Tecumseh SnowKing. . .5.5 hp

[Robster]

Yesterday I decided to "preflight" my snowblower in prep for the snow season. Basically, I just make sure it's got new oil, proper tire inflation, check belts and grease the auger zerk fittings.

After doing that stuff, I turned the choke on, set the throttle at "start", primed it five times and pulled the cord--it fired and started about half-way through the first pull! After running for about 10 seconds, I turned the choke off and it settled into a nice idle.

I hadn't started that snowblower since about late February--I'm always impressed with this little engine. . . .bring on the blizzards!

 

[eljefino]

Wherever you buy gas, keep buying it there.

 

[Carbuff]

I don't start my snowblower until right before I need it, anymore.

If the gasoline has ethanol, it will gum up the carb about the time the snows come in future months.

If you did your PM properly, it will always start when you need it.

So, shut off the fuel and run that carb dry. Then start it when snow is actually forecasted. It probably will.

 

[Trav]

Tecumseh made good little engines, its sad they went out of business.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: Robster
Yesterday I decided to "preflight" my snowblower in prep for the snow season. Basically, I just make sure it's got new oil, proper tire inflation, check belts and grease the auger zerk fittings.

After doing that stuff, I turned the choke on, set the throttle at "start", primed it five times and pulled the cord--it fired and started about half-way through the first pull! After running for about 10 seconds, I turned the choke off and it settled into a nice idle.

I hadn't started that snowblower since about late February--I'm always impressed with this little engine. . . .bring on the blizzards!




Yeah, at least you guy`s in central PA still get good snow falls! We get the [censored] here now. havent had a good snow fall(10" or more) in so long I cant remember. (The weather man) "oh, it tracked to our west, or it`s moisture starved, or it fell apart before it got here,etc,etc. The real bottom line is the patterns have changed. I remember when I was a kid plowing snow with my dad`s old sears tractor. That`s when we got real snow falls.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted By: Trav
Tecumseh made good little engines, its sad they went out of business.


x2. My dad had an early 1980s Toro 7/24 snowblower with a 7 hp Tecumseh. He never changed the oil, and it sat all year until it was needed right before the storm. It always started right up. He sold it in 2005 and it still ran great.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: jeepman3071
Originally Posted By: Trav
Tecumseh made good little engines, its sad they went out of business.


x2. My dad had an early 1980s Toro 7/24 snowblower with a 7 hp Tecumseh. He never changed the oil, and it sat all year until it was needed right before the storm. It always started right up. He sold it in 2005 and it still ran great.



The only thing I HATE about Tecumseh`s, are their stupid finicky carbs. Other than that, they are a great motor.

 

[Robster]

Originally Posted By: Carbuff
I don't start my snowblower until right before I need it, anymore.

If the gasoline has ethanol, it will gum up the carb about the time the snows come in future months.

If you did your PM properly, it will always start when you need it.

So, shut off the fuel and run that carb dry. Then start it when snow is actually forecasted. It probably will.

Actually, I keep the tank FULL in the off season, but I DO use Stabil in the gas.

Knock on wood, I've never had a problem with the carb--I've owned it for about 9 years and always use Stabil and Sunoco fuel.

 

[2cool]

I run Stabil in all of my OPE since I've had OPE. I put my stuff away wet and have never had a problem getting something started the next season. I DO fog the engines with a marine fogging oil, and tend to replace spark plugs well before they really need to go.

 

[Bror Jace]

Funny thing, Dad's 28" Ariens with a 11.5hp Tecumseh Sno-King (2005 vintage) runs well but CANNOT be started with the recoil-rope starter, not even when warm.

I just bought an Ariens 28" Deluxe with a B&S 250cc Model 15000 engine. Engine is much quieter and I can start it easily with the rope. I suspect it's down about 15-20% in power, however. I'll have a better idea of this once the white stuff begins to fly in earnest (we got a dusting today).

I've got some leftover Pennz HM to break it in then I'm gonna fill it with Yeti Blood.

 

[Ross]

Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Funny thing, Dad's 28" Ariens with a 11.5hp Tecumseh Sno-King (2005 vintage) runs well but CANNOT be started with the recoil-rope starter, not even when warm.


I have had this issue with mine too. What works for me is that I give it only 1/3-1/2 choke then prime it. If I give it any more choke, it won't start. Once started, I can increase the choke.

 

[Letter_K]

Originally Posted By: Robster
Originally Posted By: Carbuff
I don't start my snowblower until right before I need it, anymore.

If the gasoline has ethanol, it will gum up the carb about the time the snows come in future months.

If you did your PM properly, it will always start when you need it.

So, shut off the fuel and run that carb dry. Then start it when snow is actually forecasted. It probably will.

Actually, I keep the tank FULL in the off season, but I DO use Stabil in the gas.

Knock on wood, I've never had a problem with the carb--I've owned it for about 9 years and always use Stabil and Sunoco fuel.


Ethanol in my gas and seafoam as my stabilizer and my 5HP "Snowking" started on the first pull too. I was amazed too, since my lawnmower I use on a weekly basis doesn't do that. Time for a replacement carb on the lawnmower I guess.

Oh, and my "Snowking" is a 2003, always started good on the first pull.

 

[Kestas]

Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
runs well but CANNOT be started with the recoil-rope starter, not even when warm.

FWIW, The last time I diagnosed a poor warm start condition (but good cold starts), I found a sheared keyway that threw the timing off.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Carbuff
If the gasoline has ethanol, it will gum up the carb about the time the snows come in future months.


I use ethanol and have never let the carb run dry on equipment that only gets run once a year (such as my tiller or a couple of my show tractors). One show tractor sat for a couple years with ethanol & Sta-bil in it. When I was ready to move it I put a charged battery in and it started after a few seconds of 6 volts turning the engine over.

With your gummed up carb expertise, even almost narrowing it down to the date when it will happen to the original poster, at what point will I have to tear all those carbs apart and power wash all that ethanol "gum" out of them?