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cleanmaxx_brian

"At least I am enjoying the ride"

Location: Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Points: 231

Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Original Message Mar 12, 2005 1:39 pm

Hi All,

First post here but before I start, I must say great board! I have read through many of the pages here and have learned a lot already!

OK, here is the story. My dad gave me his old Ariens snowblower 2 years ago. It has a 24 inch cutting path and has a 8HP techemsa engine. It has 5 or 6 speeds forward and one reverse. My best guess is it is 17 to 20 years old. On the outside, it is in pretty good shape as it was always kept in a garage. When i got the machine, it ran but not very well...it had to have the choke 1/2 way out and would pop through the exhaust. My dad would leave gas in it and he probably neve changed the oil!!! I took care of the easy stuff and changed the oil. I made it through the first winter and this past fall, I cleaned out the carb real well and got it to run MUCH better! I still could not push the choke in all the way though. Well today I started the machine up and before I could get to the fist pile of snow, I blew the connecting rod out the side of the block!

So I showed my wife who says we can't live without a snowblower (Oh do I love her!!!) so I explained we will need $1,000 for a replacement. I got the OK :)

My questions are:

1, Is this really worth fixing?

2, Is my old machine worth anything? I live in Wantagh Long Island NY If anyone is interested

3, If I replace, I am looking at Ariens 8526LE, or the 926DLE or the Simplicity 9560E or 1060DLE....are my choices good?

Thanks everyone,

Brian

http://www.pbase.com/cleanmaxx_brian

Brian Chang

Ariens 8526LE, Bradley 32" 12.5HP walk behind mower, Echo BP200 blower, Troy Built 4.5HP Pressure Washer, Craftsman 4.5HP Yard Vac, Homelite line trimmer, Scotts 21" high wheel mower, MTD 3.5HP Edger.

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nibbler

Joined: Mar 5, 2004
Points: 751

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #15 Mar 13, 2005 8:14 am

You asked about things to do with new Ariens.

I believe Ariens comes with an extensive owner's manual and it details the break in procedure. RTFM.

Basically you have to change the oil on the engine after a relatively short period of time and you have to adjust the belts after they have worn in a bit.. Its also a good idea to go over everything and check for things that are loose that shouldn't be.

Richie

Bring On The White Stuff

Location: Long Island, New York
Joined: Dec 12, 2003
Points: 562

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #16 Mar 13, 2005 8:17 am

cleanmaxx_brian wrote:

I also read the post that showed that all of the Simplicities machines with the B&S engines are 12 HP. What is the deal with my new machine? Is there a chance that it too has more power than what the label says????

Hi Brian,

I'd say the answer is yes to your question. Ariens lists your Tecumseh at 8.5 HP. I have that same engine on my Toro 828 LXE and Toro sells it as an 8 HP. Ben, one of our forum members, was able to check the operating RPM for me on his Ariens and found it to be running at 3,450 RPM's, where mine was originally running at 3,300 RPM's. The 150 RPM difference is why they are rating these engines at two different HP's. Originally I thought these engines to be 9 HP L-heads derated by the snowblower manufacturer to what you see them labeled at.

What has been very interesting is that Fred and Ben both have been insisting that these engines are actually an 11 HP derated for marketing purposes. What I've done this past week is check the internal specifications taken directly from my Tecumseh Technician's Handbook, which is the actual manual you would use to service the internals of all 3 to 11 HP 4 cycle L-head engines. It shows that the 10 and 11 HP L-head engines have a slightly larger bore by 0.187" I can tell you for a fact that this minor difference shows me that on a dyno, all these engines would produce basically the same horse power.

The restrictive muffler on all our OPE engines, just to name one thing, is what really keeps them from producing very much power, especially running in the mid-3,000 RPM range. The only way you are going to move up in HP and torque is to move up to a twin cylinder engine, but those are not offered on snowblowers. People think just by boring or honing a cylinder say, 0.020" will turn it into a super engine. Well, that isn't the case especially on these single cylinder engines. Think about how small that amount is, basically two-thirds less than the spark plug gap is on your car engine.

I'm very happy I didn't waste another $400.00 on the top 11 HP OHV engine offered by Toro, even that engine has exactly the same displacement as my L-head engine and tells me a lot. I'd get yourself a good digital Tach/Hour meter for your machine and reset the governed speed up to 3,600 RPM's and it'll put you on an even playing field with what is considered a higher HP engine. I'm convinced this is what has been going on and how to beat them at their own game. I'd wait until the engine is broken in after the first oil change. Switch over to Mobil 1 oil too at that time.

Richie

cleanmaxx_brian

"At least I am enjoying the ride"

Location: Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Points: 231

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #17 Mar 13, 2005 12:55 pm

Thanks for all the replys. Here may be the real reason I threw the rod...When I was working on the carb over the summer, it over reved...a lot! I fixed it but she was screaming at one point. Now it ran fine all this summer but I bet it stressed something.

As to the power issue, there is no way to really know for sure but as long as this 8.5HP can hang with my old 8HP, I will be happy.

Now for all you picture junkies like me

I have taken some pics of the old and new machine. I bet some of you guys can really tell me what I had and when it was made!

http://www.pbase.com/cleanmaxx_brian/ariens

Brian Chang

pw3258

Joined: Mar 2, 2005
Points: 4

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #18 Mar 13, 2005 1:45 pm

Based on the condition of the old one, it certainly looks like it would be worth putting a new engine on.

jubol

Location: Dover, De
Joined: Oct 3, 2003
Points: 1558

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #19 Mar 13, 2005 3:43 pm

Brian,

If I had your blower with the blown engine, I'd rebuild her and put a little bigger engine on it.

That would give you a strong backup blower!

Save the carb on your old engine, rebuild it, why it's adjustable. Use it on the engine you buy.

Check out; Small Engine Warehouse for a replacement engine. Good prices!!

Fred

Husqvarna STE927(11.5HP) snowblower, MTD Pro Series 18/42 Lawnmower, MTD 6.5 HP Self Prop Lawn Mower, Weedeater 1500 Blower, Web Gensis 2000

cleanmaxx_brian

"At least I am enjoying the ride"

Location: Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Points: 231

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #20 Mar 13, 2005 9:29 pm

Hi all,
Well "I" wont be rebuilding the old machine as I just do not have room for 2 snowblowers. My buddy is going to try and fit his 8HP engine on it. We both feel that my old chassis is better then what he has now even though his is much newer.

I went new because I figure $300 for new ebgine and I could still have problems with something else...after all this is an old machine. SO for $575 more, I got a nice new one

"IF" I did not give this old machine to my friend, would it be worth anything as is??? Is there a market for machines with blown motors?

Brian Chang

Dantheman

Location: Orange County, N.Y.
Joined: Jan 21, 2003
Points: 561

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #21 Mar 14, 2005 12:34 am

Brian,

The ol' gal served you well....time to say goodbye. If you can afford a new snowblower by all means get one (especially with your wife's blessings)!!!

I got rid of my old 1970's Ariens two years ago and got a Simplicity 1170E and have not looked back. It's a great machine and built like a tank.

The folks on this forum have done some detective work and discovered that all of the Simplicity Large Frame snowblowers 9-12 HP have a 12 HP engine with different stickers on them!!!

So, if you bought the 1060DLE you would really be getting a 12 HP Briggs OHV for the price of a 10HP!!!

Dan

snowshoveler

tides in dirts out surfs up

Location: bridgewater nova scotia...aka the swamp
Joined: Jan 3, 2003
Points: 1261

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #22 Mar 15, 2005 8:09 pm

just got home from service school and looked at your pics again.

your con rod parted at the crank end of the rod.

the rod was also melted and smeared where it runs on the crank...that takes over 900 degrees farenheit to occur.

that means a luberication failure,either not enough oil or dirty oil.

when excessive rpm is the cause of engine failure the con rod will break right below the piston pin.

if you dissasemble your engine make a note of the colour of the governor gear.

its a plastic gear that is white when new,if the engine is ever low on oil the gear will turn a yellow colour .

if the oil is low enough to cause damage the gear will turn a darker colour ,eventually going brown.by this time you are using a shovel.

later chris

craftsman 10/28 snowblower with tracks husky 372xpg chainsaw sachs dolmar bc212 bushsaw mondo trimmer monster tractor with trailer cheep wheelbarro and couple shovels and a partridge in a pear tree

cleanmaxx_brian

"At least I am enjoying the ride"

Location: Wantagh, Long Island, NY
Joined: Mar 12, 2005
Points: 231

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #23 Mar 17, 2005 8:24 am

More good info, thanks Chris.

Here is a question...when I started this machine, it started kinda ruff and the rpm fluctuated a bit. it then blew. The engine was not on more than 60 to 90 seconds! Do you think in under 2 minutes it could get that hot or do you think that the damage was probably done the last time I used it.

When I got this old machine, my dad gave me a bottle of lead additive. He said that I needed to add a little to the fuel for this machine...could that have had anything to do with the failure?

I know it is all rather pointless at this time but it is still good information to keep under the belt.

Different topic: On my new machine (Ariens 8526le) I have started it and made sure everything was working good. I then ran the engine with the fuel cut-off turned off to use up the fuel in the line. I am putting Stabhl (SP?) in the tank...is there anything else I need to do to store a new machine. And of course this machine takes normal unleaded gas right?

Brian Chang

Richie

Bring On The White Stuff

Location: Long Island, New York
Joined: Dec 12, 2003
Points: 562

Re: Threw a connecting rod on my old Ariens, time to replace?
Reply #24 Mar 17, 2005 8:53 am

cleanmaxx_brian wrote:

Brian,

What you should do is add your stabilized fuel additive to the tank and then run the engine until you are sure that it was running through the carburetor, maybe 15 minutes, then shut the fuel valve off and run it dry. If your carburetor is not equipped with a fuel drain valve on the fuel bowl, there is always about a half of a shot glass worth of fuel that remains in the bowl, even if you run the engine until it dies. Leaving that fuel in the bowl is what will cause carb issues when you go to use the machine for the next season. Stabilized fuel should be okay to leave in the bowl.

Richie

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