I've been working a bit here and there making a gas powered blender. I grabbed one of my better looking engines out of the pile; a Homelite 25cc that I had no plans to use on an airplane, and made the blender. The engine was complete, clean, and nice looking. Air Filter was clean, very little carbon in the exhaust, good compression when pulled through, etc.

When I got the machine done, I cleaned and gapped the plug, checked the spark, and mixed up some fresh fuel for it. Then I tried to start it. I pulled the starter cord several times and it only popped once. I then stopped, and pulled the plug. It was wet, and the engine was flooded. I cleaned the plug and pulled the motor through several times with the plug out and the throttle open to clear the flood. I replaced the plug and tried again, without choking or priming, and it just flooded again, as evidenced by the plug getting all soaked again. So, after verifying spark, air cleaner, and choke operation again, I realized I had a carb problem.

I removed the carb, and just as I suspected, the regulator diaphragm was stiff and holding the regulator needle valve open. I cleaned the carb out with carb cleaner spray, put in a new diaphragm, added new fuel lines while I was there, and reassembled. It started on the second pull and ran perfectly. I thought to myself, "I wonder how many people would have pulled the starter cord until it broke, or have twisted away like crazy, (and futilely), at the mixture needles in trying to get this engine to start?"

So, I decided to write this, hoping it would help someone....

I really recommend when you go to do an engine conversion, that you first try to start the engine in it's original machine. That will tell you a lot about the condition of the motor, etc. before getting into the conversion, and you will know if it runs before you get it all mounted up with a prop. If it doesn't run, fix it and make it run BEFORE you convert it. Remember all the basics first. If an engine has spark, fuel, and compression, all at the proper times and amounts, it WILL run. Always get an engine running nicely in stock form before you go modifying it. All the modifications in the world won't help an engine that is "sick" to begin with. I check the bearings and seals, put in a new ring(s), a new spark plug, and rebuild the carb on every used engine conversion I do just as a matter of standard operating procedure. Then I know I am working with a "fresh" engine, and any modifications I make will have a good basis to start with. I really wonder how many people have wasted hours, twisting away at the mixture needles and trying to start or tune an engine before deciding the carb, (or engine) was no good and tossing it. If you don't feel comfortable rebuilding a carb, then buy a new one or take yours to a small engine shop and have it rebuilt if your engine is more than a few months old! Those diaphragms can get trashed easily from sitting without gas after being exposed once, or if the carb had gas in it that turned bad, etc. That diaphragm must be about as supple as a piece of tissure paper, and the carb must be clean internally.

Well ok, off my soap box and back to those frozen Margaritas and Strawberry Daiquiris.... Yes, the Homelite Super Blender works great!! Pics later....

AV8TOR