Snowblower won't keep running

kleinerpiner · Jan 16, 2018

I have a Toro snowblower that I have had good luck with, 'till this year when it snowed.

It's powered by 5hp Tecumseh engine. In late fall I test ran it for a few minutes to make sure all was well. Started and ran well. Now that it's cold and snowing in Minnesota, when I need it, I'm having trouble. It's very hard to start, and when it does start it will run for 2 or 3 seconds then die. After it dies, it will not start at all. I tried fresh gas, and that didn't work. I put some Seafoam in the tank and let it sit overnight. Still no go. I have tried many combinations of choke, no choke, prime, no prime, but no results. It seems if I leave it alone for a couple hours, it will start, but then immediately dies.

Any ideas? Thank you.

jeffcat · Jan 16, 2018

Take a combination of sea foam and gas in a squirt can . If you get her runningg just keep squirting that mix into the carb and hopefully she may clean up and straighten out. Dump the old gas out and put fresh high test with some sea foam also. Soundslike crap in the carb. Never run these engines with regular gas. Hi- test only !!!! Have seen way toooo many with this problem. The other trouble could be Ethinol has destroyed all of the rubber parts in the carb and that is going to be a whole nother set of problems.

gab · Jan 16, 2018

If the carb. has a bowl on the bottom with a brass nut in the middle and a screw in that, take the brass nut out while holding the bowl, then count the number of turns the screw goes in to gently bottom out and then remove the screw with spring. Every Tecumseh engine I've had one time or another has had crud in one of the holes in that brass nut, one hole is even hard to find some times, poke a tiny wire through it. When you go back together put that screw in the same amount of turns off the seat.

tractorguy2 · Jan 16, 2018

yep. one of the tiny holes in the brass nut is plugged.

gab · Jan 16, 2018

. Few pict.s if your carb. resembles this one.

jeffcat · Jan 16, 2018

Hey give this lemon juice trick a try. Actually mkaes scene.
cook lemon juice.

steve_in_mo · Jan 17, 2018

Unless you're a masochist or you get really lucky,
you can't afford to waste time rebuilding that carburetor.
You can buy a good replacement for under $20 on eBay.

tractorguy2 · Jan 19, 2018

There is no need for a carb rebuild. Just clean the two tiny holes in the jet.

504 · Jan 19, 2018

You really have to find an old machine, but they made the brass jet without the bare thread notch. If you ever find one, tag it as an antique and buy a new one. They must be installed to line the holes in the body, to the holes in the jet. That is why the notch is there.

D beatty · Jan 20, 2018

Once you have engine running ok put a shut off fuel valve on it and run carb dry when you are done. I run Briggs & Stratton fuel stabilizer that combats the effect of ethanol gasoline and fuel can be stored up to 3 years.I don't drain fuel out of tanks of small engines anymore.

kleinerpiner · Jan 20, 2018

Started to look at it today. When I got the cowling off from around the carb I noticed that the little rubber(?) line from the primer bulb had broken in at the bend into the carb. I shortened this tube, reassembled, and it started and ran for a few minutes.

I'm guessing there wasn't gas going to the carb. to keep running.

Of course it's warmer (relatively speaking) today, but we are supposed to get 6" of snow so that will be the true test.

Thanks for all the troubleshooting ideas. Will put those in the file.

Snowblower won't keep running

kleinerpiner

Member

jeffcat

Well-known Member

gab

Well-known Member

tractorguy2

Well-known Member

gab

Well-known Member

jeffcat

Well-known Member

steve_in_mo

Well-known Member

tractorguy2

Well-known Member

504

Well-known Member

D beatty

Well-known Member

kleinerpiner

Member

Similar threads