So I decided to make a field trip with the wife and get some premium non oxygenated gas for the snowblowers, Tested them out a month ago and all was fine. Put the new good gas in and called it a day. Kwick trip was the gas. Both snow blowers puked. Any power drain like blowing snow little baby and big mama puked. Neither one has ever failed me previously. Shoveled the old fashioned way. started them up later and they after a little coughing and spitting decided to run fine at idle for 20 minutes or so after I did not need them. So one thought is to buy a new gas can and dump the 2 cycle and regular gas recycle it and buy some local stuff and run it. They idled fine for 20 minutes after I did not need them, and thinking I’ll try again tomorrow, the next snow, still got a shovel, any thoughts appreciated.
In your case, siphon out old gas or run engine until it stalls. Fill up with fresh (non ethanol gas).Put gas stablizer in the tank if machine is not in use for a while.
Very old gas smells bad. Not like gasoline. Take a sniff. If it smells bad, it is bad.
Drain a bit into a clear drink glass or jar. Set it aside and wait for any water to seperate. If the gas has water, there will be 2 distinct layers. The water will be at the bottom.
Premium? Really? Every snow blower I’ve ever owned said NOT to use premium gas…regular ONLY.
In my area, the only non-ethanol gas is 90 octane. It’s what I use in my boats, lawnmower, snowblower, and generator. It isn’t a cure-all; even with fuel stabilizer, I just had to take my 5-year-old snowblower in for carburetor service.
I’m not sure what snow throwers @Barkydog has, but they likely can use E10 regular. I have a Toro single stage, and the owner’s manual says E10 is OK, but don’t use E15 or E85.
Mine won’t start. I drained the fuel at the end of last season and ran the engine until it stalled. I bought new gas this year, the engine cranks, but no start. I changed the spark plug after checking the gap, and it still wouldn’t start. Then I pulled the bottom off the carburetor and checked the float. It moved freely, but I sprayed carb cleaner inside anyway. At one point early in this, it started but died before I could pull the choke out. My guess is that the carburetor needs cleaning, but I’m trying to avoid pulling it off. Any suggestions?
Did you check for spark? Was the spark plug wet with gas?
Mine were all Arian. My current one is 15 years old. And I only have E10 available to me unless I want to drive 30 miles.
Usually,the signs of a clogged carburator are simple.The engine will want to stall,lack power and work erractically. If yours doesnt start,check your spark plug or replace it.Try this: remove the spark plug and give the electrode a quick sanding…that work for me!
As far as fuel is concerned for a two stroke engine, I had a rototiller with a two stroke engine that was really hard to start. It required a 50:1 mixture. A friend recommended the premixed non ethanol fuel that is available in our local Rural King store as well as other places. It’s about $5 a liter, rather expensive, but it worked well and I had a small patch to cultivate. My snowblower, an inexpensive MTD, has the same fuel requirement for its two stroke engine. Since I can do my driveway and walk in less than 30 minutes, I use this premixed 50:1 non ethanol fuel in the snowblower. It starts instantly and runs well with the fuel. The snowblower is 21 years old. The premixed fuel says it’s 92 octane.
Gas flows into the carb. I flooded it and it dripped from the air intake. Also, I put Stabil in the gas can last year at the beginning of the season, but just because it has Stabil doesn’t mean the gas can’t clog up the carb.
I’m going to check for spark tomorrow after the rain clears. It did start once, though, but not until I cranked it a few times. If the spark check shows spark, I’ll try cleaning the carb.
It’s a 4-stroke engine, 212cc, Honda, I think.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I use small engine four cycle fuel in my Suzuki 2.5 horsepower four stroke outboard motor. It doesn’t gum up and it doesn’t even smell like gasoline, sort of like cigarette lighter fluid.
Since we only use that engine to get our sailboat out of the harbor and sometimes to get back to the yacht club when the winds totally die, a liter is pretty much a full year’s supply and I don’t mind paying the price for an engine that always starts, even after sitting for a year or more.
The 94 octane is overkill but it doesn’t seem to hurt anything either.
I use Amsol 2 cycle oil for my boat. My boat guy refills quart bottles from a 50 gallon drum at a cheaper price. Boat is at the cabins. For the little snowblower I have been using a 2 cycle oil from lowes that is good for all mixes. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Pro-Mix-2-6-oz-2-Cycle-Synthetic-Blend-Engine-Oil/1053645
I use nothing but E0 in both my snowblowers abd run them dry at the end of the season. My 4 stroke is a 1972 8HP , my 2 stroke a CCR 2000 about 1990 vintage…
I use Stihl 2 stroke oil which has fuel stabilizer in it.
The big one has never been in the shop in the 30 years I have owned it. I have cleaned the carb twice and put maybe 3 plugs in it.
The small one has been in the shop once. Last year I was too busy to deal with it, they said dirty carb. This year it would not start. It has a Suzuki engine with a Mikuni carb and the needle valve setup is weird. Then gas inlet is from the side ,but the needle valve is vertical so it makes a 90 degree bend to get gas into the carb. I have fuel iat the carb but nothing coming into the float bowl. The needle valve is out but I need to pick up the right size screw to get the seat out. Luckily the big one started right up as soon as I poured gas in.
I can buy a new Chinese carb for the little one on Ebay for $12.95. Th needle valve which is about 1/8" x 1" is $30 from Toro and it does not include the seat.We will see what happens when I get the seat out.
My little guy is a ccr2000 also. Had trouble one year, it would run for a bit then die. It ended up there is a pencil eraser size brass screen in the bottom of the gas tank, the screen would gunk up and die. Rebuilt the carb first, no improvement. Just letting you know if it helps.
I pulled the fuel line off at the carb and there is good fuel flow so I don’t think the tank is the problem. This one has a fuel filter in the line which does not show in the factory diagram so maybe some one pulled the screen snd put in a filter. I was sure the filter would be the problem but the line flows freely, just no gas in the carb. Thanks for the input though. Great little snowblower. Works much better than the White I had before.
My primer bulb replaced once then puked again. I tied of the line and give it a shot of starting fluid, I don’t know if that line really affects running. My toy is from 89 I think. Replaced the rubber blades once, too bad they only fail when you need them!
You lucky guys who live where it snows! I have to drive 700 miles to experience snow, and then, it’s often man made.
Move to the town I grew up in (Pulaski NY). You won’t think it’s lucky after living through a winter like the one in 78 where we had over 300" snow.
The snow thrower has spark. At this point, it looks like the carburetor is gunked up. Does Stabil have a shelf life? Well, no matter. I need to do something about the carb. Again, thanks for the suggestions.