Starting that snowblower

[Tom7227]

a number of people have asked for some instructions today so here's my list - feel free to add/correct as you see fit.

OK, snowblower starting 101.

First, make sure the oil is full. Make sure that the safety switch is in the proper position. Make sure you have gas in the tank. Make sure the gas line is open. When you figure out that you can't figure any of these out do the Google and get the owners manual and read it.

Turn the choke to 'start' or 'full', whichever your rig calls it. Prime the gas at least 5

times. Make sure there isn't anything in the auger. Remove the stupid neck scarf you have on. Make sure there isn't anything in the auger.

Engage the starter. If you don't have a starter then pull on the rope. Don't pull the rope too far or you will break it or booger it up somehow. If it doesn't start after maybe 20 seconds on the starter or 7 or 8 pulls on the rope take a break, you probably flooded it. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so and try again.

If it still doesn't start take the spark plug wire off and remove the spark plug. Plug the wire back onto the spark plug and lay it down on the engine so the spark plug is in contact with the engine. Pull the rope and see if there is spark at the end of the plug. If you have spark then the problem is most likely fuel.

Be sure the gas line is open. Get a can of car starting fluid and shoot a bit into the spark plug hole and quickly put the plug back in. Try to start it. If it doesn't start as far as I am concerned you are SOL and need to take it in.

Consider getting a new spark plug every year or every other year. Use non-oxygenated gas. You can go on line and find a station that sells it. The ethanol can booger things up so avoid it in all your small engines.

[vman11]

Nice...

I use the ether (starting fluid) trick quite a bit. Spraying it into the air filter makes a cold blooded crabby engine fire up quickly.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

Drain the gas at the end of the season too.

[Tom7227]

I'm convinced that non-oxygenated gas is a key. Stabil or seafoam in tall the gas. Drain the tank and start the rig until it dies before storing it.

The folks at Hugo Equipment advised to drain the tank on anything that is going to sit for 30 days even if you do the above. It only cost me $145 for that lesson. Hope you appreciate getting it for free.

[Whoaru99]

In the case of a plastic tank I agree with fully draining. In the case of a metal tank I feel more comfortable with a full tank of stabilized fuel for storage.

[BoxMN]

I have been using only non-oxy gas, and add a bit (not much!) of Seafoam to EACH gas can when I go get gas, so EVERY splash of gas is "treated" or "winterized"

I also always add "some" fresh gas to whatever is left from last year - usually not much left, so most of the gas is always fresh. I have plastic tank. Started awesome again this year. All my small engines have been doing great since I started using only non-oxy gas in them, and adding a very small amount of Seafoam to each gas can when I buy it.

[Scupper]

Thank you Tom7272 for the refresher course.

It's been over 25 years since my original ($$$) costly initiation into yearly small engine maintenance. The lesson I learned and still practice is to treat every gallon of fuel with a cap full of Seafoam. That is, open the container of Seafoam and use the cap of the Seafoam container as my measuring device. I could be lucky but I have never drained the fuel tank in any of my small engines as my instructor assured me it would not be necessary if treated.

My snow-blower is one pull and go. I do have the electric start but have never used it. It amazes me every year. Lawn mower is 2 or 3 pulls. Weed whip, leaf blower all start with in 3-5 pulls. Heck, even the wife can get these going without my assistance.

I just use regular 87 octane. Again, maybe I'm lucky.

During this past snow event after satisfactorily clearing my corner lot and a couple neighbors, I knew I better get over to my mother in laws. The last time her ancient big MTD blower was fired up was when I treated it 3 years ago. I usually just plow with my 4-wheeler

and shovel to her second garage. She has limited sidewalk but 2 long driveways.

Of course the behemoth had a flat tire. None the less, I primed it till I noticed gas leaking out of the carb. I choked and pulled the recoil 5 times and it popped. 2 more pulls at half choke and it was sputtering good. After a minute or so the engine was humming very even. Filled the tire and ran it almost 3 hours. I could smell that the exhaust was turpintiny, if that's a word. I will be putting in a new spark plug along with fresh fuel as this is about as far as my mechanical skills go but I was thankful it started and ran out good.

There just might be something to Seafoam...

[nofishfisherman]

My snowblower refused to start for me again when I went to clear my driveway on Sunday. I even test fired it in early November so that I had time to work on it if it wasn't firing up. Fired up fine with no snow on the ground but when I actually needed it, not so much.

When its being stubborn I'll pull the spark plug and put a small amount of gas in the spark plug hole and fire it up. Thats usually a pretty sure fire way of getting it going. This time it ran for 2-3 seconds until the gas I put in with the spark plug was burned and then it died.

I'm hoping to wait until a little warmer day to look at it closer as my garage is unheated. Any other start up tricks I can try? I have gas treated with Stabil in it but I plan to add some fresh gas and seafoam. At that point I've maxed out up mechanical skills.

[Tom7227]

I'm hoping to wait until a little warmer day to look at it closer as my garage is unheated. Any other start up tricks I can try? I have gas treated with Stabil in it but I plan to add some fresh gas and seafoam. At that point I've maxed out up mechanical skills.

I would get a new spark plug and I would also suck out all the old gas with a turkey baster and put in all new. I would also get a can of spray ether and use it to goose the thing to life. Sure that the kill switch is set properly?

[nofishfisherman]

As far as I could tell everything was set normally.

I had planned to drain the old gas before adding the fresh gas/seafoam. The spark plug was sparking but I figure I'll also replace that. I'll also try the ether.

[hawgchaser]

Good post/thread. I will say that I have a small diesel tractor that I used starting fluid on. I took the engine to my mechanic & found that the #1 cylinder had a broken ring with only 250 hr. on an overhaul. His first question was if I used starting fluid as he said breaking rings is one of the side effects of starting fluid. Since then, I take the plugs out and squirt a shot of gas in the cylinder of any gas engine that's been summerized/winterized before I ever turn the engine over. Usually fires on the first pull.

[Whoaru99]

Although I work mostly with multi cylinder engines, we generally recommend that you start cranking the engine then just "puff" in the ether until fires off, rather than supercharge the whole intake system with either before hitting the key.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Here's some interesting info for you. I have had my snow blower for 10+ years, its a craftsman four stroke. I run regular unleaded, never use seafoam, never prep it for summer, never drain the gas, never changed the spark plug, and I think I changed oil once.

It started Monday morning on the third pull and ran no different than years past. I think the non oxy is an urban myth. I don't use it in anything I own. Boat, lawn mower, weed wackier, leaf blower, etc. the only thing I prepare for storage is the boat. Everything else just gets put away.

[Scupper]

And I thought I was Lucky...

[shizzy]

Here's some interesting info for you. I have had my snow blower for 10+ years, its a craftsman four stroke. I run regular unleaded, never use seafoam, never prep it for summer, never drain the gas, never changed the spark plug, and I think I changed oil once.

It started Monday morning on the third pull and ran no different than years past. I think the non oxy is an urban myth. I don't use it in anything I own. Boat, lawn mower, weed wackier, leaf blower, etc. the only thing I prepare for storage is the boat. Everything else just gets put away.

I pretty much do the same. Before starting something for the season, I just dump the tank and fill with fresh fuel. I just fill my can at the gas station with regular. Also, don't buy premium gas, it just costs more and will cause a harder start. The main reason to avoid the oxy gas is due to it eating rubber hoses and seals. If your piece of equipment is under 10 years old it has hoses and carb parts built to withstand the alcohol in the gas. If it's older than that,just replace the fuel line and rebuild the carb and you are good to go. I had a 1965 Johnson 6HP outboard that I did that to and I ran Lord knows how many tanks of oxy gas through it over the course of numerous seasons with not a single issue.