Makita 5300 petrol blower - bogging down
Discussion
Got one of these leaf blowers November 2020 and it worked OK until beginning of 2022. Did not want to rev up, instead it would stall. Bought and fitted a new carb early 2022, ran better, but not as good as new.
Roll on to 2023, same thing. Despite checking plug, fuel filter, and given fresh 95 octane unleaded, it runs badly. Any more throttle than idle and runs unstable. Can just about use it, but can occasionally stall without me touching the throttle.
I know quite a few Pistonheaders have these; was on multiple recommendations that I got one..it was a bit of a bargain new.
Another carb will set me back £55, so getting fed up if I have to buy a new one every year. I stripped down the old carb, cleaned it with carb cleaner, but blower refused to even start.
Its in mint condition and used only moderately but throughout the year. Any ideas on the problem? Anyone else experienced this? From other online reports, it looks inevitable with this machine, but no coherent explanations why.
Roll on to 2023, same thing. Despite checking plug, fuel filter, and given fresh 95 octane unleaded, it runs badly. Any more throttle than idle and runs unstable. Can just about use it, but can occasionally stall without me touching the throttle.
I know quite a few Pistonheaders have these; was on multiple recommendations that I got one..it was a bit of a bargain new.
Another carb will set me back £55, so getting fed up if I have to buy a new one every year. I stripped down the old carb, cleaned it with carb cleaner, but blower refused to even start.
Its in mint condition and used only moderately but throughout the year. Any ideas on the problem? Anyone else experienced this? From other online reports, it looks inevitable with this machine, but no coherent explanations why.
Presumably you have a spark OK and the plug is clean and gapped correctly?
Have you replaced the fuel filter?
You mention 95 octane fuel which is E10, 10% ethanol which is known to cause damage to fuel lines. I would replace the fuel lines on case they have internal breakage under load preventing fuel flow.
For the small annual difference I would use super E5 pertol, Esso super grade is reputedly ethanol free
Have you replaced the fuel filter?
You mention 95 octane fuel which is E10, 10% ethanol which is known to cause damage to fuel lines. I would replace the fuel lines on case they have internal breakage under load preventing fuel flow.
For the small annual difference I would use super E5 pertol, Esso super grade is reputedly ethanol free
Thanks for reply. There is good flow of fuel. As soon as pull fuel line from carb, it squirts petrol out furiously. Mental note to always keep a clamp with me.
I might give E5 a go, but E10 is what I have used previously and it was OK. Spark plug clean and gapped.
I'm sure it's a fuelling problem. Might play with the fuel cap to make sure there is no vacuum in the tank preventing fuel coming through, though as above, as soon as fuel line is pulled, it flows freely.
Lots of problems reported online with this blower but not found any magical solutions.
I might give E5 a go, but E10 is what I have used previously and it was OK. Spark plug clean and gapped.
I'm sure it's a fuelling problem. Might play with the fuel cap to make sure there is no vacuum in the tank preventing fuel coming through, though as above, as soon as fuel line is pulled, it flows freely.
Lots of problems reported online with this blower but not found any magical solutions.
Does the carb have a choke?
I would have a wander over youtube, look up Mustie1, and find a similar looking carb in one of his videos. It sounds like a carb setting, do you have a high and low screw, wind these in and then out I think it is 1 and half turns - however find a video or rough settings, and then adjust from there once you get it running.
I would have a wander over youtube, look up Mustie1, and find a similar looking carb in one of his videos. It sounds like a carb setting, do you have a high and low screw, wind these in and then out I think it is 1 and half turns - however find a video or rough settings, and then adjust from there once you get it running.
Sounds like a carb problem. If you replaced the carb in 2022, was it a "real" one or a cheap Chinese copy? Some copies are appalling.
I've recently re-done a Kohler carb, it's very satisfying when it works. They're fairly low tech so hopefully one of the Youtube carb videos will help diagnose the issue?
I've recently re-done a Kohler carb, it's very satisfying when it works. They're fairly low tech so hopefully one of the Youtube carb videos will help diagnose the issue?
Sorry, I don't know up V down on this machine, but choke on to start / choke off when running. You may need a little choke until the machine warms up.
With the choke on, you will find it will bog down when you open throttle...
Some machines don't need any choke to start, some won't start with the choke on - My chainsaw needs the choke on until it splutters, then choke to half and will start, then ease the choke off, wait for it to warm, then slowly rev it up. If revved hard when cold it bogs down and can cut out.
With the choke on, you will find it will bog down when you open throttle...
Some machines don't need any choke to start, some won't start with the choke on - My chainsaw needs the choke on until it splutters, then choke to half and will start, then ease the choke off, wait for it to warm, then slowly rev it up. If revved hard when cold it bogs down and can cut out.
Ok..so...I fitted a new spark plug today and no difference. Checked fuel filter and it is clean. Even tried running the blower without the filter and without the fuel cap on. No difference. Even with the engine warmed up, it still bogs down and stalls when given any gas
I am running on 95 octane unleaded. Next stage might be to try superplus. Any other ideas before I purchase yet another carburetor for £55?
Love the machine..its great when it worked, but now seems to be the Ranger Rover of the blower world.
I am running on 95 octane unleaded. Next stage might be to try superplus. Any other ideas before I purchase yet another carburetor for £55?
Love the machine..its great when it worked, but now seems to be the Ranger Rover of the blower world.
Feel your pain. Had the same issues with Stihl blowers - annual maintenance / getting aspen / noise are the 3 main reasons why I ended up swapping for an Ego backpack blower. Have now had it 5yrs on the same 5Amp battery and it's never once played up. And it's a lot more powerful than my old Stihl.
Thanks again all.
I put a little Redex in the fuel at the weekend. Subjective but felt it ran a little happier at slightly higher revs, but still could not take the power up much before stalling.
Bought some '"Mechanic in a Bottle" that gers positive reviews. It's less than £10 so treating it as an experiment. After that, I will drain it and try Superplus. After that, it is either new carb or get electric!
I put a little Redex in the fuel at the weekend. Subjective but felt it ran a little happier at slightly higher revs, but still could not take the power up much before stalling.
Bought some '"Mechanic in a Bottle" that gers positive reviews. It's less than £10 so treating it as an experiment. After that, I will drain it and try Superplus. After that, it is either new carb or get electric!
I've had a good look at the carb as I still possess the one before that presently fitted. There is no adjustment on it that I can see. Took the old one apart, cleaned and reassembled but cannot get new gaskets. They look unserviceable really. Pics of the original..looked very clean inside and out.
New gaskets can be pretty easy to make (I've recently done one for my 1975 Wheelhorse carb), paper is available on Amazon.
I concur with asking a local shop to look at it - if the carb is in as good condition as that one, they will probably find some clear cause.
Have you checked & flushed the fuel lines and replaced any filters? I had a similar problem on a tractor once, checked EVERYTHING, and it ended up being gunk in the fuel lines/filters/tank, which starved the engine when running hard.
I concur with asking a local shop to look at it - if the carb is in as good condition as that one, they will probably find some clear cause.
Have you checked & flushed the fuel lines and replaced any filters? I had a similar problem on a tractor once, checked EVERYTHING, and it ended up being gunk in the fuel lines/filters/tank, which starved the engine when running hard.
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