The Forestry Forum

Howdy Folks:   :D

I got out my almost new Stihl weed eater and pulled the start cord until my arm was tired.  Finally put it on the work bench and pulled the cover off of the spark plug.  A Mud Dauber/Dirt Dauber had built a nest almost covering the spark plug causing a direct ground to the rest of the saw.  Removed said nest and the engine started on the 2nd pull.   :D

God Bless, Ward and Mary.

Glad you identified the problem.
Pete

I bet what ever was living in the nest loved it.

Ward,

I can actually say, "Been there, Done that".  Drove me nuts for a little while.  I had just finished running it hard the week end before and it ran real well.  The next week end nothing.

Bruce

I dont know what attraction the exhaust of a chainsaw, brushcutter or blower holds for a mud dauber, leave one of them idle for a fortnight and it usually blocks the exhaust. I get a lot of machine coming in with starting problems just after a rainy fortnight and 90% of the time I just have to use a thin rod to unblock the exhaust.
Joe

I had a similar problem.  My pressure washer performance had been getting feebler and feebler.  I eventually figured out that a  family of small beetles had taken up housekeeping in the water hose that fed the washer, and when I turned on the water they all piled up against the filter screen going into the washer.  Now every time I use the pressure washer, I first run water through the hose long enough to wash out any critters that have crept into the hose since I last used the pressure washer.
David L.