ECHO Edger Won’t Start for These 12 Reasons (SOLVED)

Your driveway and sidewalks will maintain their clean, precise appearance and prevent grass from spreading onto the walkways if you regularly trim the edge.

If the engine of an ECHO edger isn’t getting enough air, gasoline, and spark, it won’t start.

This may be the result of a faulty air filter, a clogged fuel filter, a blocked fuel line, a soiled carburetor, a defective spark plug, a blocked spark arrestor, or an improper mixture of gasoline.

If the engine was recently operating, you should let it cool down completely before doing any maintenance. The spark plug must be removed, and all other safety measures from the ECHO user manual must be taken.

Before attempting any sort of diagnosis, repair, or operation on the equipment, make sure you have read and fully understand all of the safety instructions that have been included in the operator’s manual.

If you don’t feel confident in your ability to make the repair safely, whether due to a lack of experience or understanding or because of your current health status, you should get some help from a specialist.

Inspect and Replace ECHO Maintenance Components

If it has been a while since you last maintained your ECHO edger and you are having trouble getting it started, you should replace the maintenance items to be sure they aren’t the cause.

The air filter, fuel filter, and spark plug are the edger maintenance parts. Maintenance kits available from ECHO include all three of these parts. Here, you’ll find a catalog of the most popular edger kits.

Causes of Your ECHO Edger Not Turning On

Air Filter Clogged on an ECHO Edger

For the sake of the engine’s longevity, the air filter is obligatory. Without regular maintenance, dirt and debris can accumulate in the filter and prevent sufficient airflow.

Airflow is diminished as the filter becomes clogged. Not having enough air will prevent your ECHO edger from starting.

Every year, or after every 10 hours of use, check the quality of the air filter in your ECHO to make sure it needs to be replaced. When conditions are dry and dusty, you should check it more often.

Damage, extreme filth, or water damage to the filter warrants immediate replacement. If the filter is only somewhat filthy, you can take it out and cleanse it by brushing the dirt off.

Never use your ECHO edger with a dirty or nonexistent air filter. It’s tempting to try to finish trimming while waiting for a substitute filter by taking out the blocked one and turning on the edger.

The engine may be severely damaged if dirt were to get inside.

The solution is to take off the air filter and the housing and the cover. Put in a brand-new ECHO air filter to change out the old one.

Echo Edger Spark Plug Issue

An annual replacement of the spark plug is also recommended to maintain your ECHO edger in tip-top shape. If the spark plug gets dirty, the engine may misfire or refuse to start occasionally.

You should also examine the spark plugs to see if the wires are loosened or the gaps are off. They can also prevent an edger from starting.

the area surrounding the spark plug with a rag before removing it. Take the plug out to see how it is doing. If a spark plug is very worn, damaged, or has a very dark color, you should replace it.

If the spark plug is only slightly soiled, you can try cleaning it with a wire brush and reusing it. I’d rather get a new one. It’s a low-priced essential for keeping your ECHO edger operational.

Install the spark plug and make sure the wire is firmly attached, then gap it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

ECHO Edger Clogged Fuel Filter

The ECHO edger’s fuel filter lives in the gas tank. Before the fuel enters the fuel pick-up tube, it is strained via this filter. As its name implies, its function is to prevent contamination of the fuel supply by dirt and other particles.

If you don’t frequently replace your fuel filter, it might get clogged up just like the air filter. As a general rule, you should check the gasoline filter once a month and replace it if necessary at least once a year.

You may need to drain the gasoline tank, refill it with  fuel, and then install a new fuel filter if you discover that your fuel is contaminated.

If dirt builds up in the gasoline filter, it will reduce the amount of fuel that can pass through to the fuel lines. This can prevent the fuel from reaching your ECHO’s engine, making it inoperable.

Find the gasoline filter inside the gas tank and swap it out if it’s clogged. If the fuel is contaminated as well, you should change it.

• Before removing the gasoline cap, give the area a wipe down to collect any dust or debris that would otherwise end up in the tank.
  
• Remember the filter’s location inside the tank so you can replace it in the exact same spot.
  
• Successfully bypass the filter’s protections. To remove it from the tank, use a bent wire or a pair of pliers with a needle nose.
  
• Taking out the worn out fuel filter. The line retaining ring must be kept in place when changing filters.
  
• Reconnect the fuel line to the new filter and use the retention ring to keep it in place.
  
• Return the filter to its original location inside the tank, then replace the fuel cap.

Using the Wrong Oil for a Two-Cycle ECHO Edger

But, the engine might be damaged and seize up if you use straight gas or the improper ratio of gas to oil mix. A fast method to ruin your ECHO edger’s motor is to fill the tank with straight gas.

For more details on the fuel combination used by ECHO Edgers, see out This Is It.

Two-Cycle Gasoline and Oil Blend for the ECHO

The optimal gas-to-oil ratio for a 2-cycle ECHO edger is 50:1. The correct ratio is 50:1 gas to oil.

Use unleaded gasoline with an octane value of 89 or higher (mid-grade) and no more than 10% ethanol to create the oil and gas mixture. Add a high-quality 2-cycle oil that meets the standards set forth by ISO-L-EGD and JASO M345 FD.

Before putting it to your edger, mix it in a gas can that has been certified for that use. For your 2-cycle engine, we suggest an ECHO oil, like ECHO Power Blend or ECHO Red Armor.

Pre-Mixed ECHO Fuel for 2-Cycle Engines

A gasoline blend without ethanol is a wonderful choice for minimizing fuel-related issues and maximizing engine longevity. Ready to be poured into your edger’s gas tank, this oil and gasoline blend does not include ethanol.

You won’t have to worry about ethanol’s drawbacks, as we covered in the fuel section. Also, having fuel on hand is a huge time saver. Both ECHO Red Armor Premixed and TruFuel are great choices for 50:1 premixed fuel.

The answer is to empty the fuel tank and refill it with the proper ratio of gas to oil. If the problem persists, have a small engine mechanic inspect it and tell you if it can be fixed affordably.

ECHO Edger with Outdated Fuel

Not only would using old fuel in an ECHO edger cause fuel limit, but it can also damage the carburetor and the engine.

As gas starts to degrade as early as 30 days after purchase, using fresh gasoline with low ethanol content is recommended.

The small engine on your edger is not designed to run on ethanol, an alternative fuel added to most gas. Premature corrosion and diminished fuel efficiency are only two of the problems that condensation from the air might bring about with this product.

As time passes, the ethanol and water mixture might separate from the gas, leaving varnish and sticky deposits and perhaps damaging the engine.

It is therefore recommended that only unleaded gasoline with an octane value of 89 (or higher) and no more than 10% ethanol be used (E10).

Don’t ever put E15 or E85 in the engine; doing so will cause serious damage and will certainly void any warranties you have on the vehicle.

It’s tough to anticipate how fast fuel will be used up. It’s like attempting to predict the amount of rain and sunshine that will affect how quickly the grass grows.

Fuel stabilizers help maintain your fuel system  and mitigate ethanol’s harmful effects.

When it comes to fuel stabilizers, I like Sea Foam Motor Treatment. You can find fuel stabilizers in some 2-cycle oils; the details on the oil bottle will tell you how long the product will work.

For instance, ECHO Power Mix has a stabilizer and can be used for 30 days. According to ECHO, the ECHO Red Armor oil’s stabilizers can keep it fresh for up to two years.

Even if the oil you use says it has a fuel stabilizer in it, don’t count on it keeping the fuel fresh for more than a month.

AVOID THIS PROBLEM by replacing the fuel in your edger with brand new fuel. Blend of oil and fuel used by the 2-cycle engine of your edger.

An ECHO Edger with a faulty primer bulb

If the ECHO priming bulb is cracked and won’t take fuel, the edger won’t start. Check for a clogged fuel filter or fuel line if the priming bulb seems to be in fine condition but the tank still won’t fill.

Simply switch out the old priming bulb for a brand new one.

The ECHO Edger’s Fuel Line is Blocked

Sticky deposits left behind by old fuel can clog your edger and prevent it from receiving fuel. If the fuel line becomes clogged, your edger may not receive the adequate gasoline flow needed to start.

A damaged, kinked, or clogged fuel line on your ECHO edger necessitates replacement.

Fuel Tank Vent Blocked on an ECHO Edger

The gasoline tank has a vent that lets air in. As the fuel tank draws in air, it creates a vacuum that prevents fuel from entering the edger if there isn’t a way to release the pressure.

If your ECHO edger starts up, runs for a few minutes, and then turns off, you may have a fuel tank vent problem; you won’t be able to start it again unless you remove or loosen the fuel cap and let air into the tank.

If the edger dies and won’t start again until the cap is loosened, the fuel vent is likely clogged.

Removing debris from a gasoline vent is the solution.

The ECHO Edger’s Filthy Carburetor

The carburetor controls how much fuel is added to the air intake before it is combusted in the cylinder. Using stale gas will block the carburetor and render it useless.

The solution is to cleanse the carburetor, which is a relatively simple task if you have any technical knowledge. Take apart the carburetor and use carburetor cleaner to get it sparkling clean.

If the carburetor still doesn’t work after being cleaned, you may need to either rebuild it or get a new one.

Replacement of an old edger’s carburetor may be more expensive than purchasing a brand-new ECHO edger altogether, depending on the model and age of the edger in question, as well as the cost of the carburetor and the cost of labor.

An ECHO Edger with a Dodgy Recoil Starter

In order to fire up the engine on your ECHO edger, you must first pull back on the recoil. Any of the pulley, spring, or clip issues mentioned above can prevent your recoil from functioning.

It may be possible to restring the recoil or replace the spring. If the clips or pulley in your recoil are broken and that is the reason it is not working, it is best to replace the entire recoil assembly.

The ECHO Edger’s Spark Arrestor Was Blocked

Your ECHO edger is equipped with a spark arrestor that can prevent it from turning on accidentally. In order to prevent burns and fires from discharged hot materials, the muffler is equipped with a small screen known as a spark arrestor.

A buildup of soot in the spark arrestor is possible. The edger won’t turn on if this happens.

REMEDY: Take off the cover on the spark plug. Do not drive with a hot engine. Take apart the muffler and get rid of the spark arrestor by taking off the gaskets and the spark arrestor screen cover. Use a wire brush to cleanse the screen and get rid of the soot. Reinstall.

A new spark arrestor should be used if the old one is damaged beyond repair, has a hole, or cannot be cleaned properly.

Water Damage to an ECHO Edger’s Engine

When the choke is in the closed position and the starter rope is pulled repeatedly, the engine can flood from receiving too much gas.

Also occurs when priming bulb is repeatedly pushed or the starter rope is repeatedly pulled while the switch is off.

SOLUTION: “Unflood” your edger by following these steps so that the engine has the ideal fuel-to-air ratio for starting and running smoothly.

How to Cleanse Water Out of an ECHO Edger Engine:

• In order to start the engine, you must flip the switch to the RUN position.
• The choke must be opened for running.
• Repeatedly pull the starter rope and press the throttle trigger to start the engine. It may take 5–15 draws before this
• begins. It will be your ECHO edger that sputters first. To start, keep pulling for another two or three times.