Snow thrower

[yaofeng]

Winter is still two weeks away and we are already expecting a second snow in two days in the usually mild New Jersey. I hate winter!

I rearrange the junk in my garage so at least two cars can move inside. I also moved the Murray 5,5 HP snow thrower from the far corner of the garage to a spot which can be manuevered to roll out of the door. In ten years we had this we probably used it only five times total. It was bought in the aftermath of the infamous snow storm which shut down the Garden State almost three full days. After that either there wasn't enough snow so we used the shovel, or I was out of town during the snow storm in at least two occasions the kids couldn't start it/couldn't move it out of the garage so they just gave up and used the shovel. The last time it was started was a good three years ago I think.

Don't think I ever changed the oil, nor emptied the gas tank ever. What kind of problems will I have tomorrow morning starting the snow thrower? I have a hair dryer ready to warm the engine block in case of hard starting.

Anyone wants to place bet?

[Rich]

Well it looks like you're going to have to keep it in the garage for now....

[buffalobill]

buy an electric toro any size and hope for a power failure so you can instead watch battery tv by candlelight.

[yaofeng]

Looks like it. There is just a dusting outside. Guess I'll leave it alone. The skid plates are also worn. Bought brand new ones a few years ago. I'll leave them off until the next big one comes.

[m Ransley]

Buy a murray , leave the gas in it 3 years and you really have to ask here whats up,

[BocesLib]

If you only used it 5 times total, how the hell did you wear the skids all the way down? (me things your memory is failing)

You might as well use the hair drier to melt the snow off your driveway.

Go do an oil change, rebuild the carb and clean the gas tank. Check and replace the belts and grease all fittings and auger.

[DaveR]

Don't sell those electric Toros short. Mine has been very trustworthy, at least for my relatively small (30'x50') driveway.

[Mark D]

Let us know if you succeed in getting it started!

At least drain the tank, put in fresh gas, drain the oil, and put in fresh, pull the spark plug, add a few squirts of fresh motor oil to the spark plug port, and crank a few times wihout the plug in. Clean plug as best you can, re-install.

With a hair dryer, you'd be standing there for 6 hours trying to warm the motor. Mark

[yaofeng]

Guess I am getting old but we I remember in at least one or two years there were heavy uses in the dreaded season. I know we didn't use it at all the last three years. The snow thrower was sitting in the far corner of the garage with lots of junk around it. On two separate occasions I was out of town in February or March when at least an 18 incher hit New Jersey. The kids moved it out and couldn't start it.

[Rich256]

Having set through two or three summers the gas is probably has all evaporated. If not, before going to a lot of work I would drain the gas and squirt in a bunch of carburetor cleaner and refill. Then squirt carburetor cleaner into the intake or pull the plug and squirt some right into the cylinder and try starting.

[Greg O]

You have not started it for years and now you are going to wait for it to snow before you try to run it?? Sounds like a plan destined for failure! Greg

[yaofeng]

Just for heck of it I thought since I have the snow thrower out why not give it a try tonight. Even though there was just a dusting of snow in the morning.

I took out my heat gun for paint removal. Removed the spark plug, turn the heat gun on high and started blowing hot air on the engine block. After feeling the block getting warm on the far side of the heat gun, I reinstalled the spark plug. With just one pull at full choke after pumping the primer like eight times, the engine started.

What sweet music!

Say all you want about the stale gas, the barely at the mark never changed never filled oil, or that the engine going to quit any time and fall apart, this old yeller is ready for action for the season.

It's a tecumseh by the way.

I'll go put on the new skid plates right now.

[yaofeng]

The tank was full. Oil was at min. mark. Tha tank was full because my son tried starting it last February, or March after a 18 inch snow while I was out of town on business. It didn't start. The neighbor clered our driveway with his snow thrower.