Snagged a free snowblower: Ran when parked. Not eco.
 

https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1618012445


A friend gave me this. "Ran when parked" (N years ago).

Maybe this is a bad thread for EcoModder: the fact is it's only going to increase my fuel consumption.

Thing is: I look after my folks' driveway and my own.



Truth is: I actually like shovelling - it's good exercise.

But once or maybe twice a year we get a dump of snow that's slightly more exercise than I want. Yet I've managed to get this far in life without a snowblower. Though I'm lucky that sometimes a neighbour with a blower clears the end of the driveway on those rare days.

Anyway, it's got:

• flat tires
• a squirrel-chewed plastic fuel tank
• I have no idea how old it is
• it wouldn't start when I sprayed quick start in the intake. (UPDATE: it started!)

A little project for sure.

Good find. You're definitely going to need it.
I'm in new mexico and I might need one.

Check for spark. Or convert it to electric, if you just happen to have a big enough battery that you can use elsewhere the rest of the year.

Fun little project. They're pretty simple and easy to work on.

Well, I've managed to live life with just shovels so far, so "need" is maybe a bit strong.

I'm probably more excited about making it work again than actually using it.

CHECK. We have spark!

Honestly, I'd be fine with an extension cord. But I don't have a ~50A circuit handy. :D

It's aliiiiiiive!
 

Today I learned what a load governor butterfly valve is, and what happens if it's stuck closed. WD-40 to the rescue!

So I got it to cough to life on starting spray, but it won't run on gas.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1618066163

I added a bit of gas to the tank, and now it's dripping out of the carb. :D Stuck float or needle valve or...

I employed my stuck-float-&-needle-valve-adjustment hammer, but that didn't work.

Can I just duct tape a can of starter spray to the carb and jam the nozzle open? Seems reasonable. Wonder how many DPAC's it'd get... (driveways per aerosol cans)

A lot of these small engines get flakes of varnish coming off in the carb float when ethanol tainted gas sits in them over winter. Clogs everything up and you basically need a new carb. Say no to ethanol in small engines. My neighbor has a small engine repair shop and he said that's 90% of his work now and he praises the lords of corn subsidies.

For something you expect to only use a couple times a year, how about a lead-sled electric conversion and a battery tender?

Like a recent thread here

Bad fuel economy over short distances

Has spark but quick-start wouldn't make it fire up? Odd. Intake full of nuts?

Correction: it WILL run on quick start. But not on fresh gas from the tank.

I'm into the carb now...

Samwichse: correct, LOTS of flaking varnish in the float bowl.

Your neighbour's corn fuel comment made me chuckle. My small engines are anti-vegan: no corn fuel! Dead dinosaurs only.