Snow Blower....haven't started it in 2 years.

[dx92beater]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

 

[pghvolvo]

Actually last year I scored a $500 snow blower that was a year old and used twice for $175. I got it cheap because the previous owner left gas in it when they stored it. They thought it was toast because they couldn't start it after filling with fresh gas and installing a new spark plug. I had a local small engine shop clean up the clogged carburetor for $50 and I was good to go.

 

[eljefino]

What's the question?

You should go try to start it. The temp swings of that shed could have brought out the worst in its fuel. But if you drop the carb bowl, clean it out, and run a piece of wire (like from a bread tie) up through the main jet, it'll probably go.

 

[Pelican]

Before you start it, if using the same fuel, add fuel conditioner to the tank and wait a few minutes then start it.

 

[AandPDan]

Drain the tank, drain the bowl, then put some fresh gas in it.

 

[demarpaint]

First thing I would do is drain the gas and get fresh gas in it. You might get lucky and it fires up and runs. Either way I would definately get it running before Wednesday.

 

[wpod]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

What are we getting at with the post? This spring I started up my pressure washer [ Honda GX 390 engine ] that had almost 4 year old up to ten percent gas in it and is started and ran through the tank of old gas without any problems. Drain the float bowl, check the oil lube as necessary and see if it starts up.

 

[tnt_motorsports]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

Like others have recommended drain the fuel and put in fresh. Check the oil level and fire it up. Given the infrequent use I would not store the unit with gas if possible. In the spring either run the fuel out or drain it out and store that way.

Just my $0.02

 

[mk378]

Check that it has oil. Then there's no harm to try to start it. If it does start, rock on. Hope that it does snow so you have a chance to run the old gas out.

If it does not start try draining the carb bowl. Sometimes there is water in there. Still no start, drain the gas tank and put in fresh gas and drain the carb again. Still no start hit it with some starting fluid. If it runs for a second, definitely a fuel problem, remove and clean carb.

The point I'm trying to make is there's a progression to this.

 

[dx92beater]

Thanks for all of the help. I will take this advice and move on. Appreciated.

 

[andyd]

The other day my BIL was over and the topic of winter preparedness came up. He asked about my Ariens. I said it hadn't been started since I buried it in the shed last spring. Started on the 2nd pull. The engine is a 6yr old Predator.

 

[Donald]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

Is there a question? Very few snowblowers are 2 cycle so most use straight gas. I use E0 with marine blue Stabil in all OPE winter & summer. Not everyone can easily get E0.

So check oil and for mouse nests. Most snowblowers don't have air filters so you don't want a mouse nest or parts sucked into carb. Check gear oil and grease any zerks.

Maybe dump in a little SeaFoam into the gas tank the first time. If adding a shutoff, maybe a filter also.

 

[Oildudeny]

Check the oil.. drain the skank fuel.. refuel give a few squirts of carb and choke cleaner down the carb throat.. before pulling the rope pop the spark plug boot and give a few pulls to get some oil moving around.

 

[dx92beater]

What's with the is there a question, question? Some of you even asked that without using a question mark and then later edited your post. Most posters understood that there was an implied question. No need to be all righteous.

Anyways, thanks for all of the useful info.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

FWIIW - I had a 26-inch MTD with the 8 HP Tecumseh Snow King since 1996. That one was replaced with an Ariens Deluxe 24 in 2016, but the old one was put in the shed for backup. In the fall of 2019 I gassed up the old unit, hit it with a shot of starting fluid, and it fired right up. Then I gifted it to a neighbor so that he would stop borrowing my Ariens.

I performed regular oil changes on that machine, and may have changed the spark plug once or twice. Never did it see Ethanol free gas or any fuel treatments. If memory serves me that did not become a real problem until around 2008-10. I run nothing but E0 in my my OPE now.

The bottom line here is that you should probably expect that machine to fire right up and run well.

 

[JT20]

Hi,

My Snowblower hasn't been started in 2 years due to it hardly ever snowing around here. Seems like we are scheduled to get 9 inches on Wednesday (we all know how that goes though lol).

I have been storing it in my outdoor shed for 2 years. Before becoming a BITOG guy, I would have just started it and moved on (possibly still the right move).

However over the past few years I learned to rebuild carbs on my lawn equipment for the same reason. Not the hardest but I'd rather be doing other stuff with my time.

I have been planning on installing a fuel shutoff line on it but didn't get around to it. Anyways, it uses straight gasoline not 2 stroke if there is such a thing.

Thanks for your time and happy to be here.

Sounds like the snowblower at my job. Who knows how old the gas was.

I was sent to get fresh gas and *eventually* it started it was just smoky.

Here is praying the storm is a dud, I am skeptical.

 

[dblshock]

only product I've found that clears ethanol gel is Motorcraft Carb cleaner tune-up, even then it may take a couple days, Ford dealers stock it.

Motorcraft

 

[Lenny5160]

What's with the is there a question, question? Some of you even asked that without using a question mark and then later edited your post. Most posters understood that there was an implied question. No need to be all righteous.

Anyways, thanks for all of the useful info.

I think everyone (myself included) is wondering about the point of your post. You didn't ask any questions about what to do prior to starting to increase your chances of it running better, or share results about what you did to get it started.

What are you trying to tell the world, or ask the world, in this post?

 

[andyd]

What's with the is there a question, question? Some of you even asked that without using a question mark and then later edited your post. Most posters understood that there was an implied question. No need to be all righteous.

Anyways, thanks for all of the useful info.

How did you make out? got it going yet?Please post a follow up.

 

[dx92beater]

I think everyone (myself included) is wondering about the point of your post. You didn't ask any questions about what to do prior to starting to increase your chances of it running better, or share results about what you did to get it started.

What are you trying to tell the world, or ask the world, in this post?

I doubt that comprehension of intent is an issue here. Like I said, others have been helpful. You should read their posts and maybe you can track too. "Everyone" is such a deliberate misnomer. Good luck to you.