craftsman 536.881850 8.5hp Help....

only used this Snwblwr about 5 times total this yr 3 times ran fine until this year last storm stalling out, and would start again. So had some freetime drained the tank and removed the bowl looked at and removed the float and Needle blew out and sprayed/cleared and blew out w/air. and reassemebled.

Now the thing starts and runs for a min or 2 and than stalls out. Im kinda lost now dont know if i should clean again? Or is there a float hight spec?
I did do a seach on this model on some old posts were stated trbl. w/ coils? I dont want to get side tracked now.
I ran out of time today to do anything else with it.
To me it was sounding like it was running out of gas.

any help or insight would help Great...
thanks...
plug is fine replaced anyhow and ran w/and w/out the cap and still stalled.

 

is it possible that you blew out the needle seat and now it's flooding out as the needle cannot stop the flow of gas?

 

isnt the seat kinda screwed in? and wouldnt come out that easy? I'll check again tmrw. and see if the seat is in
and it really wasnt stalling from a flooding aspect more like a lack of fuel seems like.

 

I checked the seat.. seems its rubber material.. and its just pushed in and not screwed in..
I fixed my snowblower today and ran it about 15mins or so and seemed fine w/and without a load and blew snow fine...
I was wondering why when i lifted up my float very gently and the needle goes up the float really wasnt level looking.
I bought a needle/seat kit part #398188 $4.99
You push the seat in carefully until it bottoms in the hole.
I used a allen wrench with care.
Now w/it all together and the Float is lifted up its practically Level looking.
I also cleaned again w/carb cleaner and blew out passages and w/a thin strong wire (safety wire)
(becareful not to brake it off ) ran that in the slow jet and other passages with care. and blew out again and made sure the air didnt move the seat.

I dont know if my first cleaning w/blowing air moved the seat down abit and or it swells and loosen w/the gas they sell now with alcohol and or ethanol. I was told and read it can screw up things... and makes sence now seeming the seats are made of a rubber type material, and when i took mine out it was alittle damaged looking.


Beer 4U2

im due after the season to check and adjust the belts/chains hopes that goes smooth.

 

Yes the ethanol in today's gas will swell that seat which is a 2-fold problem. It pushes the float up (it should be level) and it shrinks the center hole thus restricting gas flow. I suggest running your machine dry and storing it that way during off season.

 

yes without a dought I'll store it dry and adding a shutoff/and or filter.
I wonder if B&S and other companys will change the material they make there seats and other parts out of. Seeming how gas is sold now. Also I'll be purchaseing gas from stations that dont sell blended/mixed fuels atleast for the snowblower.

 

I don't know where you are located, finding gas that is NOT E-10 can be difficult as the feds withold tax $$$ to states that do not require E-10.

 

Im in NJ doesnt exxon have straight gas...??
i know one of the major brands offer it.. remeber seeing a gas pump somewhere stateing it was uncut/mixed

 

There was an Exxon station by my house - in PA - that used to advertise that it sold non-ethanol gasoline. That advertisement disappeared close to a year ago. I think you are out of luck.
Steve

 

The thing about ethonal gas is that it is not up to Exxon to decide to sell "clean" gas or not. The states decide. And if they decide not to mandate E-10, then they lose X% of the federal gas tax $$. So, states usually decide to go with E-10.

 

Does anyone know how loose the auger belt should be or Look while just resting there on the Pulleys..???

because today I had sometime and took off the cover to check it out, and it looked like alot of slack in the belt. I dont know what it looked like from the get go and new. I only used this blower 5 times...

I do know w/the manual states w/the auger handle pressed in the closed position there should be 1/2 inch deflection in the belt. but its loose lookin just at rest.... Dont know if this is normal and I should move the pulley into the belt more?
thanks...

 

Auger belt is supposed to loose. That way auger stops turning when handle is released. With belt cover off engage handle if is belt tightens up you should be all set

 

i kinda figure as much so it wouldnt spin and have no tension on the pulley..
but its looking like alot of slack and I moved the tension pulley in some...
maybe i should adjust/return it back..
or run it without the cover..???

also I did see alot of little peices of little rubber shredded..
dont know if thats from the friction wheel or the belts or combination of everything and normal wear n tear..