I bought a new hedge trimmer a couple of weeks ago, since when it has of course tipped it down. Now it's dry enough to use the thing I can of course not get it started.
When I bought it the salesman gave it a guick once over and checked it worked which it does, or at least did. Today I try to start it and I have the engine switch in the on position, the choke closed, fuel primed and it does nothing. Pulling the plug out I can see a spark and smell fuel so what might I be missing.
This is a hayter ht230s if that makes a difference.
Of course it depends where you live . . . In N.America you would probably take this item back to the store where eiither you would get a free lesson in starting the engine or, if the staff could not start it, a defective unit would be replaced.
I doubt those filters exist on hedgetrimmer engines, typically there's a removable fine mesh nylon screen at the fuel tank opening to catch larger particles... string trimmers, leaf blowers, and push lawnmowers don't have fuel line filters either, neither chain saws... many plastic fuel cans have a nylon mesh screen inside the spout, with some metal cans the spout screen is brass. These small 2 cycle engines are very sensitive to old fuel, the oil mix already dilutes the fuel. Anyway the unit was just purchased brand new, way too soon for a fuel line and/or carborator clog. Even dealerships may be using up old fuel and then to let a few weeks pass without using the machine the old fuel just becomes older, this can make the unit difficult to start... I don't mix more 2 cycle fuel than I can use in a month or less, I have a 2 liter can for my 2 cycle, and I buy my gas in small quantities, not more than a 2 gallon can, at the end of the season my last purchase may be only 1 gallon. I'd rather make a couple extra trips to the gas pump each gardening season than hassle with hard starting engines. The additives in gas dissipate rapidly... there are gas stabilizers one can add but it's easier and less costly to just buy gas more often. At the end of the season I pour what little gas is left in my 2 gallon can into my automobile, I dont save gasolene nor do I like keeping it around longer than neccesary and in larger quantity than necessary.
Hayter is a (fairly) old-line UK company and that seems to be their entire market. Of course the proper thing to do even in the UK is to take the unit back to the seller and ask for a refresher course -- they should be happy to help.
I suspect that if the OP is smelling petrol the unit is likely flooded with fuel and will need to have the spark plug removed for a good airing out before trying to start it again. The starting procedure quoted (ignition on, choke on, primed, pull) is pretty standard for any 2-cycle engine. Once one learns the quirks of any particular leaf blower, string trimmer, chainsaw, or hedge trimmer the process can be adapted but this is a good starting point.
First of all choke open / closed is just a terminology problem it was in the right position even if I called it the wrong thing.
The issue was that being a tiny engine it's easy to flood but also starting it it seems to want to be pumped repeatedly so that I'm pulling the starter again while the engine is still spinning from the first pull. Do that a few times and it runs like a goodun.
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