Snowblower: Engine Lacks Power

The belts in your snow blower transmit power from the engine to the drive wheels and the auger. When these belts become worn or stretched they will start to slip, which will cause a loss of power. Since the two belts are located beside one another, it is recommended that you replace them at the same time. This is a common repair, and it should be similar to the process we outline here regardless of the model of snow blower you own. Remove the belt cover, and roll the auger belt off the front engine pulley. Remove tension on the idler pulley and drive belt, as this will allow you to easily slide the belt off. Tip the snow blower forward, allowing onto the auger housing, and remove the plate covering the transmission. Next, loosen and remove the shoulder screw, which acts as a belt keeper on the auger pulley. Unhook the auger spring from the brake bracket on the frame. Use a clamp on the drive lever to hold it down; this will allow you to easily remove the old auger belt. Remove the clamp on the drive lever. Loosen the stop bolt and move the friction wheel support bracket to move downwards to increase clearance. Slip the drive belt off the friction drive wheel, and reinstall a new belt around the friction drive wheel by going under the friction disc and sliding the belt upwards to the auger housing. Move the friction wheel support bracket back into place, and tighten the stop bolt. Again, clamp the drive handle to the handle bar, so you can install a new auger belt around the auger pulley and housing. Reinstall the shoulder screw onto the pulley to hold the belt in place. Reconnect the auger spring to the brake bracket, and reinstall the transmission cover. Put the snow blower back on ground. Place the drive belt over the drive pulley and under the tensioner. Roll the auger belt onto the drive pulley, and reinstall the belt cover.

The extension spring keeps tension on the idler pulley in your snow blower. If there is no or very little tension on the idler pulley, it means the belt will slip, causing a loss in power. Which is why we recommend that you replace the spring when it is losing elasticity, or if it breaks. To access the extension spring, you need to tilt the snow blower forward and remove the transmission cover. Locate the extension spring. It will be hooked onto the frame and attached to the idler pulley. These can be a bit tricky to remove on some models because of clearance. You can use pliers or you can tie a string around the end of the spring to help pull it off. After the old spring has been removed, you can attach a new spring. Reinstall the transmission cover and put the snow blower back onto its wheels to finish this repair.

The air filter on your snow blower is located on top of the carburetor or an air inlet pipe. The filter allows clean air to flow into the engine. It prevents small particles from damaging internal engine parts. Over time the air filter will become clogged with small particles and debris, at which point it will need to be replaced. When the filter is clogged, the flow of air will be reduced, which limits the amount of power the engine can produce. Locate the air filter cover and remove it, note it may be attached by screws or just a tab. Now that you can access the filter, you can remove it. Put a new filter in its place and reassemble.

Gaskets seals two joining pieces of the carburetor tightly together. This forms a seal that prevents air and fluid from traveling into areas where they are not supposed to go. If there is a damaged gasket below a carburetor on your snow blower, it will pull excess air into the cylinder, causing a loss of power. In order to check this gasket, you will have to take the carburetor off the engine. This repair be slightly different depending on your exact models. In some cases, you may not have to remove as many parts to gain access to the carburetor, and on some models the carburetor is already exposed. Remove the chute gear box support bracket. You do this by pulling out the clip that holds the chute control rod in place. Once you have done that, you can also remove the rod. Pull the pin out of the support bracket, and remove any nuts holding the gear box in place. You can now lift the gear box and chute off the snow blower. Remove the bolts securing the belt cover, and release the drive belt idler pulley tension spring. Loosen and remove the bolts that hold the gear box support bracket in place, remove the bracket and set it aside. Remove any covers and heat shrouds needed to gain access to the carburetor. With the carburetor exposed, loosen the bolts that hold it in place, and remove any linkages and fuel lines. Make sure you pinch off the fuel line ahead of time to prevent leakage. Inspect the condition of the gasket; look for tears or rips or any indications of leaks. Gaskets are a onetime use, so you will have to replace it at this point regardless of the condition it is in. Once you have the new gasket in place on your carburetor, reconnect all the linkages and the fuel line. Release the pressure on the fuel line, which will let the fuel flow freely again. Reinstall the cover that houses all the knobs, switches, and primer bulb. Take a close look and make sure everything is hooked back up. Reinstall all the covers, shrouds, and the handle bar. Put the gear box support bracket back on your snow blower. Reapply the tension on the drive belt, and reinstall the cover. Use the pin and retaining clip to reinstall the gear box and chute. Double check that the holes in the gear box coupler are facing straight up when the chute is facing forward, and that the chute control lever is in the one o’clock position. Once you have checked that you can safely then reinstall the rod.

The spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture in the engine of your snow blower. If your spark plug is worn, dirty, oily, or incorrectly gapped, the spark will be weak. This could lead to misfire or detonate, causing a loss of power. Detonation can cause severe internal engine damage as well. We recommend you regularly inspect the spark plug on your snow blower for any signs of damage. Replace the spark plug and gap to the manufacturer’s specifications. Do not over tighten, as spark plugs are fragile.

A Carburetor kit contains everything you need to rebuild your carburetor, restoring it to new condition, and allowing the engine to run at maximum efficiency. This repair process will vary on depending on your exact model. You may not have to remove as many items to gain access to the carburetor, and on some models the carburetor is already exposed so you will not have to remove anything. Remove the chute gear box support bracket by removing the clip holding the chute control rod. Once the clip has been removed, you should be able to slide the rod out of the gear box. Next, remove the pin on the support bracket, and remove any nuts holding the gear box in place. Then remove the gear box and chute. Remove the belt cover and release the drive belt idler pulley tension spring. You also need to remove the gear box support bracket. To do this loosen and remove the bolts holding it in place. Next remove any covers and heat shrouds needed to gain access to the carburetor. On some models, you may have to remove the handle bar to pull off covers. You may also have to remove the throttle knob, disconnect any switches and fuel lines on the primer bulb, and remove that cover. Locate and remove the bolts holding the carburetor onto the engine and air intake. Carefully remove the choke lever. Make sure you pinch off the fuel line, this will prevent fuel from leaking. Remove the fuel line and slide the choke control plate off the carburetor. Disconnect the linkage from the control plate, then the carburetor. Next, disconnect the throttle rod return spring, and remove the throttle rod from the carburetor. You should now be able to slide the carburetor right off. Move the carburetor to a workbench and start disassembly. Remove the nut on the bowl, then remove the bowl and gasket. Next remove the float pin, and the needle valve. Unscrew the main jet screw and dump it out with the emulsion tube. Take the plastic throttle stop and the metering plug out of the carburetor. Spray the carburetor, fuel bowl, and all the small orifices with carburetor cleaner, and then wipe them clean. While you have the carburetor apart you should inspect it for damage. If you notice any corrosion inside the carburetor or the bowl then it is no good any more, and you will need to replace it with an entirely new carburetor. Now you need to put that carburetor back together. Start by installing a new emulsion tube and new main jet. Make sure the new metering plug is firmly in place, and reinstall the throttle stop screw. You should thread the throttle stop screw in until it sticks out the other side approximately 1/16 of an inch. Place the new spring on the needle valve, and snap the new needle valve into the new float. Reattach the float into the carburetor by sliding the new pin in. Put a new O-ring on the bowl and reinstall it. Once you have finished rebuilding the carburetor, you will need to reinstall it. After you have it back into place on the engine, reattach the throttle cable, and fuel line. You can now release the pressure on the fuel line. Reinstall the cover that houses all the knobs, switches, and primer bulb. Carefully inspect all of the connections and make sure you hook everything back up correctly. Reinstall all the covers, shrouds, and the handle bar. Next, reinstall the gear box support bracket. Reapply the tension on the drive belt and reinstall the cover. Reinstall the gear box and chute using the pin and retaining clip. It is important to make sure the holes in the gear box coupler are facing straight up, the chute is facing forward, and that the chute control lever is in the one o’clock position. Once you have double checked all of that you can then reinstall the rod.

When you press the drive lever on your snow blower, the drive wheel is lifted up and it pushes on the friction disc, which transmits power to the drive wheels. If the friction disc pad on your snow blower is worn out, it can no longer transmit power. This problem is more noticeable under a load, as it will start to slip. If the friction disc on you machine is worn out, you will need to replace it. To install a new friction disc, you will have to access the transmission. The easiest way to do that is by turning the snow blower on its side or tilting it forward to rest on the auger housing. Once you have access, remove the transmission cover. Remove the bolts on either side of the shaft, and then pull the shaft out. Slide the friction disc assembly off the shaft. Loosen and remove the bolts on the friction disc assembly, and separate the two halves. You should now be able to remove the old friction disc, and install the new friction disc. Once the new disc is in place, reattach the two halves, making sure you line up the holes with the threaded ends. Slide the friction disc assembly back on to the shaft in the same direction it came off. Insert the shaft back into transmission, and secure it with the bolts. We recommend that you clean the shaft with engine cleaner, as this will remove any residue. Grease the shaft with a lower temperature grease, this allows the friction disc to slide across easily without freezing up. Be careful not to get any grease on the friction disc or drive wheel.