Quote: "only to put it in warm or cold start"

In most small engines, the choke position Cold Starts means you are closing the choke, and warm means the choke is open. Some engines label the same positions Start and Run.

Quote: "open the throttle" The throttle controls the speed on the engine. So closing the throttle (turning it off) would so slow the engine down and opening the throttle would speed the engine up. All so referred to as "Putting the peddle to the metal" if you are old enough

A flooded condition usually occurs after multiple attempts to start the motor, and would disappear when the engine is allowed to sit for several hours.

On my trimmer the instruction say push the bulb on the carburetor a dozen times, or until there are no bubbles in the gas lines. (they are clear), Set the choke open and pull the started rope a half dozen times. The set the choke to half open, hold the speed control button in, (open the throttle) and pull the starter rope a couple of times. If it does not start repeat the whole procedures.

You did not say how many time you had tried to start the engine when you saw the "blackish looking gas". If you had been trying many times when before the gas appeared, then the engine could be flooded. and letting it sit should clear the problem.

IF the "blackish looking gas" appears when you try to start a cold engine, you may have big problems. If this is the case you have two courses of action: try to trouble shoot and fix the problem yourself or a knowledgeable friend, or take to to a small engine mechanic.

I have found that most mechanics will not even look at small yard tools like leaf blower, trimmers, etc. because the labor cost of the repair will be a large percentage of the cost to replace the unit.

Hope this answers your question

On all my Stihl tools, 4 of them, depressing the throttle trips the choke open.

Thank you! This has been very frustrating, so I'm so happy to see the helpful responses. It has been sitting all day while I was at work, so I'll try to start it again tomorrow.

To answer krnuttle's question, a little background: I only started using the leaf blower this fall. My dad gave it to me and he hadn't used it for several years. (He now has dementia so I can't ask him.) After reading the manual and watching YouTube, I got it started with no problem. I last used it 4 days ago and it started right up and worked fine. Earlier this week I had my roof done so I didn't use it for a few days. Yesterday I tried to use it again and couldn't get it to start, and that's when I saw the blackish fuel on the garage floor. The tank was full of fuel. I know I had left it close to empty. So I asked the roofer if he used it. He told me he tried but it wouldn't start. He didn't say how many times he tried to start it. When I told him I couldn't start it, he said that I probably flooded it. All I know is, before this I had no problems starting it.

Glad you advised not to take it to a small engine shop, because I was going to. I'll give it a try tomorrow. So... choke in the cold start setting then?

Make sure there is no animal nest in the muffler, or in places that would short the ignition system, But if it has set for a years it is possible that the carburetor is gummed up.

Find a video on rebuilding the carburetor. I look at rebuilding a carburetor as a very intimidating task, but found it rather easy.

Last spring my string trimmer just stopped working while it was being used. I let it set for about a week then started working on it. I first took the air filter of and for a couple of day sprayed carburetor cleaner in to the carburetor. This nearly got it started but it still did was not running good.

While I had never rebuilt a small engine carburetor, I decided that if I did and it would not work, It was not working, so I would loose nothing. I partially disassembled it and sprayed carburetor on every free surface and crevice I could see. I let it set with the cleaner on it for a couple of hours, and reassembled it. It would not started but flames came out of the carburetor. I decided to throw it away for the 9 time since the problem started. Several hours later, I decided to put it in to the junk Like the previous 8 time I decide to throw it away, I decided to try one more time. This time it started right up, and I ran it for about a half an hour. That was last spring and I have used the trimmer many times with no problems.

As I said it is not working if you try to rebuild the carburetor and it still does not work you have lost nothing.

It would not hurt to talk to a small engine repair person maybe they would charge the work differently than around here, make it economically feasible. It does not hurt to ask, and things may be with Stihl units. If you asked the right questions to understand their estimate, you may get some ideas of what you can do to fix the problem.

PS: if you go online and do a search you may be able to find the original manual for the unit that gives trouble shooting tips.

I finally got it started again. It isn't revving up to a high rpm though, and I don't think it was before either. I've been checking out Steve's Small Engine Saloon videos on YouTube and he showed how to clean the spark arrestor and also adjust the carburetor. I haven't tried either yet (still intimidated) but will soon. Like you said, nothing is lost if I try these things and it still won't work. It has been a good learning experience.

I flooded my leaf blower too this weekend. I was using it to clean the leaves from the bottom of the pool. Guess that I should have known better than to not drain the pool first...

Buy a new carb for it before rebuilding the old one. They are inexpensive.

If he buys a new carburetor he will not lean any thing and gain the confidence to do it next time.

If he was a business, where time was money a new carburetor would be the way to go, He is a home owner and should develop the ability to do some of his own repair work.