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Start a Flooded Engine
When you crank over an engine, fuel is drawn from the tank into the cylinder. If too much fuel enters the combustion chamber, the piston cant move up and down. This condition is called flooding, or hydra-locking, and it occurs because fuel is incompressible. If you continue to crank a flooded engine, you'll run the risk of breaking your pull-starter, burning up your starter box, or breaking something inside the engine. Here are some tips that will make it easier to start a flooded engine
How do you know if your engine is flooded?
If you try to start your engine, and after a couple of tries it gets harder to turn over or won't turn over at all, your engine is probably flooded. In a new engine, this condition can be confused with a tight fit at top dead centre. But that condition should become less of a factor as you continue to crank the engine because just the right amount of fuel entering the cylinder will lubricate the piston and sleeve. If your engine usually turns over easily, but then becomes difficult to crank over, chances are, it's flooded.
STEP 1: LOOSEN THE GLOW PLUG
If you try to start your engine, and after a couple of tries it gets harder to turn over or won't turn over at all, your engine is probably flooded. In a new engine, this condition can be confused with a tight fit at top dead centre. But that condition should become less of a factor as you continue to crank the engine because just the right amount of fuel entering the cylinder will lubricate the piston and sleeve. If your engine usually turns over easily, but then becomes difficult to crank over, chances are, it's flooded.
STEP 2: CONNECT THE GLOW STARTER
Make sure that your glow starter is fully charged or has a fresh alkaline cell in it. Then, connect it securely to the loosened plug. Let it heat the plug for a couple of seconds before you move on to the next step.
STEP 3: START THE ENGINE
With the glow-starter on the plug, crank the engine over until it starts. Holding the throttle partially open when cranking the engine may help to increase the engine's starting rpm. That will help push some of the excess fuel out of the exhaust and clear out the combustion chamber. When the engine does fire, snug up the plug with the glow starter. You'll need the proper tool to tighten it fully. That's next.
STEP 4: TIGHTEN PLUG & RUN IT
With the engine running, tighten the plug all the way with your glow-plug wrench. Work the throttle a couple of times to clear out any extra fuel. Make sure that the pipe is pointed away from anything you don't want to shower with fuel.
NEVER PLUG THAT PIPE!
Avoid turning off the engine by plugging the end of the pipe. When you plug the exhaust, pressure that typically exits through the stinger is rerouted to the fuel tank. That builds up pressure in the fuel tank and forces a ton of fuel into the carb, so the next time you start your engine it will already be flooded. To stop the engine, use a rag or your shoe to snub the flywheel while the engine is idling. If access to the flywheel is limited, you can shut down the engine by pinching the fuel line. After a second or two, the engine will starve for fuel and quit.
Right:
You only need to loosen the plug a little; you don't want it to fall out.
Right:
Crank the engine over and hand-tighten the glow plug with the glow starter