Aldi portable generator tricks for starting please.

[nick]

Aldi portable generator tricks for starting please.

Dear All,

I've found several posts relating to these but nothing specific to starting them.

It's the 850W, 2 stroke ones they were selling a couple of months ago.

I've had it going on two occasions and it worked well but have practically given up trying to start it recently.

It's annoying as I bought it so that I could use power tools in our garage rather than get the garage wired up to the mains.

I've tried removing the spark plug to let it vent, assuming it had flooded but aside from that I don't know what else I can be doing wrong?

The spark plug gap looks ok.

Could it be that the fuel I'm using has gone 'stale' from storage in a spare fuel can for too long?

I thought I'd ask here first before having the hassle of returning it to the manufacturer (couldn't return it to the shop as I'd had it too long apparantly)

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks.

[marpate1]

I'd kind of start with the basics ... do you get a spark? Can you smell fuel in the chamber? Is the air filter clean?

Given the age I wouldn't think that the air cleaner would have been an issue and the carb is unlikely to be blocked (unless you used dirty old fuel). So, I'd start with the spark and see what you have. No spark could be as simple as a mouse chewing through the coil feed.

Cheers, Mark

[The Natural Philosopher]

One possible is blocked 'clunk'

If the tank was empty over the winter, the clunk will dry out except for gummy oil. Needs a wash through to get going. Assuming it has a clunk. Otherwise check similarly clogged fuel filter.

2 strokes don't run for 3 reasons (assuming not broken)

- no air

- no spark

- no fuel.

If it even kicks and fires once, the spark is OK. And PROBABLY fuel is OK

If it resolutely fails to run at all, its usually spark or fuel.

If the plug stinks of petrol and is wet to the touch, its either got no spark or you over choked it. Turn off choke and rev it on the cord without the plug in, dry the plug, test for a spark and put back in.

If plug totally dry, investigate fuel system. Dirt somewhere or dried fuel.

[T i m]

Get yourself a can of Easy-Start and squirt a bit in the air filter.

Give that starter a pull and if it's going to start it will.

If it starts and runs then enjoy. ;-)

If it starts then dies it's fuel (it could also be a blocked exhaust but it's too new for that).

If it doesn't start it could be that you haven't turned it on (kill switch, been there done that recently) or that there is an ignition fault (see other replies for procedures).

Cheers, T i m

[Dave]

I could add a fourth reason.

I bought what is the same, but re badged genny in 2003. Ran it that year and again in 2004 and again in 2005. When 2006 came, it wouldn't start. Ill health intervened as well, so I ignored it. Last year I decided to take a look at it and found that the rubber pipe from the fuel tank to the carb had been very badly fitted and one spring clip was not stopping the petrol from leaking. The oil couldn't get through, because it was so much thicker. I have cleaned it up, but not tried starting it since, due to poor health (I have a bad chest and can't breath too well.)

Dave

[Steve Walker]

This

[nick]

Thanks for all your replies, much appreciated!

I checked for a spark again and it seems OK.

It still didn't start.

Will check the other things suggested.

I don't think it's the air as I've only had it 2 months so perhaps it's fuel.

Presumably even if I got the fuel:oil ratio slightly wrong it should still start?

Failing that it'll have to be returned!

Thanks again!

[Dave Liquorice]

You have to become "as one" with a 2 stroke engine. They all have their different little quirks. Go through what has already been said to see if you get any joy. I suspect over choking is the root of many hard to start two strokes. I know my Ryobi strimmer doesn't need much choke:

Check fuel, prime, full choke, full throttle, pull until it shows the slightest hint of firing, prime again, set to half choke, full throttle, pull until it runs, set to no choke after a few seconds. It may well stop but onces it's run for a moment or three it's normally easy to restart. If you don't set to half choke on the first hint of firing it will *not* start and run.

Well sealed? I doubt it.

[T i m]

?

T i m

[T i m]

Easy Start. ;-)

It could possibly a bit gummed up but I've found anything that's been laying about for any time and isn't historically a good starter generally responds well to Easy Start. [1] My Enfield 350 Bullet had been stood untouched for a couple of years. The battery was half dry and the petrol smelled more like paraffin. After a quick fettle (took the float bowl off and cleaned it out) it started and ran ok. ;-)

Slightly wrong, yes. Too much oil and you might foul the plug easily. Too little and whilst it will start / run it might overheat / seize up etc.

Easy Start ... it'll go! ;-)

Cheers, T i m

[1] I had an old Bedford CF camper van and when I first got it it was a bugger to start. There was a good spark, fuel, it span over fast enough but just wouldn't catch. One puff of Easy Start and it fired up instantly but soon petred out. Another squirt of Easy Start and it was away again and I found that by giving it a puff every few seconds would keep it running. After maybe a couple of minutes like this it would happily run on it's own! It did need a couple more application just for the initial start once I'd got it home and until I'd given it a good run, after hat it was fine (and this was a 4/ so no oil in the fuel etc).

[The Medway Handyman]

Or

better name :-)

[andrew]

Did you switch the fuel off and then let the engine run out?

I've a similar model and my technique from cold is always add some more mix, in case there's been evaporation leaving too much oil in the tank.

Open fuel tap, leave one minute ( allows some fresh fuel to mix any residual oil in the carb).

Switch on, full choke and about ten vigorous pulls max or until it fires, then choke off. If it doesn't fire then withing one or two pulls I'd look at the plug. If wet or oily get some oven gloves and heat it till the earth electrode is dull red of the tip has stopped smoking. Screw back in and try again whilst plug hot.

I don't think the stale fuel diagnosis is real at reasonable temperatures, I have more problems with congealed oil on small portable engines (partiuclarly when using OSR or sunflower oil for the chainsaw lube (which I have dome for over 20 years).

AJH