Stihl BR 400 Starting Procedure?

lahaina · May 29, 2005

I bought a company and inherited a fleet of aging BR400 blowers. I have seen crew members use a variety of procedures to start the beasts and am mostly curious about the correct positioning of the "setting lever" for starting and running. It seems to me that all it does in reality is just preset the minimum throttle opening using the throttle cable itself, but I am not sure. I have seen guys run the machines with the setting lever in almost every position except full upper position.

I just bought a BR420C and so I have read the instructions for that. However, it appears that the setting lever actually disconnects the throttle cable at the lowest setting. For the BR420C, recommended setting is middle position for starting and then the lower position for running. Would that be valid also for the BR400's?

I plan on taking the BR400's into the shop, one at a time and having them tuned up. However, I at least want to make sure that some of the poor operation I am seeing can't be improved simply by setting these beasts up correctly.

lahaina

goodbeus · May 30, 2005

With my old 400, 1st start-up for the day, choke on, ignition switch on, throttle at idle...2-5 pulls for engine to almost fire, turn choke off, 1-2 pulls to start engine...the rest of the day, choke off, ignition switch on, throttle at idle, 2-5 pulls to start engine...that's the start-up procedure for my 400 and 420...the 550, 1-3 pulls and it starts up... :cool2:

ed2hess · May 30, 2005

goodbeus said:
With my old 400, 1st start-up for the day, choke on, ignition switch on, throttle at idle...2-5 pulls for engine to almost fire, turn choke off, 1-2 pulls to start engine...the rest of the day, choke off, ignition switch on, throttle at idle, 2-5 pulls to start engine...that's the start-up procedure for my 400 and 420...the 550, 1-3 pulls and it starts up...

These blowers can flood easily and they won't start. This procedure is exactly correct and it is very important to NOT choke a hot Stihl(at least the older ones).

goodbeus · May 30, 2005

We only choked them for the 1st start-up for the day...after that we never choked them until the next start-up on the next day

lahaina · May 30, 2005

So it sounds like the "setting control" position is sort of arbitrary. Other than that, I think had the procedure figured correctly.

Thanks for your help.

lahaina

SHOWCASE LAWNS LLC · Jun 16, 2005

BOUGHT MY BR 400 BACK IN 87 AND IT STIHL

RUNS.................JUST DONT FEED IT ANY CRAPPY 2 STROKE OR MESS UP THE MIX OR IT WILL GO ON STRIKE,...............CHOKE ON / FULL THROTTLE / 2 PULLS

Stihl BR 400 Starting Procedure?

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