Need a new leaf blower?

T

twopu

New member
Go figure my Craftsman 25cc Gas Blower goes on me when the township is ready to pick up the leaves on Monday an on top of that I have the most leaves than any of my neighbors. It starts and runs at 1/2 idle but dies when I put it on run. I changed the spark plug and cleaned the air filter and now it runs for 10 seconds on 1/2 idle and dies. My wife wants me to try to get it fixed but I'm guessing that my 2 1/2 year old blower is going to cost me half the price of a new one. I'm not looking to spend a fortune but I'm willing to pay for a quality product. What do you guys use? Here are my choices:



Homelite

30cc Vac Attack II Gas Blower/Vac/Mulcher

Homelite 30cc Vac Attack II Gas Blower/Vac/Mulcher - $99.00 at Home Depot



Echo

PB-200 Hand Held Blower

Echo outdoor power equipment – Chain Saws, lawn care tools and more



Echo

ES-210 Shred and Vac

Echo outdoor power equipment – Chain Saws, lawn care tools and more



Troy-Bilt®

2 Cycle Pro Blower

2 Cycle Pro Blower



Troy-Bilt 31cc 205 MPH Gas Blower, Vacuum and Mulcher

31cc 205 MPH Gas Blower, Vacuum and Mulcher
 
you can try to adjust the idel screws high ideal and low but becareful u can **** it up. I did it to a weedwaker and it dosnt run its real finiky work, take my word for it! may also have a cloged fuel line i dont know if u have been useing it for a while. You can try to adjust the idle screws high ideal and low but be careful u can **** it up. I did it to a weedwaker and it doesn’t run its real finicky work, take my word for it! May also have a clogged fuel line I don’t know if u have been using it for a while.
 
The difficulty with the old one is probably worn out diaphrams in your carb.

If you're handy and have done this kind of stuff before, you remove the carb (easy), take it to your local power tool shop, show them the carb and buy a carb kit. About 8 bucks here, maybe 6 there.

Match up the diaphrams on the top and bottom, and reinstall.

I've done this a million times with all my gas powered tools - the diaphrams get too floppy or too stiff and either starve or flood the engine.



As for a new blower, I've owned Echo for many years and they're brutes and work well and long. I think I read somewhere that the Echo company took many ideas from the Stihl and added their own wrinkles in the early days and that Echo invented the leaf blower. It's a good idea to go with the original.

I recently bought a Shindawa weed eater and that engine starts like a dream, even easier than my 3 Echos, so I'd be tempted to purchase another Shindawa product next.

Something for you to consider. Shindawa.

Whatever brand you look for, look for two major features: A carb that's easy to get to, and a recoil spring system that's easy to get to.

My old homelite had a recoil spring system deep within the housing and was a real pain when it failed.

Good luck with the repair/new unit. Shindawa, or Echo would be my recommendation.

John C.
 
from the units you have listed, the homelite sounds like the best bang for the buck...



and it comes with a lawn vacuum option... kewl
 
Grimm, I use to own that blower and it worked great. The problem is I have so many trees and a lot of deck furniture that it such a pain to deal with.



DuMouixe, after more research I'm finding a lot of mixed reviews on the homelite. I'd feel more comfortable with something with more favorable and consistent reviews.



John I'm really leaning towards the Echo, but I can't decide if I should get either one of the hand helds units or take advantage of a Home Depot 0% fiancing and get a Echo backback blower. Anyone have any experience with backpack blowers? Are they worth the extra money? I don't have a big lot so I may not need it but if there are any other advantages let me know.



Thanks for all the input!!!
 
twopu said:
Grimm, I use to own that blower and it worked great. The problem is I have so many trees and a lot of deck furniture that it such a pain to deal with.



DuMouixe, after more research I'm finding a lot of mixed reviews on the homelite. I'd feel more comfortable with something with more favorable and consistent reviews.



John I'm really leaning towards the Echo, but I can't decide if I should get either one of the hand helds units or take advantage of a Home Depot 0% fiancing and get a Echo backback blower. Anyone have any experience with backpack blowers? Are they worth the extra money? I don't have a big lot so I may not need it but if there are any other advantages let me know.



Thanks for all the input!!!
Click to expand...

You'll be thrilled with the Echo. The quality is just superb and it'll last you many years and the warranty is great.

All backpack units offer more power, and are much easier to carry around. Important if you're doing a lot, like you're a commercial grounds type person.

Even for my 3/4 acre lot, mostly grass and maple trees, the handheld is good.

The Vac/mulching option is a mixed blessing. Good for reducing volume of maple/alder leaves but they have to be dry and bad for awkwardness. I use the electric toro with the vacuum/mulcher only for the alder leaves which are a royal pain because they stick in the grass and are difficult to blow away. Vacuuming leaves is a very slow process and good only for small areas.

For the average homeowner like you or me, I'd go with the handheld. If volume of leaves is an issue, get the vac. option.

-John C.
 
I don't know what kind it is, but my dad just got a backpack blower and he doesn't like it because the chute just comes straight out so when he blows, the leaves are hard to control. So make sure and get one that has where the chute comes down, and has a curve to it. He said those work better.
 
Rule of thumb for me:

Nothing less than 200 mph

blow,mulch and vac

4 cycle (2 cycle become a pain after a few years)
 
I was told that cfm was more important than mph. Most gas blowers that I've seen don't go past 200mph but I've seen a few electric go that high. Please correct me if this is not correct. I've only seen one 4 cycle handheld blower (Craftsman). Any suggestions?



Thanks again for all the input!!!
 
Im not entirely sure about the CFM vs MPH. Im hoping someone can chime in and shine some light on the subject.



What *I* have noticed with blowers that have under 175 MPH capability is they dont have enough power to blow leaves once they get to thick or are wet. Thats a real bummer when you get as many leaves as i do.



I own the craftsmen 4 cycle, just bought it at the begining of last year to replace my 2 cycle. I sold my old one to my brother.
 
Coupe said:
Im not entirely sure about the CFM vs MPH. Im hoping someone can chime in and shine some light on the subject.



What *I* have noticed with blowers that have under 175 MPH capability is they dont have enough power to blow leaves once they get to thick or are wet. Thats a real bummer when you get as many leaves as i do.



I own the craftsmen 4 cycle, just bought it at the begining of last year to replace my 2 cycle. I sold my old one to my brother.
Click to expand...

I have 2 - an electric Toro with 200 mph with small cfm, and the gas Echo, less mph with high cfm. The gas Echo can blow huge amounts of dry leaves and a good amount of wet leaves (maple). The electric Toro can't compete with the Echo. It's benefits are quick and easy starting and it blows clean air to dry the car, and light for the vacuuming attachment.



Within reason, cfm will do more work than mph, but get the leaves too wet and you'll still have to use a rake because the pile will bog down the blower.



Tip: after a huge pile is made, rake the pile onto a tarp and drag the tarp to the great leaf graveyard. You can move huge amounts of leaves quickly this way.



Finally, a handheld makes the transition to a rake and back to the blower effortless.

-John C.
 
JohnZ3MC said:
I have 2 - an electric Toro with 200 mph with small cfm, and the gas Echo, less mph with high cfm. The gas Echo can blow huge amounts of dry leaves and a good amount of wet leaves (maple). The electric Toro can't compete with the Echo. It's benefits are quick and easy starting and it blows clean air to dry the car, and light for the vacuuming attachment.



Within reason, cfm will do more work than mph, but get the leaves too wet and you'll still have to use a rake because the pile will bog down the blower.



Tip: after a huge pile is made, rake the pile onto a tarp and drag the tarp to the great leaf graveyard. You can move huge amounts of leaves quickly this way.



Finally, a handheld makes the transition to a rake and back to the blower effortless.

-John C.
Click to expand...





So CFM is what really counts then? I forget what CFM even stand for.

Since CFM is whats important i wonder why they bother to put MPH in their advertiseing.





I cant use that tip. I live in the city and have to take them to the dump. What i do is blow them into piles, then bag them. Really blows (no pun intended).
 
Coupe said:
So CFM is what really counts then? I forget what CFM even stand for.

Since CFM is whats important i wonder why they bother to put MPH in their advertiseing.





I cant use that tip. I live in the city and have to take them to the dump. What i do is blow them into piles, then bag them. Really blows (no pun intended).
Click to expand...



'Really blows' - I'm still smiling.

CFM is cubic feet per minute and it's like power or strength. More power can blow more and heavier leaves and do more work. Sort of like a heavy punch compared to a slap.

MPH is just easier to understand and makes marketing easier I guess. It does help in the overall picture for sure but cfm is the measurement of how much work can be done.

I've never owned any Husqvarna products but their chain saws seem popular. A buddy got talked into buying a Husqvarna lawn mower a few years ago and now he wishes he'd stuck with his original idea, a Honda, but too late now.

I'd check reviews, talk to repair guys, see what the municipal workers and gardeners used etc, then go for the Husq. if all reports were ok.

-John C.
 
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