To get a snow blower... or not a snow blower...

[MikeDVB]

I believe the 414CC motor is 13HP and 20TQ. It's only a single piston, if I'm not mistaken. If it were an I4 it'd probably make ~100HP but it'd be substantially larger, more complex, and a TON heavier .

I do have extra shear bolts [it came with a couple] and I plan on picking some extras up just in case.

 

[actaeon277]

I believe the 414CC motor is 13HP and 20TQ. It's only a single piston, if I'm not mistaken. If it were an I4 it'd probably make ~100HP but it'd be substantially larger, more complex, and a TON heavier .

I do have extra shear bolts [it came with a couple] and I plan on picking some extras up just in case.

I've had my snowblower a few years, and haven't used a shear pin (knock on wood). I'd have to remember where I put them. I might have tie wrapped them to the handle.

But I am very careful around the edge of driveways, and unfamiliar spaces.
I did a friend of my Mom's driveway the other day. She had shoveled a single car width in the center of a 2 car drive. Because the snow was so high, I went center to edge, instead of going the length of the drive like normal.
When I got close to the edge, I would make a push, pull it back. Then go up and kick the snow. Repeat. Found a lawn ornament with my foot once. Saved me from replacing a shear pin.
Once I found the edge, I didn't have to be as careful.

 

[MikeDVB]

Yeah, I'd rather be cautious than replace shear pins if I could help it. I'm familiar with my drive and shouldn't have much if any issue.

The biggest issue for me with the ice on the drive is getting under it. I don't want the scraper all the way down to the concrete because I don't want to put undue wear on it but I'm not sure how well I will be able to pull up/dislodge ice with the blower.

When I shoveled the drive I used a hoe to break it up.

 

[SERparacord]

They will eat the ice, but also hurl it a long way. I avoid the ice if possible, like you, I don't want the extra wear and tear.

 

[MikeDVB]

I would love to clear the drive but I figure that will happen in due course with the temps that should be happening next week .

Probably going to go ahead and just get this machine ready for storage [since they put gas and oil in it and fired it up to load it into my truck]. Probably will add fuel stabilizer to the fuel, fire it up and let it run a bit, turn off the fuel valve, idle it down, and shut it off once it starts to stumble/hesitate. I don't figure the motor's been run enough to justify changing the oil so I'll just put fresh oil in it next season.

Once I've got it shut down I'll siphon what gas I can out of the tank and put it in my small fuel container to add to the car/truck/whatever so that I'm not storing old gas. Mostly just going to add the fuel stabilizer so that whatever does end up staying in the carb doesn't gum up [hopefully]. Haven't had any issues with this method on any of my other power equipment.

 

[Caleb]

I would love to clear the drive but I figure that will happen in due course with the temps that should be happening next week .

Probably going to go ahead and just get this machine ready for storage [since they put gas and oil in it and fired it up to load it into my truck]. Probably will add fuel stabilizer to the fuel, fire it up and let it run a bit, turn off the fuel valve, idle it down, and shut it off once it starts to stumble/hesitate. I don't figure the motor's been run enough to justify changing the oil so I'll just put fresh oil in it next season.

Once I've got it shut down I'll siphon what gas I can out of the tank and put it in my small fuel container to add to the car/truck/whatever so that I'm not storing old gas. Mostly just going to add the fuel stabilizer so that whatever does end up staying in the carb doesn't gum up [hopefully]. Haven't had any issues with this method on any of my other power equipment.

After you siphon what you can, run the snowblower till the engine dies from fuel deprivation

 

[actaeon277]

I just put stabil in the fuel, and run the engine a few minutes to get it in the system.
Haven't had any problems.

 

[MikeDVB]

On small motors I tend to add stabil, run it for a few minutes to make sure it gets into the carb, then I disconnect the fuel line at the valve and drain as much fuel as I can and then run it dry - I shut it off just as it starts to stumble though to avoid running it too lean/doing damage.

The thing with the snow blower is that it tends to get stored for 8~10 months [or longer if it doesn't snow] where as everything else only gets stored for 3~5 .

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Mike, if you wanna break your machine in, let me know.

Have a birthday party at our house this weekend and our side drive, where we can park three extra cars, is still covered in snowfall + what has been shoveled on it...

Bring it to Greenwood and I'll let you play! Hehe