Sorry it is a 2 stroke Toro snowblower. 32:1 mix printed on the gas cap and no oil change possible, prove my gas cap wrong! See 2 stroke engines at toro!!!
http://www.toro.com/home/snowthrowers/gassinglestage/series_compare.pdf
Did the OP bail and now we are on Waterboys snowblower?
2-stroke snow-blowers are disposable. REAL snow-blowers have 8-10 hp Briggs engines…
Probably, but my snowblower runs fine, and your last statement was
“I guess the clue that it is a 4 stroke snow blower is the OP says “electric start” or perhaps Torro only makes 4 stroke snowblowers, so what is it a 2 stroke or 4 stroke snowblower?”
If you saw the link you saw there are 2 cycle electric start snowblowers so I am only attempting to dispel false information, in addition to my original response how to deal with the problem he was having. If you wish to add something besides conjecture please continue.
No ,but they have a lot of weight, power, and true 4-wheel drive. A snowblower will work lots better than an ATV for driveways and sidewalks. If your driveway is long, get a tractor with a front mounted blower, not a plow. If it is very, wery long, get a F250 with a 4-wheel drive and a plow.
I confess I rarely click on links. I also confess I missed when you hijacked the thread, really thought you knew better. Every comment I made I was asking about the OP’s snowblower, I could care less about yours.
I assume this is a 4-stroke 2-stage Toro. not a 2-stroke single stage one. Before panicking and replacing the carb, there are a few simple things to do first. Your toro is running lean. First drain out all the gas and fill with fresh, and not the leftover from your lawnmower. Winter gas is more volitle than what they sell in the summer. Find the carb-follow the throttle cable if you don’t know where it is. There is a metal bowl on the bottom of it. In the center of the bottom of the bowl is the mixture screw.Turn it out (left) a quarter turn at a time until it runs right. If it takes more than one and one-half turn with no result something else is wrong. Next undo the nut that surrounds the mixture screw and clean out the float bowl with carb cleaner and reassemble. If it still doesn’t work right take it to the shop. By the way these snowblowers don’t have an air cleaner, just an open bottom metal box around the carb to stop snow from getting in.
Wouldn’t off road tires that are used on ATVs make a difference? I am thinking of the ones that are directional and look like small tractor tires.
The problem is the weight…You could end up pushing more snow then the ATV weighs. Good snows…chains…not going to make much of a difference. A Full size F150 weighs 10 times more then a ATV.
For anyone not using an air filter. This is BY FAR the most wear causing
thing you can do. Airborne abrasives SAND BLAST your VALVES, PISTONS, RINGS.
Although it’s been a while, I worked fixing snow blowers for years and never saw one equipped with an air filter.
I agree with all the stated benefits of air filters. However, I suspect they’re not found on snow blowers because:
1: Engine hours on walk-behind snow blowers tend to be low.
2: After a snow storm, the air has been “cleansed” of dirt particles.
3: Snow blowers aren’t normally operated in dry dusty conditions.
You’ve already gotten good advice here on restoring proper fuel flow, so I’ll skip that.
Once fuel flow is restored, however, let me pass on a few things I’ve learned over the years.
First, at the end of every season, drain the tank and run the engine until the lines are ceared and it stalls from starvation. That’ll prevent gumming up in the off season.
Second, I add carb or injector cleaner to my snowblower/lawnmower gas at about 1 to 2 oz of cleaner per gallon of gas. I’ve actually had this clean out an old system that was stumbling and get it running right again. Since that time, many years ago, I’ve stayed with the mix and always had flawless operation season after season.
Even the wimpy 2 stroke single stage snowblowers still beat shoveling the snow. We rarely have more than 8-9" of snow at a time. I can use my wimpy 2 stroke WalMart purchase and do my drivway and sidewalk in under 15 minutes. However, I do like REAL snowblowers and love to drool over the new ones on display. I just can’t justify purchasing anything bigger than what I have.
Man, I’m sorry but some of you folks have obviously not been exposed to snow and snow equipment like in Minnesota. Toro makes both a 2 cycle and 4 cycle. The 2 cycle are mainly used on little toy snow shovels. Snow blowers have four cycle. The most famous engine for four cycles was the Tecumseh Sno King (which is now defunct and the molds sold to the Chinese). It is never equipped with an air filter that would just get wet and clog in the snow. Air filters are not needed when blowing snow-period and it does not harm the engine to not have one.
If you have a fuel delivery problem on a 2 cycle, check the fuel line in the tank to see if it has dissolved and also replace the filter in the tank. Other than that a good cleaning. If you have a four cycle that is having fuel delivery problems, the carbs are easily overhauled with new jets and so on for about $20. Then a new filter and always use non-oxygenated fuel with Stabil in it on the small engines.
That’s my story and my blower works just fine. I’m no fan of 2 cycle except for chain saws and weed whackers.
“I’m no fan of 2 cycle except for chain saws and weed whackers”.
I’m no fan of equipment powered by small engines. I think I can fence my lawn and replace my mower with a goat. I’m hoping someone will genetically engineer an animal that will eat the snow and thus get rid of the need for snowblowers. Apparently, global warming hasn’t done the trick in eliminating snow this past February in my area of the midwest.
Bing, I’ve no doubt that 2 cycles snowblowers exist(ed), but in all my 58+++ years in NH and North Dakota I’ve never seen one. It never even crossed my mind.
Follow the advice in my post and you may never have to overhaul another 4 cycle carb. I’m tellin’ ya, I’ve been using these simple tricks for many years and haven’t had a problem. I started adding the carb cleaner after buying (for $25) a well-used 8-HP Gilson that was sputtering. That one started running great after about three tankfuls and ran great for another 15 years until I lost the house in a divorce. I always use the carb cleaner in the one I have now (8 years old) and it starts first pull every time and runs great.
An old snow blower lost in s divorce ?..You got the best end of that.
But I agree with fastidious carb maintenance using cleaner, fresh gas and stabil, every year.
Yes 2 cycle snow blowers existed in the time frame of the OP, manual and electric start. Sure many consider them a toy but I dumped my 7.5 hp 2 stage 4 cycle shortly after I moved. The reasons, it was difficult to turn around unless you went from one end of the block to the other, and impossible to lift on my 6" step at the property line to do the 25 foot front walk. Mine is 20 years old (sorry oldschool hijacking the thread again!:(), but I am happy with it, yes it is disposable, but I expect at least another 5 years out of it and it has filled my needs admirabley.
I think threads about snow and anything to do with snow, be it driving in it or who has seen the worst, brings out the worst in everyone.
Your quote! “I also confess I missed when you hijacked the thread”
37 posts about a plastic snow-blower…
I know it is anal retentive but I have supported oldschool when he was a student then all of the sudden he has 20 years experience, then he has the gall to tell me there are no 2 cycle Toro snow blowers, not to mention etc. Keep your mind on the facts. He has disrespected me and I take offense.