Husqvarna snow thrower

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Hello I have a few year old husqvarna 30" 10.5 hp snowblower that is a bear to start when it's cold. I was wondering if there are any additives to add to the gas that would help? I've used fresh 89 octane gas with startron since new and just replaced the spark plug to see if that would help which it didn't. Usually for me to start it I have to run an extension cord out to the shed to use the electric start which is a pain to do. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you.
 
Try some Seafoam. But it probably could use a carb rebuild. What motor does it have on it? A good forum for blower's is snowblowerforum.com, for info.
 
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It has a brand new oregon carb on it and it hasn't made a difference. It was just replaced due to the float went bad on the original. I believe it has the snow king engine.
 
Yes it has a primer and a choke. Sometimes I have to give it a shot of starting fluid to get it to start. Once it's warm it runs great. I also put castrol syntec 0w30 in it this year. Its a real pain to start cold with the rope.
 
Take the cover off that covers the carb, and see if the hose from the primer bulb is cracked or even off completely. If it is ok looking on the carb end, take it off, and put your finger over the end and pump the primer, and see if it pumps air like it is suppose to.
OR, a first even simpler test, is just pump that primer many,many many times, and see if gas starts to drip out of the carb. If not there is a problem, and do the previously listed test.
 
The electric start works ok? I'd go that route.

Try pulling the rope harder?

Funny story: I work on power equipment. People bring me stuff all the time "that doesn't start" I ask them to show me and they give the sissiest, wimpiest, tugs on the rope that I have ever seen. I yank the cord once like a man should and it starts just fine.
 
Good quality spark plug?

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
The electric start works ok? I'd go that route.

Try pulling the rope harder?

Funny story: I work on power equipment. People bring me stuff all the time "that doesn't start" I ask them to show me and they give the sissiest, wimpiest, tugs on the rope that I have ever seen. I yank the cord once like a man should and it starts just fine.


Visions of the gorilla cage at the zoo or a Magilla Gorilla cartoon. Then the thought of how far most humans have advanced in reasoning skills before putting it to text.
 
You could try adding some "white gas", maybe 10%. (Coleman lamp fuel.) It's low octane but very, very volatile. Leave some out and it'll evaporate like that.

I get it at yard sales for 50 cents a gallon and run it in my lawnmowers. Its got "one of the major ingredients in gasoline", so it's not hard on carbs. It just disappears! If I fill my vented cap Briggs with white gas, I measure out enough to mow my lawn, as it'll be empty a week later.
 
How are you trying to start it? On the Tecumseh's, I usually put the throttle up half way or more, and choke all the way. And several pumps of the primer.
 
What 10.5hp engine is on this snowthrower? If it actually has a HP rating, I'm guessing it's more than a few years old. Tecumseh flat-head Snow King maybe?

I'd do a little plug reading after a few unsuccessful pull starts to see if it's wet with gas or totally dry. It could be just a tweak to your cold-start procedure is all that's needed.
 
I had the same blower in Poulan Pro form - same size and engine. Yes, it took a really good pull to get it to fire up if I didn't want to get out the power cord and use the electric. I always did full throttle and full choke and at least 4 primer presses, and it still wasn't easy.

Is the Oregon carb you had put on it an adjustable one, or is it the same EPA non-adjustable that the original carb was? Get an adjustable one, as they don't run quite as lean as the EPA carbs do and it will start a whole lot better.

You can also pull the plug and squirt some gas in there and then pull the rope and it may be easier than messing with an extension cord. That's the one nice feature of the older L-heads, the plug is on the top of the engine.
 
Any snow King engine I ever owned would start on 1 or 2 pulls even on the coldest days. 3-4 primes, full choke and full throttle is how mine usually started best.

You don't really fully explain your issue. Are you having a hard time pulling it over fast enough or is it taking many pulls to start?
If it starts relatively quick with the electric start, you likely aren't pulling it over fast enough when starting by hand.
Remember this is a 10.5hp engine, it is going to take some muscle to pull it over.
 
I fixed my 40 yr old Show King troubles by replacing it with a HF Predator. Its a nice little engine. I moved the Ariens out of storage with no drama. It is a very easy starting. I'm leaving the governor at factory settings. Rpms seem a bit low, but it its an up grade from the zero Rpm, the Tecumseh flat head did(n't) run at.
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It even takes a lot of cranking with the electric start. I have actually broke the rope twice by pulling it too hard. Once it starts it runs great. It's just very cold blooded. The new carb hasn't made a difference in starting when cold. I replaced the plug with a Bosch to see if that would help also.
 
I would get rid of the Bosch plug, their awful. Get an NGK. Their has to be something else wrong. I've had quite a few of these engines and most of the time they start fine. It might be worth checking the compression, to see if its low.
 
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+1 on check the compression, -BUT- Have you checked how good the spark is? It could have spark, but be very weak. Not to common with electronic ignition, but a weak coil could happen. The spark should jump a nice blue spark about 1/4 inch if it is good. Another Question, if you shut it off after it has warmed up, will it start easily then??
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
The electric start works ok? I'd go that route.

Try pulling the rope harder?

Funny story: I work on power equipment. People bring me stuff all the time "that doesn't start" I ask them to show me and they give the sissiest, wimpiest, tugs on the rope that I have ever seen. I yank the cord once like a man should and it starts just fine.

See a lot of snowblowers down in southern Florida ?
 
Did you try putting fuel directly in the spark plug hole and then pull start it? If it fires right away, this tells us that your problem is not enough fuel is getting through the carb and intake valve.

You never said how well it runs after it starts. Are you able to run it with the choke all the way off after it warms up? If not, this also points to not enough fuel and then the fuel line comes into question.
 
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