Shindaiwa 488 won't start

[Tempestv]

I recently purchased a Shindaiwa 488. The tank was dry when I got it, and everything seemed to be in order, so I fueled it up, and it started with a couple pulls, and seemed to run fine. A day later, I went to use it, and it didn't want to start. I pulled the cord until I thought my arm would fall off, and finally it reluctantly started, and ran fine. This last weekend, I went to use it, and it started easy, and idled beautifully, but as soon as I tapped the throttle, it would die. I started checking over it, cleaned the air filter, and then realized that the fuel line had deteriorated in the tank, and the fuel filter had broken off the line. I removed the carb, and checked the screen inside the carb, and found it packed with sawdust. I cleaned the carb, put everything back together, and put in a new fuel line and fuel filter.
Tonight I fueled it up with fresh gas, set the choke, pulled the starter a couple of times, and it coughed, so I pushed in the choke, and nothing. I've pulled and pulled, and nothing happens. Pull the spark plug, and it is wet, check for spark, and it's got great spark. There is fuel getting blown through the engine, and coming out the muffler. I put in a new spark plug, and that didn't help any. I tried adjusting the carb- tighten screws and then 1 1/4 turns out. I tried waiting half an hour, which didn't seem to make a difference.

Any idea what is going on here?

 

[Tempestv]

I guess my main question is how you tell when the saw is getting too much gas- I know that the spark plug should be wet after a couple starter rope pulls, but should you be able to shake drops of gas off the plug?

 

[biggus]

If you cranked and cranked and cranked then you most definitely flooded the engine out and could expect to see a really wet plug. I'd keep the plug out, pull the cord a few times to spit out any excess fuel (make sure plug is not in boot) zip tie the throttle in the open position and let it sit for a few hours to dry out the cylinder and try again from scratch.

If it continues to have these symptoms I'd take a look at the carb needle and lever - it might be sticking or set improperly allowing too much fuel. Most of the time if the lever is level w/ the carb body it should be good but I'd pull up the part sheet from the carb manufacturer's website to verify the proper setting.

 

[o8f150]

a stiff metering diaphram will cause it,, i would pull the carb completely apart an clean it good and put a carb kit in it

 

[alderman]

If it ran fine the day before I wouldn't expect the diaphragm to go bad overnight. I'd suspect just a badly flooded saw at this point. I've started a few flooded Shindaiwa's by turning the switch off. Giving it 10 good cranks at wot. Switch back on and usually a couple of cranks to get them going.


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[Tempestv]

I yanked the carb, cleaned it even better, and with the carb off and the spark plug out, pulled the starter a bunch. Gas shot out of the impulse line. When everything seemed to clear up, I left it for a couple hours, and then came back, reassembled the carb, reattached it to the saw. I set the choke and trigger lock, and barely got half way through the first pull, and the saw started. Thanks for the help.


All of this got me so excited, I immediately broke down my 017 that has been giving me fits, and got to doing the same process. I honestly didn't know that mold could grow in a carburetor... Any ways, all the green crap has been cleaned up, and it's currently sitting drying.

 

[mountainlake]

I'd think you had some gunk in the needle valve cuasing the flooding. Also the only people that can't fix things are the ones that don't try or are too lazy.. Good going. Steve