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

have a 1986 ariens 924050 ser# 66624 with a 8hp tecumseh hm80 serial#155276k that has always started well up untill this year. i used to be able to pull start it and this year it doesn't want to start  so i have went back to the 110 volt starter. i beleave the problem of not starting is with the primer system on the carb.it will pull start once it is warmed up but not when it is cold started.originally it had a loose primer hose at the carb which caused the primer to vent to the atmosphere. i did fix the hose problem but it hasn't cured the starting issue.now the primer sounds like it is pushing air thru the carb but not moving much fuel to ease the pull starting. i am going to take the shroud off this summer and put a new gas line,fuel line, and primer bulb on, but want to know specifically where else to look for the not priming issue (specifically with the carb).it's my perception that the primer bulb sprays fuel into the venturing but if all it's spraying is air and not fuel where should i look for the problem.i have disassembled and cleaned the carb a few times throught the years and don't have any issues with doing so again,i just need to know why it's spraying air and what's the fix before i tear into it.. thanks for any help anyone can offer.

The primer bulb pushes air into the bowl of the carb.  The extra air pushed into there pushes fuel up through the carb.  You probably have a hole in the primer hose or bulb.  If you reach up under the shroud you should be able to pinch the primer line, then try pushing the bulb.  With the line pinched off you should not be able to push the primer.

The other possibility is maybe something is wrong and the choke isn't fully closing.

when i repaired the loose hose to the carb i blocked the primer hose at the carb and the primer when pushed did not bleed down with the hose blocked.with the primer hose hooked to the carb it sounded like it was only pushing air? i thought i read a post here that said a bad bowl gasket could cause the primer to not operate correctly. i suppose it could but then wouldn't fuel leak past the bad gasket?i beleave the trouble is at the carb and it's not pushing gas into the intake.