Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Two winters ago, I bought, after a drive from Cleveland to Buffalo, the 926 PRO, based on good advice from this forum. And she has served me well the past two winters, but about two weeks ago, after a mild snow, when I went back out to move a bit of ice and slush, she would not fire the next week, using the electric starter, or by pulling the cord. I have been using stabilizer in the fuel when I buy fresh Shell regular gasoline.

The starter whirls, but it does not engage. And recently, I am getting an odd sound. At least, I think that is what is happening, like when we had older cars with throw-out bearing that went bad. I understand these Tecumseh OHSK 80-130 engines, and most gas engines today, have electronic ignitions, which should tell me the issue is with the fuel. When the snow thrower is not in use, I keep it in the garage, which is above freezing. I do not think anything related to the starter motor froze, but maybe

The only way that I have been able to start it, which the Tecumseh engine manual says NOT to do, is by using starter fluid. A Cleveland Ariens dealer,(I would have bought it in Cleveland but they were out of this model when I needed a new snow thrower) who sold me a can the first winter, told me I could spray it by the carb intake. That did work one time in the last week, but yesterday and today, I had to remove the plug, squirt the fluid in the cylinder, then replace the plug. BUT now, my son, in Nashville, tells me that the new engines have Aluminum pistons and Starter Fluid will cook the pistons, and should not be used.

Any ideas about Why the Electric Started will not engage. And can I take it apart myself to see if a gear has broken when is not allowing the starter to engage the flywheel, or whatever it does to fire the engine.

Lastly, do you guys shut off the fuel valve at the end of each session, then run the engine dry. Or do you only do this at the end of the Season?

We may have had our last snow of the winter, but you never know about March in Cleveland.

Thanks,
keith sherck,

Sounds like you need to give a through cleaning to your carb, check the choke, and primer. Probably no need of a carb kit. If you search carburetor with the forum search you'll find several walk throughs for cleaning the carb written in the last two months.

Ether is a waste of money and exposing you to possible problems for the reasons you mentioned, too hot, and too much pressure. I'm surprised your dealer would suggest it. Possibly he wants you to easily start at your own later expense. It depends on how much and how often you use high volatile starting aids.

Over the years I found that there is no advantage to using either, carb cleaner or WD-40 over straight gas. On the coldest days when I've had problems with a machine I still reach for the gas and it works. But my problems are usually not cold related, they're dirt related.

If you dump in gas through the throat or plug and it does not start starting fluid probably won't help either. I've never found ether got me going where gas would not. I had used ether for years without thinking. It was around and easy to squirt in with it's attached nozzle. For stubborn engines I now keep a small 4 oz bottle of gas around with a 1 inche top nozzle. It works very well for dumping a little gas in the throat or plug without a mess, much less expensive than ether and works.

Other than the gear that engages the flywheel and brushes there is not much in there that's serviceable or available as parts other than gears, springs, and brushes. The only problems I've ever had were brushes, stripped plastic gears (often) in single stage starters, or stuck metal gears in the usual Tecumseh starters, I think 33380/33390 A through E types.

During the season I shut the fuel off after using the snowblower but don't drain the bowl by running. It's not so cold here outside of Boston. Some people on the forum shut off their supply and run to drain the bowl. I guess water in the gas could freeze but that's never an issue here. The main reason I shut off the tank is in case a leak develops in the carb. There's people on the forum from Canada that think just below freezing is a sign of spring.
trouts