I purchased a new Craftsman 8.5 hp snow blower two years ago. Forget the problems with the auger blades on backwards... After 1/2 hour, the Briggs & Stratton engine "coughs" then stalls NO way can it be restarted. Let it sit for 20 minutes...it starts with no trouble. I removed all the gas and filtered it. I checked the plug andchecked for wet spark plug wire. It may run for hours and the it may cough again after another 1/2 hour. Repeat..let it cool and it starts with no trouble. Any suggestions for next winter snow blowing??? Joe
Did you clean the air filter? When is stalls, try some starting fluid sprayed into the carb and see is it starts. Will it start with the air filter removed? Will is stay running with the fluid sprayed in the carb?
-- Oren
"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"
'ole days; a coil would crack and heat. the engine would shut down when the coil failed. Add moisture into a cracked coil ....it will not start.. at least back then (G)
-- Oren
"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."
I would be skeptical also, had I never seen one for myself. In fact just two; makes it rare as hens teeth. One a small engine coil and one an automotive coil (circa 60's). Heat damage is the only way I can explain it. The coil develops a hairline crack. It may function normally, but as it heats and expands the crack moisture becomes the enemy. The engine misfires, like a car with bad timing.
Perhaps, me saying "cracked coil" was to broad as it is rare. I didn't coin the phrase.
To make certain of my sanity I goggled. Surprise; others explain a "cracked coil". Some even have "epoxy" remedies.
Goggle "cracked coil" "Briggs and Stratton" You will only find FIVE (5) links.
Cite: The coil on a Briggs should be almost indestructible in 30 years of small engine repair I?ve seen about 2 bad ones and its usually a crack or heat damage. Check your wiring unplug everything form the coil if you have to, also check that it is not water in your gas your experiencing as it acts the same way. Grounding it is how it is shut off so shouldn?t hurt it. I believe the magnetrons still have a lifetime warranty. If this is a Briggs with points a bad condenser will produce a high spark at the points resulting in bad or intermittent spark and no spark once warm. A spark checker can usually pick this up.
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Goggle "cracked coil" and you get only 1,550
Cite: Part II - Diagnosis If you have noticed that on cool, damp days or after driving in the rain (especially on the highway, especially behind cars/trucks) the engine is running rough and misfiring, chances are the coil pack has a crack(s).
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Still I would not move to replace the coil; until the OP has exhausted other recommendations here. Hopes this explains my comments.
-- Oren
"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."
As some of you may remember, I left the ignition on and had a cracked coil on my motorcycle. But that didn't keep it from working. So a crack is neither necessary nor conclusive.
As to the cycle itself, ran for 3 or so minutes last fall, then it got cold and it still is.
Introduce moisture into a cracked coil, I find it very CONclusive. If a mower sits in the rain or a car in a Florida Toad Strangler Rain Storm (circa 60's). Things not uncommon then; moisture affects it.
BTW, I'm glad others have heard of "cracked coils".
-- Oren
"I don't have anything against work. I just figure, why deprive somebody who really loves it."
I'd agree with using a little starter fluid in there to see if its getting enough fuel. Another thing to try is putting the full choke on and see how or if it starts. (stater fluid doesnt do anything to a 4 cycle motor, 2 cycles you can use it somewhat but not for long)
If it runs for a minute with start fluid in then its a fuel problem.
decent amount of gas starts to drip out. If it starts to flow nicely I would press the primer button a bit and see what happens.
A stuck float can cause this problem too. Not normal but I guess anything is possible.
You really need to see if this is an ignition problem or fuel.
Change oil. Use Castrol 5 w 30. Check the little hole int he gas cap, make sure air can get in. Take the cap off, and poke out the two or three holes with a safety pin. Next time it slugs try loosen the gas cap, see if it comes back to life. Might also be a faulty ignition coil, but that's harder to diagnose.
It runs for 30 minutes then shuts off abruptly, then restarts after a cooldown. It's a bad coil. Nothing hard about the diagnosis. When it quits, you pull the plug wire off, check it for spark, see none, go to the store, buy a coil and install it. This machine could have been repaired 73 times in the time you all have guessed about it.
: I have the exact same problem with my snowblower -
Just wondering if replacing the coil fixed the problem
Thanks
------------------------------------- Steve Barker wrote:
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