My Toro won't run and stinks like gas

[PT1]

I have a 3-4 YOA model 38600 Snow Commander that has run very well since new but last night when I started it it will fire up but not come up to enough rpm to drive the blades. It also stinks like gas which it has never done before. Swapped out the spark plug and it ran for a few minutes then the rpms fell back down like it was starving out. I google it and find the earlier model 38600's had a recall for a cracked gas tank

which could start the unit on fire.

Has anyone had experience with this model?

 

[Eddie]

Stuck float in the carburator. 1. Tap firmly on the carb body with a wooden hammer handle to free up. 2. Check the oil level to see if over full with gas then drain and refill with fresh oil if this is the case.

 

[aaxb970]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
Stuck float in the carburator. 1. Tap firmly on the carb body with a wooden hammer handle to free up. 2. Check the oil level to see if over full with gas then drain and refill with fresh oil if this is the case.


+1

 

[bepperb]

I'm not sure if this is a two cycle or four cycle, so #2 might not apply. But, it sure sounds like a rich condition, and a stuck float would definitely do that. Any chance the choke linkage is bound/broken and stick closed?

 

[cougargnw]

Originally Posted By: bepperb
I'm not sure if this is a two cycle or four cycle, so #2 might not apply. But, it sure sounds like a rich condition, and a stuck float would definitely do that. Any chance the choke linkage is bound/broken and stick closed?

How can you not be sure if its a 2 or 4 cycle? If you mixed oil and gas its a 2 cycle. Other than that I would agree on the stuck float

 

[Gunatics_Adler]

Well since he is not the one with the problem, he does not know if its a 2 or 4 stroke.

 

[Gunatics_Adler]

My Tecumseh had this happen, it required me to take off the carb and give it a good cleaning to fix. I tapped the heck out of it and it just would not work.

 

[PT1]

Took it to the shop because it is 20f in the garage.Carb totally gumed up. I have been storing it dry and the Toro tech said it needs to be stored with fuel in it as you never get all the gas out of the carb and it turns to gum in the carb and 3 years later....you have to take it apart and clean it. They recommend storing with stabilized gas and starting the engine 2-3 times over the storage period. They also said to mix 2 cycle gas one gallon at a time due to the E10 component going bad quickly which also causes gumming. They don't recommend keeping gas beyond 2 months unless you have stabil in it. So, I bought a couple of bottles of Toro oil with the stabilizer in it.

 

[Gunatics_Adler]

The Marine Stabil is made for Ethanol. It is what I use when I can find it as its supposed to be better. Luckily here I can get ethanol free gas.

I usually run a small bit of gas with seafoam in it or MMO to clean out the carbs.

 

[rmattingley]

The guy next door did this one. When he tipped it over to clean blades, he did it on the air filter side. The filter filled with gas. This choked it every time he tried to start it. Only way it would run was if the filter was out. New filter and fixed.

Just an idea

 

[PT1]

No air filter on my Toro.

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: PT1
No air filter on my Toro.


Their usually isnt any on the snow blowers. I`m not sure if thats a great idea though. that would be like not having an air filter on my power washer.

 

[sjt78]

Snowblowers do not need air filters as they are run in in basically clean environment (snow keeps the dust/dirt down on the ground).

AS for the original poster, put the Stabil in the gas can before or soon after you fill it. Stabil can only keep gas from going bad as long as it is good to begin with. I've heard of people adding Stabil to bad gas thinking it will revive it, no go. Just a tip that I use and it has been working well with my OPE storage. My snowblowers usually start on the second pull after sitting for 7 months with Stabil-ized gas.

 

[yeehaw1960]

If it's a Tecumseh, you can lay it on it's side with the muffler up all day and it will still start when you turn it up right. With the tank mounted Briggs, same thing except the gas runs out of the gas cap. With Quantum type (engine mounted carb) Briggs, clamp off the fuel line, run the engine until it dies, then flip it on it's side, muffler up, as long as you want.