There’s nothing as frustrating as a snow blower that won’t start when you need it the most. Yet with the right troubleshooting ideas, you can get your snow blower to start instantly and ready to plow through light, thick, and heavy snow in this season.
If your single, double, or three-stage snow blower ran well the last time you used it, it’s highly unlikely that the problem is major. Quite too often, the problem tends to be so minor that you can fix on your own.
In this guide, you’ll learn why your slow blower won’t start and also know exactly what to do to fix the problem.
With the troubleshooting tips shared in this guide, it should be easy to give your snow blower a quick jumpstart in readiness for plowing snow in the dead of the winter.
Why Wont My Snow Blower Start?
Your snow blower won’t start because:
1. The Spark Plug has a Problem
Remove the spark plug from the snow blower and examine it carefully. Note whether it’s wet or dry.
A wet spark plug indicates that the blower’s fuel system has a problem. It’s also highly likely that gas leaks into the machine’s combustion chamber.
In such an instant, you need to check if there are cracks on the porcelain sleeve and a buildup of carbon deposits on the electrode.
A dry plug, on the other hand, is an indication that your snow blowers carburetor has a clogging issue. The solution to this is as simple as cleaning the carburetor yourself.
You can use a carb cleaning kit to do this. If you don’t like to get your hands dirty, take the machine to a professional engineer near you and have them fix it for you.
How much fuel stabilizer for snowblower
2. Switches and Valves are in the Wrong Position
Snow blowers feature buttons, switches, and valves. These components have to be in the right position for a snow blower to start.
So if you’ve tried starting your machine several time but it fails to respond, there is a chance that one or all of the switches and valves are in the wrong position.
According to your snow blower’s manual, you should set the run switch to “On”, adjust the throttle to “High” position, set the fuel shut-off valve to “Open”, and place the choke to “Full” position.
Maybe all you have to do if your snow blower won’t start is to do a quick check to make sure you have ALL the switches and valves set in the right position.
Check the manual if you’re not sure about where to put what so you don’t waste time figuring things out.
3. The Gas Tank is Empty – Or Doesn’t Have Enough Fuel
We’re assuming that you haven’t used your snow blower for quite some time. And there is a high chance you haven’t checked whether or not there’s enough fuel in it.
So if you have the switches an valves all set in their correct positions, but your snow blower still doesn’t start, you need to check if the tank has enough fuel.
Many gas-powered snow blowers have tanks that can hold a maximum of 0.75 gallons of fuel. That’s about 2.89 liters, which can’t last quite longer, especially when plowing snow on long driveways. As such the chance of getting low on gas is highly likely.
The lack of enough fuel isn’t a big problem at all. All you have to do is to add more oil to the tank and then try restarting the unit again.
Electric start self-propelled snow blower
4. Clogging in the Fuel Line and Filters
The switches and valves are in the correct position. There’s enough fuel in the tank. But, still, the snow blower simply won’t start.
What could be the problem exactly?
It could be that the fuel line’s filter have either clogged or blocked. Unfortunately, the filter isn’t easy to clean. So if this is the reason why your machine won’t start, you have to consider replacing the old filter with a new one.
Don’t forget to check the line. If there are leaks coming from it, get a replacement now and fix the system so that it can start.
5. The Snow Blower Has a Fuel Problem
Here’s the thing:
The old gas you left in your snow blower before parking it in the garage after the last season isn’t going to do jerk. And given how long the snow blower has been idle, the power of gasoline, which happens to have a very short lifespan, has died out.
What’s more, it’s easy for the old gas to become thick and easily clog the fuel filter and carburetor.
Some people fall for the temptation that adding fuel stabilizer to old gas can make a difference. It hardly does. The best solution here is to drain the old, stale gas from the tank and fill it with fresh fuel instead. It’s that simple.
Snowblower modification for gravel driveway
6. There’s a Problem with the Blower’s Choke
A choke is a very important component in a snow blower. It features a closing and opening valve that helps to regular air-to-fuel mixture as you plow through light and thick snow.
More often than not, the choke reduces air pressure in the carburetor and pushes more fuel to the combustion chamber so that the engine works more easily.
The problem comes in when the choke sticks in a closed position. If this happens, it means that the choke strangles the engine so much so that the snow blower won’t start.
Fortunately, you don’t need to employ the service of an engineer to fix this problem. All you have to do is to adjust the choke in such a way that it allows enough air to flow to the engine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes a snow bower not to start?
When you leave fuel in the gas tank without adding fuel stabilizer to the tank, the fuel will age and get sticky. The sticky oil will clog the carburetor and make it difficult for the machine to start.
How do you start a snow blower that has been sitting?
You can start a snow blower that has been sitting by making sure you set the valves and switches to the right position. You can reference to your manufacturer’s manual to help you do this fast.
Why Won’t My Snow Blower Start? Now you have an idea why your snow blower won’t start and what you can do to fix the problem yourself,
You won’t need to hire a professional auto engineer to help you fix the issue. As you can see, these issues have simple solutions.
Best electric snow blower for the elderly