Snowblower won't start :-(

I know enough about engine repair to know I don't know enough about engine repair...

Storm hit NE yesterday and trusty snowblower won't start.

  1. Drained the gas
  2. Changed the plug
  3. Blew carburetor cleaner in through the gas line to the carburetor

It will turn over with the electric starter and let's out a puff or two of exhaust and then stops. I tried messing with the carb float screw (as this had been a problem in the past) but the best I get is it running for about 3 seconds and then stops.

This is a fairly new Ariens 8HP model.

Can anyone pass on some ideas on troubleshooting? Thanks!

Reply to
timnels
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You drained the gas, meaning it had old gas left in it which probably gummed up the carb, carbs should be run dry at the end of a season. You might try either and drain the gas and open the float bowl and clean it, add gas with carb cleaner. Also try the old plug, you dont know if the new one was dropped and is any good.

Reply to
ransley

Could be couple of things. Is the tank valve open to the carb? Sometimes easy to forget about this. Was the spark plug wet or dry when you took it out? If dry, it is not getting gas. If wet, could be weak spark or bad gas. Check for spark by leaving the plug wire on but leave the plug out of the plug hole and crank over the engine a few times. May be a little hard to see in bright light so look closely. Don't leave the plug too close to the plug hole or it may ignite the gas in the cylinder though. Been there done that. Good luck. Steve

Reply to
Steve

If plug has spark but is wet and with new gas, the engine could be "flooded" so try opening the choke and crank over the engine a bunch of times (don't burn out the starter though). Have the throttle control about half open.

Steve

Also check the gap on the plug. Set it to the proper specs.

Reply to
Steve

This may sound stupid, but did you use your key?

Reply to
Frank

Frank wrote in news:jJednQULea- fIP_anZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

did you have stabilizer in the gas sitting in the blower for all those months?

Your carbs may be gummed up bad if you didn't. If so, get a shovel.

Reply to
GoHabsGo

Use the correct oil:fuel ratio.

My earlier post elsewhere.

Reply to
PaPaPeng

Since you said it ran for 3 sec...unscrew the carb (hex) valve (bottom of the bowl) with adjusting screw in place. There is a large hole and a very small hole in the body of the valve. You need to spray-out the small hole with carb cleaner or replace the entire assembly and lightly bottom-out the adjusting screw and turn it out one and half turns. HTH

Reply to
pheeh.zero

An 8HP would not have a mix. 8^(

Reply to
pheeh.zero

This isn't the answer to your question, but may be worth considering. This year I gave up trying to start small engines (snowblower, generator, etc) at cold temperatures and bought small 50 watt heaters that are attached with an adhesive to the block or oil pan. They provide enough heat to make starting quite easy. Gasoline really doesn't have much vapor pressure at 0 F.

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Boden

Reply to
Boden

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