So, what's up with my snowblower?

[Wade Lippman]

Winter decided to come this week.
I used my snowblower for an hour this morning for the first time this year. It started to sputter and finally stalled. I figured it was out of gas, but I was done anyhow.
This afternoon I checked and it had plenty of gas. It started and ran for 2 minutes, then stalled. I was able to restart it repeatedly, but it only ran for a couple seconds.
Not knowing what else to do, I put in more gas. It ran for 30 minutes until I was done; no problems.
The gas is a few months old, but is ethanol free with stabilizer.

I know it sounds like it was just out of gas, but it wasn't. It has never acted like this before. (it is 5 years old) Any ideas what might be going on here?

[Paul F Franklin]

I'd clean the carb, especially if it sat with gas in it over the summer. Even with stabilizer, if it sits long enough it will gum up. Since it sort-of runs, you could try one of the carb cleaners you add to the gas, but if it doesn't improve, you'll probably have to remove the carb and clean it well.

[Ole Anderson]

You are in upstate NY and this is the first time you had enough snow to run the beast? Wow. As it runs now, I wouldn't worry about it until the end of the season, then dump gas out of the tank and run it until the carb is dry and it stops running, then fresh gas next fall. I'm guessing you didn't do that last fall?

[Jerome Stanek]

Get some sea foam and run and mix it up and run that through it. My generator was doing the same thing and that cleared it up without a carb tear down.

[ryan paulsen]

Get some sea foam and run and mix it up and run that through it. My generator was doing the same thing and that cleared it up without a carb tear down.

This has worked for me several times. A heavy dose of seafoam does a good job of cleaning minor gunk.

With it running normal after you open the gas tank, are you sure the vent isn't blocked? Is this tank under vacuum when you open the lid?

[Mark Beall]

You are in upstate NY and this is the first time you had enough snow to run the beast? Wow. As it runs now, I wouldn't worry about it until the end of the season, then dump gas out of the tank and run it until the carb is dry and it stops running, then fresh gas next fall. I'm guessing you didn't do that last fall?

I don't know where Wade is, but yep that's the winter we've had in upstate NY. I believe our current total snowfall for the year is about 9". Was about 60 degrees on Christmas day and was 55 here today (we did have winter last weekend, when we had highs in the single digits and lows of about 10 below - that might be all we get).

To keep on topic, no idea about your snowblower Wade. Certainly sounds like something related to getting fuel (rather than air or spark).

[Jebediah Eckert]

+1 on carb being gummed up. I have had good luck with a product called "Mechanic in a Bottle." My small lawnmower sat too long and wouldn't even start. I drained the gas and the carb, put the MIB in, few pulls and let it sit overnight. Fresh gas the next day and it ran all season. It's only a quick fix but may get you through the winter. I have also used Seafoam but haven't tried it on something that wouldn't start or was running real rough. Good luck.

[Wade Lippman]

My second guess, after being out of gas, was a gummed up carb. The second year I had it, it wouldn't start but was still under warranty. A guy came out and replaced the carb without even looking at it. He said they were all crap and I should plan on replacing the carburetor every year.

When I put the extra gas in I also put in some MIB. I should have put them in one at a time to know which "fixed" it, but was careless.

But... wouldn't running it for an hour tend to clean the carburetor rather than fouling it? It ran fine for an hour before stalling.

Before this week we didn't get below 20* and only had 4" of snow. The weekend was below zero and today was a major storm. Well, maybe the skiing will improve.

[Dave Zellers]

Where are you getting ethanol free gas?

[Wade Lippman]

Where are you getting ethanol free gas?

Try http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=NY
There are several stations by me; I think it is mainly used in boats, so you will find it by marinas.

[Mark Beall]

Where are you getting ethanol free gas?

Every Stewart's around here has sold it for the last year or so.

[Ole Anderson]

Ethanol only messes up carbs and fuel systems whose rubber and metal parts aren't designed for it. Most manufacturers have been accommodating it for years. It does attract moisture through the off season, so you don't want to have a partially filled tank. Moisture in the air enters the tank through the vent with atmospheric pressure changes. Either full with Stabil or empty (preferred). I have always run regular gas with 10% ethanol in all of my engines and never have a problem. Some manufacturers recommend ethanol free gas (we used to call it white gas when regular had lead) I believe to CYA. Fire away...

[Lee Schierer]

There is a product called Starbrite gas treatment that will removed the water from the ethanol and kill the slime that grows in the ethanol water mixture. I use it in my boat fuel tank after having some ethanol related fuel problems. One treatment cleared up the problem and regular treatments have prevented a reoccurrence.

It is possible that the snow blower problem was related to fuel line freeze up due to fuel tank condensation. Stabil does not prevent this. Moisture in the fuel line can freeze when you take a snow blower out in the cold. Adding warm gas from the garage might temporarily melt the ice, but as it cools off it would re freeze.

[Rod Sheridan]

You are in upstate NY and this is the first time you had enough snow to run the beast? Wow. ?

Hi Ole, I live across lake Ontario from him and 2 days ago is the first time I've had the snow blower out. It has been a very weird year.

I fly out to Kuujjuaq next Monday, that should satisfy my need for winter :-).................Regards, Rod.

[Bruce Wrenn]

The "Mechanic in a Bottle" is my first choice. Seafoam is a mixture of naptha (lighter fluid,) methanol (alcohol,) and a light white oil (diesel fuel.) I rescue small engines from dumpsters. I take an engine that barely runs, and add some MIB to it, and let it run. In just a few moments the engine begins to smooth out in it's running. I add Star Tron to my gas cans when I fill them as a precaution. HD carries MIB, and Lowes stocks StarTron. I use ethanol free gas in all my small engines.