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

This is my first post here.

I recently got a used old Honda HS35 snowblower for $80.

It starts and runs with choke 'closed'. The choke knob is loose, moves around with the vibration.And when I put the choke on 'open' position it most of the time surges (up and down). I added some seafoam and noticed that it helped it stabilize on that day. I started it again today and it still surges when the choke is 'open' during the first few minutes, then stabilizes. Is this normal?  To start the machine the choke needs to be 'closed' or it won't start.

 This is my first snowblower, I have not worked on a snowblower before.

Auger's rubber parts are not new, the previous owner said he replaced them 3 years ago.It looks like rubber parts are worn by about half an inch maybe.Because I can see where the tip of the rubber was at one point by looking at the very thin end of the rubber.

Scraper bar is not rubber, it looks like it is made from harder plastic and the edges have 3-5 indents froms scraping. Do I have to replace these this year or will they work for now?

Is the price I paid fair for the machine I described above? Is it too much?

Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Of_siqIYsk&hd=1

There was a small gas leak so it was fixed by tightening a couple of bolts that secure the carburator.

Unfortunately my parts are not here yet and are due on Monday.  The belt needs to replaced as it looks old and hard so I will do that on Monday.

At least, the belt job does not look too tough.

This is a complicated machine and it is amazing there really has not been that much major changes between 1980 and 2011.  If this thing blows

snow then I will be impressed as I have very low expectations.

Thanks MN_Runner, I have rust issues too.Next year if I have the opportunity hopefully I will 'recondition' it.

I saw moisture on fuel area too.Just above muffler.I might have the same problem.

I will add a picture of that area.

I got Gates brand equivalent Powerated V belts.I hear a squek-like sound when I first push the lever.I wonder...

Let's wait and see how they will perform.Hopefully exceed your expectations.

I wonder the same thing too.I thought when I let the lever off it should have stop turning.It does not.

Maybe the belt is too tight, I have not opened belt cover yet.We will see...

There are two 10mm bolts just above the exhaust.  I tightened these two bolts and now the leak is gone.  When I engage auger clutch, it does make squeak sound (this is with the old belt and will try it with new belt).  But cannot see anything really wrong.  My HS928 also makes squeak noise when I engage the auger too.  I just bought Krylon black spray paint and will give a try.  I am planning to cover the rubbers parts with the saren wrap (or clear plastic) then spray the paint over the area of interest.

Did your blower take almost an 1 qt oil to fill it up to the recommended level?  The sparkplugs are not easy to find either.

Good luck with painting.I got a bad cold and could not get out of the house today.

It would probably take that much oil but I added approximately 0,7 qt.It is not easy to see oil level on the plastic dipstick. The oil I added was Castrol Syntec 0W-30.Maybe I should add till it drips from the mouth of oil area?The picture on the manual showed almost that high oil level, ready to drip even when the snow blower is level.

The previous owner mentioned using 30 weight oil on HS621, and the oil that came of that machine was thick.I do not know how he was able to start the machine in Wisconsin winters with straight 30 weight oil.

Around the screw on 2nd picture and around the bolt under the black hose on the first picture.

The condition of the old spark plug, the tip is whiter maybe because I added some seafoam.