Help for the carburetor-challenged, please?

[SnapCracklePop]

OK. The reason I own an ELECTRIC log splitter and an ELECTRIC chainsaw is that internal combustion engines and I are not that friendly.

It's about my snowblower. To establish a link to Hearth.Com, it's the one I use to get to my woodpile...

Anyway, I flooded it a couple of days ago. It's a Snow-Tek, el cheapo, made in China Home Depot special. Pull start. Bought it last year, and it's always started on the first or second pull. Until the other day.

I had just put in some gas. It was snowing lightly. When it wouldn't start, I figured I'd flooded it, so it let it sit for a couple of hours. Still won't start. Let it sit for a day. Still won't start. Let it sit TWO days, and just now tried it again. Still won't start.

I shut off the gas line, thinking I remembered my Dad doing that with engines, to "clear the gas out of the carb." Am I imagining that?

Anyway, that didn't work either.

I smell gas. It won't even sputter as if it's trying.

Now what?

If a few snowflakes got into the gas tank, would that cause a problem? Would some dry gas help?

Waaahhhhhhh. I feel like bawling...

Nancy

 

[ironpony]

gas fouled plug
put in a new one or
take the old one out put in a vise, gently
heat the electrode with a propane torch
it will glow red, let cool, re-install plug
should start

 

[SnapCracklePop]

I was afraid of that. I don't even SEE the sparkplug. I think I'll have to remove a side panel to get to it...

Dagnabbit.

Thanks, by the way, for your help. If you come to my house to fix this, there's a cold one for ya...

 

[ddug]

30 years prior I worked at a bicycle shop in the midwest. In wintertime we sold and serviced chainsaws and snowblowers and I would put on a different hat to begin a season of sharpening saw chains and fixing non cooperating snowblowers.

I could fix 95 % of them by cleaning/replacing the plug (I always pulled it over a few times with the plug out to clear out any unburned fuel) and cleaning the carburetor. They tend to get shoved into a corner af the garage at the end of the season and forgotten about (understandably so) until needed again in 6 months.

Any gas that may have been allowed to linger in the carb over that time turns very gluey.

 

[SnapCracklePop]

"I always pulled it over a few times with the plug out to clear out any unburned fuel) and cleaning the carburetor"

THAT'S what my Dad used to do...

Well, I can't remove the sparkplug to put it in a vise or pull the starter, because I can't get the dagnabbit plate off the side. My socket wrenches loosen some of the bolts, but others won't budge, and I'm afraid I'll strip them.

I'll have to find a small-engine guy who'll make a house call...

An we're supposed to get another storm today/tomorrow.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Back the bolt out. If there are other bolts and you twist the head off one you'll most likely still be able to hold the plate on. Have you tried penetrating oil? Heat if it's away from the carb?

Why would they cover the spark plug on anything? It's a safety issue at the very least.

Matt

 

[Singed Eyebrows]

Check the spark, "was running" doesn't mean anything. Pull the plug wire & preferably put a spark tester on it(available many places) or get another spark plug & wedge into the sheet metal so you have a good ground. Pull over as fast as you can, this is not ideal as you are pulling against compression, you should see a good spark. If not it's coil time. If you have spark put a little gas in the cylinder head after you remove the spark plug. If it doesn't at least pop you need to check for a sticking valve, Randy

 

[tiber]

For whatever weird reason I've seen this particular thing twice on home depot blowers - they ran the line from the fuel tank to the carb between the block and the fan housing and it cooks the line. If this is the home depot blower, mine did the same thing. The line gets cooked. Take the line off the carb and make sure the full tank of gas flows freely down the line. I went to pep boys and bought a new fuel line and ran it through the outside of the housing, around the fan. It looks all goofy, but the line isn't getting cooked anymore.