Snow Blower Repair and Maintenance Tips
for Ensuring a Tip Top Snow Blower this Winter
By Mark J. Donovan
Before the snow flies it’s a wise
idea to pull out the snow blower and perform a bit of snow blower maintenance
on it. Otherwise you may find yourself in a situation with a foot of snow
blanketing your driveway and a snow blower that won’t start.
Typically the snow blower user manual explains what type of snow blower
maintenance is required. In most cases you can perform the maintenance on
your own. Only in the event of damage to the frame or auger blades, or if the
engine refuses to start, may you have to bring it into a snow blower repair
shop.
Usual basic snow blower maintenance
involves inspecting and servicing the following items:
Check and clean or replace the spark
plug
Check and clean the air filter
Replace the oil if it is a 4-stroke
snow blower
Make sure all the nuts and bolts are
tight
Check the shear bolts and replace if
needed
Adjust the snow blower’s auger skid
shoes
Check the Muffler
Fill the snow blower with its
recommended gas or gas/oil mixture
Make sure the gas cut off valve is
turned to the on position
Apply a gas stabilizer
Check the Pull Cord
Adjust /
Replace Snow Blower Spark Plug
Cleaning and adjusting the spark plug, or replacing the spark plug
altogether, is probably the most important snow blower maintenance task that
is necessary for ensuring an operational engine. A spark plug often becomes
fouled over time and can cause the engine to run rough or not at all. With
2-stroke engines, the problem is exacerbated by the fact that they burn a
combination of oil and gas. Consequently addressing the snow blower’s spark
plug is of utmost priority in basic snow blower maintenance.
Clean Air Filter
It is also important that the snow blower’s air filter is clean. A dirty air
filter can effectively suffocate the engine causing it to run poorly.
Change Oil
If the snow blower engine is a 4-stroke, changing the oil is another major
item that should be performed on the snow blower. Clean oil will help the
engine run more efficiently and will protect the engine from wear and tear.
Check for Loose
Nuts and Bolts
Snow blowers have a lot of moving parts and they tend to vibrate fairly
dramatically when operating. Consequently nuts and bolts can loosen up over
time. As a result, it’s important to make sure all the nuts and bolts are
tight so that you don’t have pieces of the snow blower falling off in the
driveway as you snow blow.
Check Shear Bolts
Also check the shear bolts to make sure they are in place. They ensure the
horizontal auger blade turns properly and protects the snow blower from
damage in the event the auger blade gets jammed in anyway.
Photo By Mark Donovan
Never replace missing shear bolts with standard bolts as this could severely
damage your snow blower if the auger gets jammed.
Check Auger Skid Shoes
Next inspect the snow blower’s auger skid shoes to make sure they are
adjusted evenly and close to the level of the driveway. This will help to
ensure you don’t leave any snow behind when snow blowing the driveway.
Inspect Muffler
Then take a look at the snow blower’s muffler to make sure it is in good
working order and not all rusted out. Snow blowers can be extremely loud and
even with a good working muffler it’s a wise idea to wear ear protection when
using one.
Inspect Pull Cord
Also make sure the pull cord is in good working order and that it retracts
properly after pulling on it. Replace it if it looks frayed.
Fill Gas Tank and Check Shut-off Valve
Next fill the gas tank with gas, or the appropriate gas/oil mixture if it is
a two stroke engine, and make sure the gas shut off valve is in the on
position. Also add a fuel stabilizer to the engine to make sure the gas does
not go stale during significant periods of non-use.
Test Snow Blower
Finally, adjust the choke and pull the pull cord. With any luck your basic
snow blower repair and maintenance efforts will result in a smooth running
snow blower that will get you through the winter season.
If after repeated attempts to start the snow blower it refuses to fire up,
then either adjust the carburetor per the snow blowers user manual, or take
it to your local snow blower repair shop.
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