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

I purchased a brand new Ariens Platinum deluxe 24" snowblower in October of 2009.  I paid $2000 Canadian with tax.  A few weeks ago, I used the machine for the first time to clear about 5 cm of snow.  Unit started up well and removed the snow.  Then, when I went to shut down the unit, it backfired and two flames/sparks came out of the exhuast.  I went to start the machine up again and it wouldn't start even though it had been running for 20 minutes.  So, I opened up the choke, primed the unit and it started.  Upon shutting down, the backfiring happened again and again it wouldn't start.  So, I contacted Ariens.  There response was:
1. Put the throttle down to half, let it idle for about 30 seconds and then shut it down.
I did that and still the backfiring happened.  So back I go to contact Ariens.  They tell me to take it back to the dealer.  I did and they:
1. changed the camshaft
2. started 4 other Ariens machines and they all did the same thing.
3. Contacted Briggs who told them the backfiring is caused by the engine running lean so that they could make it through emission restrictions.  They also told the dealer to tell me not to worry about it.

At this stage, I'm frustrated.  I find it unacceptable to pay $2000 for a machine and have it backfire right from the get go.   Interestingly enough, the dealer had a single stage toro 421 and a powerlite.  Both units come with the 4 stroke Chinese made engine from Loncin.  He started those up and neither one of them backfired.  

I don't understand how Briggs can let this go.

Now, I don't know whether to:
1. Just keep the unit.
2. Push Ariens to do something about the unit.  Ariens uses the snow series Briggs.  I wonder if the Snow Max series does the same thing.
3. Push Ariens to give me my money back.

Any idea/feedback?

If it is backfiring while running then you have a problem.  If it is only at shutdown then use idle as stated.   A little popping and sputtering at throttle is because they are tuned lean for EPA and that is the nature of the new beast.  But flaming backfire while running is not normal.

Thanks for the responses.

The engine only backfires when I'm shutting it down not when it's running.  The dealer did change the camshaft but that didn't solve the problem.

I still find it unacceptable for a brand new engine to do this.   I own several pieces of outdoor power equipment: 2 commercial lawnmowers, commercial trimmers, backpacks, chainsaw etc.  They're all 2-3 years old and none of them backfire.

I don't know if this is a problem exclusive to the snow series engines or if the snow series max engines do the same thing.


I'm going to contact Ariens again next week and see what they say.


I posted another thread about Honda snowthrowers the other day.  Right now, I'm wondering if I shouldn't have just forked over another $1000 to get a good, reliable, quality machine with a quality engine. 

This is my opinion and only mine.  Not looking for a fight.   I own an Ariens dle pro with with a Tecumseh OHV engine and love it.  I own several Hondas and love them.   I own several other brands all with the Tecumseh L head and love them.  At work we purchased a brand new Ariens 1128 with the Briggs engine.  I hate it.  Not only the engine but the entire machine.  The worst machine I have used and I have used a lot of machines.  I can tell you that if you spent the money on the Honda it would have hurt at first but after the first storm it would have been joy.   My Ariens was the last year of the tried and true platform then they started changing things such as engine, chute control, trigger controlled differential, etc.  Not sure how the new models are now but Honda has had the same platform for years with no change.  If it works leave it alone.

Knee Biter... don't quite understand why you hate the new Ariens blowers so much.  I ran my new Platinum 24 the other day for the first time and it oirked like a charm.  The engine ran smoothly and powerfully and the blower shot the snow with alacrity and panache.  It handled fine and the chute controls were very convenient.

I admit the engine backfired once when I turned it off, but I interpreted that only as a protest against having to quite work early.  Really, though, what's's to hate about Ariens or the new B&S engines?

The Ariens at work was purchased new 2 seasons ago.  The first year for the Briggs and trigger control.   The engine just does not fit right on the machine.  Very hard to work the throttle and gas valve. 

The trigger control works and does not work.  The drive slips when the unit gets wet and then the machine sits and there is no way to move it unless you push.  Ariens came out with a mod for this but does not help.

   The balance of the machine is off.  Way back heavy.  The tires are way too small for the machine. 

  The rust in 2 seasons is horrible.   The engine runs strong and smooth but thats about all that does.

  Maybe they have made some better changes in the last 2 seasons. 

 My 1128DLE is from 2003/2004 purchased new and love it. 

  Have a 94 824 purchased new and love it.  Have had many older units and had great luck with them as well.

Wow... well, hopefully the new models have fixed some of those bugs.  Haven't experienced slippage yet, but will know it when I see it.  Hard to believe that such a specialized company as Ariens could blow it big-time on key design execution.

Knee_Biter wrote:
Good observations.

I'm finding the same issues with my new Ariens, especially:
1. The drive does slip when the unit gets wet.
2. The machine is back heavy, making it tough to turn.  Equivalent Toros of the same weight are much easier to turn.  One thing I've noticed is that the Ariens units are shorter than Toros.  So, I think is more evenly distributed on the toros than on the ariens.

My brother-in-law bought his Ariens in 1999.  10 years later, he's had no problems.  Something seems to have happened to Ariens quality control since they went into Home Depot in 2002 or 2003.

I heard from my dealer new engines have emission requirements that cause them to run a little different than in past. My platinum deluxe 24 did the same thing when idling down. Make sure your choke is all the way off also.

I don't understand all the fuss on this one.  Is it affecting performace or damaging the equipment?  If so, it should be fixed.  Otherwise, turn it off and go inside for some hot coffee.  My Dad has a 15 year-old Ariens (obviously, Tecumseh L head).  He never does anything except change the oil and lube the auger shaft -- that's it.  Since day one, it has been nearly impossible to turn off the machine without a backfire.  You have to creep the throttle down ever so slowly and then MAYBE it won't backfire when you cut the spark.  I have a four year-old Simp Pro with B&S OHV.  It's backfired on me just twice.  However, because of my experience with the Tecumseh, I always carefully throttle down to stop the machine.  And I never cut the spark.  The two times: Once, I was starting to get ready for the season.  Machine started up, but I didn't get the choke off fast enough.  It sputtered, stopped, and backfired.  The other time was when I took the throttle down too fast, the machine stopped and backfired -- just like my Dad's.

I've seen Briggs engines in other applications back fire just about every time they're shut off. I have a friend with a Toro lawn tractor that has a 16 h.p. single B&S engine. Big bang pretty much every time he shuts it down, no matter what method he uses. Personally, I think it might be residual fuel in the hot exhaust igniting as soon as it has enough oxygen mixed with it. The "EPA/lean carb setting" is a little mysterious to me. One would think that setting the carb extra lean would deprive the opportunity for fuel to accumulate and ignite. If the back firing is due to fuel in the exhaust, all it would take is a glowing metal shard or burr inside the exhaust to ignite it. It's not uncommon for parts of an exhaust system to glow cherry red after only a few minutes of use.