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

Inherited this machine from my father-in-law over 30 years ago, and it has been running fine - mostly.   In starting it yesterday (anticipating today's blizzard) noted the following:

• Started on full choke, but could not back off without stalling (that's just sitting in the garage).
• Let it warm up for 30 min - still on full choke, but try to back off, or try to engage forward motion - stall.
  

 I'm guessing that it's a carburetor problem, likely not helped by year-old gas in the tank (although shutoff valve closed. So I've started removing the carburetor to prepare it for a fix up.

1. removed the manual choke assist (closes the intake throat, but is spring-loaded to release when you let go)
   
2. removed the sheet metal "airbox" that surrounds the carburetor - carefully.
   
3. removed the fuel line from the carb. Note: no sign of either an air filter (note - I've learned from other posts that air filters are not required for snow-thros), or a fuel line filter so far.
   
4. removed the throttle linkage to free up space near the carb.I saw two 7/16 nuts attached (apparently) to studs that held the carb to the intake manifold. Removed the exhaust/muffler to get better access to the left nut, and also removed the carb bowl.
   
5. carefully started backing out the nuts. And here's where I ran into trouble. Both nuts appeared to be firmly attached to their studs. But as I attempted to back them out, I did not see the nut/stud assembly moving away from the carburetor mounting flange. I see no hint of a nut on the manifold side of the carburetor flange.
   

Thanks. We are about up to 2ft of snow so far.

Good catch, trouts2 - I left out a digit on the model #; mine is an Ariens 910962, with a TEC H70-130067A engine and a TEC carburetor 631440.

• Choke count: spring-loaded, pushbutton-actuated plate is one (called a "primer"?). A (manual adjust) lever with detents on it that selects full choke, mid-way, and wide open for the choke flap at the carb intake -that's number 2.This lever protrudes from a longish horizontal slot in the air box, and is above the button-on-spring-loaded shaft that moves the cover plate to cover the choke input. I'm not confusing either with the throttle.
  
• on why I'm wanting to clean the carb: I could only make the engine run under full choke. Was not seeing a lot of smoke, but the airbox is black from exhaust coming out of the pipe in the past season. I took off the bowl yesterday and see varnish and dirt.
  

Thanks!

False start. Sorry

trouts2 wrote: 3. On trying to get the carb off.

   The H70-130067 carb attachment is like this:

   There’s the carb, a gasket,  a mounting flange then a gasket.  Those all attach to the block.

   The flange is screwed into the block.  The carburetor is attached to the flange with separate nuts and screws.

   Going from the block side of the flange are two screws.   They extend to the front of the carburetor and attach the carb with two nuts.  You are turning the nuts and the screws are turning.  You don’t remove the carb with those nuts.  To get the carb off you unscrew the screws on the mounting flange.  Once the carb and mounting flange are off you can get the nuts off by having a screw driver hold the screw and unscrew the nuts. 

   The two screws that hold on the mounting flange are hard to see and awkward to get at.  You have to offset the screwdriver to get at them.  Having the right size screwdriver to get the best grip helps to get them off without stripping the heads.

If unstabalized gas has been in the carb bowl for a year it might have gummed up the jets. A thin wire pulled out of a wire brush is the tool of choice to clean that out.

pstaecker,

    Yep, you're right about the side choke.  I mixed up the prime for choke.

    You probably won't need a full kit, just a bowl gasket if it's cracked or stretched.  But the kit is cheap enough.

    My neighbor gave me one like yours.  It's the same base and controls with the side flip levers.  The engine is
original to it and a couple of years newer than yours so has a rubber button prime and top knob choke.  Other than
that the machine is the same as yours.  They are great machines and at least in my opinion as easy or easier to
use than newer machines.  The engine has close to full compression and starts aggressively on the first pull with
the cord slackening before it's fully pulled.  The older 7hp Tecumseh snow engines were some of the best small
engines ever made. 
    About 24 inches here in Marlboro.   Tough to tell.  The driveway had a big bald spot with no snow and other
places 5 feet of drift.   Great snow though and easy to toss.

Paul7 wrote:
Good advice.  Thanks Paul7.

I did not pay attention to the linkage connections before I disconnected the carburetor.  Anyone with a similar rig know how to connect the two items shown here?

Thanks!

   The lower rod has one end in the governor arm (arm is in the lower right of the picture). 

   The other end goes into one of the 2 holes on the edge of the butterfly throttle plate (the plate
with two small holes and two big holes).  Look to see which hole is more worn (the smaller holes). 
 
  If you can't tell put it in the hole closest to the the governor arm.

   The spring goes around the governor arm near the throttle plate.

   The throttle cable connects at the top left of your picture and goes in the single hole on the tab sticking out.

   Underneath:
     When you push the throttle cable to full throttle a rod underneath will tension the spring.   In the picture you can see a piece of that rod.  It's the inverted U on the top right of
the platform.  You adjust the governor by widening or closing the arms of the U.  That changes the tension on the spring.
 
     Underneath there should be one or two screws.  Those are for setting the idle and high speed.

Thanks for the note and suggestions.


http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/Snow-Blowers/Ariens/DSC06145/773505262_omiYq-XL.jpg

http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/Snow-Blowers/Ariens/DSC06144/773505035_sPVyj-XL.jpg

http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/Snow-Blowers/Ariens/DSC06143/773504823_NNL8L-XL.jpg

They show a straight rod (mine was bent) and the spring  (and rod) ) connected to the same hole in the butterfly plate.  I followed Scot's  lead, straightened mine and connected to a hole in the plate that showed a paint chip.  I think that's pretty close to your suggestion.  Here's what my configuration looks like now:

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww259/eyetrply/IMG_4230_zpsc9vywzo0.jpg

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww259/eyetrply/IMG_4231_zpsplkt3xrz.jpg

Incidentally, I followed the carb cleaning advice of sixtyfiveford,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ko4gbIA_I&src_vid=KYj5oH0vNVg&feature=iv&annotation_id=annotation_790286  (part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HNFUjgbJ0A (part 2)

I replaced the seat for the needle, cleaned the main jet and the idle jet.


FInally, time to fire it up. The two pics above show the carb and surroundings.  I didn't bother with the metal surround.  Hooked up gas line.  Hooked up throttle line.  Opened the gas shutoff.  Turned over, but no start.  electric starter is nice, but still not starting.  Shot of starter fluid - fires once, but that's it.  Added more gas.  Repeat.  No start.  I've never had this problem with my ariens. 

I'm stumped.