Lately my engine has been getting harder to start. What is the most common cause of hard starting and is it something I can check for?
A. These machines don’t pump gas from the tank. The diaphragm carburetors only facilitate moving the gas form the carburetor to the cylinder. The unit relies on pressure in the fuel tank to force gas to the carburetor. The tanks are designed to build about 2 PSI. If they exceed that amount, the pressure is relieved via a pop-off vent. The vent can either be built into the tank cap, or some models have a remote vent that sticks up from the top of the tank. Gasoline, like pop in a can, expands with heat and agitation. If the tank is unable to completely seal, then it will always be at atmospheric pressure and the engine will have symptoms of fuel starvation. There is an easy way to check for proper fuel pressure/flow. With the tank about two-thirds full and the cap properly tightened, shake the machine to agitate the gas. Then carefully remove the fuel feed line from the carburetor. (Be careful as you do this because the pressure could be considerable and can shoot for a couple of feet s
