Just my 2 cents. my father was an Ariens dealer , he passed away 19 years ago .......I worked for him when I was in high school..anyways next door neighber bought a new Ariens snowblower from him, 2 years later the neighber said "my snow blower stopped working " discoverd .....had no oil in it & had siezed ( took off head gently hit piston with hammer handle ) changed oil put on new head gasket .started ran fine.... one year later he ran out of oil again said " dont want it " we took it back & I installed new short block ...........My father keept it at his home as his snowblower, this 8HP ariens was manufactured in 1972.. when my father died in 1987 ..i inherited it & have used it since , last year I installed a 11 HP techumsa engine it it ,as the engine was burning oil & got a great deal on new engine.........so after 36 years , of contiuios operation she ran fine , oil was changed possibly twice a season , ( dinosore oil ) I sill use this snowblower, have installed tires that dont req chains & a new clutch maybee 3 times >> my drive way is 150 feet long ...dont over enginer your snowblower ..so to speek , meaning at the end of the season run the engine till she runs out of fuel..press the little nipple on bottom of fuel bowl (if you have one) add 1 oz of fuel stabiliser ....... thats it , in the next season fill with fresh gas & warm engine up & change oil . this has worked for my 1972 Ariens since 72 with exception os stupid neighber who never checked oil level...... synthetic is eccellant but 5/30 dies the job , at tempetures around 30 F ... My fathers business was Hoys Tool service Lynn Mass 1954/1981... just what wored for me "Semper fi" forgive bad spellin