Using the right tools for lawn and yard maintenance makes a big difference. A good weed trimmer keeps the lawn looking trimmed, well-groomed and maintains the height of the grass as well. Strimmers are able to perform double duty as edgers and mini-mowers at the same time, thus likely to be used more often. This automatically means you’re going to have to care for your strimmer more carefully, but it is also going to see more wear and tear.
If your strimmer engine idles but stops at full throttle, there isn’t one reason for that to happen. You will have to fully inspect its key parts to get to the bottom of the problem. Low fuel levels, old fuel and air filters are the main reasons why a strimmer may stop at full throttle.
The first part of troubleshooting the problem is to read through the manual and check for specific information related to your model. Having a strimmer die on full throttle is a relatively common problem that you can fix yourself. Below we have created a guide to help you fix your strimmer and, once again, have a well-maintained lawn!
Why do Strimmers die, and what to do about it?
A weed trimmer or hedge trimmer can die fairly commonly, even when you’re extremely careful with it, but it is a problem that is often easily solvable. The most common causes of a strimmer dying when throttled are fuel problems, problems with the exhaust, or insufficient air intake.
Fuel Issues
Low fuel levels
Having a strimmer that operates on gas means you have to make sure the quality of gas and the flow of the fuel are being maintained properly. This means checking to see if there is enough gas in the tank. Because sometimes, we start the strimmer without the knowledge that the gas levels might be why it isn’t working.
Make sure the primer bulb fills properly before starting the engine. These bulbs are more susceptible to wear and tear than the actual machine itself; they crack and dry-rot over time. To avoid unnecessary wear and tear, make sure the strimmer is not sucking in the air when you depress it.
Old fuel
Often in the winter months, we store our garden tools, especially if there is a coat of snow in the garden, and by the time these tools are taken out, they need to be inspected before they are used.
If you leave the strimmer full of gas when you store it for winter, most of the fuel evaporates and leaves behind a sludge-like substance that partially blocks the inlet ports for the carburetor.
This means, while there is enough fuel in the carburetor to start the engine, there may not be enough to keep the strimmer running. To make sure this doesn’t happen, you can add a fuel stabilizer to the gas tank before you store the strimmer. However, if the problem is of the carburetor being blocked, then there is no way around it other than having to clean or replace it.
Substandard fuel
Using low-quality fuel can lead to the strimmer’s engine starting, but once you try to rev the throttle, it dies. You can buy pre-mixed fuels with stabilizers that ensure a precise gas-to-oil ratio for a well-performing strimmer.
Clogged Air Filters
Another way to diagnose the problem of having a strimmer die on full throttle is by checking its air filters. The air filters on a strimmer are located on the top of its carburetor; they allow for clean-flowing air into the engine and eliminate debris simultaneously.
When you frequently use your strimmer, and as it ages, the air filters become clogged and restrict airflow for the engine to function properly. This reduces the effective functionality of the engine, and as you try to run the strimmer, it tends to die.
Inspect the filter by removing the cover by just popping the tab or using a screwdriver. Once done, check the filter by removing it to see if it is damaged or clogged. Replace the old one with a new filter and close the cover. Restart your strimmer; if the problem was the air filter, your machine should start working.
Clogged fuel Filters
Fuel filters are used in strimmers to improve the quality of fuel being consumed. However, with time these filters too can get clogged due to impurities or simply damaged. This process happens faster if you use sub-par quality fuel.
Having a faulty fuel filter means it does not let most of the fuel through, thus your strimmer dying on full throttle. Check the filter, and clean it if there is no need for a replacement.
Ill fitted carburetors
A poorly fitted carburetor or a blocked one can cause your strimmer to idle but die on full throttle. The carburetor is placed under the air filters, close to the fuel filters. Look for the carburetor to troubleshoot the problem of a dying strimmer. See if there are any obstructions in the way that are blocking the airflow and not letting enough oxygen into the engine.
Check to see if the carburetor has been properly adjusted. Sometimes, the adjustment screws are improperly fitted, which results in the engine not getting enough air. Adjust the setting to see if it solves the problem.
Locate the idle screws on the carburetor, one marked L, and the other H. Turn both off to shut off the fuel and then turn them in the opposite direction and start the engine. The strimmer will likely start in these settings.
Allow it to be idle once it is running again, and then gently turn the L screw clockwise to add more fuel. Turn the H screw clockwise at full throttle. This allows for the engine to run at its best, helping you solve the problem.
Key takeaway
When an engine isn’t working at its optimum and dying at full throttle, the chances are that it isn’t getting enough fuel or air. So, before you panic or decide to get professionals involved, see if you can troubleshoot and solve the problem. The machine is user-friendly, so it should not be too difficult. Good luck!