snowblower engine

55 50 Ron · Jan 28, 2019

checked on buying a new 5 hp engine for my snowblower. Sales person said it has to be a special engine for a snowblower because of the carb design needing warm exhaust air mixed to intake for the carb to function properly. I think somebody is trying to "pull my leg", right? If that's true, I've never heard of it before. Engine on my blower now was moved from a garden tiller years ago and has worked fine with no special air mixture.

Rusty, I sure enjoy the old photos.

optiman · Jan 28, 2019

Hi
I call bs. the only thing i have seen is no air filter no dust at 10 below

T.R.K. · Jan 28, 2019

He's right. He doesn't want to sell you an ordinary spec. engine and then you come back with the carburetor icing up.
A dedicated snowblower engine has some provision to direct engine heat to the carburetor.

Same way on chainsaws. There is a baffle in most of the older Sthil saws, turn it one way for carb. heat in cold weather a screen allows some cylinder heat into the carburetor area of the saw. Turn it the other way so it blocks the air flow in warm weather.

big jt · Jan 28, 2019

The walk behind blowers I have messed with all had a hotbox around the carburator and no air filter. Two were briggs and one is a kohler. I think that is the only thing special about them but. I know Techumseh sold what they called a SnowKing engine that was made for snowblowers and yes Briggs did have a code for snowblower engines also but it was mainly the trim I mentioned. Oh yeah on the old flathead Briggs engines the 5 horse's didn't usually have mounting bosses for a starter but the snowblower engine did.

jt

gab · Jan 28, 2019

I thought the blower engines had some extra tin shrouding around the carb.

JayinNY · Jan 28, 2019

Total bs, I put a harbor freight engine on my old ariens, $99 bucks works fine.

SVcummins · Jan 28, 2019

It wouldn?t be hard to plumb a little pipe from the exhaust over to the carb to blow warm air on the carb if it gives you fits

Russ from MN · Jan 28, 2019

Right, most of them have the extra shroud to warm the carburetor. Not saying they won't work without it, but I think it's a good idea.

jeffcat · Jan 28, 2019

Did read the other relplys. Yes there are special setups for snowblowers and chainsaws. Now before everyone gets ready to jump...read this first. I have a new old virtually brand new MTD built unit. Has one of the very last Tecumseh OHV engines with a 120 volt plug in starter. Has NO air filter at all. Guess you could put one on if you wanted to. Also has a nice little cover hot box assembly from the side of the muffler over to the carb. No question it is a pre heat for the carb. Not hard to fabricate something so at least some air gets warmed. This would be for very cold weather with a very damp or high humidity would lead to carb icing. There is a modification for the older Mc Culloch saws I have. The I-40 saws and some others. There is a little bent metal folded shield that screws on to a bolt through the muffler. You take it off in the summer. Long Time ago had a 1975 VW Dasher station wagon. Had mechanical fuel injection worked fantastic unless the little air duct was missing from the air horn to the floating air plate. Ain't nothing like driving down the interstate and you can't let up on the gas cause stuff has a layer of ice in it. For yours or other snow blowers you should be able to find service bulitens on how to do it. You can also use your imagination. A little box maybe a little bigger than a can of spam.

3000OH · Jan 28, 2019

+1 on that answer. You may never have a problem with a regular engine but if you do, it?s going to be a bear to drag that blower back to a warm spot. I?ve seen carb engines ice up like that only once or twice in 45+ years but it was aggravating.

Dieseltech · Jan 28, 2019

My 8HP walk behind has no air filter, and no heat box next to the carb.

D beatty · Jan 29, 2019

I have an 28" Ariens snow blower with no air cleaner and carb set under cover where air is warm. I was told that if it had air cleaner on it it would plug up with snow.

Fawteen · Jan 29, 2019

I did the same thing on a Crapsman 8/28 that puked up the Briggs and Scrapiron engine.

Being a devotee of the "Tim the Toolman" approach, I bumped it up to a 13hp E-start Predator. No special adaptation for carb heat, but I'm prepared to go there if needed. I agree that carb icing will eventually be a problem under the right conditions.

Meanwhile, it's a snow-blowing Beast!

Mounting that big engine in place of an 8 horse required a bit of head scratching and modification, but I live for that kind of stuff. (Battery box and battery not mounted in that picture)

D beatty · Jan 29, 2019

That one has a battery on the machine. Mine has electric start but you run an electric cord to it. The only time you need the electric start is when they are cold. I have only used the electric twice on mine . It start good even in the cold.

GEO-TH, In · Jan 29, 2019

My boy's SNOW blower is a 5hp 2 cycle Briggs no filter, no heater.

UncleTom · Jan 29, 2019

Air filters if they are out in the open will ice and freeze up. The 4 cycle blowers that i have have no filter and a shroud around the muffler and carb to provide a little heat.

JF in MI · Jan 29, 2019

That looks exactly like my old Ariens. It had a Tecumseh 6hp in it. Worst governor on it I ever saw. Could never get it to run right for 20 years. Replaced it with a Chinese 9hp. Just made a air intake pipe (no air cleaner) that took air from the muffler area which isn't necessary but helps prevent carburetor ice in damp climates. Been running spectacular for the last 20 years.

JayinNY · Jan 29, 2019

More power, what we need is a Binford 6100 engine Al!!

1970-1655 · Jan 29, 2019

More power so you can get done and back in the house/shop sooner. Big block power!

https://theawesomer.com/v8-snowblower/9019/

jimg.allentown · Jan 29, 2019

As far as I see, there is nothing particularly special about a snow blower engine.
The metal surrounding the carburetor area is as much to keep out the snow as anything else.
since there is basically no dust in the air when you would normally be using a snow blower, there is really no need for an air filter.
I would think that you could take the baffling surrounding the carb off the old engine and use it on the replacement instead of an air filter.

As to carburetor icing, if the carburetor ices up, all you have to do is let it stand for a few minutes. Latent heat from the engine will melt the ice and it will start right up again.

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 29, 2019

...because it is oh so enjoyable to stand out in a snow storm waiting for the carburetor on your snowblower to thaw out.

The differences are well discussed and documented here. Whether you consider them special, significant, necessary, or not, those are the differences.

Personally, I would probably throw a Predator engine on if the issue presented itself to me, but around here the engines generally outlast the snowblowers due to the salt in the snowbank by the road.

Spook · Jan 29, 2019

I?ve got a 10/28 JD blower with a Tecumseh Snow King engine. Many years ago, I got stuck in a airport with a engineer from B&S. I was going to Wisconsin. He told me that snowblower engines were the cheapest made, because the rest of the unit was expected to rust out or get damaged somehow.

the tractor vet · Jan 29, 2019

The only difference i see on them is they add in the PRIMER circuit and primer bulb to the system , Just got done getting my old junk blower back up and running . I had and issue with the carb on mine . And i was trying to adapt the carb off my Chipper . other then the configuration of the throttle linkage and size of the bore they are pretty close . The primer circuit was the big thing along with size as the oner on the blower was a seven horse and the one on the chipper was a 10 horse . But i was able to get mine back up and running with the help of Amazon and 8.53 . My issue now is coming up with a knob for the choke , old cab had a brass choke shaft with a steel choke lever , new China made carb has a nylon shaft and old knob will not go on . For now a pair of small vice grips works . everything else was the same . It is back up and running after some fine tuning and seams to run well. as it was test run on some clean up and put back to bed . Now IF i never have to use it again this year it will be great . Around here there are about a half dozen snow blower engines for sale on Craigs list and Face book market place . and range in price from 60 bucks up to 120 bucks.

55 50 Ron · Jan 29, 2019

My snowblower is a Gilson marketed by Montgomery-Ward (remember them?) and is made much heavier than the common ones you can buy new today.

ChuckMa · Jan 29, 2019

I did the same thing jay did below a couple of years ago. Works great starts right up. For 99 bucks and some very slight modifications it works like a charm.Chuck

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