Help with Snow Blower Issue

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12-15 year old Ariens 8HP Tecumseth. Was my grandfatehrs and sat for 2 years. Starts up fine on full choke but sounds like it's starved and wants to stall. Pump primer and it revs back up without stalling. After a few minutes (full choke still) will run steady. Runs well for about 20minutes under normal (full choke still) and then surges up and down loosing about 70% power.

If I turn the choke dial she begins to stall out even when all warmed up.

Suggestions?? Besides the obvious go buy urself a new blower
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Sounds like some junk in the carb; try hosing it down with some Berryman B-12 Chemtool.
 
The classic gummed up carb. It is not getting enough gas through the jet and choking helps reduce air so mixture is OK. But I doubt you have the normal power.

Best is to buy a carb rebuild kit and clean and replace anything in the kit.

New carb.

Run a tank or two with 2x dose of Blue Stabil.

I am assuming you got rid of old gas in the tank and are running fresh gas.

Replace fuel filter and spark plug as they are cheap things to try and a good idea anyway.
 
Is there a twisty thing sticking out of the bottom of the carb bowl? Untwist that a bit to richen it up and or shake off junk at its interface.

Generally, though, the cure is to (at least) take the carb bowl off, get a can of carb cleaner with the red straw, stick the straw under the main jet, and force cleaner up. Can sometimes do this with the carb still on the engine!
 
Should be a spring loaded needle valve at the bottom of the fuel bowl.Later models dont have this adjustability.
 
Originally Posted By: BISCUT
Suggestions?? Besides the obvious go buy urself a new blower
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As it sounds like a gummed-up carb, I'd most certainly hit the proverbial "easy button" first.

Gumout Regane, Techron, Redline SI-1, etc. All available locally.
 
did you try carb cleaner ? That seems to work for me although my 2 year old monster ariens idles like the model t this year it too must be dirty
 
Actually it sounds like more than one problem. A dirty carb for sure but the surging when it warms up could be the valves needing adjusting - it's not that hard to do.

Seriously, spend some money on the machine if you have to. You won't find one that is built as well nowadays.
 
Originally Posted By: AandPDan
You won't find one that is built as well nowadays.


+1 to that. The old Tecumseh engine snow blowers in that size were pretty good. The frame will rust out around you before the engine dies.

I agree with the troubleshooting advice given above. I think the problem is in the carb from sitting for so long. Rebuilding these carbs isn't that hard.
 
Originally Posted By: AandPDan
You won't find one that is built as well nowadays.


That is just not true.
 
Amsoil Power foam down the throat of the carb and then some techron heavy dose or PI will straighten it out, you might have to adjust the mixture screw , could be running lean.
 
Originally Posted By: dave123
Originally Posted By: AandPDan
You won't find one that is built as well nowadays.


That is just not true.


Maybe you will not find one these days built as well at an affordable price.

What a new 28" Airens cost?
 
You can and will find a better blower at a affordable price. Airens would not be first on my list
 
Originally Posted By: BISCUT
12-15 year old Ariens 8HP Tecumseth. Was my grandfatehrs and sat for 2 years. Starts up fine on full choke but sounds like it's starved and wants to stall. Pump primer and it revs back up without stalling. After a few minutes (full choke still) will run steady. Runs well for about 20minutes under normal (full choke still) and then surges up and down loosing about 70% power.

If I turn the choke dial she begins to stall out even when all warmed up.

Suggestions?? Besides the obvious go buy urself a new blower
grin.gif



I had that exact one given to me by a guy who lived up here and then moved south.

It sat in his airplane hanger for over two years.

I finally got it running by rebuilding the carb, cleaning the tank, and replacing the fuel line. All the carb internals were gummed and varnished.

It is a good SB when it is running.

I now have a Poulan and love it!
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easy fix. Remove the float bowl and unscrew the jet above the float bowl bolt. soak it in b-12 carburetor cleaner for 10-30 minutes. put back together. Mix your all new gas with some berryman b-12 . Should be fine after a few minutes.
 
Every couple of years I run gas with Sea Foam for the winter. Cleans out the carb when it starts to act funky and I get another 3-4 years of good running. Been doing that for MANY years. My Tecumsah 8HP is 28 years old
 
Originally Posted By: Boomer
Every couple of years I run gas with Sea Foam for the winter. Cleans out the carb when it starts to act funky and I get another 3-4 years of good running. Been doing that for MANY years. My Tecumsah 8HP is 28 years old


Why not maintain it properly at the end of the winter?
 
Originally Posted By: chad8
easy fix. Remove the float bowl and unscrew the jet above the float bowl bolt. soak it in b-12 carburetor cleaner for 10-30 minutes. put back together. Mix your all new gas with some berryman b-12 . Should be fine after a few minutes.


What does it take to unscrew the jet, nut driver? special tool?
 
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