OT--First-Time Snowblower Start-Up Question

[JerseyHarold]

A couple of years ago we splurged on a new self-propelled snowblower. It was a floor model at Sears Hardware in the next town and we got a terrific deal on it.

Anyway, we put it away, and haven't even had to start it since we got it due to the mild winters we had. It looks like that's about to change because they're predicting 8" of snow for tonight.

Here's my question: The engine has never been run. Is there anything I should do (like squirt some oil down the cylinder) before firing it up for the first time?

Any ideas appreciated.

Harold

[Niel Hoback]

Just take the plug out and pull it over quickly a few times to splash the oil around inside. You did put the oil in, didn't you? Put the plug in, choke it, prime it a little and it'll start right up.

You really shouldnt have to do anything other than follow the instructions.

I have been using one like that for 3 years now that my neighbor gave me. H e ran it without oil until it froze the main bearing on the pulley side. The crank is so loose now that you can hear it rattle on decel, but it keeps on blowing snow. It leaks oil pretty badly too, since it knock the seal out, but hey, it was free.

[JerseyHarold]

There's oil in the crankcase. The best part is that it's an electric start so no more yanking on the recoil cord like our old one.

[Norm's Coupe]

Harold,

I just bought a new snow blower the middle of March, then it didn't snow anymore until December. When I bought it I had the dealer set it up and deliver it last March. It sat in the garage until the about the 1st of December before I needed it. All I did was turn on the choke, put the throttle on high speed, primed it, plugged it in, and pushed the start button. Started right up.

Unlike you, I lost track of how many times I've used it this year. But......about the last 5 or 6 times I've used it, I haven't used the electric start on it. I just choke, prime, put the throttle on high and gently pull the chord about half way out and it starts up real easy. Then I don't have to mess with the electric cord.

However, I didn't bother doing a test run this fall because it was new. Normally, I get the blower out in late September or early October to make sure everything is working like it should. That way, I have time to make any repairs or adjustments if needed before the snow flies. So........If you are expecting that much snow, it wouldn't hurt to just go out and try starting it up now before the snow flies for a test run.

[CaseyJoeS.]

a very small about of oil in the cylinder wont hurt, too much though and it'll foul the plug. Once you put some in pull the engine over slowly to spread it in the cylinder. Then you can go ahead and put the sparkplug back in and try starting it.

The engine is probably a Tecumseh if its on a snow blower. Make SURE that you put in fuel stabilizer in the fuel before you ever start and run it. The carbs on those tecumseh's clog up very quickly if let sitting un-used for any length of time, especially with today's gas. They are also a real pain to clean out properly if it does become clogged up. Best thing to do at the end of the season is to run it out of gas, and then undo the carb bowl and dump out what little bit of gas would be left, put it back on and crank the motor over a couple more tries with the choke on just to make sure that carb is dry as a bone.

Sorry about the long post, but I work on small engines and the Tecumseh carbs are always clogging up and driving people nuts.

[JerseyHarold]

Norm,

One of the reasons we moved down this way is because the winters are noticeably milder than other parts of New Jersey. There is a definite 'line' running east-west roughly along I-78 roughly 25 miles north of here. It's usually much worse north of the line. Also, there is another east-west line about 10 miles south of us along I-195. Most of the time people south of that line only get rain or very light snow.

CaseyJoeS.,

I have a small bottle of Sta-Bil that came with the snowblower a couple of years ago. Is it still usable? If so, I'll put some in when I add fuel.

[Norm's Coupe]

a very small about of oil in the cylinder wont hurt, too much though and it'll foul the plug. Once you put some in pull the engine over slowly to spread it in the cylinder. Then you can go ahead and put the sparkplug back in and try starting it.

The engine is probably a Tecumseh if its on a snow blower. Make SURE that you put in fuel stabilizer in the fuel before you ever start and run it. The carbs on those tecumseh's clog up very quickly if let sitting un-used for any length of time, especially with today's gas. They are also a real pain to clean out properly if it does become clogged up. Best thing to do at the end of the season is to run it out of gas, and then undo the carb bowl and dump out what little bit of gas would be left, put it back on and crank the motor over a couple more tries with the choke on just to make sure that carb is dry as a bone.

Sorry about the long post, but I work on small engines and the Tecumseh carbs are always clogging up and driving people nuts.

Strange you should say that about the carbs. I've run Tecumseh engines on all of my snow blowers and lawnmowers for the last 30 years. Never once drained the gas out during off season weather, or used stable in the gas. Never had a carb clog up on me all that time. Usually get about 10 to 12 years out of a lawn mower or snow blower. Then about the only reason I buy a new one is because the snow blower auger and housing is rusting out. As for the lawn mowers, that's usually due to the fact I don't want to keep putting new cords, wheels or rebuilding the drive wheels, so I get rid of the mower. Plus, it's usually rusting by then too.

[JerseyHarold]

I have a lawnmower with a Tecumseh engine and there is a very small orifice drilled into the carb bowl hold-down bolt that clogs very easily. I've had to pull it out and clean it with a pin to get the gas flowing again. The same issue happened to my neighbor's mower.

The newer gasoline formulations gum up a lot faster than the older ones did. It seems logical that stabilizer can help this issue.

[Norm's Coupe]

There may be something to the new gas problem. My present lawnmower is about 10 years old now. Last year we had a problem with it starting a couple of times. However, all I did was pour a very small amount of carb cleaner into the gas tank and it started right up. The second time it happened, I didn't have any carb cleaner around so I did the same thing with a bottle of Heat. Just a very small amount in the tank and it was enough to start it right up.

As mentioned the snow blower was new and never used to remove snow until about December. However, when they delivered it, they did start it up and run it here in the driveway to demonstrate it. It had a very small amount of gas in the tank from March until December when I started using it. All I did was turn on the gas petcock, fill up the tank and she started right up again.

I do have some Stabil that I bought years ago in the cabinet, but I haven't used any of it in years. I bought it when I bought the coupe in 1995 and used it in the coupe only for the first couple of years.

[55 Fargo]

There may be something to the new gas problem. My present lawnmower is about 10 years old now. Last year we had a problem with it starting a couple of times. However' date=' all I did was pour a very small amount of carb cleaner into the gas tank and it started right up. The second time it happened, I didn't have any carb cleaner around so I did the same thing with a bottle of Heat. Just a very small amount in the tank and it was enough to start it right up.

As mentioned the snow blower was new and never used to remove snow until about December. However, when they delivered it, they did start it up and run it here in the driveway to demonstrate it. It had a very small amount of gas in the tank from March until December when I started using it. All I did was turn on the gas petcock, fill up the tank and she started right up again.

I do have some Stabil that I bought years ago in the cabinet, but I haven't used any of it in years. I bought it when I bought the coupe in 1995 and used it in the coupe only for the first couple of years.[/quote']

Norm, my snowblower is John Deere 726, it's a 1973 model and still going strong with it's Tecumshe 7HP engine.

What kind of snow do you have in Milwaukee, my snow blower has hardly any rusting, must be the salt off your streets that cause this.

I also never used fuel stabilizer, never had problems either, but did start using it recently.

Manitoba gas is all 10 to 12 % ethanol now, with the exception of Premium #1 gas, it has no alcohol in it whatsover, should run this in the small engines, and even in my flat head too.

So far, no issues with fuel system on 47, but all is new with the exception of the fuel pump, not sure what shape the fp is inside, since I have been running gas with ethanol for the past 2 years.......................Fred

[Norm's Coupe]

Fred,

Up until the new blower I just bought last March, I always had the smaller single stage blowers. Last one was a 5 HP single stage. On those I had to mix the gas with oil. The new one is a 6 HP Ariens two stage with 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds on it, and just pour the gas in straight from the can.

Your are correct, the rusting out was due to salt on the streets. Snow plow plows the snow into the end of the driveway from the street. Then I have a mountain of snow, ice and salt down there to clean up. So.........that's where it gets all the salt. Really can't blame the manufacturer for that. I never use ice melter in the driveway or sidewalk. I only keep that around for the gutters.

[Young Ed]

Harold I'd use the fuel stabilizer. The can they gave you should be fine and I'd get more when that one runs out. There is a reason they gave it to you. My honda blower came with the stuff too. I dont use it throughout the season but at the end i put some in the gas and try to run the carb dry. I also use the same stuff in my old cars over the winter. It really helps. Dads 50 ply sat for a few years with this stuff in the tank and the gas still ran fine when we had it out last summer.

[JerseyHarold]

I pulled the spark plug (it was really tight, so I added some anti-seize to the threads), squirted in some oil, and added gas. The engine fired-up on the second pull of the rope.

My kids (15&17) have been using it to clear the driveway. So far so good.

Thanks to all for their advice.

Harold

[CaseyJoeS.]

Maybe its just that our gas is bad around here, or I just have alot of bad luck but I always seem to have a Tecumseh waiting for its carb to be cleaned. I think i remember one peice of Tecumseh powered equipment I didnt have have to pull the carb off.

Tecumseh is out of business and I'm guessing maybe 5 years from now or so parts start becoming hard to find.

[JerseyHarold]

Even though they're not making Tecumseh engines anymore, I think there will still be aftermarket parts available for them. Just look at our cars....flathead sixes went out of production over 30 years ago and you can still buy lots of parts at the store for them.

[CaseyJoeS.]

Very true, I wish the Tecumseh's had been made like the flathead 6's though! I have not seen this myself to confirm it but I heard that for the last couple years some tecumseh engines did not even have valve seats in the aluminum block!

[Captain Neon]

I have always been partial to Briggs & Stratton myself.

[grey beard]

IMHO, I learned by sad experience to always shut off the fuel and run the carburetor dry, last run of the season. That way there should never be any varnish build up problems in the carburetor. Never had any problems with gasoline going stale sitting in a tank over one season, but have had to clean out many varnished carburetors - especially those of the two-cycle vaiety - usually made of plastic.

On another topic, I read on a professional mower forum that contractors find noticeably more power and higher idle speeds, just fom switching to synthetic motor oil. Found this to be true, myself. After I switched, had to take the base off the air filter to get to my idle screw to tame down the idle so it wouldn't diesel on hot shut-down. Made quite a difference.

I also useFL8 Fram or other larger automotive oil filters on my 26 hp Kholer mower engone. Gives me half a quart more capacity and a lot more filter medium area. JMHO

[CaseyJoeS.]

I have always been partial to Briggs & Stratton myself.

I agree, I like working on Briggs and Strattons. They are the best value.