Great...I Fixed My Snowblower....Maybe.

Joined
Jan 23, 2013
Messages
395
Location
MA
I've got a 2000-ish Northstar 27" Dual Stage Snowblower with 9.5hp (I think, might be 8hp or 8.5hp) Tecumseh snow king engine. These were sold by Northern Tool and made by Murray. For the past 5 years it has becoming more and more of a pain to operate and I keep telling my wife we are getting an Ariens Professional 28 next year lol. I figured I'd dig in and diagnose the snow blower to see if I could give it it's last chance. I think I may have fixed it....darn it!

Symptoms:
  • Doesn't like "just a little snow". If I'm snow blowing 2" of fresh snow it will only fart it out about 3ft. I have to run at maximum forward speed to scoop up enough snow so to load up the impeller so it can really shoot it out.
  • Throwing distance has become worse and worse. Even with a good load of fluffy snow it can only shoot it like 10-15ft feet.
  • After some use the transmission starts to get jerky. I find myself pushing the snowblower more than the snowblower it moving itself.
  • The transmission gear shifter sometimes gets frozen if it hasn't been used in a while. After a couple of swears and kicks it usually frees up.
  • Can't handle dense, wet snow like snow banks. You have to go the perfect speed or it will clog. Even then it barely shoots the snow 3ft.
So I took the bottom cover off to take a look. No wonder the transmission is having trouble! There are two springs that pull the engine flywheel up to the friction disc. One had fallen off so the flywheel was engaging at an angle. The engagement handle mechanism was also way out of adjustment so there was barely any flywheel to to friction disc contact. Installed a new spring and adjusted the engagement and poof, it drives!

The shaft that the friction disc slides on was also rusty which explains why it would freeze up and was hard to shift. Sanded it down and put some red tacky grease all over it. Also greased up the gears and chains in there. What do you know...shifts great now!

Even though I put a new auger/impeller belt on last year I never properly adjusted the pulley tension and it was way off, the belt was no doubt slipping. This probably slowed down the impeller/auger when trying to move through the heavy wet stuff.

Lastly, I noticed that the impeller blades had a TON of clearance between the impeller blades and the housing. Probably 3/8"....maybe even 7/16" in some spots? I installed one of those "Impeller Kits" that adds a heavy reinforced piece of rubber to the impeller blade to reduce the clearance.

Put some fresh Synthetic M1 EP 5W-30 in there gave it a spin. I haven't had a chance to try it in the snow but I have a feeling it is going to work waaaaaaay better than it did before. Ugh. All it costed me was a new container of tacky red grease and a quart of oil...
 
Last edited:
I bought a Lawn Boy snowblower (relabeled Gilson?) in 1987 with an 8 HP Tecumseh. Ran it doing our entire cul de sac curb to curb for the entire length plus three driveways from 1987-2010...that's 23 years. Then it moved with us where I did sidewalks and driveways for about another 5-6 years.
This thing had a real gear drive tranny which was belt driven.... no friction wheel. That thing always started and threw snow about 30-40 feet. After back surgery, I sold it to the guy who did our lawn work and then started removing our snow. It is still running!!
 
Make sure you park it dry, dry, dry. Snow will melt into an ice puddle at the bottom of the auger that will jam that paddle kit. You can throw a belt next time you engage it.

If you live somewhere where you're guaranteed a warmup between storms, disregard.
 
Ahead of me. I got mine to start this year, after pulling the head off and hammering on the piston to break it free, and replacing the carb (parked outside and water got in somehow). Had it running, but last time I went to start it so as to move it, it refused to run off gas, not sure if another carb issue. Dragged out of the way and now it's snowbound I think. [We usually just shovel, or bust out the ATV with its plow.] I hate to toss it as it's an old Ariens beast, huge and heavy, and wide.
 
Ahead of me. I got mine to start this year, after pulling the head off and hammering on the piston to break it free, and replacing the carb (parked outside and water got in somehow). Had it running, but last time I went to start it so as to move it, it refused to run off gas, not sure if another carb issue. Dragged out of the way and now it's snowbound I think. [We usually just shovel, or bust out the ATV with its plow.] I hate to toss it as it's an old Ariens beast, huge and heavy, and wide.

If it has a metal gas tank, I'd check it for rust, and clogging of the fuel hose.
 
If it has a metal gas tank, I'd check it for rust, and clogging of the fuel hose.
Good point, that might be it. Project for next year, maybe--it was underpowered when it was running good (repowered with a too-small engine).
 
I refurbished our 23 year old snowblower this last fall. A new auger and carburetor (the old one was excessively worn) and spark plug, and it runs great.
 
I've got a 2000-ish Northstar 27" Dual Stage Snowblower with 9.5hp (I think, might be 8hp or 8.5hp) Tecumseh snow king engine. These were sold by Northern Tool and made by Murray. For the past 5 years it has becoming more and more of a pain to operate and I keep telling my wife we are getting an Ariens Professional 28 next year lol. I figured I'd dig in and diagnose the snow blower to see if I could give it it's last chance. I think I may have fixed it....darn it!

Symptoms:
  • Doesn't like "just a little snow". If I'm snow blowing 2" of fresh snow it will only fart it out about 3ft. I have to run at maximum forward speed to scoop up enough snow so to load up the impeller so it can really shoot it out.
  • Throwing distance has become worse and worse. Even with a good load of fluffy snow it can only shoot it like 10-15ft feet.
  • After some use the transmission starts to get jerky. I find myself pushing the snowblower more than the snowblower it moving itself.
  • The transmission gear shifter sometimes gets frozen if it hasn't been used in a while. After a couple of swears and kicks it usually frees up.
  • Can't handle dense, wet snow like snow banks. You have to go the perfect speed or it will clog. Even then it barely shoots the snow 3ft.
So I took the bottom cover off to take a look. No wonder the transmission is having trouble! There are two springs that pull the engine flywheel up to the friction disc. One had fallen off so the flywheel was engaging at an angle. The engagement handle mechanism was also way out of adjustment so there was barely any flywheel to to friction disc contact. Installed a new spring and adjusted the engagement and poof, it drives!

The shaft that the friction disc slides on was also rusty which explains why it would freeze up and was hard to shift. Sanded it down and put some red tacky grease all over it. Also greased up the gears and chains in there. What do you know...shifts great now!

Even though I put a new auger/impeller belt on last year I never properly adjusted the pulley tension and it was way off, the belt was no doubt slipping. This probably slowed down the impeller/auger when trying to move through the heavy wet stuff.

Lastly, I noticed that the impeller blades had a TON of clearance between the impeller blades and the housing. Probably 3/8"....maybe even 7/16" in some spots? I installed one of those "Impeller Kits" that adds a heavy reinforced piece of rubber to the impeller blade to reduce the clearance.

Put some fresh Synthetic M1 EP 5W-30 in there gave it a spin. I haven't had a chance to try it in the snow but I have a feeling it is going to work waaaaaaay better than it did before. Ugh. All it costed me was a new container of tacky red grease and a quart of oil...

A little maintenance goes a long way!

You’ll like the auger kit. I’ve done it to both my Yardman walk behind and my Deere LT150. They are a little louder with the kit on but it will certainly blow snow better.

Just my $0.02
 
It's got a plastic fuel tank thankfully. I usually put some Stabil in the gas and have never really had any issues with the carb. Usually starts on the first or second pull even after sitting all summer.

And who knew....if you adjust and maintain things they work better? And now that I've fixed it up it probably isn't going to snow!
 
I've got 2 snowblowers, an Ariens and a MTD both 8hp Tecumseh. Consolidated 2 houses into one is why. Both gotten used, the Ariens throws snow way better than the MTD but is heavier to handle. I suspect the Ariens is designed with higher impeller speed than the MTD is why it throws so far. After having a few MTD built snowblowers before the Ariens the Ariens is worth the money.
I'm replacing the burnt-out E starter on the Ariens today with a cheapo Amazon starter. Need it in case the wife needs to use it if I'm not home.
 
I want to do the impeller kit on mine. It throws deep snow much better than light. I think tightening up those impeller clearances will help. Does it matter what kit I buy or they all just bolts and rubber belt?

IMG_8104.webp
 
A little maintenance goes a long way!

You’ll like the auger kit. I’ve done it to both my Yardman walk behind and my Deere LT150. They are a little louder with the kit on but it will certainly blow snow better.

Just my $0.02
I did the impeller kit on my 3 point blower. Much better in wet snow now, and great in dry stuff. I used an old mudflap.
 
I've got a 2000-ish Northstar 27" Dual Stage Snowblower with 9.5hp (I think, might be 8hp or 8.5hp) Tecumseh snow king engine. These were sold by Northern Tool and made by Murray. For the past 5 years it has becoming more and more of a pain to operate and I keep telling my wife we are getting an Ariens Professional 28 next year lol. I figured I'd dig in and diagnose the snow blower to see if I could give it it's last chance. I think I may have fixed it....darn it!

Symptoms:
  • Doesn't like "just a little snow". If I'm snow blowing 2" of fresh snow it will only fart it out about 3ft. I have to run at maximum forward speed to scoop up enough snow so to load up the impeller so it can really shoot it out.
  • Throwing distance has become worse and worse. Even with a good load of fluffy snow it can only shoot it like 10-15ft feet.
  • After some use the transmission starts to get jerky. I find myself pushing the snowblower more than the snowblower it moving itself.
  • The transmission gear shifter sometimes gets frozen if it hasn't been used in a while. After a couple of swears and kicks it usually frees up.
  • Can't handle dense, wet snow like snow banks. You have to go the perfect speed or it will clog. Even then it barely shoots the snow 3ft.
So I took the bottom cover off to take a look. No wonder the transmission is having trouble! There are two springs that pull the engine flywheel up to the friction disc. One had fallen off so the flywheel was engaging at an angle. The engagement handle mechanism was also way out of adjustment so there was barely any flywheel to to friction disc contact. Installed a new spring and adjusted the engagement and poof, it drives!

The shaft that the friction disc slides on was also rusty which explains why it would freeze up and was hard to shift. Sanded it down and put some red tacky grease all over it. Also greased up the gears and chains in there. What do you know...shifts great now!

Even though I put a new auger/impeller belt on last year I never properly adjusted the pulley tension and it was way off, the belt was no doubt slipping. This probably slowed down the impeller/auger when trying to move through the heavy wet stuff.

Lastly, I noticed that the impeller blades had a TON of clearance between the impeller blades and the housing. Probably 3/8"....maybe even 7/16" in some spots? I installed one of those "Impeller Kits" that adds a heavy reinforced piece of rubber to the impeller blade to reduce the clearance.

Put some fresh Synthetic M1 EP 5W-30 in there gave it a spin. I haven't had a chance to try it in the snow but I have a feeling it is going to work waaaaaaay better than it did before. Ugh. All it costed me was a new container of tacky red grease and a quart of oil...
I'd add Arnold Snowblower and mower deck spray. This stuff is slicker than dog snot. Grass won't stick to my mower after I Applied it. A guy on YouTube filmed a two-part video with a number of products to coat your deck.
 
I fixed a frozen chute issue on my Ego 2 stage. There was water in the cables.

Doesn't matter, as we haven't gotten any measurable snow 🤷 Highs today 53

So much for winter 😄
 
I exercised the re-powered 24" Ariens in the 3" of snow we got the other day. Mostly because it has only been test run the last 2 winters. It starts easily and runs fine heading into 10yrs on the Predator and 50? on the Ariens. Happy as a clam with most of my OPE, in fact
 
I have two of the MTD 10 horse walk behinds. Changed the belts , bushings, bearings, drive wheel rubber, plugs and oil. Haven't touched them since.

tractors 11 20 22 (4).webp
 
Back
Top