# Toro 518 ZE wont start up



## Nick Milanovic (Jan 28, 2020)

Hi all i have a question

I got a 2018 Toro 518 ZE from my mother who never used it and left gas in it for 2 years. I dumped about 95% out and put new stuff in. I tried to start it but it would not turn over. I then checked the spark plug and it was dark as charcoal, but a new plug did not do the trick. My last thing i need to do before taking it to a repair shop is taking a look at the carb.

My question is, if i cant get the thing started, do you think cleaning the carb with seafoam would help? I at first was told to put it in the gas tank, but i doubt it would help since it wont turn over. Would spraying it direct into the intake work better to clean it?


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## penna stogey (Nov 25, 2019)

Throwing out the welcome mat for your first post...Greetings from Gettysburg.


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## 2.137269 (Nov 15, 2019)

welcome to the site

i would remove the carb and clean it out. 2 years sitting with today's gas it will have a lot of junk clogging up the main jet and look like it has sand inside, 

best way is to replace the carb, find the toro part number google it up, IE, i just found a carb for a powermax for under 30 bucks from amazon shipped with tax to give you a idea


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## NWRider (Jan 6, 2020)

Don't use Seafoam to clean your carb with, it's a good preventative fuel treatment only. Go to the auto parts store and get a can of carb cleaner and then like Powershift said, clean that carb out as it's probably gunked up. If you're not sure how to do the carb cleaning, there are plenty of Youtube videos on the subject for small engines. Good luck and let us know how you made out.


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## Nick Milanovic (Jan 28, 2020)

Thanks everyone! I did look up some videos and it seemed pretty simple. Is there a specific carb cleaner i should use or will any one work fine


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

The cheapest carb cleaner. 95%? Not good enough. Not guaranteed, take the fuel bowl off, drain the gas completely in to a 2l soda bottle, spray the carb cleaner up in to the main jet, spray a few times, try to start without gas, spray again, trt, let sit, what you are trying to do is blow out and softening any crud by sitting, do this every 15 minutes for a while then close things up and put clear fresh gas. Try again. Spray carb cleaner in the throat of the carb if accessible.


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## Nick Milanovic (Jan 28, 2020)

Well i took the carb off and it was clean as a whistle. I sprayed cleaner in it any way to make sure it was all good anyway and still wont start


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## arienskids (Jan 26, 2018)

get yourself a bread tie, a flathead screwdriver and the straw your carb cleaner came with, on that model you should have one jet immediately obvious when you pull the carb bull and a threaded in main jet in the center of the carb that also holds in the emulsion tube, pull those out and probe them with the bread tie and reinstall. then take your carb cleaner straw and put it in the hole in the primer bulb and spray for about 5 seconds. these steps will usually get you up and running


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## Nick Milanovic (Jan 28, 2020)

So my FIL tried to help and it fired up but shut down right away. It started while i was cranking it and he sprayed seafoam in side the intake of the carb.



Would it be easier to just get a new carb? they are not that expensive. One for the Toro 418 ZE looks exactly like the one i have and its brand new


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## jermar (Dec 10, 2014)

So Nick; did you get it running?


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