Lacklustre Snowblower

Hi
I have a Ariens ST1032 Snowblower with a 10Hp HM100 Tecumseh Engine. I bought the blower a few years ago and it never worked quite right. When I tried to blow snow, it lacked power and slowly died. I stopped using it a couple of years ago, but am now trying to ressurect it.
I have cleaned the carb out, but not replaced anything (except the needle). Put it back together and adjusted as per the manual. I can get it to start at max revs, but it hunts, eventually dieing. It also backfires abit. I cannot get it to run at idle. As soon as I drop the throttle, even a little, it dies. When it is running, if I hold the governer, it runs constant, but with backfire.
I am wondering if it is:
- New Carb, or kit required
- Issue with the governer
- Issue with the valves
- All or none of the above.
I am looking for advice on direction and what to look for. I can work on auto engines, but have never tackled a small engine.

Hope you can help
Traveller.

 

It's likely carb/fuel. Tecumseh has the little bowl nut with little holes that usually cause the problem. Take a look at those and make sure you have them open - tiny little things.

 

Thanks. I cleaned it out once when I stripped the carb, but will look again tonight.

Thanks again
traveller

 

Look really close. Those little things are hard to see.

 

Is this the nut that hold the bowl to carb, with the main screw through it?

 

OK - took it apart again - found 1 tiny tiny hole and cleaned it out. THe blower ran better. On 3/4 choke it ran almost perfectly, but as soon as you moved the choke or the throttle it died again. But with some playing I can get rid of the hunting. This I think is a good thing. I am assuming that it must be the carb is the problem. Should I try a carb kit?

 

I would put some Sea Foam in it first and see if that would clean it up. That runs about $8.00 a can and you can use the rest of it in other engines. Then if that doesn't take care of it a kit may be a good idea.

 

Try feeding some Marvel mystery oil thru the intake while it's running. I had a B&S engine doing that and it was the intake valve not quite closing. After about 20 seconds of feeding it the MMO it smoothed out and has run like a clock since.
Mike

 

Where can I get Sea Foam or Marvel Mystery oil (I live in Canada)?

 

In the states both would be available from many auto parts stores. I am uncertain what chains might be available up north but pick a few local to you and call them.

Steve

 

YEah - I was looking it up on line last night. Apparently Walmart and Napa carry it. I will investigate....

 

Hi
Well I tried the sea foam - in the carb, down the plug hole and in the tank.
It runs better, but now it hunts like crazy, backfires alot and still needs 3/4 choke to run. On the good side, I can now drop the throttle by 1/3rd and it will still run (still hunting)

So - still progress.

I suppose I should get a carb kit now?
Andy

 

Take the Sea Foam, add twice the recommended to a 1/2 tank of gas. Start it and let it run for about five minutes at just above idle throttle.

Then shut it off and let it sit for about an hour. Then repeat with a little higher throttle. Then fill the tank completely and run the tank of gas through it. If it still has a problem use a kit.

The Sea Foam takes out the varnish. It takes a little time for the varnish to dissolve and get out of the jet holes.

Have you done any adjustments on the carb mixture screws? After the Sea Foam has a chance to work, set the mixture screw out - 1 1/2 turns from lightly seated. Then see where you're at.

 

Thanks - I will try this tomorrow.
Andy

 

Ok - tried that - again - slightly better, but still hunts and backfires like crazy. So - today I took the head off and checked the valves. They seemd OK, but I removed, cleaned and re-lapped them anyway. I will get a carb kit tomorrow and put that in.
Is there any point in looking at the governeors. When I get it going and she hunts, if I hold the governer in place she seems to run well - no backfires or anything.
Andy

 

The governor probably isn't the problem. The hunting is caused by the over running of the engine when a lean mixture is burning too fast and preigniting.

Did you try adjusting the mixture screw?

If all else has failed I'd put a kit in it with a good cleaning by bath and compressed air dry off.

 

OK - thnaks. Glad you said that - stripping the engine to the governer seemed a risky option.
I did try adjusting the mixture screw (on the bottom of the float chamber) but it didnt make any difference. When I trickled Sea foam into the air intake, then she ran fine again (by the way, the air filter is missing on this blower).

So I will get a carb kit on Monday and keep my fingers crossed.
Andy

 

No filter on a snow blower is pretty common. If you hand fed it and it straightened out that's pretty much fuel starving.

Use the bath cleaner and compressed air to blow it dry.

 

Thanks

I'll clean it out tomorrow and put the kit on Monday - Hopefully it will work
Thanks for all your help
Andy

 

So.....I cleaned out the carb, blew all the orifces out, cleaned every hole I could fine. Got a new carb kit, adjusted the float, put it all back together..........
and it still hunts.

It does sound better and I can get it down to half throttle now, but it still hunts and backfires for a pastime. Ive tried adjusting the mixture.
The only thing left is to make sure the tap from the fuel tank is clean. Other than that I have no more ideas.

Any help really really appreciated

Andy