My wife was going to run out weedeater while I mowed. She advised she couldn't get it to start. We've had the fuel/oil mix a little while (part of this summer) and she told me she had ran it out of gas the last time she used it.We have about 5 acres or there about to mow, so she will trim around the house and out buildings while I mow. She put gas in the weed eater she said.
Ok, it ran fine the last time used until it ran out of gas. Same fuel poured in this time, but basically emptied the 1 gallon jug. She though the fuel priming bulb was bad. She told me she pressed it down, but it stayed down and wouldn't come back up. Hum!
Yep, fuel primer bulb stays down. I got weedeater to start (cheated and gave a shot of starting fluid) engine ran only with choke fully closed. Seems to be starved for fuel. Removed fuel cap and poured gas out. I can tell it has water in it, as it's cloudy looking. Sent wife to local store and got another gallon and added oil mix and shook real good and poured it in. Still only run with choke closed, and primer bulb still staying down when pressed. Then the light bulb flashed in my head! In tank filter is a water blocking type. The filter is not letting gas thru - that's why the priming bulb stays down. Filter keeping fuel from flowing and primer bulb being held down due to suction.
New filter $5 and have to fish it out of gas tank filler opening to replace. It seems very strange to me that this plastic jug has remained capped unless pouring fuel into something has water in it. It must be condensation from the times the jug has been opened as the last cup full or so of the gallon mixed is the only time to cause trouble.
Thought worth sharing as this could happen to anyone else just like it did us. I could see someone taking weed eater or chainsaw or whatever to shop for a $50+ repair bill for a $5 fix.