# Echo PB-251 Blower Won't start



## jerrymc

This blower has me baffeld. I have checked the spark,the compression the muffler exhaust, primer bulb and the fuel lines. Everything seems to be OK but it will not even fire.Any suggestions??


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## Rentahusband

Are you getting fuel in the primer bulb when priming? May need to do a carb cleaning also.


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## dawgpile

Have you tried gas or starting fluid directly in the cylinder?

If yes, and still no pop, and taking into accout the other things you've checked, you may have a sheared flywheel key. Not sure if this engine uses a flywheel with an integral key or not, but if the timing is off, it will never start.

FWIW.... Good Luck!


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## jerrymc

*PB251 Blower*

Thanks for your reply dawgpile. Actually I took the plug out and poured some fuel (a few drops) next to the plug and cranked it and fuel did ignite. However that is not the case when I reinsert the plug. I am not sure how to check the timing. Any suggestions??


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## rcracer1971

So your saying the blower fired when you poured or dripped gas into the cylinder correct? How long did it set with gas and oil mixture?
If this is the case then by priming the cylinder and it running of just that amount that you put in, is bypassing the carburetor, which is telling me that your carb is blocked up with dirt or the gas oil mixture has turned to almost like a gel substance. I go through this almost every year with my dad. He will not drain his outdoor equipment of the gas and it will and does go bad. My suggestion to you is, if you know how to get the carb off and work on them clean it out and put it back together and try it. They are very simple to work on. Just pay attention to how it comes apart. I doubt very seriously it has got to do with timing or the flywheel. Gas does go bad more so than what people think. I drain all my stuff including my golf cart. Very seldom do I have an issue of my own stuff. Hope this helps!


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## dawgpile

I'm glad to hear that it did pop when you put gas in the cylinder(more than likely no need to pull the flywheel!) I would, as racer suggested, pull the carb and clean it. And if you do so, I'd go ahead and replace the gaskets and diaphragms. Pay particular attention when you remove the gasket and diaphragm on each side of the carb, which one is next to the carb body and which is next to the cover. They are different on each side. The gasket/diaphragm kits are under $10 so I always replace if I've gone to the trouble of pulling the carb. FYI, there are YouTube videos showing how to do this! Very easy to do. 

With regard to timing, as an fyi, this is not something that you typically set or adjust in most of these 2 cycle engines. It's fixed and it is "set" by virtue of the fact the flywheel is 'keyed' to fit on the crankshaft in only one location. This is "checked" by removing the flywheel from the crankshaft and examining the condition of the key closely. This is typically a separate woodruff(half moon shaped) key, or the key is molded into the flywheel itself. A flywheel key that is even partially sheared can cause enough of a timing difference to make the engine hard or non-starting. Because pulling the flywheel almost always involves more work than the other troubleshooting measures you'll read about here, I only recommend doing it when you know you've got both gas and spark but still the engine won't fire(assuming you've checked all the other usual items like air leakage, compression, plugged exhaust, good spark, etc.) 

Keep us posted!


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## jerrymc

*PB-251 Blower*

Thanks for your reply dawgpile--I finally gave up on the blower and sent it to the "graveyard".Now I am working on another venture which I hope goes smoothly. Thanks again for your help and suggestions.


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## Jeepnaggie

*Blower PB251*

Would you care to sell the blower since you have given up on it? Let me know as I am interested. I live in Richmond, Tx. [email protected]


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## cwieland1

I have the same model and while using some time back the darned thing just died for no apparent reason so the obvious thing to do was to check spark which was good, checked to make sure it was getting fuel which it was, checked exhaust which was no obstruction, checked compression which had 100#, check flywheel key which was fine, even went so far as to replace ignition coil just in case it wasn't firing correctly, even replaced carburetor. It will do everything but run! I give up! Never been snookered before but sure am this time!!!!!! Any suggestions? Not big enough to make a mail box post!!!


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## John Lolli

I have had a couple of these same blowers come in with the same scenario. They had a sheared or partially sheared flywheel key. The key is integrated into the flywheel.


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## Delto

cwieland1 said:


> I have the same model and while using some time back the darned thing just died for no apparent reason so the obvious thing to do was to check spark which was good, checked to make sure it was getting fuel which it was, checked exhaust which was no obstruction, checked compression which had 100#, check flywheel key which was fine, even went so far as to replace ignition coil just in case it wasn't firing correctly, even replaced carburetor. It will do everything but run! I give up! Never been snookered before but sure am this time!!!!!! Any suggestions? Not big enough to make a mail box post!!!


You ever figure it out?


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## ShelbyDodge

Delto said:


> You ever figure it out?


I have the exact same issue with mine. My carb is good, my flywheel has 1-2mm movement on key way when it is seated.

Is this enough to cause a no start?


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## paulr44

In the future, please start a new thread.

First, unless a 2-stroke crankshaft is subjected to shock-load, such as in the case of a blower-vac etc., or the flywheel nut came loose, (or if someone used an impact gun on the other end as with a chainsaw clutch) it is highly unlikely you'd have a flywheel key issue.

Is this 1-2mm (.040"-.080") play radial, i.e. rock left-to-right, or are you talking a gap between the top of the key and the top of the slot in the flywheel? If radial play, that is a lot. I would then expect to be able to visually see wear/damage to the key or key-way. Hard to say, but I would figure it'd at least fire and probably idle. Most newer systems have built-in timing controls in which the coil physical position is full timing advance, and the electronics in it delay (retard) the spark at low rpm.

Finally, what "J" describes is incomplete information. Compression is "good" doesn't tell us what it is. He goes on to say it'll fire with a direct prime into the cylinder, which means fuel is not being transferred or delivered properly (CC leak or bad carburetor). So to have the "exact same problem" is ambiguous.


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