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

I just recently purchased a MTD Snowblower with  8hp Tecumseh Engine on it, for $200.00 off of Craigs List.

It was running fine until I put it up on its casining to chech for it being lubed on it's drive gear. Since then it

starts up but will also stall out when I switch it off from full choke, 1/2 choke, then to no choke. It then will not start

even with using the electric starter. I have been online and have read alot of forums on the Tecumseh motors

and have found this one to be the best.   ( Richie ) your comment  being the first one I had read on adjusting the RPM'S

on your engine. I had in other forums have heard of these motors have a common problem of staring issues.

Mostly directed towords the carburator. My brother has the same HP Tecumseh on his Snowblower and it starts

from year to year with out running any Sta-bil in it before parking it in his garage for the next 10 months!!!

Can anyone give me any direction on my next step.

Here is some additional info. 2003 on owners manual, Spec- 155693X HMSK 80, D.O.M. 03325CH0708

Thanks,

Bud

THANKS for the reply trouts2.

I   decided to try and change the spark plug. I hadn't when I brougt it home like I did with the oil.

I had pulled it out to check if it was getting spark when it wouldn't start. So, I  thought it may fail

after running a bit and take that out of the equation. I got on about an hour ago and put it in and

it started right up. I ran it about twenty minutes with out any problems - both idling and at maxed out.

It ran fine. I shut it off a couple of times  to see if it would start and it did with out any

problems. I came in and let it cool a bit and to see if there would be any issues when I went out to try to

start it again. It would not start with the choke off, only when it was on. It started for about twenty seconds

and would not start again. Did not even sound like it wanted too!. (  I did not primer it ). I took out the

plug to see what it looked like and it looked fine. Checked for spark and had it. Just for $#%*s and gigles

I put the old plug in and it started but soon stalled out again. Almost like someone was flipping a switch.

I don't understand why it would run fine and then all of a sudden not!!!! I could see it at first it ran for a short

period and then shut down, but 20 minutes?!?!?!?!? If it was a fuel/ float problem wouldn't it always be and issue????

Could it be that something gets hot and causes it too not run.......just asking because it does not make any

sense to me at all!! I didn't take off the carb yet and fool with the float. I guess that is my next step.

Would love some feedback.

........do you think I have a female snowblower??????????? .........just asking! LOL

Bud

   Keep the new plug in to eliminate bad plug.

   Keep the gas cap screwed on very loose to eliminate a gas tank vacuum problem.

   I don’t think it’s either of those but eliminate them anyway.

 

   You ran once for 20 minutes.   Then it will start, run for a short time then stall out. 

 

>>If it was a fuel/ float problem wouldn't it always be and issue????

 

Stay an issue probably but not necessarily in the same exact way consistently.  The needle can stick for a while then not stick.  The float adjustment could be somewhat close.

  Dregs can be in the bowl and get swept up with the gas flow, block a hole then fall back to the bottom of the bowl.  They can be around and not get swept up then later block a hole. 

 

>>Could it be that something gets hot and causes it too not run.......just asking

    If running for a long time and crapping out happened all the time then it could be other things heating up.  You mentioned it happened once then went to starting and stalling quickly.

 

>>I didn't take off the carb yet and fool with the float. I guess that is my next step.

Probably the best next step.  It does not seem like anything is broke or screwed up other than an adjustment and or further minor cleaning.

I'll have to pull the carb off then. I will try to follow your instructions on the adjustment of the float

and the others that you had mentioned. I'm pretty mechanically inclined but have never fooled

with adjustments on a carb. , other than for idle, but will give it a whirl. It's one of those things to see

and have some explain what they are talking about. Then reading something and understand exactly

if you are doing it right or not......ya know.

I've looked into carbs for this thing if I have to go down that path. They are around 80.00.

Does that sound about right??

It just drives me crazy that my brother has no problems with his and does not do any preventive maintinece

on his and his starts right up, and with no problems! He does change the spark plug though.

So, I'll take off the carb tomorrow and see what happens. I have off tomorrow and Wednesday.

Thanks again trouts2!!!

Bud

   There are some things listed above you could do before pulling the carb which could eliminate the need to pull it.

 

   The adjustments and steps above probably seem complicated because you are not familiar with the carb but they are actually pretty easy.  Backing out a screw 1 ½ turns is not difficult or cause you to skin your knuckles.  Watching a needle drop with lowering the float won’t make you throw up. 

 

   Your carb may or may not have the low idle adjust as a settable screw versus a screwed in jet with no adjustment.

 

Your carb goes for approx 60-80.  Suppliers may have the original or a replacement. The replacement may not have settable jets.  It would probably be better to have your original carb working than a non-settable replacement.

 

   Your brothers not doing maintenance on the engine and having it start and run next season is a matter of luck.  It depends on how much gas was in the tank at storage, if there is a shutoff, temperature of the storage place, ventilation, moisture & etc.  Some conditions will cause a carb to gum up quickly and others not.     

   Just say a person left a half a tank of gas, did not have a shutoff and left it in a small shed in the sun.  Chances are high the gas in the bowl will evaporate quickly and be refilled over and over leaving a heavy brown gum inside.  Another person could leave a half a tank of gas in, shutoff the valve and store it in a shed under a tree.  He might end up with a very thin gray/green film which will not cause a problem.  The gas could even stay good and fire up the next year with no problem. It would probably take several years before the buildup became a problem.  There are lots of factors to just how varnish builds    

Trouts...OT....but let me pick your brain. Sounds you work on unmaintained OPE equipment.

I still need to verify the body/condition of the unit.
It's a Honda 621, and the gas was left in there for 2 years. It has not been started since then.

I plan to do a physical check up, etc. I am kool with replacing belts and such.
Afterall, it's a old machine....

I'm probably going to end up replacing the carb on it instead of doing a soak & clean.
Just short of the varnish, is there anything else that might surprise me on a older machine.
I think the only issue that may present itself is the varnish

I'm thinking new carbs, paddles, scraper bar and drive belt.

Well trout2

I just went out and started it up with the old plug still in. It started right up. I could hear it was running a little

ruff so I shut it down and put the new one in. and it kicked off right away. I ran it for 15 mins and then shut it

off and went back inside for about 20 mins.,  - came out and it started right up again. I ran it actually til it ran

out of gas - thought there was more in it. - put some in it, and it fired right off. What I did do was loosen up the

gas cap. It was on pretty tight. I had seen you mention about that, but never heard of over tightning a gas cap

would cause a engine to stall out. But,  I noticed on my lawn mower there is a hole in the top of the cap and not one

one the snowblower. When I go back home I'm going to start it againg and see what happens. I'm going to take off

the bowl, and see if there is any dirt in the bottom of it. By the way, I did purchase a repair manual for it when

I started to have the problems.  According to my serial # I have a 644E model. With the illistrations,

I believe it has series 3-4 carb on it. Do you think I should pull the gas tank off and blow it out and also the line to the

carb to make there is no dirt in either of them??

Thanks bud for all the feedback!!!

Bud

Gas caps come with holes.  The tank needs a vent so it will not develop a vacuum and stop gas flow to the carb.  Take off the gas cap and look at the inside.  Depending on the cap you’ll see there is a way for air to get in.  

 

  From your first descriptions it seemed you could start but only run for some amount of seconds but under a minute.

  Now you are running for a long time before crap out, 15-20 minutes. 

 

   Running for a short time and stalling is indicative of a few problems mentioned above in a prior post.  It’s possible that the condition has cleared and now you are hitting a second different issue.   Stalling out like you are now could be from the cap being plugged. 

 

   It’s also possible that you have the original problem but it occurs less frequently.  Run it again with the cap off or loose and see what happens.  Running with no load consumes only a little gas.  You could get a better test by driving it around with the augers engaged to use more.  If there’s a flow/gas problem or needle sticking it will happen sooner.  If a gas cap vent problem that will happen also but still take a few to several minutes.    

 

   You don’t have to remove the tank to get it clean.   As mentioned above you can remove the gas line at the carb and empty the tank gas into a container.  Pour the gas back into the tank and drain it through again.  Look into the container to see what comes out.  It should be clear gas and easy to see the bottom of the container.  If clouded whitish there water in the gas.

   Read above again about draining the bowl.

 

   I buy lots of second hand machines and it’s very rare to get a machine that does not have some sort of carb problem.  There’s lots of reading on the net and many good postings on this forum about carb problems. 

 

   A 664E is probably a 26 inch.  If in decent shape $200 is OK good price.  That model is fairly easy to fix so you should be able to keep it running for as many years as you want.  Clear your area of any branches, stones or whatever could get caught in the augers and it will last many years.

 

 

trout2,

Mine is 24" width. I figured that 200.00 was a good price for it. I figured I would get many years of use out of it.

My brother has the same make and he bought his in 96' or so. Mine is 2004 according to the serial #.

I went home again and checked the cap and there is not visible hole on the top of it. I loosened it

up again it ran fine until it ran out of gas. This time I ran it around the yard with the auger engaged until it ran out

of gas. I put more in it and it started right up and continued to run until I shut it down. It has never ran this good with out

stalling out. Now should I drill a small hole ( 1/8" ) in the cap and then put it on and tighten it, to see if it will still run?

I do plan on ordering a new one for it anyway. I fugure, this way, I know this cap is deffinately vened and should not create

the vacum. Hell, if I keep running it I'll soon need to change the oil again! By the way,  would you use a synthetic oil, and

if so, would you still change it after each season??? I'm going out to try running it again - will let you know what happens

Thanks,

Bud

From what I read your first problem mysteriously disappeared allowing you to run longer getting to the second problem. The first might come back. It might be a good time to bone up on carb cleaning, setting the float and knowing how to change out the float needle seat – just in case. You could dry cleaning your cap. Did you look up in there? Any good oil is ok. I’ve been using the lowest cost full synthetic. No blends. Yes, change each year soon after the season when warm weather makes it comfortable to do. For maintenance info search this forum for “eternal”.

trout2,

I ran it all day yesterday and it didn't stall out and not start up again, not once!  I rechecked the cap and found no hole anywhere to be found. I called my brother and his 8hp has no hole in it either. I asked him - how tight does he put his on ann he said, just till it stops. So, I may have been over - tighting mine. It said, no where in not the manul or the repair manual - not too over tighten it. I now think sometime there was dirt blocking the needle valve and causing the one running problem. Given now that I've run it and restarted it many times, and will, on and off to make sure of that. I'm not going to fool with anything for now. The way I ran it around the yard, if it was going to stall out it. It would have. If I do then I'll fool with the carb again.

I'll let you know if I have any problems in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks Bud for all your HELP!

Bud