When you say you checked the plug, I assume you mean youÂre getting spark. If youÂre fairly certain that sheÂs not getting any gas, (the plug is dry) then cover the carb intake with the palm of your hand while cranking the engine over. Watch yourself  even small engines create a lot of suction! As most snow blowers donÂt have air cleaners, youÂll probably haved to take off the metal cowling that covers the carb to get to it. IÂve had good luck with this method as it literally super-sucks the gas into the engine clearing any blockage or flushing any air pocket that may exist. If you get some life out of her but she only runs with full choke or close to it, (whether it be via your hand or the butterfly valve) youÂll probably have to rebuild the carb  it isnÂt that hard to do...

Let us know how you make out.

Jay

Thanks for the advice, the carb was rebuilt last winter so its hard to believe that would need to get done again so soon. I will post back when I have some time to pull the housing and try and start it again.

Don't know how old your Snapper is but... Make sure fuel is getting to the fitting on the carb. Take off the fuel line at that point and check for flow. If you got good flow head to the steps outlined priviously. I just got a Toro mower running from a tiny speck of (?) in the main jet. A carb float that is stuck in the "UP" position can keep fuel out of the carb also...

If fuel system is good look at spark at plug electrodes. Remove plug, ground threads against engine block, watch gap as you pull the engine over briskly. Should be a bright blueie zapping across...

I'd loosen up the main bowl jet, slightly, until the gas flows out the bottom of the carb. On the slight chance of improper storage, there could be some water in the bottom of the carb.

Ok - pulled the cover off and tried starting it with a hand over the air intake. No luck.

I then drained the bowl of gas, there was some in there and losened it up took a look inside the bowl and noted that there was a small piece of metal with a point on one end, square on the other sitting in the bottom of the bowl. It has a thin piece of wire twisted on one end of it. Doesn't look like this belongs there but don't know what to do with it - could this be the problem?

one other thing, I noted that there appeared to be gas in the air intake, not alot but some. I appreciate any help!

That sure sounds like the float needle to me. Without that installed, your gas tank will empty itself into your engine or all over the floor. That is what stops gas from entering the carb when the gas in the bowl is at maximum level.

Pull out the pin that holds the float and remove the float. With the float in your hand, you'll see a tab of metal in the center of the float near the pin slots. The square end of the needle sets on top of the tab and the wire holds it in place until you can get the float and needle back in place. Insert the needle, hold in place and re-insert the pin.

Put the bowl back on and make sure the rubber bowl gasket, which is around the carb body, is seated in the bowl flange and put the bolt back in the bottom of the carb bowl. Don't overtighten the bolt.

ok great, will do as suggested tomorrow, glad I turned the fuel shut off before I drained the bowl! I don't know how the needle ended up in the bottom of the bowl if it had been seated as suggested, will have to check to see if there is something cracked.

When the bowl is removed, the float can drop to the point that the needle falls out. The needle doesn't actually fall off the float because of the wire, but when you push back up on the float, the wire dislodges and then it falls.

I did as instructed, pulled the float and put the needle in and put it back together. With a few pulls of the rope the thing sputtered some like it wanted to start but couldn't, fuel started flowing out of the air intake so I shut the fuel line took it apart again and all seemed to be in place inside the bowl, needle was where I had left it pointy side facing down. Put it back together again, same problem. Seems like I am missing something here, maybe its time to call the shop.

Also check to see that your oil is not contaminated with gas just in case the carb overflowed and dumped into the crankcase. Contaminated oil will not lubricate properly.

I am not sure if this could happen with your model Tecumseh engine so this is just a precautionary step before attempting to start your engine. Just my 2 cents worth.

Thanks for your help, this appears to be a little beyond my capabilities at this point - will check with the tech who serviced it last spring and see what he suggests. Last thing I need is for it to snow and not have a working machine.

The needle should be pointed UP if you are looking at the installed carb from a chair.

The pointed end of the needle, I mean, should point UP.

Ok got it, pointed side facing up - will fix that and let you know what happens. Thank you.

thanks to all for their help on this. Took the bowl off and installed the float needle pointy side up as per baymee's post, put it back together and pulled the cord. The blower coughed and tried but wouldn't start despite much effort. Yes I turned the gas on from the tank shutoff so it was getting gas. Didn't see any come out the air intake this time though.

Any thoughts?

IÂve got the shop handbook for that engine in PDF file format. ItÂs yours for that asking. ThereÂs a trouble-shooting section as well as carb needle valve adjustment settings. Just email me with your email address, (click on my user name and click "send me an email"). The file size is 2.5 meg.

Jay

i have the same problem with my snowblower and mine is only a year old....i also hear air when i try to prime the motor.....it doesn't seem as if there is fuel getting to the float bowl as none comes out when i press on the spring loaded release valve on the float bowl cover....i sprayed some Gumout into the fuel hose but no luck...can i use a pipe cleaner of some sort to remove the gunk?

The float could be hanging up. Sometimes, I've had to apply a very low air pressure to get the gas to flow.

After messing around with the old Tecumseh carb and never getting it to run right, I went out and bought a new one. They run $55-80, which is about what it would cost to bring it to a dealer. I even ported the manifold while I was at it.

A guy on eBay sells refurbed carbs, also.

I called my dealer and he picked up the machine last Wednesday - I was not getting anywhere monkeying around with it and it looks like cold weather will be upon us in another weeks time so I cried uncle.

I want to thank all of you who provided advice, I just ran out of time. I will post back on what the tech finds - should be early next week.

baymee-thanks for the info, that worked like a charm!!!!!!!!!, now all i have to do is figure out a way to prevent the fuel line from slipping off the bottom of the fuel tank...

hose clamp

Got the machine back from the shop, they said they rebuilt the carb, replaced fuel lines and primer lines, cleaned the gas tank out and replaced the plug, oil & greased.

Runs like a charm not, they left me a note to "go easy on the choke". I will have to call them to find out why they said this. In the past when starting it from cold it needed all the choke to start though now it doesn't need any.

Given the age of your machine and weirdness of the carb having to be rebuilt twice in two years, IÂd say youÂre either going to buy a new carb or a new machine in the near future. If the machine is in decent shape and you donÂt mind spending a little money, you might want to consider a new carb before the weather turns. ThereÂs nothing worse than dealing with a failure in the dead of winter especially when thereÂs a foot of snow in the drive. Food for thoughtÂ

tried 2 different types of hose clamps and neither ones will hold the fuel line on there...

To Pixel zombie: You can buy small gear type hose clamps at an auto parts store! If the hose is too large, or has softened to the point of being rotten, you can also buy neoprene fuel line there. Buy it by the foot of measurement. Not expensive! Saves the day, and fuel!

i tried one of those as well as the pressure type clamps with no luck, i thought i was losing my mind as i have been working on cars since i was in high school....it turns out that Tecumseh has a recall on the engine for that very problem, the hose connector on the fuel tank simply doesn't have enough of a lip to hold onto the fuel line, so now i have to deal with the hassle of lugging the snowthrower to some dealer for repairs...

Ok guys I bought my snapper used , the guy started it right up , I did too before snow came , used it once barely finished the job before it died. The next snow came and no start , changed plug added mixed fuel , no start , noticing fuel spatters below exhaust and visible fuel on that side of the carb , spark plug has fuel on it , and hear air or sucking sound when I prime it ???