How did I do?

[Ifixyawata]

Fellow BITOGers,

I feel like I'm among some thrifty individuals here. My neighbors have recently moved and after much indecision my neighbor decided to sell me his snowblower. From what I can tell it's approxamately at 2003 model Yard Machines 24" 8hp 2-stage blower. I paid $100 for it and it starts on the FIRST pull. I'm not sure about in the cold but I may very well never use that electric start on it.




Excuse the mess, I'm in the middle of cleaning up the back yard/brick patio/sidewalk area.

 

[carviewsonic]

You did well, great deal. I picked up a 5 hp rototiller for $80, 20ish years ago. It had been sitting by a neighbor's fence in the back lane for 2 -3 weeks, so I asked him about it and he said it wouldn't start. Checked the gas, it was beyond stale. Used carb cleaner, put fresh gas in and it ran (and still runs) great. Since he was my nieghbor, I offered to let him buy it back, but he bought a new one with more hp.

 

[eljefino]

I have a similar (MTD made) Montgomery Wards blower that'd somewhat older that still blows great.

824 is just about the right size, IMO. Can still wrestle it (pulling backwards in neutral for example) but has enough oomph for the bigger storms.

 

[JC1]

You got a great deal.

 

[Oildudeny]

Nice machine.. I have a yard machines hand me down from my father bout the same age. Those Tecumseh engines are great my machine starts first pull every time.

 

[dwendt44]

The snowblower Tecumseh engines do tend to plug the low
speed jet. Stabil is your friend.

My 2¢

 

[mx5miata]

Never ran stabil in my machine, I do use 93 octane and 2-3 oz chevron w/ techron in my gas can then start the machine every 3 months or so until snow season.

 

[andyd]

Fill it to the brim with gas. Start it, let it run a minute, then shut off the gas and let the carb run dry. In a few months that gas will be down on octane, but the inside of the tank will be rust free. Use a little choke and use it up quick. I've been doing it the last few yrs with good results

 

[Ifixyawata]

Originally Posted By: andyd
the inside of the tank will be rust free


I should hope so... I have a plastic tank

It was pretty full of gas.. I added some MMO and ran it for about 5 minutes.

 

[Ifixyawata]

I also meant to add that I turned down his offer to sell me his '95-era (sat for 12+ years like new) Troy Bilt yard vac and chipper. He only wanted $50 for that but I already have a challenge in front of me as to how I will park this, the pressure washer and the mower in the garage.