I got free Echo PB-9 blower

[challenger]

I got an old Echo PB-9 blower a couple of days ago. It was free and was owned by a guy I know that is liquidating nearly everything he owns. It was his from new and used only by him around his yard. It is in great condition but needs a new flexible hose . These run about $35.00.
When I got it is wouldn't start which I completely expected. I put in new gas and drained the old junk. It has not run in many years. This didn't help so I looked deeper and found a fouled plug which I cleaned with the same results. Still deeper digging found an almost closed gap on the points. Once I gapped that points properly the unit started and ran. I had to adjust the mixture to get it to run but, after warming up and running for a while , I had to readjust it back to about where it was. I suspect this was due to the carburetor getting some clean fuel running through it and getting rid of whatever may have been obstructing the port(s)???
My question is whether or not this unit is worth putting the money into for the flexible hose and a few other parts which would total maybe $100.00. If anyone knows anything about this blower please give your opinion on this if possible.
Many thanks.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Kind of tough to say. I googled a few links and didn't com up with any helpfull specs on the unit.
i.e. how many cfm or air flow at what mph.
The one Echo link mentioned 180mph, but not the cfm.
https://www.echo-usa.com/Technical-Publications/Operator-Manuals/Blowers/PB9E_020178-pdf

Probably comparable to pb-400e
That 630 cfm is at the housing NOT at the pipe end!
Adding the 90deg elbow, flex, and then the pipe/tubes
your gonna be in the mid 400 cfm range

Couldn't find the engine displacement either.
Seems to be in the low 40cc range, judging from the --very-- vague search results i got.
IF So. it's not going to have the wallop to be a scrubber of stuck leaves,grass and dirt.

I have a pb-413 (44cc) that will move loose --dry-- leaves in reasonable fashion.
But when I need to get skinny leaves (willow oak) out of the grass or if leaves are damp, I grab the 58cc pb-620 for that job.
And the pb-620 is kinda marginal on damp leaves that are a down in the grass.

You can futz with pipes and nozzle sizes to vary the scouring vs volume of a blower.
But you lose a good bit of plain old leaf pile moving power, when you set up to scour the stuck stuff outta the grass or crevices.

Tough call on the $100 range.
Have you done a compression check? Should be seeing 140psi or more on a good top end.

If the unit has enough wear to be in the 130 or lower,
You're probably at some fairly steep prices for parts.
For everything, engine wise on the blower.
Not much aftermarket stuff offered for echo blower parts, that I've noticed.

If you have the space to park it, try watching for a busted unit on C'list .
But seems the hoses are usually trashed on them also. argh!
Or clowns want near new prices.
Ebay is wildly hit & miss pricing (or shipping) on everything I've looked for, for my blowers.
Or the seller has split the sub assemblies into 3 groups and expects to sell it that way.
Example: why the f### would you disassemble a throttle control and then split the pieces into four different lots of odd bits for sale?

I'm Sorry that I don't have a clear cut answer for you.
Hopefully I haven't just simply muddled the though processes for you.

 

[challenger]

Thanks for the reply. The manual, which I also downloaded, shows the CFM to be 671 and, as you mentioned, the speed is 179 mph.
I am not sure about how what the standard method is for measuring but I can say without hesitation that this blower is MUCH stronger than the Stihl BR-320 that I also own. Certainly the Stihl isn't what a commercial guy would use so it isn't apples and apples but the specs for the Stihl units puts this Echo PB-9 on par with the second from the top Stihl blower. While doing additional research I've come to learn that there are a lot of commercial guys that had these PB-9 blowers and miss them dearly due to the way they performed. I suspect one reason is the early noise regulations being much less stringent and the fact that it has a real carburetor. The Keihin float type carbs are awesome IMO. I'd be willing to bet that this unit would still be non-running if it had a diaphragm type Walbro or Zama.
I am sure that the new units use a larger displacement engine in order to power the blower AND get past the noise emissions standards that they must comply with. This PB-9 is unbearably loud. I can't imagine using it for even 10 minutes without ear protection. The noise from the muffler is louder than any other machine I have but not terribly much more. They put a large muffler on these units as compared to the newer blowers. Maybe this is due to newer technology?? The worst noise comes from the blower (not the engine) intake. When going full speed there is an awful whine that develops between the backpack pad and the blower housing at the intake. It is not a sound I'd like to hear for 10 seconds. My ears are still VERY good at 60 years old and I wish to keep them that way. Everything else may be washed up but the ears are still good.
My current plan is to replace the flex hose only, tune it to the proper mixture and run it with the suggested 20:1 oil/gas mix. If it self destructs I am not out but $35.00 or so. Maybe I'll get a sailboat and make my own wind.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Yeah, the intake racket is a bit like a siren.
I've sat and wondered how much you could tinker with the impellar shape, clearance in the housing,
...twin cut walls where the air flows off the fan, dimples or who knows what, to get rid of some of the racket.

Echo made/makes? a low noise unit that has the boxy frame around it.
They put some foam panels inside the frame.
I've never heard one, so no idea how effective.
Some brands of blowers now have a foam filled section in the air pipes.

Husqvarna made/makes? a low noise unit that looks like a kinda like a french horn case or something.
Interesting thing to note, It looks to have a funky exhaust with some sort of resonant tube.
I suspect it works in some similar fashion as this idea.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/cadillac...ce-pipes-aka-j-pipes-aka-helmholtz-tubes.html

Various health frustrations here, but somehow, the ears are still pretty good, too! hope to keep them that way.
I won't run any of my yard equipment without good earplugs.
Gotta roll 'em between the fingers and poke 'em in ya ears, before they can swell up again.
Amazes me how many videos I see, of people with the foam plugs just stuck sideways in the outer ear or else hanging over halfway out.
A fellow's not getting any useful protection with them improperly inserted like that.

 

[challenger]

I think it's a prudent move to protect one's body from dangers associated with operating equipment. Pretty much common sense to me.
My wife has a genetic hearing loss of about 70%. It is so frustrating for her. I also have a lot of trouble remembering to only talk to her where she can see me. It's a difficult habit to get into. I can't just shout from the next room because she won't be able to separate the words. The hearing aid technology hasn't done much with this type of loss. It's called reverse slope hearing loss.
Obviously manufacturers have a responsibility to provide safe equipment but I feel that there is a limit to how far they should have to go. I will happily remove some of the noise prevention devices that manufacturers install on equipment to get better performance and wear personal protection. I'll be wearing ear protection whether the unit is putting out 75 or 90 dB anyway. Some equipment is so choked down to comply with noise standards IMO.

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