On Wed, 18 Aug 2004 10:37:10 -0500, AlienZen wrote:

Poulan featherlite model
Starts on the first pull, runs flawlessly, then consistantly after about 5
minutes, shuts off like someone turned it off. If you try to restart, you
get nothing, not even a sputter. It's just dead. You then have to wait for
it to completely cool to restart. (Couple hours). Yes, the choke is open,
no, I'm not bumping the kill switch, plenty of fresh- properly mixed -
fuel, position makes no difference. It will die while under full throttle,
and it wll die while idling.

Any thoughts?
Mike

This to me sounds like vapor lock. The trimmer starts and runs fine and
you only have the problem after the machine gets hot. Then the machine
runs fine again after cooling.

Vapor lock is when gasoline overheats and boils inside the carburetor bowl
and it ceases to flow. The machine could be over heating. The cause of
this can be varied. Some of the possible issues could be a clogged
carburetor, maladjusted carburetor, dirty engine block or clogged cooling
fan or the fuel/oil mix is not correct, the gas tank vent is clogged or
the gas cap is clogged(if it's self venting).

What I would tend to do...
Re-mix the fuel/oil mix. Make sure it's correct.

Run the machine untill it shuts down. Place machine on the ground, remove
the gas cap and replace it on the machine. Try to re-start. If machine
starts, then replace the gas cap and tank vent.

If the machine is oily or dirty, then wash it with a presure washer. (Save
the earth a bit and do that at the self serve car wash. They treat the
grey water and it will only cost a buck or two..) Take the cover off and
make sure it's clean under there. Remember it's an air cooled machine and
what looks like a little dirt can really make a difference in it's ability
to cool it's self.

If the above actions do little to correct the issues, then you'll have to
have the carburetor looked at.

Good luck....