Problem Starting Snowblower - Please Help
 

got a brand new Torro last year - only used 1/2 hr.

tried to start it up this morning and nothing.

filled it with gas (unleaded), plugged in spark plug, ignition key is in, set to Choke (full on) and Full throttle. Pressed the Prime button several dozen times. .

It's an electrical start . .I'm pushing the elect. start button but nothing. the engine just turns over , over and over again.
:mad: :mad: :mad:

Why can't they make ****** snowblowers that start easy????!!!! GDAAMMITT!! By the time it's taking me to start it, I would've been done shoveling the driveway already!

I paid 600 for this thing.

thanks in advance.

If you can reach the bowl on the carb, there should be a screw in the bottom that can be removed to drain it. I'd start there! You may want to pull the plug to see how it looks too!

pull plug out and run to make sure you have spark
if so try squirting some fuel right in the hole and put plug back in . do it fairly quikly. then try starting you have fuel valve open under gas tank right? push up on button under float boal to see if gas runs out to make sure gas is reaching carb

It probably sat with fuel in the carb over the off season. This fuel will not fire unless a stablizer was added. You could even have gummed up jets/passages. Put in a new plug, give it a shot of starting fluid and try again. Also, the electric start takes some juice away from the coil. I start mine by the rope pull when cold and use the 'lectric starter when it's warmed up......

if it was put away with fuel in it and no stabilizer chances are the needl and seat are gummed up or even have a little rust.
if you do have fuel in bowl and still won,t run, take bowl off and clean the adjusting screw . it,s a very simple setup. quik and easy to do.

last season before storage, I ran it until fuel was all out.... didn't leave any fuel inside.

i dont see any fuel valve under the gas tank. I tried the rope pull first and nothing.

but the fuel tank is full... if I remove the screw, all the fuel will run out or only the fuel in the carb?

your model might have a fuel shutoff valve mine does under tank.
if not you could try clamping rubber line
needle and seat control fuel going into carb . if you undo screw and it constantly pours out then needle is stuck open and fuel level is to high in bowl and thats why it won,t start

if you undo screw and no fuel comes out then needle is stuck closed . common . from draining fuel, needle closes and then is stuck . either tap on float bowl to free up or remove and just push up

did you check for spark?

you need spark, fuel, and air. Determine what's missing to begin.

yeah, what's missing is someone to start my snow-blower!

the thing is BRAND NEW!!! I only ran it 1/2 hr last season.

The start-up instructions should start it right up.

Might be a stupid question...but are you sure your ignition key is all the way in? The key on mine goes in very hard the last bit. BTW mine never starts without priming a dozen times.

Spray starting fluid (ether) into the air filter and try to start the machine. If it does not sputter, you have no ignition. If it does sputter, you need fuel.

we were in the same boat today. My areins 11.5 hp, 2 yrs old. Started but idle was bouncing up- n- down. Wound up being a gummed up needle valve. Even with stabilizer and draining it dry last year.
*** old trick. get your trusty wd-40. remove the cover on the carb. spray directly into carb while hitting starter. it should pop and run a little.... if you keep spraying in bursts ir will stay alive a while. this will isolate a fuel problem... and often free a sticky float.

If nothing... then my guess is spark. check all safety controls are off... auger ect... it can kill spark as safety.
You can unscrew the plug. plug it into the wire - out of motor, hold against side of motor, hit starter and look for the plug sparking- use pliers with rubber handle to hold it..not bare hand.
keep in mind wd-40 id flammable if you wind up spraying it all over- wipe it up before checking spark like this.

let us know how you are making out.

says he,s online but hasn,t replied to anyone so maybe he,s out blowing snow.

I had the same problem with father in laws. Prime while cranking. Took a sec but it started.

or shoveling......

If you ran the fuel out of it at the end of the season, you need to pump the choke more as long as you are getting spark, it should start. I have similar experience every season with snowblowers. Good luck.

I don't run the fuel dry for this reason.

can allways get one of these.
better job and you stay warm

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1170533880.jpg

dont remind me I used to own a construction company and had several f-350 dump diesels with 10' boss v-plows. I feel like a schmuck using a snow blower.

Spark plug...I cannot tell you how many times new tools have not started because of the spark plug.

Clean it first, check gap, and after that doesn't work, go buy a new one!

Works every time.

Sez he got 'er going!!!!!!!!!!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1170540086.jpg

ha ha

very funny!

thanks everyone. I'll continue this in the AM. Gonna pull out the spark plug first and measure the gap.. .and then figure out where the carberator is.

I appreciate your help - this board is great!!

???

Ever get it going?

Hi everyone, I haven't messed with it since last week ... no more snow here. the first i'll do is take the spark plug out and replace it.

Thanks for your help!

Yup.

Nope. got a new sparkplug, installed it...still no start. I'm using the electrical starter. The engine is turning over but not starting. Doesn't seem to be flooded because there is no gas smell.

I did locate a screw under the carberator. It seems to be spring loaded. When i push up on it, nothing happens.

there's a big storm coming tomorrow.

A spring loaded screw is probably for mixture...I would leave that one alone and look for one that is flush with the carb.

The spring loaded thing under the carb is often the float bowl drain. If you, you should get fuel out when you depress it. If not, no fuel is getting to the carb (most of these are gravity feed, so it would be a plugged line or filter). Are you getting spark with the new plug?

If so, give it a shot of starting fluid and see if it fires....The electric starter takes some of the voltage going to the coil. Try the rope pull a few times.....

Sorry that didn't work...when was the last time it ran?

If it has been in storage since last year, did you use Stabil in the tank? If not, flush the fuel and add new. Check fuel filter as well.

I'd use starter fluid first, however...if it starts and stalls, could be fuel.

Also, I find that old fuel and electric lines crack and prevent starting. Bend and check.

Good luck with the storm:eek:

Right. no fuel comes out when I press it... so there's no fuel getting to the carb. how come?

the fuel tank is full with fresh gas. Last season I ran it until it was all out of gas, as instructed per manual. snowblower has less than 30 min. total running time.

Did you turn the gas supply on....may or may not have one, but most do.

there is no gas valve in the line from tank into engine.

I had trouble with mine this year. Got some excellent advice from the board and this is what I found.

There is a float bowl. Take the cover off the float bowl. If you have fuel in the float bowl, then you have a problem elsewhere. If there is no fuel in the float bowl, then you have a blockage going from the gas tank into the float bowl.

You will need to remove the little plastic pin that lets fuel into the bowl. The pin is connected to the float. Pushing up shuts it off, pulling down opens it up. Pull the pin, open the fuel valve, and spray carb / choke cleaner into the spot where the plastic pin enters until you can hear it entering the gas tank. This is the first likely spot where the fuel is getting clogged.

Now, if you have fuel in the float bowl when you take it off, you probably have blockage between the bowl and the carb. I doubt this though since you mentioned that you ran it out of gas last season. That's why it seams to point to the fact that you didn't drain the float bowl and you had gas residue left in there which then turned to varnish.

If that doesn't work, I'm out of ideas from this end.

Michael

Did you try the starting fluid??

What make and model?

Hey, in anticipation of the big storm coming tomorrow to the NorthEast, just a little snowblower safety:

Mind you, I have no personal snow blower experience. I grew up in SoCal, and have lived in apartments my entire time here in Boston.

However, I do have a lot of experience with people who have whacked off fingers from sticking their hands in the output chute when the blower gets clogged. So, even if the blower is turned off, there may be some kinetic energy stored in the impeller blade mechanism. As you stick your hand down there to unclog it, the blade may be freed up enough to make another revolution or two. Enough to mangle your hand permanently. A surgeon may be able to stick it back on, but unless you're a salamander, don't expect it to ever work properly again. So just remember to turn the motor off, and USE A PUSH STICK of some sort, please.

Noah. thanks. the snowblower came with a long plastic rod that you can stick down the output shoot to release any clogs.

Hmm...maybe I was envisioning a different kind of "spring loaded." On my antique cars and at least one of the brigs and stratton motors I've worked on the drain was flush with the bowl and had a little rubber seal. I was just afraid that on-ramp might be doing more harm than good if the spring loaded screw was an adjusting screw.

no, i dont have any starting fluid.. Manual clearly states not to use any starting fluid.

I guess I need to take this "float bowel" off to see what's going on. Hopefully all the fuel will not spill out onto the garage floor.

for all it's worth , here's the model #

Troy Built Model 31AE6GQ3711