Hi All,
I have a Yard-Man - unknown model (the plate with the ID is too worn down to read) but it looks simmilar to this one:
The difference is mainly in the controls - mine has a less 'refined' looking control panel. Otherwise, mine is a pretty similar tracked model.
The engine is a Tecumseh HMSK90-156501A with D.O.M. 43078 (or maybe 4307B). My father in law got it second hand and gave it to us so I don't know too much of it's history.
I had just got finished cleaning out the carb and adjusting the machine's cables. I took it out for a test run on the recent lake effect snow we just had in Buffalo. It started running rough after about 20 minutes and stalled. I got it started back up and about 30 seconds later I hear a BANG! and the fuel tank is bouncing up and down, and I hear oil running all over.
I look down below the tank and there's a crack in the engine and I can see the crankshaft
It had oil, so I don't know why it died.
Now, I am comfortable taking things apart and mechanically inclined but I know very little about snow blowers. So right now I'm not sure what my best option is. I see three possibilities:
1) Scrap the machine. See if somebody wants it for parts or to put a new engine on. Or cut it up for the scrap yard. Get what I can, and start saving up for a new machine (which means I'll be shoveling my 175' of sidewalk for the rest of this winter, probably).
2) Find a replacement Tecumseh engine. Which may be difficult? I'm under the impression that Tecumseh got taken over and parts are hard to find now?
3) Put a Harbor Freight Predator engine on it. This seems like a good way to go ($100 for a complete 6.5HP sounds good to me) but I have no idea how to figure out what fits. I'm guessing I find the spec for my Tecumseh and find a Predator with the same shape crankshaft. Then make an adapter to raise it to he proper height and bolt it down. But I'm not sure if there's any more to it.
I know #3 is only an option if I have one output shaft, right? Which I think I do from looking at parts diagrams?
Are there other options I haven't thought of?
So I'm looking for any advice I can get. And if anybody has the same / similar model as me and had the engine go out, I'd love to hear what you did.
Thanks everyone!
I have a Yard-Man - unknown model (the plate with the ID is too worn down to read) but it looks simmilar to this one:
The difference is mainly in the controls - mine has a less 'refined' looking control panel. Otherwise, mine is a pretty similar tracked model.
The engine is a Tecumseh HMSK90-156501A with D.O.M. 43078 (or maybe 4307B). My father in law got it second hand and gave it to us so I don't know too much of it's history.
I had just got finished cleaning out the carb and adjusting the machine's cables. I took it out for a test run on the recent lake effect snow we just had in Buffalo. It started running rough after about 20 minutes and stalled. I got it started back up and about 30 seconds later I hear a BANG! and the fuel tank is bouncing up and down, and I hear oil running all over.
I look down below the tank and there's a crack in the engine and I can see the crankshaft
It had oil, so I don't know why it died.
Now, I am comfortable taking things apart and mechanically inclined but I know very little about snow blowers. So right now I'm not sure what my best option is. I see three possibilities:
1) Scrap the machine. See if somebody wants it for parts or to put a new engine on. Or cut it up for the scrap yard. Get what I can, and start saving up for a new machine (which means I'll be shoveling my 175' of sidewalk for the rest of this winter, probably).
2) Find a replacement Tecumseh engine. Which may be difficult? I'm under the impression that Tecumseh got taken over and parts are hard to find now?
3) Put a Harbor Freight Predator engine on it. This seems like a good way to go ($100 for a complete 6.5HP sounds good to me) but I have no idea how to figure out what fits. I'm guessing I find the spec for my Tecumseh and find a Predator with the same shape crankshaft. Then make an adapter to raise it to he proper height and bolt it down. But I'm not sure if there's any more to it.
I know #3 is only an option if I have one output shaft, right? Which I think I do from looking at parts diagrams?
Are there other options I haven't thought of?
So I'm looking for any advice I can get. And if anybody has the same / similar model as me and had the engine go out, I'd love to hear what you did.
Thanks everyone!