My old yellow & green 21" Yardman that I inherited was getting so bad it actually ran strongest with choke closed(full choke)! And even then for only 5-10 minutes at a time before it would not stay running at all and then I'd have to finish the driveway the old fashion way. :(
Local small engine shop threw everything they could at it, still would not stay running, and the only way to start it, in any temperature, was via the electrical outlet start.
What the machine needed is a new carb , or a thorough cleaning of the old one . Most times they don't pull the plugs and clean the passages as they should . Crud and varnish in those tiny passages restricts fuel flow , thus the need for full choke to keep it running . Then a flake of that crud comes loose and completely blocks that passage , and no amount of choke will work until the detergents in the fuel dissolve that blockage ... I recently replaced the one on my weedeater and one of the chainsaws because it was as cheap as the rebuild kits . Both run almost like new now .
Can't see it from here, but that *CAN* be a bad gasket between the carb and the engine.
Might also have bad (inadequate) valve clearance, which is just as likely as the bad carb gasket.
I'd ask the shop to check those two. Needs a bit of Permatex IIb non hardening sealer on the carb gasket.
Valve clearance is typically .010 intake, .020 exhaust, both measured at top dead center where the valves should both be full closed.
- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .
I think he's saying that the instructions or markings don't make sense...as he can't see the choke plate. (usually seen from below the carb air warmer box)
I've read through this post a couple more times, I don't see that.
"On this model there appears to be no air filter and it would take a lot of disassembly to actually see the choke blade in the carburetor. I decided to experiment with the full left position and that cured the problem--smoot h running and no smell of unburned gas from an over-rich mix due to the cho ke being half closed."
======================================= Stormy says.... Lets properly attibute: =======================================
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Re: Snowblower engine needs choke to run smoothly Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2015 06:19:10 -0800 (PST) From: snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com Newsgroups: alt.home.repair References:
I just bought a Craftsman snowblower model 247.889720 with the 208 cc "quiet" motor. I had a similar problem--uneven running with the choke supposedly open. I found that the dial for the choke has confusing markings. Straight up and down is usually a full open choke. In this case, a full right turn is a closed choke, up and down is half choke, and all the way to the left is the open-choke, running position. Very unusual. At first, from the markings, I thought left and right turns closed the choke. It was functioning but not running smoothly in the up and down position, could smell lots of unburned gas and the fuel consumption seemed very high. On this model there appears to be no air filter and it would take a lot of disassembly to actually see the choke blade in the carburetor. I decided to experiment with the full left position and that cured the problem--smooth running and no smell of unburned gas from an over-rich mix due to the choke being half closed.
================================================== Original Poster:
-------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Snowblower engine needs choke to run smoothly Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2015 06:36:12 -0800 (PST) From: snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com Newsgroups: alt.home.repair References:
My old yellow & green 21" Yardman that I inherited was getting so bad it actually ran strongest with choke closed(full choke)! And even then for only 5-10 minutes at a time before it would not stay running at all and then I'd have to finish the driveway the old fashion way. :(
Local small engine shop threw everything they could at it, still would not stay running, and the only way to start it, in any temperature, was via the electrical outlet start.
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Please note that pwrpath's text appeared NOWHERE in the post that I was replying.
Do be more careful, please.
- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .
Well, I can trithfully say that in 50 years I have NEVER seen a choke that was open in the center position - NEVER. Virtually all close counter-clockwize -
And the overwhelmingly vast majority of "snow" engines do not have an air cleaner. Most of the L-Head engines also have a "pre-heater" built into the air intake. Both are to prevent icing the intake up solid, choking the poor engine to death.
t of disassembly to actually see the choke blade in the carburetor. I deci ded to experiment with the full left position and that cured the problem--s mooth running and no smell of unburned gas from an over-rich mix due to the choke being half closed."
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Try "unhide quoted text" from my post (for some reason hidden). I believe h e is NOT sure what position the choke is at...and is experimenting without looking at the choke position. He needs to look at it...you on the other ha nd, are on a different planet...possibly Uranus.
reason hidden). I believe he is NOT sure what position the choke is at...and is experimenting without looking at the choke position. He needs to look at it...you on the other hand, are on a different planet...possibly Uranus.
If you can't figure out quoted text, not sure you can figure any thing out. Plonk!
- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .
I'll tell all of you something:
I'm just glad in my case that I no longer own that Yardman thing(MTD). The 3-pos choke lever - up and down - had no graphics on it OR in the owner's manual, of which position was full choke or full lean! How stupid is that?
My new Ariens on the other hand is so well marked even my cats could start it - in the dark. LOL
Stormy,
I think you must have missed that in the original (and only) post that the OP write which said,
"I just bought a Craftsman snowblower model 247.889720 with the 208 cc "quiet" motor. I had a similar problem--uneven running with the choke supposedly open. I found that the dial for the choke has confusing markings. Straight up and down is usually a full open choke. In this case, a full right turn is a closed choke, up and down is half choke, and all the way to the left is the open-choke, running position. Very unusual. At first, from the markings, I thought left and right turns closed the choke. It was functioning but not running smoothly in the up and down position, could smell lots of unburned gas and the fuel consumption seemed very high. On this model there appears to be no air filter and it would take a lot of disassembly to actually see the choke blade in the carburetor. I decided to experiment with the full left position and that cured the problem--smooth running and no smell of unburned gas from an over-rich mix due to the choke being half closed."
So, the comment above that said,
">> I think he's saying that the instructions or
made sense to me and seemed to be correct.
This guy also has an MTD and is posting on the Sears help forum...so we will have to wait and see.
So this thread is also being read - and contributed to, from a Sears help forum? Explains some of the confusion here.
BTW by "this guy also has an MTD" I assume you mean me(kmanrocks)?
The prefix of the his model is MTD on the Sears list of suppliers.
Powerpost had a Re: in the subject line, so that's not the original post. Original poster is Tkmanrocks, or some similar spelling.
- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .
Probably Obama's fault...
You better put a cat-proof ignition switch on it or hide the keys - preferably in a mnouse-hole (where the cat's will NEVER look!!)
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