How To Start A Snowblower - Popular Mechanics

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<pYou don't always see those blades moving because they are covered in snow, but they are there and they are sharp. Always keep hands and clothes far away from any moving parts on a snow thrower.</p<p<a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/reviews/a9939/so-you-have-a-snow-thrower-heres-what-else-you-need-16365732/"How to Use a Snow Thrower</a</p

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It's a good idea to start your snowblower before the first storm hits, so you know you are prepared to start clearing snow immediately. Here's some great advice for starting a stubborn snowblower.

Outdoor-power-equipment manufacturer Ariens Company of Brillion, Wis., receives about 8000 calls a month this time of year from customers who can't start their machines. "The key to an easy start is putting the machine into storage properly," says Ariens's product support manager, Dave Miller. That means storing it at the end of the season with the fuel tank full of fresh, stabilized gasoline.

Whether you did that or not, now is the time to give the engine a tuneup:

Change the gear and crankcase oil
Grease the fittings
Check the tire pressure
Change the spark plug

It's also worth reviewing the proper start sequence, Miller says. The choke should be closed, the ignition switch on, the fuel valve open, and the carburetor primed. "If the machine starts but stumbles, don't turn it off," he says. "Run it out." This burns off stale gas and helps the engine pull in fresh fuel.

Roy BerendsohnSenior Home Editor

Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.

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