"Toller" wrote in message
...

What is this "oil" you speak of? If he burnt off all the gas, where would
there be oil?

Every snowblower that I have seen was 4-stroke
not 2-stroke. 4-stroke engines have oil in a sump
under the crankshaft (and a drain plug below.)

NO FINGER TIGHT SPARK PLUGS !! I unknowingly started a lawn mower with
a
finger tight spark plug. When the spark plug left the cylinder head
and
went through the side of my boot I figured "no problem" it will heal.
Two weeks later they amputated my great toe at the first joint.

When the plug is replaced finger tight for winter
storage, the spark lead remains disconnected -- so
must be reconnected before the magneto can work.
In any case, a good startup routine includes cleaning
and regapping the plug at the beginning of the season.

...and I'd say the same to the suggestion to "drain the oil". Bad
idea -
you will forget, and it will be expensive when you're reminded by the
shrieking sound of bent, busted piston & valves.

Small 4-stroke engines make the oil dirtier faster than
do automobile engines, i.e. the oil should be replaced
once a year. This means (1) draining the oil (from a
warm engine) at the end of seasonal use, (2) refilling with
clean oil either immediately (for winter storage) or first thing
next season (when we also regap the plug or fit a new plug.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)