pepe

Guys my Craftsman edger won't stay running when I engage the blades any idea's?


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## bbnissan

Can you give us a little more info? Can you turn the blade by hand with the engine off and the belt disengaged? Does the engine just bog down? Is the engine hard to start? When did this behavior start?


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## pepe

bb,

The engine won't start without being choked even after it has warmed up,the blade turns freely when not engaged,or motor not running.After reading a few of the other problems on here I think I will clean the intake on the carb,the edger has been sitting up over the winter and I didn't run it dry,like I normally do.Where is the fuel filter on these things? I don't have the manual.


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## bbnissan

The fact that the engine will not run unless choked means that the engine is running super lean. The problem is that you have a build up of fuel varnish in the carb from it sitting all winter with no fuel stabilizer in it and the varnish is clogging the jets and ports in the carb. Even if you had run the tank dry last season it wouldn't have helped because all carbs will hold a small amount of gas in them even after they cut off from running out of gas. If you don't run fuel stabilizer you will always have this problem.

If this is an edge with the carb sitting right on top of the fuel tank there won't be a fuel filter on it. The filter is actually the small screen on the end of the pickup tube that runs from the carb into the tank. To fix your problem you are going to need to remove the tank and carb and clean the carb and tank thoroughly with carb cleaner. You will also need to replace the diaphram and the gasket.

BTW, you can buy a can of fuel stabilizer (such as the brand Stabil) at any auto parts store. One bottle of the stuff will treat up to 20 gallons of gasoline and it only costs about $4. The stabilizer will keep the gasoline from breaking down and forming varnish for up to 2 years and I recommend running it in all of your equipment all year long, especially since gasoline begins to break down in as little as 3 weeks.

If you can get me the model, type, and code number off the engine I can give you more detailed instructions on removing the carb and rebuilding it. These numbers should be stamped on the recoil housing near the spark plug.


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## pepe

Model # 536.797512
Code # 228312026
Craftsman Edger 2.5 HP

Thanks for your help


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## scrench

yea sounds like what bb said


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## bugman

yeah the carbs gummed, don't run em dry now, that doesn't do em much good either, do use stabilizer next time.


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## bbnissan

Ok, forget everything I said. I was thinking this was a 3.5 HP Briggs and Stratton engine with a diaphram carb but it's a 2.5 HP Tecumseh with a gravity feed carb and no fuel filter. You need to remove the air filter, then remove the carb by taking out the two screws holding it to the intake manifold. After that, completely disassemble the carb by removing the bowl, float, needle seat and needle. One thing you need to pay attention to here is the "nut" that holds the bowl on. If you look at it very closely you will notice a couple of very very very small holes between the threads. You need to make sure these holes are clear by spraying plenty of carb cleaner through them. After that, clean the bowl and float and spray plenty of carb cleaner through all the passages in the carb. Once you have it all clean, go get a new needle/seat kit and, a bowl gasket, and a bowl nut gasket. Then put the carb back together using the new parts but make sure you read the directions on installing the new seat. If you put the seat in backwards it will leak.


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## pepe

Thanks,I'm going to work on it today.


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