SnowBlower preseason prep!

[rg200amp]

So, for the first time in six months I started the snow blower. its a Sno-Tec by Ariens. It has a 208cc LCT engine.

After giving it four light cord pulls and priming the fuel bulb, it started right up on the first "forceful" pull.

I let it run for about five min. I then turned it off and topped off the fuel.

I can't wait for this Winter season! I hope the snow falls all winter long!!!

For those wondering, I have Shell 89 octane fuel in it with a double dose of marine stabil, and for oil, I am using Redline 5w30.

 

[Colt45ws]

I need to fix the problem with ours. It hunts for a speed and gets worse as you throttle up. I looked at it a few weeks ago, but ran out of time.
I did manage to get all the bad fuel flushed out. I added fresh 87 and some FP60 to clean it all up afterwards.
It has GC 0W30.

 

[Turk]

Yep!

I got Amsoil 0w-30 SSO in my 10HP Toro Snow-Launcher.

 

[clarklawnscape]

one of the best things you can do is buy 91 or higher octane ethanol free fuel (assuming there is such a thing) and add a good ethanol fighting stabilizer, briggs and stratton offers a good one, then add seafoaom to the fuel upon storage.

 

[tdpark]

I just changed the belts on my blower. I still need to put in a new spark plug and change the oil and lube the chasis.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I need to fix the problem with ours. It hunts for a speed and gets worse as you throttle up. I looked at it a few weeks ago, but ran out of time.
I did manage to get all the bad fuel flushed out. I added fresh 87 and some FP60 to clean it all up afterwards.
It has GC 0W30.


I've been complaining about that exact same issue with the 208cc
on our craftsman. I'm almost positive that it's a vacuum leak, when I primed it the other day to start, and it started dripping gas from the "seal" between the carb and the cylinder head.

 

[Donald]

I looked at my 1980 Montgomery Wards snowblower recently. Does that count? Last winter I started it moved it to garage from barn. No snow. Started it and ran it back to barn. Let it run out of fuel. Its got Amsoil 4-Stroke oil. If it runs too well, I might think I did not need to buy a Bobcat, which of course I did.

 

[lars11]

There is one tip for those that see reduced throwing capacity:
Paint the snow "channel" and maybe the rotor with teflon paint like Hammerite. If your stuff is rusted or rough surfaced this will help. A lot.

 

[exranger06]

I probably won't touch the snowblower until around Thanksgiving. When I do, I'll fill it up with gas, check the oil and the tire pressure, and fire it up. It'll probably start on the first try. I do all the maintenance before I put it away for the spring/summer so in the fall it's ready to go.

 

[BerlinettaBoxer]

So what oils are recommended for a snowblower? Mine still has the factory fill because we didn't get any snow last year but I might change it at the end of the season this year. The factory fill is SL rated 5w30 conventional. I would prefer a synthetic, and am concerned that it needs something high in zinc. What do you guys think? My stash has NextGen 5w30 and G-oil 5w30 in it but am willing to buy something specific for the snow blower.

 

[JimPghPA]

If your snow blower has sheer pin(s), remove the sheer pin(s), check that the parts around the sheer pin(s) are not rusted solid, clean away any rust, and put a good light weight grease (like a lithium) that can handle exposure to cold and water, on the parts that have to slip when the sheer pin(s) snap from hitting something with the impeller.

If those parts are rusted up the sheer pin will not snap when you hit something with the impeller, and then you will bust up the machine.

 

[Kestas]

Ditto. The shear pins should be removed and the shaft should be greased, and the auger spun to distribute the grease. All this should be in your manual.

Have replacement shear pins on hand and at the ready. When they break, you probably still have most of the snow on your driveway to do, and the roads are covered with 8 inches to where you cannot run out and buy replacements.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: rg200amp
So, for the first time in six months I started the snow blower. its a Sno-Tec by Ariens. It has a 208cc LCT engine.

After giving it four light cord pulls and priming the fuel bulb, it started right up on the first "forceful" pull.

I let it run for about five min. I then turned it off and topped off the fuel.

I can't wait for this Winter season! I hope the snow falls all winter long!!!

For those wondering, I have Shell 89 octane fuel in it with a double dose of marine stabil, and for oil, I am using Redline 5w30.


Last Oct 2011, I bought a NEW Craftsman SnowBlower with 26" wide opening twin stage and the same 208cc LCT motor. Saturday, I pulled out the blower from the garden shed and before I gave my lawn it's(maybe) the last cutting, I started the Blower on 2 pulls after priming. I let the engine run for about 40 minutes while I cut the lawn, shut her off and put her away(switching places with the mower... I only used this blower 4X last winter.

The blower was last run around Feb-Mar '12 and I filled the gas tank with fresh gas and regular RED Sta-Bil, put her away in the garden shed and it hasn't been started til this Saturday. I am using 87 octane and any 5W30 that I use in my cars. Which is always a good brand name held in high regard here at Bob's.

Does anyone use a higher octane that 87 octane and why?

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Does anyone use a higher octane that 87 octane and why?

For me it`s just personal preference. I use 89 octane in my ope.

 

[Turk]

92 octane in all of my OPE; and I have several. Some are 24 years old and run like a champ and the carbs never touched. Only grade that comes with no corn here.

 

[demarpaint]

Way to early in the year to start mine up. I usually wait until just before Winter sets in. It was stored properly, the oil is fresh. I have a carb rebuild kit, and spark plug if it gives me grief, but I don't anticipate any.

 

[RiceCake]

I live in Canada where my snow blower is basically key to basic survival when it gets to be -45C with three feet of snow. My prep beyond regular scheduled maintenance is to run it once before winter, that's it.

Little bit of gas in it is from last winter, no stabilizer, always E10 gasoline from the local "cheap place", usually just top the tank off with the same, hit the primer bulb and give the cord a yank (though it has electric start, I just never care to get the cord out).

And guess what? It runs fine. Once again ethanol is fine, surprise surprise...

Only thing different from stock, is it has 0W-40 in it that I put in before last season, mainly because I had some laying around and it was the best oil I had at the time in terms of low temperature specs.

 

[Smokescreen]

I sold the old 1975 Bolens & just got myself a 1985-ish Honda HS55 with tracks. It ran great a few weeks ago when I acquired it. I just lubed up the shoot director and other parts, changed the oil a couple of days ago to some Castrol SM 5w20 I had lying around. According to the goofy oil spec chart in the users manual its ok to use -10C and lower (10w30 is for -20C to +10C and beyond LOL) ...the manual is circa 1985 so the spec was SE or SF back then !!

Now just waiting for the snow...

 

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
10w30 is for -20C to +10C and beyond LOL


I gotta admit; I find it hilarious mine is the same way. 5W-30 synthetic for any temperature below 10C, 5W-30 conventional for -20 to 10C, and it happily lists SAE30 for 10C and over.

 

[webfors]

Originally Posted By: rg200amp
So, for the first time in six months I started the snow blower. its a Sno-Tec by Ariens. It has a 208cc LCT engine.

After giving it four light cord pulls and priming the fuel bulb, it started right up on the first "forceful" pull.

I let it run for about five min. I then turned it off and topped off the fuel.

I can't wait for this Winter season! I hope the snow falls all winter long!!!

For those wondering, I have Shell 89 octane fuel in it with a double dose of marine stabil, and for oil, I am using Redline 5w30.



W00t!! Another LCT in da haaaouse!

Going to go outside now and start her up on the first pull. I love that engine for some reason. I change the oil and grease her up in the spring. So she just needs fresh gas and away we go.

I use 91 octane to avoid ethanol, so half a tank has been in there for 6+ months, with some stabil and don't forget the MMO! That combo should keep the carbs/cylinder clean as a whistle... oh maybe a little carb cleaner in the fresh gas