Sounds like it’s being starved for fuel. Dirty carb, fuel filter (if it has one), incorrect float level (if the carb has a float), or maybe just enough crud in the fuel line and/or gas tank to limit the fuel supply. If it actually has some kind of fuel pump and doesn’t just use gravity for the fuel feed, the pump could be failing too.
You have gone totally overboard, this is simply a misunderstanding of how the threads got placed in order, I never for one moment even though of commenting on your knowledge on if there were or wern’t 2 cycle snow blowers, not in a million years do I even care what you know about snow blowers and never did I challenge your place in the world of snow blower knowledge, a totally stupid, pointless accusation dealing with a subject I could care less about, supported me when was a student, what the **** is that about? suddenly I have 20 years experience? let me tell you it took me 35 years to get this 20 years experience, get a grip on your sanity waterboy.
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.
What snow-blower do you have that has and air-filter??? I’ve owned several blowers over the years…Ariens, Toro, Craftsman…Never ever seen one with an air filter. I just bought a new blower 2 years ago after my 24yo blower finally died. Obviously running without one isn’t too bad.
Oldschool–just wait until the middle of spring and we get started on lawnmowers.
We had a 2 stroke when I was a kid (a l-o-n-g time ago).
I know what you mean wrt turning radius. My current blower is a 12hp to handle the heavy stuff around these parts. It has a feature that allows you to unlock the differential by pulling a trigger under the left grip. That actuates a cable going to the diff. I can spin it around in a circle with the inside tire sitting still. What a relief! I had to build a ramp to get to the walkway as it would be a strain for two people to lift it.
My neighbor is running a 2 stroke, single stage machine and it does OK if he keeps up with the bigger storms. We both own plows but are often outside at the same time with our blowers- go figure…
2-stroke snow-blowers are disposable. REAL snow-blowers have 8-10 hp Briggs engines
I prefer the Tecumseh Snow-King. Great engine.
Now this is snow blowing…
That’s Al Gore doing his driveway. He blames global warming.
Sorry guys, the devil made me say it.
BTW that snow was from just ONE storm.
I think that’s more snow then Tennessee has seen…TOTAL.
I had the same problem as the original post years ago with a 2 cycle LawnBoy mower. It would only run with the choke closed. This was back in the 1950’s and OMC that made the mower had an entire section with blow-ups of how the motor came apart. I removed the carburetor and found a dandelion seed had been sucked through the carburetor and was blocking one of the passages in the carburetor. Your problem is a fuel problem. If your Toro is a 2 cycle it shouldn’t be too hard to disassamble the carburetor and clean it.
You have gunk in a filter or a screen, it’s not hard to fix. Carefully take it apart, and clean everything from the fuel tank to carb. and while your at it put in a carb kit.
Yes you can do it yourself, take your time. I’ve done it more than once myself. My first snowblower was 35+ years when I got it and it need some cleaning to run right.
Snowblowers don’t have an air filters on them. A snowblower would suck in a tiny amount of snow, which would first melt then freeze killing the engine, and considering my first snowblower was 35+ years old and the motor is stilling running strong, the rest of the snowblower is now shot but the engine is on another piece of equipment still running strong.
nt
Possibly so, Your quote
"Did the OP bail and now we are on Waterboys snowblower?"
I did not know his model though it was a 20 years old like mine, as I had no information on his, I talked about mine, as I do not know all models and can only provide my experiences. PS did you ever read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?
IMHO - you seem to have a bad/dirty carburetor, as was alluded to in some of these threads.
However you need more details. The problem is usually a plugged main jet/circuit. Most carbs have two jet circuits - one for start/low speed and another for running. When you have the choke on full you are bypassing the main jet and running the low side (rich).
The carbs are very simple to clean but if not familiar you may need to consult a buddy for details. The net is very helpful. Google under small engine (carb or main jet etc.).