Homelite weed eater w/strait shaft. It always ran fine. Can not get it started and it will not fire with a mist of starter fluid. I've checked the spark plug (clean) but no way to crank and hold the plug to see if it sparks. It has always been hard to pull start from the time it was new.

Oh FYI if the gas is 1 season old TOSS IT. Make sure you aren't losing your prime. and do you know how to clean out a carb if all that checks out?



Oh FYI if the gas is 1 season old TOSS IT. Make sure you aren't losing your prime. and do you know how to clean out a carb if all that checks out?

If its 1 year old and hasn't "been explored" I wouldn't suspect that yet. But what does worry me is that starting fluid didn't give you a "little woof" of starting is problematic. Look just don't spray the fluid from the outside. Unscrew the carb cover. Then spray a nice 2 second spray right into the air filter. That's right..."wet it" a bit. Even if its the sponge type filter. Then replace it as fast as you can, set the choke and no throttle...pull for all yer worth. If you do not get a hint she wants to go...then I'll take it further.

If its 1 year old and hasn't "been explored" I wouldn't suspect that yet. But what does worry me is that starting fluid didn't give you a "little woof" of starting is problematic. Look just don't spray the fluid from the outside. Unscrew the carb cover. Then spray a nice 2 second spray right into the air filter. That's right..."wet it" a bit. Even if its the sponge type filter. Then replace it as fast as you can, set the choke and no throttle...pull for all yer worth. If you do not get a hint she wants to go...then I'll take it further.