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So your leaf blower runs for 5 minutes then dies? Well, try the fixes in this guide
Nothing can be as annoying as your leaf blower dying on you soon after starting it…you can almost hear happy leaves laughing at you.
In this article, I will help you troubleshoot your gas leaf blower if it happens to die after running for some minutes.
Let us get started.
Leaf blower runs for 5 minutes then dies – troubleshooting steps
Clean the spark arrestor screen
The main function of the spark arrestor is to prevent hot exhaust gases from escaping the engine as the hot gases may cause a fire by igniting dry leaves.
Unfortunately, the spark arrestor oftentimes begins to inhibit engine performance.
How?
Well, as the heated gases escape from the cylinder, they are momentarily trapped by the spark arrestor.
And with time, these gases will build up a layer of carbon deposits along the screen and muffler walls, causing slower gases escape.
This subsequently reduces the piston’s moving ability(due to the clogging) thereby inhibiting engine power.
So you should start your troubleshooting by removing and cleaning the spark arrestor(it is part of the exhaust system so you will find your arrestor screen inside the muffler).
Cleaning procedure
To clean it, first remove the screen from the muffler.
Next, using a wire brush or hard plastic brush, thoroughly scrub the screen.
You can also use soap, if need be.
Oh, and be sure to scrub around the muffler walls with the brush.
How often should you clean the spark arrestor screen?
We recommend that you clean it after every 40 to 60 hours of use.
Quick Tip: In some situations, you might have a damaged spark arrestor screen or one that simply won’t have the soot come off. You will, for the most part, need to replace the screen if this is the case.
Clean the fuel filter (it could be plugged)
The fuel filter – you might be aware that its key function is to filter the fuel before it enters the engine- becomes clogged if you use fuel with dirt or debris.
Also, it can become clogged if you use old fuel or you leave fuel in your dryer for long periods of time/winter(Ingredients in the fuel evaporate leaving behind thick fuel which tends to become gummy deposits).
Now, when this filter becomes clogged, the gas entering the engine may not be enough, leading to your leaf blower losing power (and dying within minutes).
So you might want to remove the filter and clean it.
How to clean leaf blower fuel filter
- Remove any fuel in the tank.
- Remove the spark plug’s wire (to prevent any sparks).
- On the side of your leaf blower, locate the fuel filter cover and unscrew it.
- Pull the filter from the housing. Follow this by removing the pre-filter from the rest of the housing.
- Using soapy water, wash the pre-filter and let it dry.
- Next, remove the felt filter element and clean it by blowing it using a can of air or scrubbing it with a brush.
- Wait for the pre-filter to dry then reassemble your blower.
If the filter is damaged, you should consider replacing it- ensure you buy a filter that is designed for your model.
Shop leaf blower replacement fuel filter
Quick Tip: It is important to ensure you mix the gas and oil at the recommended ratio to avoid dying issues. And you should certainly use the recommended gas(and it should be fresh).
Clean the fuel tank vent- it could be clogged too
Fuel tanks are normally vented to help equalize pressure inside the tank.
Now, when the fuel tank vent is clogged, the tank forms a vacuum.
And after some time, the vacuum tends to become stronger than the carburetor’s ability to pump oil, thereby killing off your engine.
Keep in mind that depending on the model of your leaf blower, it might have a vent built into the fuel cap or the vent is connected to the fuel line.
Testing
To test if this is the cause of your leaf blower frequently turning off after a few minutes, simply loosen or remove the cap to the fuel tank.
Now, if your leaf blower begins to function normally, then, your fuel tank vent is most likely clogged.
To clean the vent, simply use a thin hard wire to dislodge the clogged material.
Quick tip: If the vent seems to be working correctly, you could crack open the vent valve and trim the flapper in the vent valve and see if it will stop stopping.
Clean the air filter – it can also be clogged
This filter is also super crucial to a leaf blower -it prevents dirt from getting into the engine.
Now, when the filter becomes clogged, it prevents sufficient air from getting into the engine causing it to lose power mid-cycle.
The solution is once again cleaning the part
How to clean leaf blower air filter
To clean the air filter, you will need to remove the air filter cover-It’s usually held by screws.
Next, you will need to remove the air filter.
Now, if your blower uses a fabric, foam or felt style filter, you can clean it with water and soap(if necessary).
On the other hand, if your blower has a paper filter, clean it by gently knocking it against a solid surface.
How to check if it’s clean
To check if it’s cleaned, you can hold it up to a light source.
If you see light through the filter, then it is clean. Otherwise, you will need to clean it some more or consider replacing it.
When replacing the air filter, make sure that you purchase one that fits your model.
Shop air filter for leaf blower
Quick Tip: Before putting your leaf blower back together, make sure that you also wipe any dirt or debris in the air filter housing.
Leaf blower runs for 5 minutes then dies – more fixes
Check if the spark plug is dirty or faulty (clean/replace)
With every rotation of the piston within the cylinder, a compressed mixture of air and fuel is pumped up to the spark plug which ignites the mixture.
Now, when the spark plug is faulty or dirty, it will not produce a spark.
Problem is, if this happens for a number of consecutive piston-pumping rounds, your engine could die so you need to check the condition of the spark plug.
How to check
To check if this is the cause of your problems, remove the spark plug and check to see if it is dirty or damaged.
Of course, if it appears to be dirty, simply clean it and test your blower to see if this fixes it.
On the other hand, if the plug appears damaged, you should simply replace it.
Check if the carburetor is clogged(and de-clog it)
A clogged carburetor is mostly caused by fuel being left in the blower for long periods of time.
This is because the ingredients in the fuel may evaporate and this would leave a thicker and stickier substance.
Moreover, it can be caused by a damaged air filter that allows dirt to enter into the carburetor or engine oil finding its way into the carburetor.
In short, you need to try and clean the carb too- here you can use a carburetor cleaner such as Gumout carb cleaner (it has a jet spray that makes cleaning the part pretty easy).
Watch the YouTube video below for step-by-step leaf blower carb cleaning instructions
Check if gas lines could be gummed up
This happens quite a lot on leaf blowers so you could probably check if the lines are restricted by debris as well(which causes restricted fuel flow)-and try to clear them up.
Leaf blower runs for 5 minutes then dies – final words
In summary, you could be having a spark arrestor that’s dirty, a dirty cab, a super clogged fuel filter (down in the gas tank), degraded/bad gas, a tank vent that is not venting correctly, an air filter issue, or even gas lines that are gummed up.
Try the fixes we have recommended in each case and see if you’ll resolve the problem
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