Throughout the year, your backpack blower gets its fair share of use. Grass clippings and other lawn debris provide ample reason to have a reliable cleanup machine on hand, but as fall approaches, fallen leaves make this tool absolutely essential. Whether you run a landscaping business or take care of your own property, regular backpack blower maintenance is extremely important—particularly for top-tier machines from manufacturers like RedMax, Echo and STIHL. To achieve optimal efficiency, comfort, and performance, make sure to follow these important backpack blower maintenance tips.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #1 – Read Your Owner’s Manual
Regardless of your experience level with landscaping and lawn care equipment, not all backpack blowers call for the same maintenance requirements. Reading your owner’s manual before you operate or perform any repairs on your equipment is a step that many people skip, yet extremely important in terms of maintaining machine health. Your owner’s manual is also a fantastic resource to refer back to for questions about replacement parts. Wording or diagrams unclear? Feel free to contact us for clarifications—we’ll be happy to help!
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #2 – Use The Right Fuel
Using old fuel or a fuel mix with high amounts of ethanol is the number-one cause of poorly-running equipment. When mixing fuel for your backpack blower, be sure to use gas with an 89 percent octane rating and no more than 10 percent ethanol content. Fuel should always be mixed in an approved fuel container, and should be stored no longer than 30 days. Any longer, and ethanol can begin to separate, leaving a gum-like residue inside your backpack blower’s engine.
Look for oil that meets a JASO-FD rating (many top equipment manufacturers make a version–contact us if you need help finding it) or consider using an ethanol-free, pre-mixed fuel with high octane for optimal performance. Pre-mixed fuel also has an increased shelf life, allowing you to keep unopened bottles for up to three years and opened bottles for up to two years.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #3 – Check Filters
If your air filter and fuel filter aren’t in top shape, your backpack blower won’t be, either. Make sure to keep air filters clean by removing the air filter cover, checking for a pre-filter (if present), and cleaning (foam) or replacing (paper) filters when you can no longer see light through the filter. For fuel filters, pull the fuel line from your fuel tank, remove the old filter off of the line, then replace with a new filter. Remember to check your owner’s manual for the correct replacement filters or click here to navigate our parts lookup diagrams.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #4 – Replace The Spark Plug
To change an old spark plug, remove the spark plug wire and use a socket wrench to remove the spark plug. Check your owner’s manual to determine the correct gap for your new spark plug, use a gapping tool to adjust accordingly, then reinstall the spark plug into the backpack blower. Need help finding the correct spark plug for your machine? Click here for our easy-to-use parts diagrams.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #5 – Check For Wear And Tear
Worn-out backpack blower straps can greatly affect your safety or comfort level during operation, while a missing or crushed tube can drastically hinder the performance of your backpack blower, damaging the engine. Help prevent damage to your back by ensuring that your backpack blower’s straps are in good shape, and likewise prevent machine wear and tear by keeping tubes from scraping against the ground. Once you’ve made sure that these components are in working order, take some time to examine your machine for any other worn or broken parts that could affect performance. By keeping tabs on potential issues before they manifest, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of problems later on.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #6 – Look For Missing Safety Decals
Safety decals exist for a reason—they serve as helpful reminders to operate your backpack blower as intended to avoid unnecessary injuries or damage to your machine. As you go through your routine maintenance, double-check your backpack blower for any missing safety decals and make sure that existing decals are legible. If you cannot find or read any decals, contact us to order replacements.
Backpack Blower Maintenance Tip #7 – Ask The Professionals
If you find yourself with additional questions or come across an issue that doesn’t fit into your regular backpack blower maintenance routine, contact us for more information or schedule an appointment with your local service team. Want to learn more about our backpack blower maintenance packages? Click here for a list of service options.
You May Also Enjoy These Articles:
How To Make A 50:1 Oil And Gas Mixture
5 Reasons To Use Pre-Mixed Fuel With 2-Stroke Engines
How To Store Small Engine Equipment For Winter
Buyer’s Guide To Lawn And Leaf Blowers
Unplugging A Clogged Leaf Blower
How To Dispose Of Leaves This Fall
Disconnect The Spark Plug Before Doing Maintenance
About Weingartz
Family-owned and operated since 1945, Weingartz continues to serve as an industry leader in outdoor power equipment sales, service, and expert advice. A long-time advocate of commercial and residential buyers, Weingartz carries top-name equipment and replacement parts at each of its five Michigan locations and online at www.weingartz.com.
Weingartz
46061 Van Dyke Ave.
Utica, MI 48317
(586) 731-7240
info@weingartz.com
