Snow Blower Blues??

[cecdoo]

Heres the deal, 8hp Areins its probably 20 yrs old at least, always starts and runs great until today. Started rite up, on idle it would surge, pop and run like crap, but as soon as it was in the snow and under load it ran fine. Back it out of the snow and no load sputtering all over the place. Any ideas? I got the driveway done, but its gonna need some work before the next storm. 8hp 36" cut 2 stage Ariens anybody ever worked on one of these??

 

Thanks, Craig

[Venturous Randy]

Sea Foam!!!!!!!!!!!

RandyA

[Huggy]

[cecdoo]

Thanks, I thought of that, but why would it run better under load? I would think if the carb was gummed up it would run worse under load:think:

 

Thanks, Craig

[bongobobny]

Try a new plug? Gap may be off.

 

It does seem like a carb issue though...

[FreezyRider]

OK, if it runs great under load but sputters and spits with no load, then it is like running too rich. Could be that your choke butterfly is not opening all the way causing it to stay partly choked. I'd check that first. Next in line is your air filter. If it is plugged up you'd have the same condition.

 

Joe

[cowpuc]

Hi Cecdo

 

Maybe just water on the plug wire, remove from plug and squirt it with WD 40. Next I I would begin with drying it out real well, sometimes snow will gather around the engine, thaw as it warms and cause a short around the coil/plug wire.. While its warming/drying I would replace the plug - once a plug blackens from choking to start the motor they dont always fire best. Depending on the age of your unit, you may find an adjustable main jet on your carb. Look under the carb and you will see a float bowl, in the center of that bowl will either be a bolt head or a bolt head with a screw sticking out of it. If it appears to have a screw sticking out of the center of the bolt head it is the adjustable type (be thankful if this is the case). Its very common for snowblowers to go out of adjustment as weather changes. By the sounds of things, your blower may be running a little lean, while the machine is idling - turn the screw slowly to the left (counter clockwise) and see if smooths out, turn it out only till it clears to a decent idle, if it gets worse try going the other way and richen it. A slow up and down rpm at idle is not uncommon. Bring it to high revs quickly and see it responds to throttle, then test it wide open under a load and see if it handles the extra fuel. If it seems sluggish under a load turn the screw clockwise (less fuel) 1/8th turn and try again..

PRAY FOR SPRING SO WE CAN ALL GET OUT OF THIS MISERY!!!

Puc

[Black Owl]

Duh....

 

Where's the throttle on a snow blower ????? :stirthepot:

 

[cecdoo]

Left side on Handlebar

[The Tooch]

Duh....

 

Where's the throttle on a snow blower ????? :stirthepot:

 

 

 

Only cause you asked.....:stirthepot:

 

http://www3.telus.net/findNchoose/snowblower1.jpg

[MiCarl]

It's probably the idle circuit. When you load it up either you or the governor is opening the throttle and you're running on the high speed jets.

 

Interestingly, on Saturday mine would only run on full choke, and was fine a week ago. It lives in a detached shed so I speculated it might have some ice in the carb. Sunday I started it up to take to the heated garage to thaw out and it was fine. I think my suspicion was correct and it defrosted soaking in engine heat.

 

You might have a similar issue and find it fine tomorrow.

 

Gotta love ethanol in the fuel.........

[Bubber]

two possible suggestions.

1) I HAD ONE THAT RAN LIKE CRAP AND FOUND THAT THE CARB WAS COMING LOOSE FROM THE BLOCK, NUTS BACKS OFF AND CARB WAS LOOSE.

 

2) I now only use premium (no alcohol) in the small engines around the house. and I use sta-bil or and Sea Foam just to be sure.

 

BTW it is -47 in Embarrass MN. another good reason.

 

Best of luck

Bubber

[Yammer Dan]

You ever seen a 20 yr old that acted like it should?? :duck:I think I would do as suggested and Sea-Foam it first. A good heavy dose for it, run it all thru and some fesh gas and I bet it will Purr.

[Black Owl]

Only cause you asked.....:stirthepot:

 

http://www3.telus.net/findNchoose/snowblower1.jpg

 

Interesting. Have never had a throttle on any of the snow blowers I have owned over the years....

[ragtop69gs]

This video is not mine but I have the same setup this guy is using. You can't go wrong with this Tractor and blower. I don't know how to embed the video so here's the link.

 

[BratmanXj]

You ever seen a 20 yr old that acted like it should??

 

My 10ML4 Ariens is from 1964 and still starts up first pull, these old tecumseh L head motors don't put out big power but they are stout.

Brother-in-law has a 1977 92400 8hp that is just as much a beast as mine.

 

As stated earlier you probably have some ice build up in the carb bowl. Good quality fuel and Stable are your friend.

[Sylvester]

What's a snow blower? And what is snow?

 

[pmelah]

What's a snow blower? And what is snow?

 

 

yea yea whats a snowblower who makes it is it like a trike how many tires does it have can it do 80mph in 3rd gear and yes what is snow is that like a shaved ice cone what flavors do they have:confused24: :stirthepot::stirthepot::rotf::rotf:

[BIG TOM]

What's a snow blower? And what is snow?

 

:moon: :moon: :moon: :moon:

 

 

 

 

yea yea whats a snowblower who makes it is it like a trike how many tires does it have can it do 80mph in 3rd gear and yes what is snow is that like a shaved ice cone what flavors do they have:confused24: :stirthepot::stirthepot::rotf::rotf:

 

double:moon: :moon: :moon: :moon: :moon: :moon: :moon: :moon: :moon:

[bongobobny]

Yup! You Southerners better watch out, BT and I are making a list and checking it twice...

[Hazenson]

also check for cracks in your fuel line, especally right by the carb or tank

[pmelah]

:rotf::rotf:all yall in the great white well not so great white north now:whistling: stay safe and warm we are getting some of the cold here last night it got down to 24 havent seen temps like that in years supose to warm up to the 30s tonight and back to the 20s sun thru thurs but no snow in sight

[Goose68]

Snow blower? Is that for making snow cones?

[frankd]

I've got a 24 year old snowblower with a 5 hp. Techumseh engine that used to start out the year running lean, so I'd open up the main jet and it'd be fine. Then as the season went on, it'd get richer and richer, and finally I had to close the main jet adjustment screw all the way, and it'd still be rich. I pulled the carb. apart and found that the float was made of brass, and was cracked and allowing fuel to flow inside the float, which was causing the mixture to get too rich. When it sat all summer, the gas in the float must have evaporated, leaning the mixture back out. I replaced the float and it's been fine the last 7-8 years. BTW, the replacement float was made out of plastic.

[Stanman]

Interesting. Have never had a throttle on any of the snow blowers I have owned over the years....

Get a better snowblower!!!