Check your oil before you ride/blow snow

[bcware]

I just seized my snow-blower 10 minutes ago and I could have prevented it.

I started the machine, warmed it up and nearly finished the driveway when it started making a loud rattling noise.

Well, due to my sordid past with this particular machine I thought nothing of it. Over the years a few of the metal panels and covers have made their way loose due to the vibrations. I figured it was just another loose bolt somewhere. I kept it running because I was looking for the loose panel; I was in the middle of pressing on each one to find the culprit when the engine seized.

Shit! That wasn't a vibrating panel, that was rod knock

I wheeled it back inside and checked the oil. Lo and behold the level is way too high and the stuff is very thin. Oh, and it smells a bit gassy.

It flooded AFTER the last time I shut it off. Because it had a few weeks to sit it had no problem starting up. Had I checked the oil before every start I would have caught this. I also might have been able to save it if I had shut it off right away, but my past experience desensitized me to strange noises.

 

[xschris]

I bet from now on you will check every time

 

[bcware]

Yeah. I will only make this mistake once. It's ok though. I got about 15 years out of this machine; she had a good run! I will probably tear it apart and/or drop a new motor in it at some point. Learning is fun

 

[Hardk0re]

It happens a lot, I worked in a small engine shop and there was usually a few every snowfall. A new motor should be easy to slap on for 89 at princess auto or harbor freight. Won't be as good as the Briggs or Tecumseh that was probably on there but cheaper than a new machine.

My current machine is a 30 year old John Deere that this same thing happened too, now with a princess auto 6.5. Don't worry about people saying carbs will freeze up, I've never had that problem yet 6 years and going strong.

 

[bcware]

I put a new used motor in the blower for a little over $100. I had it in within an hour. The first mod? Manual shut off valve on the gas tank!

I've never had any serious carb problems myself. I did replace some of the internals of the original blower's carb, but that was super cheap and my step father (previous owner) never maintained the thing at all!