Toro snowthrower carb help

[Craig in Canada]

Yes, you knew the snowthrower posts would start soon.

Last year I inherited a 1986 Toro 38080 snowthrower. This is also known as the 824. It has an 8hp Tecumseh. It's worked well for my dad over the last 20 years, started reliably for him by hand but it needs some TLC.

I hauled it out to start it up and do some fluid changes and other work on it and it wouldn't start. This isn't abnormal since it's been in my care but I've always been able to get it to run eventually. It seems that if you get it started quickly, it's easy to start, but if you have some trouble then it takes a LONG time. I found the source of a mystery fuel leak that presented at the end of last season that might be related to difficult starting.

In the side of the carb above the idle mixture adjustment is a small hole. This hole is pictured (but unlabeled) in the owner's manual carb photo.

Once primed this hole will dribble fuel by gravity/siphon. When priming fuel will shoot several feet from this hole. While cranking fuel will spurt from this hole in rhythm with the engine cycle. Today I could only get the engine to run on carb cleaner

I have some carb experience but not nearly enough to help myself without doing some research. I was planning on getting fuel line, a new fuel shutoff (both sources of slow leaks last year), a carb "repair" kit and then some elbow grease, fresh paint and fluids before this winter but something else is going on here.

Is something "downstream" of this point plugged up causing fuel to leave through this hole instead of air being drawn in? Or has something failed and fuel shouldn't even be there? Is there anything not included in the "repair kit" that I should order for general maintenance/rebuild? A float?

If there's any other forum sites I should join and inquire in, please let me know.

Thanks,
Craig.

 

[H2GURU]

Here, try this link. If this is not the cure, then do a search at their site as it is quite useful.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lmower/msg1109554215041.html

 

[Craig in Canada]

Yeah, that's not the problem. Gas piddles out of a vent hole in all temps. I think that it's a float or float needle problem. I have some parts on hand and I'm going to do a rebuild in the next couple of days.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Lots of chunky white crystal buildup in the bowl and float area. I think the float and needle weren't operating correctly causing problems.

I also ran into a problem where the outer part of the main screw assembly sheared off before being completely removed. I had to perform surgery to remove the end 2-3 threads from the casting near the bottom of the main jet. There's a little bit of damage in there - I've yet to reassembly and see if it's still workable or if I need a new carb.

Craig.

 

[Curious Kid]

Have you been draining the bowl of fuel prior to seasonal storage or using fuel stabilizer? If no maintenance has been done to the carb (cleaning/rebuild), over such a span of time then these be common signs that it is now time. I had a similar instance where I could only get a chain saw to run on wd-40 sprayed through the carb venture. The carb's fuel check valve gasket and network had stiffened and clogged. It's now running fine with the exception of vapor lock when trying to restart after a good run (compact Mighty Mac30).

Good luck with reassembly if you haven't already done so.

Take care.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Bowl has been previously drained for storage, I use FP-60 and Sta-bil in all my OPE fuel.

It turns out that when I reinstalled the carb the machine surged heavily (like rev up, coast down, almost stall, rev up) with a 5 second cycle or so. It ran best with both needles all the way in. I tried a bunch of things after consulting in an OPE-only forum elsewhere.

I have a new carb on the way.

 

[yeehaw1960]

An overnight soak, some elbow grease, and some new rubber and you've got an Ebay item that would go for as much as $40.00. Just put the words "go cart" in the ad. Get some of your cash back!

 

[Craig in Canada]

Nope, not this time. I didn't post the play-by-play in this forum, but the bowl retaining nut sheared off leaving two threads or so inside the carb. I got it out, but in the process I damaged the bottom of the emulsion tube a bit and it is non-serviceable. I tried to run it anyways, including adding an o-ring inside the top of the new retaining nut and no joy - lots of surging and it ran best with the needles all the way in.

If it was just the surging I might have torn into other things like the governor, but it ran fine (once you could get it started) last year and the "runs best with the needles all the way in" is a clue there's a carb problem

Other than the damage it cleaned up fine. At least I got a new carb on ebay and saved some bucks...

Craig.

 

[wn1998]

craig,
I had a similar problem and tried to work on it myself and ended up takin it to a local small engine repair shop and had the carb rebuilt for $47.26 including parts.