Fuel, spark, air . . . and no wasps

[Apprentice_GM]

I don't know much about internal combustion engines, including my various 2-strokes (chainsaws, brushcutters, blowers) but my Dad taught me to check the 3 basic things first - fuel, spark and air. Fuel is pretty obvious and for a man of limited ability like me it means care in ensuring no water / condensation, no ethanol products, correct oil / fuel mixes for 2 strokes and no leaks in fuel lines etc. I know how to remove a spark plug and check if it sparks properly and replace it if it doesn't. Air mainly means I clean the air filter regularly.

So having a brushcutter not start on me yesterday when it was fine 3 weeks ago was puzzling. Worked my way through the 3 basics, but still nothing happening. Pulling like flynn on the starter cord, some ticking over but no burping / firing, as if the spark plug was dead, but it wasn't, I'd checked it and the leads were fine, connections good, and a healthy spark emitted. So why no go?

An hour of checking everything I could think of, and most things twice, I look down the exhaust pipe with a torch and see dirt. Some wasp had plugged it good and proper so I cleaned it all out, took off the muffler and tapped out the dried mud and wasp grubs and re-assembled and voila! Started first time as sweet as usual

Such a pain in the butt! Are wasps plugging exhaust outlets with nests a problem in North America and does anyone have any tips for preventing it happening again?

 

[sedanman]

It happens here too. If air can't get out, it can't get in.

 

[Apprentice_GM]

Yeah, but the last place I thought of looking!

Reminds me of the Beverly Hills Cop movie - "banana in the tailpipe" segment where Eddie Murphy shoved a couple of bananas up the muffler of a car to stop it going

 

[firefighterjake]

No wasps, but this past weekend my brother-in-law attempted to fire up his snowmobile and it just wouldn't start . . . and then suddenly one mouse ran out from under the sled . . . followed by a second a few seconds later and then a third . . . and then shortly thereafter the sled fired up . . . and all kinds of dried grass and clippings began to shoot out of the sled's exhaust like some type of demented confetti generating machine . . . darn mice had struck again and had made his exhaust into a nice little home.

 

[sedanman]

Yeah, but the last place I thought of looking!

Reminds me of the Beverly Hills Cop movie - "banana in the tailpipe" segment where Eddie Murphy shoved a couple of bananas up the muffler of a car to stop it going

Even when you've seen it before, it can still stump you. I have been tricked by this a few times myself.

 

[blades]

Dang wasps plugged up one of the sewer vents. I have been having trouble with that line for a year. Just happened to see the little buggers popping in about dusk last Saturday. Gave them a little Chemotherapy, but have to go back up and clean out the residuals.

 

[bigtall]

It is a pretty common problem here in the south too, with the "dirt daubers." They are variety of wasp that makes their nest from mud, and especially love the inside of my barn. I have had that same experience with a few chainsaws. Got me really hot, then I felt really dumb.