How To Start A Gas Leaf Blower

A gas leaf blower is an excellent tool for doing some fall cleanup in your yard. Using a leaf blower is much easier and less likely to give you blisters than raking, and a gas appliance frees you from dragging a power cord around with you as you work. Different equipment brands may have slightly different starting procedures, but the basics of starting gas leaf blowers are fairly similar. When in doubt, consult your unit's user manual.

Most gas leaf blowers use something called a two-cycle engine. These engines run on a mixture of oil and gas rather than on straight gasoline. Typically, the ratio is one 2.6-ounce container of two-cycle oil to 1 gallon of gas. There are, however, four-stroke leaf blower engines as well. These do take straight gasoline. Before you fill your leaf blower, always make sure you know what type of fuel it needs. Putting in the wrong mixture can damage the engine.

1. Prepare Your Fuel

It bears repeating that you must use the proper type of fuel for your gas leaf blower. Make sure you label all your gas cans so you know exactly what is in each one. It's easy to get confused and fill your leaf blower from the wrong gas can if you have more than one.

1. Pour the oil into your gas can. Shake the can a bit so that the oil and gas mix together well. Skip this step if your leaf blower uses regular gasoline.
2. Remove the gas cap on the leaf blower and fill the tank.
3. Replace the gas cap.

2. Prepare the Blower for Starting

Your leaf blower needs prepping and priming before it can run. This requires only a few simple steps, but if you fail to follow them, your leaf blower simply won't start.

1. Begin by turning the unit's power switch to the "on" position if applicable.
2. Push the primer bulb on the appliance three or four times.
3. Flip the choke lever to the full choke position. This closes the choke.
4. Pull the trigger on the leaf blower while pressing the throttle lock button.

3. Start the Leaf Blower

You're now ready to start your leaf blower. The procedure is simple and very similar to starting your lawn mower.

1. Place one hand on top of the leaf blower to hold it down.
2. Pull the starter cord with your other hand.
3. Open the choke after the leaf blower fires. Then pull the cord to start it again.
4. Release the trigger lock by pressing it again or squeezing the trigger several times.

4. Stop and Restart

Once the engine starts, your leaf blower will continue running until you empty the gas tank or manually turn off the blower. If you turn it back on again while the engine is still warm, the process is a bit simpler. There is no need to prime or choke the blower as long as it is already warmed up from recent use.

1. Flip the power button to the "off" position when you are finished using the leaf blower.
2. Press the power button again and turn the leaf blower back on if you have more leaves to blow.
3. Press the trigger and the trigger lock button at the same time.
4. Pull the starter cord to start the engine again.
5. Release the trigger lock.