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

Just the ones I use. 

I'll add something to your oil filler thing.  I recently inherited a Troy Built blower with a Tecumseh LH318 from my grandparents.  It is still pretty new, probably one of the last LH engines.  When changing the oil I noticed that that screw holding the dipstick to the cap was loose.  I too tightened it and then realized I could no longer screw the cap on!  I loosened it up slightly and it is good again.  It seems like the new design doesn't allow the dip stick to spin inside the tube so now the dipstick stays in 1 direction while the cap screws around it.

Thanks Shryp.  I will look for that the next time I get the cap off.  I plan to use the second dipstick (yes, it has two) low on the motor itself to check the oil.  The oil fill tube is also fairly straight and vertical and the dipstick is probably (I hope) able to rotate.  As your can see in the pics, it is certainly not what stopped me from getting the cap on.  Definitely something to keep in mind though.  Maybe I'll just remove the upper stick and screw altogether, wouldn't be fun if both dropped down into the oil.  I plan to contact Poulan about the issue and maybe get a plain cap from them and maybe another hood.

Notmoneyguy,

Looks like the drive bail cable has too much slack.  Check your idler pulley to make sure it moves through its entire range.  I think it's hanging up which is what's causing it not to disengage the auger.  Either that or you have a kink or pinch in the cable jacket.

Thanks for the write up.  You got an awesome deal on that machine, even though it may have some quality issues.  For the use expected, the price is perfectly acceptable.  Sounds like that 208cc engine has plenty of oomph.

NotMoneyGuy wrote:
Looks like the designer missed a few essential details.  :)

aa335 wrote:

Thanks aa335, I'll pull the cover at some point and see what is going on with the pulleys, arms and cable.  The cable seems fine and kink-less.

As for the engine, "cram a beast in there and they will overlook other flaws" seems to have been the (successful in my case) strategy.  AFAIK it is the same 208 cm3 LCT Storm Force engine that Ariens uses on its Sno-Tek two-stage machines, right from the 20, the 24 and up to the 28, unless Ariens specs tweaks for it to improve it to their perhaps higher standards.