Snow Blowers

Can a bad spark plug affect snowblower engine performance? The answer is definitely yes. Plugs that are dirty with soot or have an improper gap can affect a snowblower engine in several ways. They may become difficult to start. When they start, they may run rough and use more fuel in the process. You may get a lot of exhaust because of the poorly burned fuel. In some cases, when a spark plug is in really bad shape, the engine may not start at all making it quite frustrating on those really cold, snowy days. If you are having problems of this sort, attend to the problem immediately before your snowblower will not start at all.

Can a bad Spark Plug Affect Snowblower Performance

Remove the spark plug using a spark plug removal socket after first disconnecting the spark plug wire from it. Once it is removed, inspect the spark plug for damage. Any damage to the metal of the porcelain should require a new plug to be installed.

If you decide to keep the old one, clean all of the soot and deposits off the plug and then reset the gap to the manufacturer’s specifications. Once this is complete, reattach the spark plug wire and hold the plug against the metal housing to ground it properly. Pull the crank to turn the engine once or twice to confirm adequate spark is being produced.

If there is no spark, you may have problems other than the spark plug. You may have to do this several times to ensure that you have a spark. Make sure you properly ground the plug against the housing.

Reinstall the spark plug in the engine and reattach the spark plug wire. If the engine still does not run smoothly, you may have a gummed-up carburetor which will require cleaning etc.

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