Snow Blowers

It is time to start thinking about doing snow blower pre season maintenance. It is still not that cold and relatively comfortable to work outside on equipment. Much more than after that first snow fall and you are trying to start your snow blower for the first time in the cold weather. A snow blower is pretty basic, however there are a number of things that you can do to ensure that it runs smoothly for you on the first day of winter after a large snow fall. We will list them and then give you a bit more detail on each.

Snow Blower Pre Season Maintenance Activities

Always refer to your service manual for any details and questions. These are the items you should be reviewing as part of the pre season maintenance activities:

• Check Spark Plug
• Review Belts
• Check Tires
• Grease Auger
• Check Light is Working
• Check for Loose Bolts
• Test Start with Fresh Gasoline
• Clean Carburetor if Needed
• Test all Gears
• Test Auger and Impeller
• Oil Change

More Details

Check Spark Plug – remove the spark plug, clean the electrode and reset the gap. If badly corroded, replace with a new one.

Review Belts – for proper tension. Adjust tension pulleys if needed

Check Tires – for proper air pressure, any cuts or cracks. Replace if needed

Grease Auger – find the grease nipples and apply crease using a grease gun

Check Light is Working – replace bulb if needed and check connections

Check for Loose Bolts – make sure all bolts are tight and secure

Test Start with Fresh Gasoline – add fresh gasoline that has been treated with conditioner. Start your engine and let it run for 5 or 10 minutes to ensure there are no problems with the filter and carb.

Clean Carburetor if Needed – if your engine is difficult to start or runs roughly, then you may need to have the carb cleaned.

Test all Gears – make sure all forward and revers gears engage and work properly with adequate power

Test Auger and Impeller – make sure the auger and impeller are clear and then engage to confirm proper operation.

Oil Change – drain the engine oil into a pan, and reinstall fresh oil in the engine following the manufacturers instructions.

These are the basics of getting your snow blower ready for the coming season. Anything more serious may need the services of a small engine mechanic.

It is time to complete your snow thrower end of season maintenance if you have not already checked your machine. No one wants to do this kind of work in the cold of winter. Although you really do not want to think about winter it is really just a few months away at the time of writing this post. It is time to get your equipment tuned up and ready. Over the years we have found that regularly maintaining your snow thrower will add many years to its life and possibly to yours as well.

It can be quite frustrating to find that your snow thrower will not start on the first day that snow falls. Your snow thrower will run better, smoother and at full power with new spark plugs, properly tension-ed belts and fresh engine oil. Clean fresh gasoline can help as well. We put together a checklist that should be part of your standard review for end of season maintenance or preparation for the coming season. Don’t procrastinate, do it now and get your snow thrower ready for the coming season.

Snow Thrower End of Season Maintenance

This is our list of Snow Thrower End of Season Maintenance items to check on your snow Thrower to ensure it runs well and starts every time:

• Change the engine oil
• Properly Inflate the tires
• Check the spark plug, clean and set the spark plug gap
• Install a new spark plug if needed
• Check the belt tension
• Grease the auger shaft
• Check the gear changer and adjust if needed
• Spray the housing with rust inhibitor to protect the frame from rust
• Ensure there is fresh gasoline in the tank
• Add preservative to the gasoline as needed
• Repair any other damage that may have been caused in the past year

For more information about repairs and maintenance for your snow thrower, click here.

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If you have not already completed your snow blower end of season maintenance, it is time to do it before the winter season arrives. No one wants to do this kind of work in the cold weather. Although you really do not want to think about winter it is really just around the corner. It is time to get your equipment tuned up and ready. Over the years we have found that regularly maintaining your snow blower will add many years to its life. Possibly to yours as well. It can be quite frustrating to find that your snow blower will not start on the first day of a really big snow fall.

Your snow blower will run better, smoother and at full power with new spark plugs, properly tension-ed belts and fresh engine oil. Clean fresh gasoline helps as well. We put together a list of items that should be part of your standard checklist for end of season maintenance or preparation for the coming season. Don’t procrastinate, get going now and get your snow blower ready for the coming season.

Snow Blower End of Season Maintenance

This is our list of Snow Blower End of Season Maintenance items to check on your snow blower to ensure it runs well and starts every time:

• Change the engine oil
• Properly inflate the tires
• Check the spark plug, clean and set the spark plug gap
• Install a new spark plug if needed
• Check the belt tension
• Grease the auger shaft
• Check the gear changer and adjust if needed
• Spray the housing with rust inhibitor to protect the frame from rust
• Ensure there is fresh gasoline in the tank
• Add preservative to the gasoline as needed
• Repair any other damage that may have been caused in the past year

For more information about repairs and maintenance, click here.

Snow Blowers are going on sale in the late summer period and you are wondering if you should hire a snow-clearing company. The sales look attractive, but do you really want to operate one of these noisy machines? Where will you store it when it is not on use? They are heavy and difficult to transport if you need to have repairs completed. Can you maintain it yourself and what do you need to do anyway? These are all questions that many people ask themselves every year when they look at the snow blower sales available. We have summarized some of the main issues to help people make a decision regarding which solution they should consider. Hire a snow clearing company vs. buy a snow blower.

Why Would you Hire a Snow Clearing Company vs buy a Snow Blower?

Cost – Sure there is a large upfront cost to buying a snow blower, but how quickly will you spend more money hiring a company to clear your driveway? With many contracts running in the $300 to $500 range a year, most people will find that within 3 to 5 years their snow blower will be the less expensive option.

Operation – are you comfortable operating one of these machines? The trick is to let it do the work and just focus on steering. They are noisy as well. Try out a neighbor’s machine if you have concerns in this area.

Storage – where will you store the snow blower when it is not in use? Many people find that they cannot store it in their garage and have to leave it outside. Over the years every machine will deteriorate so make sure you have some way to protect it.

Maintenance – can you change the oil, and check the belts and the spark plug? If you cannot, you might want to hire a snow-clearing company. These tasks are simple and straightforward forward but not everyone wants to do the maintenance.

Convenience – It is very nice to look out your window in the morning and see that your driveway is already clear. Getting to work is no problem at all. If you travel, then hire someone to clear the snow. You want the house to look live-in while you are away and the driveway to be clear when you return.

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Why would you hire a snow clearing company vs. a snow thrower? There are many reasons to hire a snow clearing company, but many people resist because they know that it is less expensive to just purchase a snow thrower. There are conditions which make one or the other more attractive from a financial perspective. In addition there are other practical reasons that make it reasonable to hire a snow clearing company. We will discuss some of these concerns and issues in this post.

Bottom line, it is a very personal decision regarding which solution you pursue.  The decision involves both how much money you have and also how comfortable you are in operating this kind of equipment. If you are not very handy and do not like large noisy machines that you have to maintain, hire a snow clearing company.

Hire a Snow Clearing Company vs. Buy a Snow Thrower

These are the main areas that every person should consider before they purchase a snow thrower.

Financial – A snow thrower properly maintained should last many years. Take the cost of the snow thrower divided by the annual cost of hiring a snow clearing company to find out how long it will take you to break even on the costs. If it is less than the expected life time of the snow thrower, then it is a good idea from a financial perspective to buy the snow thrower. in most cases unless you buying an expensive snow thrower, the payback will be less than 5 years. Most machines that are well maintained will last for ten, to 30 years.

Transportation – If you cannot maintain it yourself, you will need to arrange transportation to take it to a repair shop. Factor in this issue to make sure that you can accommodate this need.

Maintenance – The oil should be changed every year or more often in high use situations along with the spark plug. Check the belt tension and lubricate as needed. If you can do this yourself, you can save a great deal of money.

Repairs – Most machines will never need repairs especially if they are maintained properly. Can you change tires, change belts, change spark plugs, etc yourself.

Operation – some people are just not comfortable operating a large noisy snow thrower. Although you want to save money, it may be better to just hire someone. This is a very personal assessment that everyone needs to take into account.

Convenience

If you travel, are away on business trips, or just do not want to be bothered clearing snow at 6 in the morning so you can get to work, then hire a snow clearing company. It is pretty nice to look out your window and see a clear driveway that has been cleared sometime during the night!

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Regardless of when you decide to complete maintenance on your snow thrower, there are eight areas that consumers should focus on. Obviously it is better to do this maintenance in the spring or summer time when it is warm. However you can perform these snow thrower maintenance tips any time during the year. Even when it is cold and the beginning of winter has begun. But do you really want to perform this kind of maintenance in the cold weather? I prefer to do this in warm weather. Just when it warms up for the spring season after the snow is gone.

Snow Thrower Maintenance Tips

Here are eight tips that all consumers should consider to keep their snow thrower machine running smoothly all year long.

• Install a new spark plug
• Check the impellers and the auger
• Review the belts
• Inspect the shave plate
• Reverse the skid shoes
• Confirm the shear pins are ok
• Change the engine oil
• Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer to the gasoline tank

A few more comments on each:

Install a new spark plug – At the very least remove the spark plug, remove all corrosion and set the gap to the proper amount as specified by the manufacturer

Check the impellers and the auger – Make sure they are not damaged in any way. Grease the auger if there are grease nipples

Review the belts – The belts should not frayed or coming apart. Adjust the belts to the proper tension

Inspect the shave plate – It should not be loose and about 1/4 inch above the surface if you are clearing snow off a paved driveway. Higher if on gravel.

Reverse the skid shoes – Check the skid shoes. If they are beginning to show signs of wear, reverse them. Tightly secure the skid shoes.

Conform the shear pins are ok – Replace them if they are showing signs of being sheared off.

Change the engine oil – Once per year and more often if you are using your snow blower every day during the winter

Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer in the gasoline – This will ensure that the tank and filters do not get gummed up by old gasoline that is beginning to separate into its component parts.

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Regardless of when you decide to complete maintenance on your snow blower, there are eight areas that consumers should focus on. Obviously it is better to do this maintenance in the summertime when it is warm. However, you can perform these snowblower maintenance tips any time during the year, even when it is cold and the beginning of winter has begun.

Snow Blower Maintenance Tips

Here are eight tips that all consumers should consider to keep their machines running smoothly all year long.

• Change the spark plug
• Check the impellers and the auger
• Inspect the belts
• Inspect the shave plate
• Reverse the skid shoes
• Check the shear pins
• Change the oil
• Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer added

A few more comments on each:

Change the spark plug – at the very least remove the spark plug. Remove all corrosion and set the gap to the proper amount as specified by the manufacturer

Check the impellers and the auger – to make sure they are not damaged in any way. Grease the auger if there are grease nipples

Inspect the belts – Are they beginning to fray or coming apart? Properly set the tension of the belts.

Inspect the shave plate – it should not be loose and about 1/4 inch above the surface if you are clearing snow off a paved driveway. Higher if on gravel.

Reverse the skid shoes – check the skid shoes. Check them for signs of wear. Reverse the skid shoes. Tightly secure them.

Check the shear pins – replace the shear pins.

Change the oil – at least once per year and more often if you are using your snowblower every day during the winter

Add fresh gasoline with stabilizer added – this will ensure that the tank and filters do not get gummed up by old gasoline that is beginning to separate into its component parts.

This component is a standard on many snowblower engines. There are several choices if the electric starter needs to be repaired. You can attempt to repair the unit by troubleshooting to find out what is wrong. Or you can just replace the entire component. Home mechanics will find that it is very easy to remove the electric starter motor from the engine housing. Remove 2 or 3 bolts. The sprocket should move out along the shaft easily. If not you need to lubricate this area to ensure that it does move freely. Next, you need to make sure that the push button switch is actually making a connection and closing the circuit. Use a volt ohmmeter to test it. It is easy to complete snowblower electric starter repairs.

Snowblower Electric Starter Repair

The next step is to replace the entire module. Order these modules on Amazon. They will ship to your home.

You will need the make and model number of your snowblower to order the correct module. Once it arrives, install it on your snowblower engine following the same  process you used to remove it in reverse.

Trying to start some of the larger snowblower engines using the pull chord is almost impossible unless you have a perfectly tuned engine.

The picture on the left is a typical starter motor package for snow blowers. It consists of the motor, a connecting cable and a push button starter terminal, It accepts an electrical extension chord connection. On the motor there is a sprocket that spins out and away from the housing to engage with the engine drive shaft sprocket. There are many different snowblower starter motor problems that can occur as these devices age and are used. Lets face it the engine is much easier to start with an electric starter compared to a pull chord.

As engines get larger, pull chords are even more difficult to use. Unless your engine is tuned perfectly it can be very difficult to start a snow blower engine with a pull chord. Recently the writer found that on his snowblower, the electric starter would spin. But the sprocket would not engage with the engine sprocket.

Snowblower Starter Motor Problems – Lubrication

We removed the starter by unscrewing three engine screws and found that the sprocket which is supposed to slide out needed lubrication. The chaft was a bit rusty preventing the sprocket from sliding out. WD40 is a great product. I sprayed the shaft and the sprocket liberally with WD40 and reinstalled the motor. Presto it worked and I was able to start the engine and clear the snow from my driveway.

The major problem I had was that I had to do this in freezing temperatures. The good news was that I am handy enough to do this sort of thing on my own. The alternative might have been a $75 to $100 repair bill. Don’t forget transportation costs to get it to the repair shop. I would probably lose the use of the machine for at least a week or longer.

Bottom line, this is a maintenance item this summer for me when it is warm. I will also have time to do proper repairs and lubrication. It could have also just as easily been a broken wire, a bad switch on the starter switch or a seized electric motor.

You can purchase the entire component online from Amazon as well for a reasonable price and they are relatively easy to install.

You may not be thinking about doing snowblower spring maintenance in the spring, but this is actually a great time to get this task completed. One of the big advantages is that you drain all of the fuel out of the system before it has a chance to gum up the carb or the fuel lines and filters. This situation can cause your engine to he very difficult to restart in the fall. Another advantage is doing your lawn mower maintenance at the same time.

You can save time and also complete two jobs in a lot less time than if you tried to do them both separately. Grease the auger, oil the housing, check belts for tension and wear. Change the oil and complete any other repairs that may be needed. If you do this work now, your repairs can be completed while the weather is warm. Parts can be ordered and received in lots of time prior to the next season.

Snowblower Spring Maintenance

In summary, the following should be considered as part of your snowblower spring maintenance routine.

• Change the oil
• Grease the auger shaft
• Oil the housing to prevent rust
• Check the belts for proper tension and wear
• Verify the tires are at the proper pressure
• Drain all fuel from the system
• Perform any maintenance that is needed

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