Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community (https://thetfp.com/tfp/)
-   Tilted Knowledge and How-To (https://thetfp.com/tfp/tilted-knowledge-how/)
-   -   Snow blower question... (https://thetfp.com/tfp/tilted-knowledge-how/5788-snow-blower-question.html)

br0deur 05-08-2003 07:36 PM

Snow blower question...
 
This past winter I bought a new snow blower.
Now, that I'm pretty sure the snow is gone (for a few months),
should I:

a> Fill it with gas
or
b> Drain the gas out

Thanks.

Ashton 05-09-2003 02:18 AM

Drain the gas, then start it and let it run until it dies..... although this is for long time storage it's a good idea because gas gets nasty just sitting.

splck 05-09-2003 08:12 AM

as it runs out of gas give the primer bulb a push or two.

MSD 05-09-2003 02:26 PM

Gas goes bad and turns into gel and kerosene-like liquid after about 30 days. That stuff screws up carburetors.

Mango 05-09-2003 02:37 PM

If you run it out of gas the seals on the carb could dry out. I put some anti gel shit in my snowblower and sled in the summer and in my mower & rototiller in the winter. After if put it in the tank I runit untill I am sure that the mixed fuel antigel shit has made it to the carb (2-3 minutes). I also buy "fogging oil". It is a spray oil that you spray into the air intake while the engine is running. Keep spraying untill it kills the engine, then put it away for the summer. The other way to use fogging oil is to pull the spark plug(s) and give aeach cylinder a good blast then with the plugs still out turn over the motor a few times to spread it around a little. Then put the plugs back in and forget it till next year.

apetaster 05-09-2003 03:14 PM

I know that there are those who swear by one method or the other. I prefer to put in stabilizer (I use Stabil) for the non-use period, run the unit for five minutes and then store it. This winter after being in storage mine started on the second pull - can't beat that. Mine is not the 'right' way, but it does juts fine by me.

Ashton 05-09-2003 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by apetaster
I know that there are those who swear by one method or the other. I prefer to put in stabilizer (I use Stabil) for the non-use period, run the unit for five minutes and then store it. This winter after being in storage mine started on the second pull - can't beat that. Mine is not the 'right' way, but it does juts fine by me.
Stabil is good stuff, I use stabilizer mixed with the gas/two stroke oil in teh weed wacker during the winter :)

apetaster 05-10-2003 02:22 PM

Yeah - next I have to get off my butt and label my three different gas cans at home - the big one is know is straight gas, but I can never remember which one has the mix for the chainsaw and which is for the weedwhacker/leaf blower.

sngx1275 05-27-2003 10:39 PM

I'm going to have to agree with the Stabil guys. Never had a problem with that stuff.

rashorangutan 05-28-2003 07:33 AM

I definately believe in Stabil

Paper Clip 05-28-2003 10:10 AM

Stabil worked for me as well. I didn't even run the nower or do anything else. It just started right up.

Leto 01-13-2009 09:16 AM

it's alive! Okay, this is a snowblower question and I did search the threads, thereby resurrecting this one.

My 5 hp dual stage snowblower (brand name escapes me, MDG perhaps?) was purchased at Home Depot in 2000. It has worked like a charm since then, until this week. It appears that the impeller (the blades behind the auger that throws the snow out of the chute) spins freely when the machine is off (and the spark plug unplugged - I'm no Joe Sakic!) and I push it with my hand.

It also stops throwing snow when there is more than a light fluffy powder.

The auger still turns and chops up snow.

What am I looking at here? I know if I take it into a repair place, it will be several months before I see it again. Is there a home repair for this? I'm thinking that somewhere inside (where???) there is a belt, a gear or a breakaway bolt that has yielded.

By the way, 5 cm of snow coming today, another 5 tomorrow and thursday plus about 10 on Saturday.


As for the OP - I have always drained the gas out of my tank, usually in May, left the cap off to allow for evaporation, and then capped and unplugged the spark, and stored the machine away in the basement until october (it trades places with the lawnmower). I have had no issues with gas going bad etc.

Daval 01-13-2009 11:48 AM

Sounds like a gear has either broken, or come loose. Get in there with a flashlight and move the parts by hand. Do not, I repeat, do not have the snowblower running and be anywhere near the front of it.

thingstodo 01-14-2009 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apetaster (Post 141191)
I know that there are those who swear by one method or the other. I prefer to put in stabilizer (I use Stabil) for the non-use period, run the unit for five minutes and then store it. This winter after being in storage mine started on the second pull - can't beat that. Mine is not the 'right' way, but it does juts fine by me.

I use the stuff year round. Put some in my gas cans every time I fill them. Then I put a little extra when I winter or summerize and run for 5 minutes. Been working like a charm for years.

dogzilla 01-14-2009 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daval (Post 2583018)
Sounds like a gear has either broken, or come loose. Get in there with a flashlight and move the parts by hand. Do not, I repeat, do not have the snowblower running and be anywhere near the front of it.

There might be a shear pin on one of the gears that has broken. Old snowblowers had a pin like that so if anything hard enough to damage the snowblower got jammed, the pin would snap and protect the rest of the machine. To fix it, you punch out what's left of the old pin and drive in a new one.

Again, be sure the snowblower is not running when you check this.

Leto 01-14-2009 04:04 AM

ya, i am trying to find schematics of the machine. IF there is a shear pin for the impeller, it must be inside the gear box.

Oh yes, I wont do what Joe Sakic did!

Daval 01-14-2009 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dogzilla (Post 2583288)
There might be a shear pin on one of the gears that has broken. Old snowblowers had a pin like that so if anything hard enough to damage the snowblower got jammed, the pin would snap and protect the rest of the machine. To fix it, you punch out what's left of the old pin and drive in a new one.

Again, be sure the snowblower is not running when you check this.


I think this is probably it as well.

kazoo 01-18-2009 12:13 PM

Bought from Home Despot, it's probably an MTD, the conglomerate which builds machines labeled and sold under various names.

Go to MTD's website: BUYMTDONLINE.COM - MTD Genuine Factory Parts, accessories and attachments for all MTD brands including Troy-Bilt, Yard-Man, Yard Machines, Bolens, White Outdoor, McCulloch, Huskee and Arnold and using your model and serial number, you should be able to locate an exploded diagram which will identify the shear pin or other frangible part which requires replacement.

If you have no local outdoor power equipment dealer, then whip out your plastic and order online.

thingstodo 02-08-2009 05:22 AM

This is the link I used to locate parts for my MTD. I was able to determine what I needed and then picked the parts up at a local store after calling to make sure they had the parts.

MTD Parts Lists MTD Lawn Mower Parts lists

Leto 02-09-2009 10:36 AM

Great, thanks for the last two posts... very helpful!

runtuff 02-26-2009 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apetaster (Post 141191)
I know that there are those who swear by one method or the other. I prefer to put in stabilizer (I use Stabil) for the non-use period, run the unit for five minutes and then store it. This winter after being in storage mine started on the second pull - can't beat that. Mine is not the 'right' way, but it does juts fine by me.

Agreed! works well for mowers, tractors, leaf blowers, generators ANY gas engine.

downhill 02-27-2009 05:56 PM

Put in the Stabil, fill the gas tank full, fog the cylinder and forget about it till december. Filling the gas tank all the way prevents condesation from contaminating your gas with H2O.

Leto 01-08-2010 12:25 PM

Update: So, almost a year later and i got around to looking at my snowblower last week. The brand is Noma, and the motor is made by Tecumseh. My wife had a very good idea, look in the manual there usually is a trouble shooting section. So, I took a look and followed the instructions to remove the coweling and inspect the auger belt & the drive belts. There should be about half an inch of play in the auger belt.

so I did this, and found that there was about 2 to 3 inches of play in the auger belt. So following instructions, I tightened the tensioner pully, and re-assembled the cowl. Looks like this is the problem, as the belt was so loose, that any load would have caused it to slip around the auger pully, rather than turn it. I will test this weekend once I gas it up.

Instructions! Owner's Manuals. they are useful!

dlish 01-08-2010 01:05 PM

ahh..women, they're a useful bunch sometimes.

Hektore 01-08-2010 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto (Post 2746416)
Update: So, almost a year later and i got around to looking at my snowblower last week. The brand is Noma, and the motor is made by Tecumseh. My wife had a very good idea, look in the manual there usually is a trouble shooting section. So, I took a look and followed the instructions to remove the coweling and inspect the auger belt & the drive belts. There should be about half an inch of play in the auger belt.

so I did this, and found that there was about 2 to 3 inches of play in the auger belt. So following instructions, I tightened the tensioner pully, and re-assembled the cowl. Looks like this is the problem, as the belt was so loose, that any load would have caused it to slip around the auger pully, rather than turn it. I will test this weekend once I gas it up.

Instructions! Owner's Manuals. they are useful!

Did you check the belt for frays/wear that could have given you the slack? The belt could be getting ready to go entirely. Even if it doesn't look like it is, at 10 years old I would just change it if it wasn't too much trouble.

Leto 01-09-2010 11:09 PM

You're right... and I did check for frays. It looks to be in pretty good shape, but I have placed a replacement order just to be ready!

Sion 01-23-2010 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto (Post 2746416)

Instructions! Owner's Manuals. they are useful!



RTFM man...RTFM

Hektore 01-24-2010 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto (Post 2746771)
You're right... and I did check for frays. It looks to be in pretty good shape, but I have placed a replacement order just to be ready!

I should have mentioned this already, when you put the new belt on, save the old one. You never know when/why a belt might snap and having the old one could be just enough to limp you through until you get it fixed properly. I save all my old belts that could still be used in a pinch.

Leto 01-25-2010 03:15 AM

Good idea. Thanks!

All I'm waiting for is snow. It's now the last week of January, and it's been above zero most of the month. We're calling it the winter that wasn't. Very strange for the Toronto area. It's all on account of el Nino (apparantly).

Bill O'Rights 01-25-2010 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leto (Post 2746416)
Instructions! Owner's Manuals. they are useful!

Man Law:
When all else fails...read the instructions.

Leto 01-25-2010 09:55 AM

* revision 1:

not until your SO reminds you at least twice.

Plan9 01-25-2010 10:13 AM

But I don't have a SO. I guess I'll just have to take care of my yard equipment on my own.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:14 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2
© 2002-2012 Tilted Forum Project


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360