Taylor wrote:
Pop` wrote:

Rich256 wrote:
professorpaul wrote:
For starters, clean the spark plug. You generally don't need a new
one except maybe every three seasons.

If you didn't run the blower engine dry at the end of the season, you
left gas in the carb, which is likely the problem Drop the fuel bowl,
clean it out with carb cleaner (spray can, any auto store). That
should do it. Also, check the air filter, if there is one.

Then, if you are in an area where they use ethanol drain all the gas
and run the carb dry at the end of the season. Don't depend on
stabil as the ethanol attracts water.
It's better to run the tank dry, but your comment on Stabil is just plain
silly. I've used it for years and the only downside is a little smoke the
first time it's started if one forgets to top off the tank. Plus maybe an
extra pull or couple seconds on the electric starter that first time.
Stabil is great for overwintering or oversummering.
When you don't know what you're talking about, don't talk about it.

I'm sure you used Stabil for years with no problems, but this year is the
first year for most snowblowers encountering ethanol in their fuel systems.
Without ethanol, leaving the carb wet with stabilized fuel helped prevent
seals and components from drying out and causing problems. With ethanol, the
fuel system is under attack by both the corrosive nature of the alcohol and
the moisture that it absorbs over time (both before and after you buy it and
put it in your tank.



If it is your first year with ethanol you are fortunate. In the west we
have been stuck with it every winter. And the stations usually stock it
all year because the government give them a break on the ethanol.

Most users manuals have picked up the warning about leaving gas in the
tanks over summer due to the corrosion by the ethanol/water mix. They
specify that the tank should be drained.