Starting Problems
ENGINE STARTING PROBLEMS


ENGINE REFUSES TO FIRE

Weak or dead battery; bad connector, wires, or burned out glow plug. Check the circuit, the glow plug should glow bright red/orange. If all the above checks out, is the engine getting any fuel? 
  
ENGINE STARTS, SLOWS DOWN, STOPS

Engine is too rich. Close the needle valve and flip prop until engine fires. It should run for a few seconds then die. Repeat a few more times until it won't fire, then reopen the needle valve to restart the engine. 
  
ENGINE STARTS WITH LOTS OF POWER, RUNS FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN DIES

Engine is not getting enough fuel; mixture is too lean. Open needle valve slightly and try again. If this problem persists, more may be wrong. Check the carburetor for dirt. If necessary, disassemble and clean it. You could also have pinholes in the fuel line, so check it carefully, and replace if necessary. Finally, make sure the fuel line is not pinched inside the fuel tank compartment. 
  
ENGINE TURNS HARD AND DOES NOT START

It's flooded! Close the needle valve and remove the glow plug. Turn the engine upside down to drain the cylinder, rotate the prop also to help remove excess. Next, replace the plug and try again with the mixture screw leaned out more. An electric starter can help out here, but do not apply the starter and crank, and crank, and crank until the engine starts. Use short "blips" of the starter as this will turn the engine over several times, and help preserve battery life, spinner life, and engine parts. reinstall a new glow plug, reopen the needle valve, and proceed with the manufacturers starting instructions.  Make sure you don't prime the engine or choke it to much!