Diagnosing What's Wrong with Your Weed Eater

A weed eater is one of the simplest powered garden tools to use. Like all powered tools, however, there will be times when it doesn't work properly. Here are a few things to consider when diagnosing what's wrong with your tool and getting it back in working order.

Weed Eater Not Starting

Check the obvious first. Make sure the switch is in the ON position. For an electric unit, make sure it's properly plugged in to a working outlet. For a gas unit, make sure there's enough fuel in the tank.

If you have a gas weed eater, check to see you haven't flooded it with too much fuel. This happens if you've overcranked the weed eater or if you've poured too much fuel into the engine. If the problem is too much fuel, syphon out some. If the problem is overcranking, you'll need to let the eater sit for about 15 minutes so that the fuel can settle.

Check to make sure the fuel filter isn't clogged. This could prevent the fuel from reaching the carburetor. If the filter is dirty, replace it. It's always a good idea to have an extra fuel filter.

A kinked or split fuel line can also prevent fuel from getting to the carburetor. Check to see if this is the problem. Replace the line as needed.

A faulty spark plug could also be the the reason why your weed eater isn't starting. If this is the case, simply replace with a a new spark plug.

Rough Idling 

This is a problem more frequent with gas-powered weed eaters, and is usually a sign of a problem that needs to be fixed by an authorized service dealer. Possible causes of an engine not idling properly include low compression, worn crankshaft seals or a carburetor that requires adjustments.

Ajusting the carburetor can be done yourself by tweaking the carburetor screws while the unit is idling. Compression and crankshaft seal problems will need to be fixed by a professional.

Engine Running, but Not Cutting Grass

This is usually a sign that the string, the part of the weed eater that does the actual grass cutting, has come out. The easiest way to replace the string is buy a string replacement cartridge. If you prefer to save yourself a little money, you can restring the weed eater yourself.

To do this, remove  the lower part of the head where the string comes out by pushing it in and turning it counterclockwise. Thread the new string through the guides by following the arrows. Make sure you cut the string no shorter than 6 inches otherwise it won't advance when the weed eater is on. Follow the same steps for the bottom of the head.

Weed Eater Lacks Power

This could be caused by a dirty air filter, damaged spark plug, low compression, carbon build-up on the muffler outlet screen or idling problems with the carburetor.

An air filter is easy to replace and so is a damaged spark plug. Low compression, carbon build-up on the muffler outlet screen or idling problems with the carburetor will likely need to be fixed by an authorized service dealer. You may be able to do carburetor adjustments yourself.