Why Won't a Weedeater Featherlite Trimmer Stay Running?

A Weed Eater Featherlite trimmer allows just enough gas and air in while idling to allow the engine to stay running. When the air or gas is imbalanced while idling or during acceleration, the trimmer won’t stay running and will die. Something inside the fuel system or air system is likely causing this imbalance and you need to find it to get your Featherlite running again.

When you pour fuel into the gas tank, it gets sucked up into the carburetor. If the fuel can’t move from the tank into the carburetor your trimmer will die. Often a dirty gas cap, a plugged fuel filter, or dirty tank will cause fuel to stop flowing properly. You must clean the cap, filter, and tank on a regular basis determined by your user hours, generally between 30 to 50 hours. Fuel hoses, which connect the tank and the carburetor, can also degrade and clog, causing the same problems. Replace these hoses on a seasonal basis.

The air coming into the engine must be cool and cleaned of all impurities. The air filter traps all dust and particles that could damage the piston. If the filter is dirty or old, the air will cease to come in and too much gas will be in the engine, and it will shut off. Wash your filter in soapy water on a regular basis, every 20 hours of operation; replace the filter as soon as it’s too dirty to clean. Wipe the areas around the cylinder and starter assembly with a wet rag to get rid of any dust or debris clogging the cooling system. Check your muffler and clean it every 60 hours of operation.

Often, after cleaning the air and fuel systems, a small adjustment to the carburetor’s mixing screw will resolve most idling and dying issues. The idle speed adjustment screw is located in the space between the air filter box and the engine; this screw sets the operating speed of the engine during idling. If your idle speed is too low, not enough gas will reach the carburetor and it will die. Try increasing the idle speed up to the point just before the head starts to spin. Don't operate the trimmer if the head spins during idling; stop the engine and have your carburetor serviced immediately.

Carburetor issues result from bad gas or dirty gas reaching the inner chambers of the carburetor. If the bores and jets get clogged, gas will stop flowing into and out of the mixing chamber and the engine will shut off. Another common carburetor problem happens when the pump’s diaphragms stick together and no longer bring enough fuel into the carburetor. Due to the technical nature of carburetor repairs, leave this servicing to a skilled mechanic.