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First snowblower experience

4K views 19 replies 12 participants last post by  524SWE 
#1 ·
Let's start with some background. I've been wanting to buy a snow blower for years, but we don't get heavy amounts of snow where I live, making it more of a want then a need item. A few weeks ago I decided to finally buy something, did some homework, and started browsing used snowblowers hoping to find a good deal on something that needs a little TLC. Well, I found it. A Husqvarna 10527SBE, says he bought it in 2011, original owner, I ran the ID plate number, it comes back as a 2005-2006 model, I'm guessing he got some old stock. The best thing about it? HE USED IT 3 TIMES IN 6 YEARS! This thing literally looked like new, kept in a heated garage, tucked in the corner. Settled on a price of $800 (CDN dollar), seemed like good deal to me.

I've been playing around with it the last couple weekends trying to get it running right. Started with hard starting, clean out the old gas, put some fresh in, fires right up until its warm, then it had a serious case of surging. Clean the carb out, doesn't surge any more, but defiantly has a miss fire, but I can't seem to isolate it. I figure let's do a service, the guy did tell me he hasn't even changed the oil since he bought it, so new oil and plug. Runs slightly better, but still a miss, however now I can isolate it to running lean under low load conditions (it clears up when I give it a little choke, and runs like a champ when I dig it hard into a snow bank). Tecumseh in their infinite wisdom has decided that their engine doesn't need an adjustable carb, I don't agree, so currently I'm waiting for the new adjustable one I ordered to come in. It should be here early next week, pretty sure after that she will purr like a kitten. Now all I need is a good dump of snow to really test it out and see what it can do. With my luck I probably wont see that until next season.

Anyway, I've been lurking this forum since I bought it, seems like a good place, so I figured I should join up and share my story.

 
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#2 ·
Before replacing the carburetor, check to see if simply cleaning the Idle Restricter Screw addressed in this video won't solve your problem.



I realize that the unit hasn't been used much; but that old gas sitting in the carb for years (?) may have produced the equivalent of several years worth of fuel additive deposits anyway.

I clean it every two years, or anytime I detect that surging when the unit IS NOT under load.
 
#3 ·
+1 on what Vermont suggested. Classic sign of the lean circuit being obstructed... If that's the fixed jet carb, you don't even have to break it down since the obstruction is likely in the jet itself. However I'd at least drop the carb bowl and make sure any sediment is removed. May as well clean-out the fuel tank & blow-out that fuel line.

Nice Snowblower btw! It willl serve you well!
 
#4 ·
Thanks for the tip, I cleaned it when I cleaned the carb, had the whole thing torn apart, cleaned everything, I did notice some deterioration in the main jet, looked like just a surface discolouration, but may have something to do with the problem. It did run significantly better after I cleaned it, previously it had a large surging idle where it would almost stall out, then pick back up and repeat, after cleaning it was completely eliminated, it easily holds constant rpm, but I can hear it stumble and miss after warming up. For what a new one is worth, I'm not going to mess around with this one much. Besides, I like fiddling with screws haha.
 
#6 ·
defiantly is, Like I said, when I ran the ID plate, came back as a 2005-2006. I trust what's stamped on the machine over what the owner tells me. I think he bought it in 2011, and the dealer that sold it to him forgot to mention it was already 5 years old :icon_whistling:
 
#7 ·
Congratulations on your good bargain!

It sounds like you are headed in the right direction to get your machine ready for the next snow. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping the machine running well. The problems you are describing definitely sound like a carb problem like the others have said. I would also pull the spark plug to see what condition it is in and whether it is properly gapped. It should be in great shape with so little use but it is always good to verify that so you know what you are dealing with.

Did the user manual come with the machine? If not, you may want to download one so you can see what the manufacturer recommends for lubrication, maintenance and service procedures.
 
#9 ·
I feel the need to elaborate a little bit, while this may be my first snow blower, it's defiantly not my first time working on one. I'm just used to ..... Larger.... machines. While I appreciate all the tips and advice (one of the reasons I signed up for this forum, everyone is so friendly and helpful), trust me when I say I have it under control. I was more sharing my experience and joy at having a new toy rather then looking for help. I'm sure all of you can remember when you bought your first snowblower, and had to tell the world ;):blowerhug:
 
#10 ·
Snowblowers are awesome. Just got my first one and it gave me my winters back. Now, I can enjoy my favorite season without dreading every coming snow storm here in Utah and we definitely do get a lot of snow. Did the last two years with only a shovel after moving up from Arizona. Never again. :)
 
#11 · (Edited)
Tecumseh in their infinite wisdom has decided that their engine doesn't need an adjustable carb,
Engine manufacturers for many years now have been mandated by laws (U.S. EPA) to incorporate tamper proof emission settings into their designs.
 
#13 ·
Tecumseh in their infinite wisdom has decided that their engine doesn't need an adjustable carb, I don't agree, so currently I'm waiting for the new adjustable one I ordered to come in. It should be here early next week, pretty sure after that she will purr like a kitten. Now all I need is a good dump of snow to really test it out and see what it can do. With my luck I probably wont see that until next season.
Engine manufacturers for many years now have been mandated by laws (U.S. EPA) to incorporate tamper proof emission settings into their designs.
Yep, that wasn't Tecumseh's choice, (Briggs also had to do it) It was a government mandate.
supposedly it creates less pollution..although I still cant see why we need to worry about that for an engine that runs 5 hours a year, max.
but, when the government is involved, it doesn't have to make sense! ;)

Scot
 
#14 ·
Hmm, this is true, and I do know the difference. must have had a brain fart when I was typing.

Engine manufacturers for many years now have been mandated by laws (U.S. EPA) to incorporate tamper proof emission settings into their designs.
I never thought about that, I'm not too sure where those engines fall for emissions here, but I know that era of off road diesel engines didn't have a whole lot of emissions controls yet. Up until a few years ago most small off road equipment didn't have to meet near the same levels as on road vehicles. I used to get a kick out of new compressor and generator trailers that would come in stamped "tier III certified" and under the hood was the same engine they have been running for the last 10 years because that class of engine didn't have tight controls yet.

IMO "tamper proof" doesn't have to mean there is no way to adjust them at all, all they have to do is have a small selection of idle air jets available from dealer to adjust if required. That way there would be no major adjustment to the main jet for high load emissions, but still be able to clear up issues like mine, and not every back yard junky would mess with it. It's not like I want to make an off road race snow blower, I just want to tune it in to run properly.
 
#15 ·
"It's not like I want to make an off road race snow blower, I just want to tune it in to run properly."

I'd like to have a racing snowblower! I can see it now...the Monster Energy Snowblower Cup Series and the Verizon Snowblower Series here in the states. And world wide you'd have the Formula 1 Snowblower World Championship...

I better get out to the shop and start buildin'!!! Let's see where did I put that old Yamaha TZ750 engine? And that Cub Cadet 4 X 4 chassis or do I want to go with tracks, what size bucket? Decisions, decisions!
 
#17 · (Edited)
I host my own images, and insert them in the post. That way I can control what size image gets posted, and it's nicer to the forum owners because I'm not using their resources for my media.

On another note, I've had the chance now to put my blower through some nasty work. Some of it definitely not nice to the paint in the chute, but I must say, overall this thing is a beast, I haven't been able to clog it, or even lug the engine down (but I have got it to labour pretty hard). I've gone through everything from 20" deep semi packed and heavy snow (piles from clearing my sidewalk after being walked on) to stuff so slushy it kinda just gargled out of the chute and landed 5 feet away. This summer I'm going to have to dismantle it and line the impeller housing and chute with something that wont start chipping off whenever I catch a little bit of gravel. The only real complaint I have is my auger housing seems to have a slight tweak to it now, it's nothing crazy, I just noticed it when I was in there checking everything after the last use.
 
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