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

I struggled to get my Ariens 8524 through the 10" of snow on my driveway yesterday here in south Jersey.  The engine would start right up either with the electric start or pull start on full throttle and full choke.  But if I tried to take it off choke at all it would stall.  This was after letting it warm up a little too.  Initially it was very hard to start and keep running.  This is a 1 year old snowblower that I used 3 times last year and this is my first time this year.  I kept stabilized fuel in the machine and had test fired it back in Novemeber and the snowblower started fine and I was able to get it to run off choke then.  I was only able to run the blower on full choke and only short distances before it would repeatedly stall out.  I drained the gas and put in fresh gas.  No improvement.  I am very frustrated and aggrevated over this Ariens.  Now I bought this machine last year new and had a belt problem that required dealer repair.  Then the blow by problem with the chute and baffle kit!  Now I have this engine stalling problem.  This Ariens has been the worst piece of power equipment I have ever owned!  Any other Ariens owners with similar problems?

***I just got my snowblower back from the shop.  They said the problem was a "sunken float" in the carburetor, and they replaced the float under warranty.  So it's repaired,  for now.  I just finished reading the 37 replies to my post and I am now wondering who to blame?  Ariens, Tecumseh, or the carburetor float manufacturer??  The Ariens website says that they use Tecumseh Snow King engines built to Ariens specifications.  So does Ariens specify the carburetor float?  Who knows.  What I do know is that I have a 1 year old snowblower (used 4 times) that's been in the shop twice in a year for repairs.  NOT a very good track record.  My snowblower for me is not a toy.  I need it to clear my driveway to get to work.  So far this Ariens has not performed to my expectations and I regret my purchase.  If I could get my money back I'd sell this Ariens in a second and buy another manufacturers machine.  Anyway, that's the update.  Looking forward to warmer weather.

Now that I have you back on track for the real reason you are debating this, we're speaking of OPE, snowblowers to be specific, not cars or trucks. Stick to the subject at hand man.

Consumers should not care who is responsible for engine problems. Why? Because when a repair is needed, it is covered under warranty and should be seemless to the consumer. You take the product to an authorized dealer and you get it back fixed, he deals with the warranty issue. Sure as I am sitting here, if Ariens was totally responsible, the first time something didn't go right, someone like you would be saying Ariens sucks, why can't we deal with the company that actually made the damn engine and calling that ludicrous and blaming Ariens for standing between you and the engine manufacturer.

Again, fact is there is Briggs and Tecumseh, they manufacture and warranty their own product and by doing so accept responsibility when their product fails. You are the one trying to make it an Ariens problem even when Tecumseh says it's their own problem.

Richie wrote:

I haven't used those filters though they do look cool.  I use ISO-Heat and Sta-Bil in all my fuel (mix and pure) for my OPE, and have never had a problem.  And I clean the bowl at the beginning and end of every year on the devices that have them.

I typically put both as soon as I get gas, mix it gently (swish and slosh with cap on), then leave the cap off the gas can for 10 mins to let any moisture escape from the ISO-Heet.  Not sure if this really does anything but it makes me feel better :-) 

-Dave

It's funny the problems a little speck of crap in a fuel system can cause.
The entire OPE industry goes on trial over one tiny, itty-bitty piece of debri lodged in a pilot jet.
Welcome back Chris.

Snowremover,

You have already ageed that Tecumseh and Bringgs make fine snow engines and they have an excellent reputation and history in this business. Now you are trying to say that a manufacturer, Ariens, is building their machine around a lousy engine. You are trying to argue a point that is not existant by your own ackowledgment.

Now, tell us why are you really dissing them because you can't on this thread and this issue unless you change what you have agreed to. You came into this forum bashing Ariens and speaking of death cause by their machine. Walt nailed you on that one. Now you're trying to make up something Ariens should be blamed for that you say doesn't exist. You have even gone as far as to make up examples but, when brought back to Snow king engines and Ariens, you can't make it work.

What will be next?

buttlint wrote:

Its probably a piece of butt lint

I'd use the old "fighting on the internet is like running in the special olympics" metaphor here but I don't wanna offend anyone.

Kidding anyway, I love a good debate.

I'LL MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU AND QUOTE YOU.........

They chose, bought and assembled their machines around that engine.  I, as a consumer, don't know squat about small engine reliability.  I am trusting the manufacturer to put a quality engine on the machine they sell me.  If they don't, I blame the manufactuer (Toro/Ariens/etc.)

THEY DO PUT ON A QUALITY ENGINE, YOU AGREED TO THAT MANY TIMES AND YOU ARE STILL BLAMING ARIENS. IF YOUR OWN WORDS AREN'T UNDERSTANDABLE TO YOU, I AM SORRY, CAN'T HELP YOU OTHER THAN BY USING THEM.

Snowremover wrote:

"I am NOT blaming Ariens for this stalled engine. "

If that is what you are saying now, I am glad I could help you and you decided to see it that way.

But, do not fool us, you were not saying that to begin with in this thread.........................

 

Snowremover wrote:

"Where I'm going with this, is everyone seems to be defending Ariens"

"What's next - the crank brakes, but don't blame Ariens,"

"Blame for everything resideds with Ariens."

not wanting to add any aggravation , but why would i , as a consumer , blame ariens for a tecumseh problem ? that makes no sense to me .  ariens cant control every engine and its running condition and the people that do the maintenience. if there is a problem with the engine you need tecumseh parts , available anywhere. put the blame where you may , to each his own , but i cant and wont blame ariens for a tecumseh problem .....ever..........the fault lies with the engine not the chassis....

just my 2 cents,

bill

skyking3 wrote:
Bill-
   i've been thinking the same thing as i've been reading this.  It just seems simple to me.  Sure ariens can and will act as an agent on behalf of me(which I would expect) dealing with tecumseh on an engine, but that's about all i would extect, seems straightforward enough to me.