Tecumseh snow blower engine seized?


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Old 12-17-08, 04:38 PM
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Tecumseh snow blower engine seized?

Hi all. I have an MTD model 31A 3BAD700 snowblower with a 5.5 hp Tecumseh engine. The last time I used it (last winter) I accidentally put the wrong fuel in it as I was finishing blowing off my driveway (40:1) and it bogged down, backfired and stopped. At the time I had just spent a few hours blowing wet, heavy snow, so I stowed it in the garage and had a beer. Fast forward to today, and I cannot get the crank rope to pull at all.

I pulled the rope housing off, and it spins fine on its own, it's the shaft going into the engine that isn't moving. I replaced the spark plug, the old one was very carbonized (as I expected it to be).

Is this baby toast or is there hope to un-seize it?
 
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Old 12-17-08, 05:47 PM
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Sounds like it is seized. The cause was NOT due to using oil mix in it. It could just be "rusted". Pour a few oz. of Marvel Mystery Oil down the spark plug hole. Let it set for a day or 2. With the spark plug out put a socket wrench on the nut that holds the starter cup and try to break it loose using a long handle breaker bar. (If you lossen the nut, tighten it and go the other way).
 
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Old 12-18-08, 04:57 AM
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Thanks for the reply (glad to know it wasn't the fuel mixture). I'll give that a try, and hopefully I can get her running by tomorrow morning, as I just saw a forecast for 9 inches of snow!
 
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Old 12-19-08, 04:14 PM
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Indy, you are the man!

I poured in Mystery Oil twice over the last 24 hours, gave the starter cup nut about four turns with a long breaker bar (I'm a firm believer in leverage) and it freed up. Had to give the recoil about twenty pulls, but it started and ran! Just in time, too. Started snowing about five hours ago.

Thanks again!
 
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Old 12-19-08, 04:28 PM
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Glad you got it going. And just in time for storm #1 of 3 in a row, possible more but haven't seen a forecast past Christmas yet.
 
 

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