Modding my snowblower

[Frank Lee]

We all know grille blocks are a good thing right? I put a vinyl sheet magnet (borrowed from the side of the fridge) over the cooling air intake on the recoil starter housing to kill the airflow for the first few minutes- gets up to temp quicker; allows choke to be opened sooner, saves fuel and engine wear.

I may even do that with Mowmar this summer too.

[Cobb]

I dont know, since its all air cooled maybe better to let it "warm up" on its own to avoid any stress fractures by parts warming up too fast. Those cast pot metal engine arent that strong.

We got a har bor freight 800 watt generator and it can take a minute or 2 for it to warm up and for the idle to stablze before applying a load.

[razor02097]

As long as the electrical components do not suffer.

[Frank Lee]

As you can see a few intake slots are open so there's a slight breeze instead of a gale force wind.

It starts 1st pull every time but I'd stall it by prematurely opening the choke. Traditionally the fix for such cold bloodedness would be to adjust the carb a skosh richer but I liked the notion of it being on the ragged edge of lean- and it runs well when warm- so decided to enhance warm-up like we do on our vehicles. The thing would be to not forget that block there but it's right in my face so I haven't.

[hondaguy72]

This all sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Cars run at light load most of the time whereas snow machines are at full load most of the time with no ability to richen or lean the mixture. I suggest keeping the mods to the cars.

[Frank Lee]

Dah, the magnet comes off after a few minutes.

[beatr911]

Good idea Frank.
So this is, in effect, a manually operated air cooled engine thermostat.

[Frank Lee]

Ed Zachary.

[beatr911]

He he he. Got it.

[wdb]

I can push the choke in on my snowblower almost immediately. Does that mean I am running it too rich, or does it merely mean that I live below the arctic circle?