My son moved to Dallas and left us his snowblower. I had assumed he ran it out of gas. I went to put some gas in it and start it. Tank is about 1/2 full. Argggh. I've siphoned the old gas out and put new gas in. (I also added a bit of carb cleaner solution to the new gas) It won't start with the new gas. The machine does have an electric start so I can crank it a lot. Wondering if I should let it set over night with the new gas and carb cleaner? Any suggestions from the Sig Forum brain trust would be appreciated.

Edit: It does have spark. Seems very much like bad gas and/or a varnished carb. It was running fine when I saw him put it away.
Edit 1: It is a Toro 824 OE model.
Edit 2: Loosened the float bowl drain plug and fuel does run out. I got more than a 2 cups letting it run. Seems like the fuel system is not clogged.

You might have to pull the bowl off the carb and defunkify it. I might let it sit overnight first.

Anything more than that you can probably get a new carb pretty cheap.

How old is old? A year, two years, several months? I'd try Startron or similar product like Techron or Seafoam. If that doesn't work you may have to clean the entire fuel system because it's possible the fuel lines are gunked up so no fuel passes through them. Have you checked the spark plugs or fuel filter? Plugs might need changing or the filter could be clogged.

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Originally posted by calugo:
How old is old? A year, two years, several months? I'd try Startron or similar product like Techron or Seafoam. If that doesn't work you may have to clean the entire fuel system because it's possible the fuel lines are gunked up so no fuel passes through them. Have you checked the spark plugs or fuel filter? Plugs might need changing or the filter could be clogged.

Old = 12 - 18 months. It does have spark for sure. Probably worth disconnecting the fuel line at the carb and see if any runs out?

Whatever you do, don't use ethanol fuels in occasionally used equipment. Sta-bil is good product to use even in ethanol free fuel.

Agree you'll need to dig into the carb, or simply replace it. It won't be the cost, I bought one for an old B&S engine last year for about $30. Depending on how old it is may dictate scarcity...Good luck, let us know how you make out.

Maybe our resident expert PHPaul will come along and help.

I've used starting fluid to encourage small engines to crank after sitting up . Worth a try .

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Originally posted by selogic:
I've used starting fluid to encourage small engines to crank after sitting up . Worth a try .

I'll give that a shot. No harm in trying that.

Also check youtube videos, alot of them on the Toro.

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You might have to pull the bowl off the carb and defunkify it. I might let it sit overnight first.

Yep. Fairly easy to clean, if you can get it off easy.

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I'd try Startron or similar product like Techron or Seafoam.

I've seen engines with direct Seafoam 'fogging' come out amazingly clean. Probably worth a try.

You might have to clean out the carburetor and replace the spark plug.

Meh. Just contact PHPaul here on the forum. Paul has a Doctorate in Internal Combustion specializing in creating noise & smoke from hydrocarbons. Email is in his profile.

Just because it's not broke doesn't mean Paul can't fix it anyway.
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Originally posted by chellim1:

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You might have to pull the bowl off the carb and defunkify it. I might let it sit overnight first.

Yep. Fairly easy to clean, if you can get it off easy.

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I'd try Startron or similar product like Techron or Seafoam.

I've seen engines with direct Seafoam 'fogging' come out amazingly clean. Probably worth a try.

Pulling the float bowl off would be a bit of a fiddle especially in 20 degree weather Seafoam fogging? Spraying seafoam spray directly into the carb intake? I've thought about disconnecting the fuel line at the tank and pouring Seafoam directly into the float bowl.

What is the condition of the remaining gas? Does it smell normal? Can you see the bottom of the fuel tank and tell if it has rusted (only applies to steel tanks) or have a gummy/gooey/slimy substance (water/ethanol combination) in it? If any of these conditions exist, it has also gunked up the carburetor, so you'll need to take apart and clean everything. If the fuel tank has rusted it may have to be replaced, or flakes will continually break loose and stop things up..

If these conditions do not exist but it still doesn't want to start, he spark plug may be fouled. While the spark plug is out, take an oil squirt can and put a few drops of motor oil down the cylinder. This will help seal piston rings against the cylinder wall. When it starts there will be a big cloud of smoke at first.

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Originally posted by egregore:
What is the condition of the remaining gas? Does it smell normal? Can you see the bottom of the fuel tank and tell if it has rusted or have a gummy/gooey/slimy substance (water/ethanol combination) in it? If any of these conditions exist, it has also gunked up the carburetor, so you'll need to take apar and clean everything.

If these conditions do not exist but it still doesn't want to start, he spark plug may be fouled. While the spark plug is out, take an oil squirt can and put a few drops of motor oil down the cylinder. This will help seal piston rings against the cylinder wall. When it starts there will be a big cloud of smoke at first.

I siphoned all the old gas out and put fresh non-ethanol gas with a bit of carb cleaner in it. Pretty sure I've cranked it enough to refill the float with the new gas. That's why I was thinking that a sit overnight might clean up the float bowl and jet??? The spark plug looks really good but I'll swap it out tomorrow.

I would drain the gas, use fresh non-ethanol fuel. Unless the plug is less than a year old, I’d get a new plug.

The next step is a shot of starter fluid, don’t over do it. I may squirt some in the plug hole, or into the carb intake if accessible.

With spark & starter fluid it should fire. It may take a few tries to get it running.

If it will not start and stay running with fresh gas and some spray start or it surges when it is running then I'm betting that the jets and the small passages are clogged with gunk from the old fuel (especially if you have ethanol in your fuel) and the carb may need to be removed, cleaned and blown out.

Probably a good idea to install a fuel shutoff in the fuel line while you are at it if you don't have one.

Ultrasonic cleaners do a bang up job cleaning small engine carbs.

Letting it soak overnight might get the varnish out. I left a motorcycle over the winter with ethanol gas in it and the carbs wound up being fouled with regular gas varnish but also water, attracted to the alcohol, stained the brass parts green.

Cost me a bunch of money, and a lesson I learned. Anything with small carbs gets non ethanol gas only.

This is why I only use ethanol free gas in the snowblower I was given and the mower I bought a couple years ago. Thankfully there’s a Wawa that sells in not too far from me.

I've had good luck soaking a small engine carburetor in Seafoam. Pretty sure it was gasoline varnish in the jets.

I used to keep a carburetor rebuild kit on hand for each small engine, but the new carburetor on Amazon is only a $1 more so I keep those on hand.

I would spray some starting fluid in the carb while cranking. As mentioned above, it should start, and if and how it keeps running will help in knowing what’s up.