My snowblower wants me dead

[stetto]

Last summer I changed oil in all my combustion engines. Everything ran 5 X 5...

Yesterday morning we wake to a harmless little snowfall (that the weather geniuses "forgot" to predict, even the night before), and by 4:00 pm there was 12" of the stuff on the ground.

Having complete confidence in my summer's maintenance duties I went out to the shed, filled the tank on the blower, set the throttle, set the choke, pulled the rope...Pulled the rope...Pulled the rope....Pulled the rope...

They make these bastiges like they expect a Soviet siege, wrapping the fuel/ignition/spark sections with overly fastened plates of sheet tin, likely because all the integral components are now made of the cheapest of plastic.

After 3 more hours of "diagnosis" (and pulling that danged rip chord), I came back to the first hunch I had: She ain't gettin' no gas. You see, I was getting "advice" from every sector of the Friends & Family Network, one of which is a flippin' A&P mechanic, who were guiding me astray with suggestions that entailed complete disassembly...

So it's the next morning, there is another 8-10" of snow (c'mon Jaime, just pronounce it like it's spelled) coming tomorrow, and I can't get gas to the cylinder...

You know what I'll be doing all day, if not weekend. And my back hurts already.

[jetmex]

It might help if you filled the gas tank.....

Stetto, I don't know anything about those blower thingies, but check the easy stuff first.  Is there a filter?  Make sure it isn't plugged, or better yet, replace it. Check the line from the tank to the carb (assuming there is a carb) and make sure it's not leaking or swelled.  Does that engine have a primer?  Make sure that's working.  I'm guessing the fuel system on that is gravity feed, so there really shouldn't be much to it.

After all of that, make sure you pull the prop through about ten blades to clear all the oil and stuff from the bottom cyl....ummmmm...errrr....never mind...

[stetto]

It might help if you filled the gas tank.....

I just hate it when my posts are glossed over...

Stetto, I don't know anything about those blower thingies, but check the easy stuff first. 

OK, you got me at "thingy"

Is there a filter?  Make sure it isn't plugged, or better yet, replace it.

Nope, this is a Chinese Honda clone, OHV four-stroke, and they dint need no steenkin' filter...

Check the line from the tank to the carb (assuming there is a carb) and make sure it's not leaking or swelled.

Eeyup, lines got checked, but none were pulled, being as it involves a near complete disassembly of the area previously mentioned--There is no access without removal of at least 7 otherwise useless bolts, not to mention the Rubic-style of placement over the cylinder head and intake area.

Be aware that it is 7 degrees (F) and I am P-O'd to begin with. I'm not known for my finesse when P-O'd...
 

Does that engine have a primer?  Make sure that's working.

Yeah, a bulb-type, with the little air-hole in the middle. It "whooshes" air when pressed, which, if membrane serves, is the sound it always made. Thing is, there's absolutely NO smell of gas throughout all of this--Until I poured a couple drops into the plug hole and determined that it was a fuel issue...

I'm guessing the fuel system on that is gravity feed, so there really shouldn't be much to it.

Though not a small engine guy, I concur.

After all of that, make sure you pull the prop through about ten blades to clear all the oil and stuff from the bottom cyl....ummmmm...errrr....never mind...

Yeah, tried that too...Had to weedle my fingers into the guard and the pull rope kept getting in the way, but I think I got maybe one turn before I thought it was a dumb thing to be doing...

[jetmex]

When you said you put some fuel into the plug hole, I'm guessing you meant spark plug.  Did it try to fire then?

It sounds like you have a blockage somewhere.  I'd check your fuel lines from the tank.  If you have high ethanol gas up there, and an older machine, the ethanol could be causing the rubber in the lines (and everywhere else in the engine) to swell.  And (I have to ask), is there a shutoff valve?

Is the fuel tank above the level of the carb?

[Onepoint]

try some ether/ starting fluid in the air filter when you pull, if it fires then you know for certain its not getting gas, and every once in a while, it will pull enough vacuum in the carb when running to suck gas where simply turning it by hand won't.

[stetto]

Did it try to fire then?

Oh yeah, almost set ME on fire....

It sounds like you have a blockage somewhere.  I'd check your fuel lines from the tank.  If you have high ethanol gas up there, and an older machine, the ethanol could be causing the rubber in the lines (and everywhere else in the engine) to swell.

Copy that blockage. To check the fuel lines (or anything else), I have to pull the cowling. But to pull the cowling, I have to pull the belt cover. But to pull the belt cover, I have to pull the chute assembly. I get about 10 minutes of flexible finger time before I gotta warm 'em back up, and a couple of these 10mm bolts have been torqued on to where a 10mm wrench just rounds them.

The machine is 2 years old, made by MTD in Cleveland China. Warranty was up in October. But I still have their number...

Is the fuel tank above the level of the carb?

Jes' like in all my airplanes...Remember glo-powered engines, Jaime?

try some ether/ starting fluid in the air filter when you pull, if it fires then you know for certain its not getting gas, and every once in a while, it will pull enough vacuum in the carb when running to suck gas where simply turning it by hand won't.

Heh heh heh...Yeah, the air intake is INSIDE the stupid cowl...

[stetto]

Well, I got the cowling off...

I don't think it will be going back on without some refabrication, though.

They buried the carb and fuel lines so deep I'd have to completely disassemble the effin' thing just to get a finger on a fuel nipple. I'd never get it put back together.

I'd go start pushing a shovel, except we're getting another half foot or more tomorrow, so screw it.

Happy Thanksgiving

[stetto]

Just got off the phone with "technical support".

I asked for an engine tech.

I was told to take it to a certified service center, then told where the closest one was...

I told the guy that if I could get out of my driveway I'd be happy to take it to a certified service center.

I was told to take it to a certified service center, then told where the closest one was...

I asked the guy if he'd ever read 'Catch 22'...

I was told to take it to a certified service center, then told where the closest one was...

I made it clear in no uncertain terms that I knew what was wrong, simply needed to talk to a tech in order to get at the part with the least amount of frustration.

Yet again, I was told to take it to a certified service center, then told where the closest one was...

I'm now going to pour gasoline on the damm thing and light up a cigar, which I quit 2 months ago but seem to have no recourse...

All this for what is likely a needle blockage the size of a grain of sand...

[balsum fractus]

I think it was Yosemite Sam who first said "Ah hates pull start engines..!"

[jetmex]

Reminds me of a time when I was younger and better looking.  The fuel boost pump on most Cessna twins is in the wing leading edge, just outboard of the engines. It's basically an impeller with an electric motor attached.  They magically float this thing in mid air and then build the airplane around it.  To access it, you're given two four inch holes about three inches apart.  Assembled, the pump won't go through either of them, so to get it out, you have to disassemble it inside the wing.  Which also means you have to reassemble it inside the wing.  If you get a new pump, they void the warranty if you break it apart.....someone mentioned Catch 22?

Hot dogs taste really good after they've been roasted over a gasoline fed yard equipment fire.   

Did you find out what was wrong?

[stetto]

One.



Stupid.



Bolt.


The only part of the carb that has any access at all is where the bottom of the float tank is exposed underneath. There are two bolts on the bottom, one @ dead center that I figure is a mounting fastener, and another, offset at around 30 degrees. Both my farmer/large&small engine savaunt friend and my A&P mechanic brother told not to touch this bolt under any circumstances. They seemed to know what they were talking about...

The state in which I found myself yesterday (WA-A-A-AY northern Texas) left me no recourse. I had tried pulling the spark plug and pouring small amounts of fuel into the cylinder and firing it over a half dozen times with the hope of some kind of vacuum miracle, and finally just gave up, took a 10mm (lots O' metrics in the Chinese small engine world) socket and turned the forbidden bolt. After three turns, the float tank emptied its contents into my hand, I retightened the bolt, pulled the rope and



vroom




The real p!sser is, that bolt was the FIRST thing I was going to try....


But it still runs funny. I need the choke almost full on to keep it from leaning out and stalling. At least it runs.

[balsum fractus]

A&P mechanic brother

Is that the one that ate himself into a disablility.......?

[stetto]

yes