Long Idle Ariens Deluxe 24

[Astro_Guy]

I have an Ariens Deluxe 24 snowblower purcased maybe eigth or nine year ago. It has the 254 cc AX engine that was initially filled with 5w-30 M1 EP and subsequntly changed with the same after one season and maybe five to eight hours of use. Rolling the clock forward, this macine hasn't been fueled or started in two years. I have no record of when the oil was last changed, but I'd wager that it doesn't have five hours on it. At present we have no snow in the forecast and a smaller 21-inch 2-cycle showblower is up and running.

Two questions come to mind. First, does it matter that the oil might be going on five years old if it has at best five hours on it? Second, should I put some E0 fuel in the tank now and see if it will start after sitting idle for two years? We are overdue for a big snowfall here in SE Pennsylvania. My instincts tell me to fuel it up and start it. Any alternative opinions?

 

[fantastic]

Unless you can find 87 Ethanol free I'd just use the 87 until you can get it running & then switch over to ethanol free if it's higher octane. 5 years old could have time to collect some moisture, additives falling out of suspension, etc. I'd change the oil when you can. Grab the EP when they have their spring rebates if you can time it then.

 

[samven]

Mine has been sitting for at least 4 years also. When I put it away it had been run for 2 hrs on 2 occasions so about 4 hrs total. I pulled the plug and fogged the cylinder, removed the bowl drain screw and pulled the rope till I felt the compression stroke to close the valves. I am like you, I have a feeling we are due for some snow this year so I will get some fresh 87 and get it started just to be sure it will start and then change the oil. Snow blower engines dont usually get real warm and carbed motors run a bit rich so I worry a little about fuel in the oil and sitting that long in my shed collecting dew. Its only a $5 qt of oil vs $1000 thrower and while I am waiting for it to drain I go over the linkages and regrease everything.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Unless you can find 87 Ethanol free I'd just use the 87 until you can get it running & then switch over to ethanol free if it's higher octane. 5 years old could have time to collect some moisture, additives falling out of suspension, etc. I'd change the oil when you can. Grab the EP when they have their spring rebates if you can time it then.

89 Octane E0 isn't too inconvenient for me to find, and all of my OPE runs on it.

 

[Lubener]

Yes to using E0 fuel, start it, warm it up and change the oil. Make sure it works so that you are not disapointed when that snowstorm comes and it won't start. For the small price of oil. I would change it atleast every three years. At the end of the season, drain the gas, start it up until all fuel is burned and the engine stalls. I also store all my engines on their compression stroke.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

I have an Ariens Deluxe 24 snowblower purcased maybe eigth or nine year ago. It has the 254 cc AX engine that was initially filled with 5w-30 M1 EP and subsequntly changed with the same after one season and maybe five to eight hours of use. Rolling the clock forward, this macine hasn't been fueled or started in two years. I have no record of when the oil was last changed, but I'd wager that it doesn't have five hours on it. At present we have no snow in the forecast and a smaller 21-inch 2-cycle showblower is up and running.

Two questions come to mind. First, does it matter that the oil might be going on five years old if it has at best five hours on it? Second, should I put some E0 fuel in the tank now and see if it will start after sitting idle for two years? We are overdue for a big snowfall here in SE Pennsylvania. My instincts tell me to fuel it up and start it. Any alternative opinions?

That machine needs some TLC give it to me.

here’s my tlc plan.
1-drain oil and gas. Pop off spark plug boot, tip machine forward on the auger housing.

2-remove belly pan and wheels, give axels and gears a light coating of grease be careful not to get grease on the friction disk.

3-adjust and spray linkages with a light squirt of white lithium.

4-check plug and gap, replace if necessary, me personally would just replace it.

5-check shear pins/bolts replace and apply some white lithium you can also free spin the auger and give a few squirts of lithium in the shear pin holes.

6-refill with a 0 or 5w30 synthetic, treat fresh gas 87-89 with stabil. Give a few squirts of gumout starting fluid.



Tech tip.

Spray auger housing and snow chute with silicone spray.

 

[Lubener]

I would spray the auger housing and chute with non stick cooking spray like Pam.

 

[andyd]

About 3 wks ago, I started Predator on the Ariens 24" The tank is full of last winter's Stabilized 87 E 10. It started on the first pull. It is heading into its 9th winter on the original plug. Last yr was a no hitter, but I filled up the tires and topped off the gear oil. Right now the lower 48 is mostly snow free.

 

[Astro_Guy]

That machine needs some TLC...

I was actually planning to do most of what you said there once there is some snow in the forecast. The dilemma here is wheter or not to fire it up without any snow in the forecast. I guess it could be a quick project on one of thoe innevitable warm days in January that tease you before the temperatures fall back below 20 degrees.

In my late experience it doesn't seem to snow when the snow blowers are in top notch working order. I believe it was six or seven years ago when we got a quick five inches of wet, heavy snow and the Ariens wouldn't start. It's been running like a top since the cheap Chinese Torch plug was replaced with the equivalent NGK Iridium. The machine has had only one serious workout since then. Here where I live we seem to get a 20 or more inch snowfall once a decade. We are currently overdue.

 

[Astro_Guy]

About 3 wks ago, I started Predator on the Ariens 24" The tank is full of last winter's Stabilized 87 E 10.

Fortunately I don't have to drive very far to purchase E0. It's not readily available in my county so I have to drive a bit further away from Philly. It seems that E0 is much harder to come by in Massachusettes, especially close to Boston.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

I was actually planning to do most of what you said there once there is some snow in the forecast. The dilemma here is wheter or not to fire it up without any snow in the forecast. I guess it could be a quick project on one of thoe innevitable warm days in January that tease you before the temperatures fall back below 20 degrees.

In my late experience it doesn't seem to snow when the snow blowers are in top notch working order. I believe it was six or seven years ago when we got a quick five inches of wet, heavy snow and the Ariens wouldn't start. It's been running like a top since the cheap Chinese Torch plug was replaced with the equivalent NGK Iridium. The machine has had only one serious workout since then. Here where I live we seem to get a 20 or more inch snowfall once a decade. We are currently overdue.

I’m an over planner must be part of my OCD lol. I never like getting caught with my pants down, once the lawnmower went away the snow blower got its tune up and was sitting gassed up ready for action. I lived in Dutchess County Ny we never went a winter it wasn’t needed.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

It's been running like a top since the cheap Chinese Torch plug was replaced with the equivalent NGK Iridium.

Those torch plugs are garbage. Good choice on the NGK

 

[andyd]

I was actually planning to do most of what you said there once there is some snow in the forecast. The dilemma here is wheter or not to fire it up without any snow in the forecast. I guess it could be a quick project on one of thoe innevitable warm days in January that tease you before the temperatures fall back below 20 degrees.

In my late experience it doesn't seem to snow when the snow blowers are in top notch working order. I believe it was six or seven years ago when we got a quick five inches of wet, heavy snow and the Ariens wouldn't start. It's been running like a top since the cheap Chinese Torch plug was replaced with the equivalent NGK Iridium. The machine has had only one serious workout since then. Here where I live we seem to get a 20 or more inch snowfall once a decade. We are currently

Yah, what you're prepared for doesn't happen. I've got a lock out main brkr / use brkr for gen plug into the main panel. It is filled with 18 month old 87e10 with Stabil . Starts great, the only wrinkle is that it is 100' away from the gazinta. It has a DIY wheel kit for that. Last weekend my sister across town was dark for 2 days. only 1/2 hr here.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Five hours on the oil is nothing. With such a small sump, who cares about it sitting for two years? Hopefully you ran it dry on fuel before it was put away. Fill it with 89 ethanol zero and start working.

 

[Astro_Guy]

Five hours on the oil is nothing. With such a small sump, who cares about it sitting for two years? Hopefully you ran it dry on fuel before it was put away. Fill it with 89 ethanol zero and start working.

Yes - I did run it dry two or three years ago. Presently my forcast is calling for six inches of snow Saturday night into Sunday. That's still a long way off and things are likely to change, one way or the other. Methinks I should resist temptation and wait this out until Saturday morning. A machine like this really doesn't come into it's purpose in life with less than four inches of snow.

I was at Lowe's today and saw a guy with two gallons of TruFuel 4-cycle gas in is cart. I asked if he was planning to fire up the snoblower, to which he replied "how did no know" before laughing. That stuff is pretty expensive, well over $20/gallon. I've got 10 gallons of 89 Octane E0 purchased for $3.999/gallon wating in in Jerry jugs for anything that may come.

 

[eljefino]

Gas it up and fire it up. You don't know if there's a mouse nest in the fan shroud or whatever, until you see those mouse babies running for their sad little lives!

The oil's fine, more than fine.

 

[350Rocket]

I was ready to drain the fuel from my Ariens, until we finally got a good dump of snow overnight last night. I spent about an hour snowblowing and half an hour shoveling the sidewalks. Used up most of the gas in the snowblower. The rest of my stash is confirmed e0, so I don't have to rush to get it out as quickly.
I won't leave e10 in a machine for more than about 3 months, stabilizer or not. It's been tested and proven that it can still go bad with stabilizer in it.

 

[samven]

To update my last post here, I did not follow my own advise. I was convinced that the snow predicted would only be a rain snow mix. Of course I was wrong and by 5PM we had 6" on the ground before it turned to a very light drizzle for an hour or so. I decide that if I didnt move it that night it would freeze or get so heavy I would not be able to. I pulled out the blower and fueled it up just to discover that the filter was cracked and leaking. I had a spare in the garage but the barb on the old one broke off in the hose. An hour without gloves and kneeling on cold concrete with a flashlight in my mouth later I got the new filter in and the blower started. And all I could think of was the advise I gave here to get it out and check everything before you need it.

 

[Astro_Guy]

I’m an over planner must be part of my OCD lol. I never like getting caught with my pants down, once the lawnmower went away the snow blower got its tune up and was sitting gassed up ready for action. I lived in Dutchess County Ny we never went a winter it wasn’t needed.

I stood my ground and did not fuel it up. Our snowfall came to about two inches before switching over to heavy rain after 5 PM. What was left the next morning didn't justify power equipment. Presently I am monitoring another potential snowfall one week out. The forecast for this Thursday is sunny with a high of 47 F. Perhaps I will take advanteg of that and start it up. Either that or mix up a new batch of E0 2-cycle gas for the single stage blower. Should the forecast go north of six inches I will likely do both.

 

[Astro_Guy]

We have an overnight snow event forecast for Monday into Tuesday. This morning I blew the machine off with air as it has a two year layer of dust on it. Added 89 Octane E0 fuel, checked the oil level and gave it a go. It took a couple of pulls but fired up and ran well. Now that I am prepared the liklihood of any accumulation will probably fall.