Surging Snow Blower Fix - Running lean.

[@thomasfrates]

Inline gas filter. My Craftsman with a nearly identical engine had a hidden inline gas filter located where the fuel line went into the fuel tank. It was the same size as the inside diameter of the fuel line and fit right into the fuel outlet line where it exited the fuel tank. I only discovered it when I pulled off the hose at that location and it pulled the filter out about 1/4 inch. It’s about 3 inches long and goes right into the bottom of the tank. It was a first for me.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks for sharing that interesting hidden fuel filter tidbit. Seems they do put filters in. This blower had a "hidden" tiny filter as well in almost the same location. It was actually up inside the fuel tank but still part of the fuel line bib. The bottom half of this tiny filter inside the tank was all gummed up with what looked to be black paint particles. Every time the blower was 1/4 or less of fuel remaining, it would die out because very little fuel would get past all that gummed up paint on the bottom half of the filter screen. Cleaned it out, runs great again. I almost think it was small paint particles that were getting by that in-tank filter and that is what the dirt was in the bowl and jet? Hidden fuel filters... Definitely something to look for these days.

[@richardcurtis8026]

I added my own fuel filter. They don't seem to put them in anything anymore. There may be one in the line itself, I didn't check. I just always put one in if it's not present.

[@mcflydaddy001]

Bought a snowblower from a friend’s neighbor for a hundred bucks; having issues with it needing to run half choked. Had already been into the carb a couple times and just wanted to see what it was supposed to look like before someone took it all apart. Was also wondering how the throttle control worked. Last minute has given me all the insight I now need to finish fixing this thing; thanks for the thorough walk through on this carb setup!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

👍

[@ctbcubed]

This is a very good video, especially with the detail for removing all the covers and shields. I have a 10 year old Ariens deluxe 28 that started running poorly at high throttle and stalling at idle. Today I removed the carb and took it inside to clean. The bowl gas was clean with no debris and the bowl itself was pristine. The main jet and emulsion tube orifices were clean and a small wire easily passed through them. Next I removed the idle screw (7 turns CCW) and popped out the RED idle jet. The fine wire met resistance when pushed into the orifice. Applying a bit more force dislodged a small black speck on the end of the wire. I flushed everything out with Gumout and observed that the 2 O-rings on the idle jet housing were completely flat. Using a dental pick, I removed them and when rubbed between my fingers, then crumbled to dust. 2 years ago I bought an Ariens carb rebuild kit "just in case" and it included the 2 O-rings. I put them on and re-seated the RED plastic idle jet into the carb body. This probably could have been done without removing the carb, but it's 10 degrees in the garage and 70 in the basement. I put the carb back on the machine and it fired up on the first pull and runs great at idle and high throttle. I always shut off the fuel and let it run until it stalls after each use and drain the tank and bowl for summer storage. I'm seriously considering a switch to ethanol free fuel in the future since there's a station nearby that sells it. Ethanol is hard on rubber parts, but I did get 10 problem free years. Again, thanks for posting this video!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, the red idle jet is something I didn't even think to check when I cleaned this one out so thanks for pointing it out as another one that should be looked at and cleaned. No question, just a little bit easier doing a carb clean inside where it's warm 🙂👍

[@baddad5781]

I have the exact same issue on my ST224. It's almost 4 years old. I bought it in winter of 2018 but mine is still under warranty. Thanks for the video of your orange beasty

[@Rchelicopterfun]

🙂

[@SimpleGreen2017]

Had the same issue on a year old Husqvarna! Ended up being the fuel filter built into the hose barb on the fuel tank. Restricted the fuel enough for a lean running condition. Props to all who commented with their fixes.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, found the same thing on mine too after another person commented on it.

[@johngabrielson1969]

Awesome video. My snow blower has the exact same symptoms. Surging...I thought it was dying because the fuel to air mixture was too rich, not the opposite. Thanks for calling the brass (or copper) tube in the carburetor by the proper name, and saying that air goes through it. Also, I didn't realize the black Philips screw was for idle, I thought it was to adjust the fuel to air ratio.

[@bipedalbob]

Exactly what I was looking for, mine is a different make and model but exactly the same engine I thanks to your video and others comments I can confidently do this at home instead of paying out probably 100 bucks to have it done and be back up and running perfect in less time than loading it up and taking it to town

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it might help.

[@843292]

Great video! I really appreciate people like yourself showing us the internal workings of these small engines. You've helped me learn how to better take care of my small engines. And... I don't have to pay big money to the local shop to get the machine back to "like new" running condition!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks, glad it helped.

[@ravenfeather7087]

Ended up watching another video and keyed in on removing and cleaning the red plastic jet assembly under the idle screw adjustment. Cured the surging issue without removing the carb. However, I couldn't remember where the short cover bolts went and remembered you mentioning it in your video and yep, there it was! Thanks for being thorough.

[@darrinmc]

This worked for me - I have a 2014 Ariens Deluxe 24. I tried cleaning out the low speed jet first but it didn't fix the issue. I was able to clean out the high speed jet without removing the carb. The video was very handy when putting everything back together!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it helped

[@patmcglone5367]

Great video! Thank you! You helped me replace my defective carburetor. Removed two months ago. Long lead time on part. Needed to be reminded of reassembly !

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it helped - happy blowing🙂

[@allescard4377]

Thanks for the great video, but I think maybe you should have removed the idle jet for cleaning also while you were at it. It’s located just under the idle speed screw.

[@richardcurtis8026]

I have the same exact snowblower and I need to fix it as well. I have cleaned many carbs, but wanted to watch this to see if there was anything I needed to know. It's a bit curious that of all the videos I have watched on this, you are the only guy who didn't take out and clean the pilot jet and on every other vid it was really the only thing they did. Anyway, great vid. Nice and clear and detailed.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@Richard Curtis, yep, I didn't even think of the pilot because lean running which this clearly was, is not symptomatic of a pilot jet issue. Pilot jet issues generally manifest as rough running, especially during load & speed transitions (at least in my anecdotal small engine maintenance experience). In hindsight, I of course should have at least mentioned to inspect/clean it while it was all apart. Next time 😉

[@richardcurtis8026]

@@Rchelicopterfun All other videos pretty much say this is the fix it needs. I watched a few videos where they ONLY do this and it worked. I literally just got done doing mine. I did the whole carb and that pilot jet that sits outside the carb and it runs great. I had some dirt on every jet so it needed it. My unit was nowhere near as clean as yours, I'm jealous lol. Mine lives outside and it looks it. It runs very strong now though. Thanks for the great vid.

[@Ronaldo-wi2im]

Nice job, good skills! If you're in a hurry, or lack the proper work space, you can tilt the blower forward so the scoop is facedown, the drain your carb and pull the jet and emulsifier from the bottom of the machine, then you won't have to pull all that housing off.

[@sandibaker7646]

I was amazed that you actually discussed drilling out the jet -- that is a terrible idea -- it is not a wear item, and there is not need to disrupt the fuel metering by modifying it.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

I'm even more amazed you'd question a known and standard practice to cure a lean running condition (which is exactly what the symptom here was). Of course in this video, I didn't have to resize the main jet, it just needed cleaning which is usually all that's required. I simply mentioned in passing, that sizing the jet up MIGHT AS A LAST RESORT be required to cure a lean running condition when EVERYTHING ELSE CHECKS OUT. Sorry for the all-caps, but you obviously missed those two important points in the video and I didn't want you to miss them again. Jets can develop build up & oxide, and they can get pitted by contaminated/old fuel reducing their flow rate; neither of which can be cured by cleaning. In those cases you either need to put in a new jet or ream/drill the old one. Jet's can also be incorrectly sized at the factory (yes it happens) or sized for a specific altitude of operation and then you have to size up or down if you live a couple thousand feet over or above that baseline. Same goes for temperature. Far from a terrible idea partner.

[@GNX157]

Here's a huge tip for everyone who has similar symptoms. Before you go taking things apart, try this. Warm up the engine, run it a full throttle, and take a heavily gloved hand and go under that cowl and briefly (totally) cover the carb air inlet, but don't stall the engine all the way. Repeat a bunch of times. What this will do is cause that huge engine intake suction to pull fuel really hard thru all the internal passages of the carb (instead of outside air) and may pull any dirt particles out of any jet orifices internally. Using the choke to do this really won't work as there are several passages not exclusively behind the choke and which will reduce the effectiveness of this trick.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Good tip - I'll have to remember that for "next time".

[@LVang152]

My snow blower is surging too. So I’ll do this before next time or when the weather is warmer.

[@randybarnhart6976]

Approximately where would the air inlet valve be under the cowling? Thank you for the suggestion

[@GNX157]

@@randybarnhart6976 not an air inlet valve, the air intake opening on the carburetor. Snow blowers generally don’t have an air filter, so right there at that opening where a filter would normally go. Use a heavily gloved hand in case it spits back when you take your hand away. Again, not a guaranteed fix, but worth trying.

[@randybarnhart6976]

@@GNX157 John, thank you so much for your reply. I looked at it tonight and now it makes sense. I will try it tomorrow and will advise. Thanks again.

[@diverbob33]

Thanks for the very helpful video John! I just cleaned the carb on my Ariens machine and have had trouble with the idle speed not working properly after putting everything back together. The problem is that my idle speed does not change regardless of the position of the adjustment switch. The very end of your video showed me the answer was in that black plastic adjustment screw.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad you got yours working too 👍

[@dtsouza2519]

Thanks for making the great video. I didn't see you remove and clean the slow jet orifice (red plastic plug) under the black plastic idle adjust screw on the side? These are prone to clogging just like the main jet in the float bowl.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Good tip!

[@dtsouza2519]

John, great job on the video and thanks for helping us keep parts of our paychecks in our wallet. Taking a snowblower to a shop for a carb clean, or wallet cleaning, would cost about $200. Cheers!

[@hamfist001]

Just had to do this and this video helped me a ton. I tried to clean the carb with it installed but in the end its such minimal extra effort to remove the whole carb that I found it silly not to. Upon draining the carb bowl and removing it I found some sediment, which I cleaned out. I removed the low fuel screw and it was OK. I couldn't get the main jet/emulsion tube out - didn't have the right size screwdriver to get in there, so I settled for just blowing it out with carb cleaner. Reassembled it and it runs a lot better, though I still get minor chugging when the choke is fully closed. However, if I give it a bit of choke it runs smoothly which is a ton better than before. After this week I'll tackle this again with the right size screwdriver.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hope you are able to get it working 100% once you are able to clean out the main jet.

[@bertadelaudebri7179]

Thanks for sharing these details steps in addressing this rather common issue. Will do the same on our snowblower who's manifesting the same problem.

[@askrob6846]

Hi John. You, by far, have the best tutorial video out there for cleaning the carb on the LCT engine. I have cleaned my carb 3 separate times and still have a very minor surge occurring. I broke out my micro drill set last night and after addressing all the potential clogged ports, it still has a minor surge. I ordered a new carb online for $26.00, but as a last effort, I am going to run the engine and spray some quality cleaner into the carb while it's running because it just may vacuum the carb clean. Thanks for your video! PS- there is an even smaller fuel filter available, such as the Briggs red plastic one. I may try to incorporate that into the fuel line and see if it helps prevent future issues from occurring. Happy New Year!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

There actually is a small in-line filter in the fuel tank. It's part of the threaded hose bib (at least on this model). I found it after making the video; so you may want to check your fuel tank as well to make sure that filter (if yours has one too) isn't getting clogged. Mine was half plugged (on the bottom half) with dried up black paint particles? Seemed to be from the paint they painted the fuel tank with and likely was overspray or the hose bib threading process that got into the tank? I'm sure it was there since day one because this snow blower would always start running lean when the tank was below 1/3 fuel remaining (about at the level on the filter where the paint was). After cleaning all the paint off the hose bib filter inlet, it runs great until the tank is a dry martini. I actually think a lot of that black crap that was inside the float bowl and the particle/s jammed in the main jet, were some of those paint particulates that got by that in-tank filter. I checked the bowl this fall, and it's still spotless.

[@bradedgar8366]

@@Rchelicopterfun John, thank you the excellent video and replies to everyone’s questions. I will try cleaning the in-line fuel filter in tank. Thanks again. Much appreciated.

[@askrob6846]

@@Rchelicopterfun Agreed, I am on my third fuel shutoff now on a 4 year old unit that has less than 10 hours on it. I thought about adding a small filter to offer a belt and suspenders sort of filtration because the one in the tank isn't all that great. After cleaning my carb several times, I noticed a couple of videos out there that showed removing the red low speed plug under the idle adjustment screw. I hadn't thought of that, but after pulling it out, I noticed the port on it had obstruction. I replaced that red plug and now my blower is running great again. John, your tutorial video is still top notch and one of the best I have seen. Keep up the good work! Take care.

[@askrob6846]

@John Salt my issue wasn't the fuel filter that's part of the fuel shutoff on the bottom of the tank. My issue was that red low speed port on the carb that is notorious for getting clogged. I cleaned that out with a micro drill bit and that fixed it 100% and allowed me to keep the original OEM carb that came with the unit. Today it runs better than new because I updated the belts and friction disc to better than what the OEM provided new.

[@jeffreylingham8472]

Great how-to video. Lots of crud in my carb bowl. It now idles smooth and slow but throttles up full. Thanks.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Great to hear

[@petenicholls718]

Just took the carburetor apart and cleaned everything. Seems to have helped the backfiring and surging so far. The idle seems to low now however even if I turn the idle screw to the right all the way, not a lot of change. Plus I need to order a bowl gasket as my machine is 7 years old and has a slight leak.

[@gemster18]

What a beautiful tutorial thank you so much! I do have a question, I have a 1-year-old Troy-Bilt Storm 2410 snow blower. It is doing exactly the same thing, it is surging and in order to stop it I have to reach in it up with the choke just like you did. If I look underneath I can see that bowl. can I just turn the machine on its side and take off the bowl while The carburetor is still attached?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, if access allows. I Mention that method in the description 👍

[@bobbymiller2951]

They red plastic jet under the plastic idol screw., That's the one that usually makes it the motor surge., People generally don't know to pull that 1 out and clean it. Thanks for the video.

[@blkdgbts]

This completely fixed my issues, ... The carb was very dirty, I sprayed every valve & crevice I could find, surprised by all the dirt that came out. I would up putting in a small 1/4" in-line fuel filter & it runs like a top. Ready for the next storm.

[@doughill9911]

Hi, I replaced my carburetor on my Craftsmen. During the process, there were 2 little standoffs on the studs the carburetor was mounted to. Well, I had the choke open, and those standoffs went through the carburetor and into the engine. I had the machine sitting up on the plow so that’s how the standoffs fell in. Do you know if this will cause great harm? Do I have to take the engine vent off, can I even get inside to remove the standoffs? I tried firing it up today and a small fire started at the top of the carburetor. Had to extinguish it.

[@davidv4200]

Absolutely awesome video! Thank you very much. My father's Ariens 24 classic snowblower has the exact same symptoms and I will be fixing it today for him. I will also install a short profile fuel filter to avoid this in the future. I will update with the results

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks for the comment and good luck on your carb cleanout today. You may want to check inside the fuel tank for an in-tank filter. I later found one on this unit. It's part of the hose bib assembly and the filter screen is up in the tank (the hole assembly screwed from the bottom of the fuel tank). Mine was plugged half way up with what looked like black paint particles from when the tank was sprayed and overspray must have got inside is my guess. I'm also guessing it was some of those tiny paint particles that got past the in-tank fuel filter screen and into the carb.

[@MrTackleberry79]

Outstanding. Thanks for that. Now that you've removed my trial and error process, I'll have my Husky 224 fixed in a few minutes.

[@barefootbob1269]

Great video! That did not cure mine what I found on the second time was dirt in the low speed. To fix that removed the black idle screw and gently pry up the red plastic low speed jet to remove and clean as you did with the main jet.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks for the tip on the low speed jet. A few other folks have commented on checking that too so it's good to know there is another possible cause.

[@Spyro0912]

Hey just wanna say thankyou so much for your input, I did everything, cleaned everything and it was still sputtering, your solution completely fixed my problem. I OWE YOU!!!!!

[@bryanlumsden3573]

you sir just saved me a whole bunch of anguish as well as stopped me from buying a new carb, thank you for this. I had my carb out 3 times and cleaned it over and over again, turned out to be the low speed.... again thank you.

[@barefootbob1269]

@@bryanlumsden3573 Very welcome glad it helped. the problem is because of the EPA regulations the machines already run lean so even a tiny restriction will cause issues. Don't know what machine you have but if it is an Ariens with a knob to shut the fuel off keep an eye on that. On mine the internal seals had dissolved and that was what had plugged my carb up. Quick check of that value is next time you run it turn that value off and leave motor running see if in a minute or two the motor stalls. If with that turned off it keeps running for much more than a couple minutes that value is bad and may plug you up again.

[@Fr0gz]

DUDE, i cleaned the carb twice, new spark, oil, and 89 gas, (it was the dam JET!) red plastic part, I didnt even see gunk, i just pulled it cleaned it, sprayed inside i don't give a shit anymore. put it back in, made sure hoiles algined. bam, perfect. thank you! and thanks to the maker of the vid.

[@RAFatturi]

Tha k you for making this. Very helpful. I have a one season old Aierns that's surging on me despite draining all the fuel at the end of last season.

[@davidhake9069]

Very good video and detailed explanation! This is the problem with our Blower and plan to clean the main jet and carburetor soon. Thanks for putting this together.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hope it helps cure the issue

[@jaredb9281]

Awesome. Thanks so much for this great clear explanation. I wouldn't consider opening up anything like this as I'm a complete novice, but as my husqvarna blower is only 2 years old and is doing exactly the same thing, I'm pretty confident this will do the trick and save me a couple of 100 Euros at the same time! I'll report back on whether I succeed. Thanks heaps! 👍😃

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hope you are able to get it running properly. If it's still running lean after cleaning the float bowl and jet, you might want to take a peek into your fuel tank and check the fuel line bib filter (a little fine screen filter attached to the tank bib). Mine was gummed half way up with paint particles likely from when the factory threaded in the fuel hose bib into the tank. From day one, this blower would always start running lean when it got below 1/3 tank of fuel left and would never run below 1/4 tank. I never thought much of it until another commenter on this video mentioned this hidden filter, and sure enough after checking it, finding it all gummed up and cleaning it, the blower now runs well right until the tank is dry. My guess is most, if not all the dirt in the carb were fine paint particulates that got by that filter in the first place. Since cleaning that filter out, when I checked inside the carb bowl this fall, it was still spotless.

[@NutmegThumper]

Great video - I have an Ariens 28 Deluxe and same exact issue. I’ve been putting off this fix as it’s involved to get to the carburetor. Thanks!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it might help - have fun with the carb clean out 🙂

[@paulbramucci7586]

Finally I found the best video fix for my issue, thanks 😊 🙏

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it helped

[@michaelholly88]

I have an Ariens Compact 24 208cc LCT engine, cleaned the carb as shown, I’m still having issues with sputtering, it’s not terrible but noticing oil level too high and smells like fuel, float bowl seems to work as it should upon inspection, not sure what it could be causing to run rich

[@StevenWaskewicz]

Great video, and it helped me with my Husqvarna snowblower this fall.

[@pennykrueger5644]

Thanks for the video. If you look inside that fuel tank you'll see that there IS a fuel filter.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

100% Correct. Thanks for mentioning that. It's something I found out last spring before putting the blower to bed for the summer. I removed the tank to clean it and when I un-threaded that small internal screen filter in the tank, I was shocked to find the bottom half of the screen tube clogged with black paint? Not sure if that's common, but might be worth checking for those that have not had theirs out.

[@quillionaire]

Hi John, Thanks for your video, it was very informative! I just checked the low idle and high idle, as well as taking apart the carb altogether. What I found is that the carb has ZERO gaskets. Is there any chance that the surging I'm experiencing is due to missing gaskets? Thanks!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@James Quill - presuming you are referencing the gasket between the carb & intake, then yes, that can certainly cause a lean running condition too. The engine will basically be sucking air in around the back side of the carb & intake and leaning out the fuel to air mixture. An easy way to tell if there is an air leak on the back side of the carb is to spray some throttle body or carb cleaner around where the carb mounts to the intake. If you notice the RPM change while doing that, you know there is a leak.

[@quillionaire]

@@Rchelicopterfun Ok, I'm actually missing two gaskets! One where the bowl meets the carb and the other where the carb mounts to the intake. I'll spray like you said, but will be adding the gaskets regardless. The machine runs great, but only on full choke. As soon as I drop the choke, it starts to surge. My thought is that there is just too much air coming in through the lack of gaskets and is causing the surging. Thank you!

[@quillionaire]

@@Rchelicopterfun Hey John, just wanted to provide a quick update. I ended up swapping out the gasket between the carb and the intake, as well as adding a new bowl gasket. Additionally, I cleaned out the red pin for the low idle, just in case. At my next start, the the engine was slightly better, but still surging. I also changed the spark plug for good measure. However, now I'm noticing that my snowblower dies after 2-5 minutes of operation. Any ideas what could be happening? Should I just replace the carb altogether? I've been reading online that there's been some trouble with surging on Ariens Deluxe 28's that have the LCT. Curious for your thoughts on potential next steps. Thanks!

[@michaelholly88]

I have a Ariens Compact 24 208cc LCT engine I believe, cleaned the carb as shown, I’m still having issues with sputtering, it’s not terrible but noticing oil level too high and smells like fuel, float bowl seems to work as it should upon inspection, not sure what it could be causing to run rich still.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@Michael Holly - well, this video and carb clean was to cure a lean running condition (dirt in main jet). If you have a blower that is running too rich, then it's going to be something else. Rich running could be caused by a loose main metering jet (sucking fuel past the jet) or oversized jet. Blocked air filters cause rich running, but blowers don't have air cleaners, however, maybe something else is partially blocking the air intake? I've found mouse & bug nests in several over the years. If you've cleaned the carb however, then you would have found that. Incomplete ignition would be another possibility. Never hurts to change the spark plug unless you've already tried that.

[@michaelholly88]

@@Rchelicopterfun the unit is almost new, used once, left gas in it. I drained the gas and added new. I think too my problem was adding a can of sea foam 🙃 trying to get it to idle correctly. I then cleaned carb after, put fresh gas and noticed gas Oder in the oil. Just changed the oil yesterday, cleaned carb again and runs slightly better but still sputters occasionally, I’m hoping I didn’t ruin the carb with seafoam/mechanic in a bottle. Next will be the spark plug for sure. I have found when the fuel shut off is partly closed it runs perfect, but then sputters when engaging the auger. Once spring comes I’ll test back apart and get a carb rebuke kit and spark plug.

[@415orazio]

Excellently done. Thanks for taking the time.

[@Platinumtag]

Was looking for a video like this finally tho you did a great job showing clearly how to start, idle and run the machine using the carburetor. My carburetor line are broke so this video give me a clear ideas how to start mind manually. 5 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟 to you.

[@00Lobster00]

Great video. I have a similar LCT engine with a surging issue. I rebuilt the carburetor but didn't remove and clean the main jet. I expect that an inline fuel filter would be a good idea. I'll check for the hidden fuel filter as well.

[@conradkelly8101]

I have the same issue with mine, how did you fix it?

[@claudehebert3131]

According to the Tecumseh Products Wikipedia page, Liquid Combustion Technology is an US company, HQ'd in Travelers Rest, SC. This doesn't mean their production isn't in china, though. Along with another company (that bought Tecumseh's assets) LCT builds Snow King engines (a name that was used on former Tecumseh engines). Now that Tecumseh has bit the bucket, I prefer B&S OHV engines, like the one I have on my Ariens snowblower. Always starts on 2nd pull, even at 20 below. Now Ariens seems to use LCT engines too.

[@treborterb]

Ariens AX engines are an exclusive line of engines for the Ariens Sno-Thro lineup that are manufactured by LCT and built to Ariens specifications. Who is LCT? Liquid Combustion Technology (LCT) is a USA-owned and operated company that manufacturers air-cooled engines for outdoor power equipment markets.

[@MatthewWebb62024]

Oh man. Thank you so much. I have this exact model with the same problem. I am going to follow this process and hope that solves it.

[@JohnBooker0]

I'm having an almost identical problem -> surging that goes away with a tiny bit of choke applied. I cleaned the carb same as you, although I did so without removing the entire carburetor. It still surges, still goes away with choke. Any thoughts on what to check next? Is there another idle jet/screw to clean somewhere? Could a dirty fuel filter be the problem? I've read that spark plugs can also cause surging, although the fact that a little choke cleans up the surging makes me think that can be ruled out?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@John Booker - it never hurts to change the plug (especially if it has been a while since it was last changed) as a faulty plug can certainly cause strange running issues. It's also an easy & inexpensive thing to try. My guess is the plug is not the issue, but again, if it's older and has never been changed - may as well start there. A clogged filter will certainly cause this as well so that's something to check. If your blower is like mine, there is no external fuel filter, but there is a fine mesh screen filter inside the fuel tank (it's part of the fuel line output nipple on the bottom of the tank). That thing can easily get clogged and cause lean running. A leaking gasket where the carb attaches to the intake is another common thing will also cause lean running. I don't know of any other jet/screw to clean other than the float metering valve and the main jet. I'm by no means an expert on these specific carbs however; I just know the basics. Good luck.

[@JohnBooker0]

@@Rchelicopterfun Thanks for the reply! I kept digging and there is an idle/low speed jet on my carb, on top. There is a black plastic retaining screw that holds in a red plug with a small jet. Cleaning that out helped a lot! It looks like you can see it on your carb at 10:25. Thanks for the video and the reply! KZbin at its finest! ♥️

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@John Booker - thanks for that good info. Will have to make a note of that in my owners manual as another thing to check 🙂

[@hunter1953]

Very nice video and it dosent take much to block a jet . i worked on a similar motor and it was a nightmare to get the carb off.

[@jsphmoore]

Great video. And an even better fleece.

[@GNX157]

Guys, if you're good with tools and your hands, you don't have to remove that cowling or other stuff to get to that bowl. Drain your gas tank or put some plastic under the cap. Tilt the blower forward onto the auger housing (the forward service position), and remove the left side wheel. You'll have room to access the bowl and main jet. If you want access to the low speed/idle circuit jet, you will need to remove the cowl.

[@jeffleblanc8850]

I agree all these guys are tearing ther machines apart for nothing you can get emulsion tube easy with out all that bullshit lol these guys have nothing better to do the joke of it all is this looks like a brand new machine if I payed that much for a snow blower and it was screwing up the first season they would be getting ther machine back he prob never drained the fuel in the end of season but he said it was doing it from the start yep I’d take it back I have a Poulenc pro and I got to take the tube out plus I’m going to do what another comment said I’m go to block we’re the air goes into carb running full out and take my hand of and on and the pressure could clean it out happy snow blowing not hate winter I want a closed in tractor lol

[@AchillesWrath1]

I'm having trouble with my snow blower. It wouldn't start. I took the carburetor apart and cleaned it but when i put it all back together it starts but the throttle surges back and forth where the linkage attaches. I never took the float apart i didn't think of it before seeing this video. I just sprayed the inlet and the outlet, and everything else out really good with carb cleaner. Where the linkage attaches It physically moves back and forth on it's own. Maybe it's still clogged and i need to clean out those jets? I thought the throttle moving back and forth may have to do with that tiny cable that has the spring attached to it. What does that cable do exactly? Maybe i have it too loose? I'm not sure. It only stays running if i hold where the linkage attaches to the throttle wide open. Anything less than that it just surges back and forth and dies.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

With running issues like this, you generally start with the easy stuff and progress along in a process of elimination to more involved but less likely possibilities. The most common running issue after sitting in storage is bad fuel - especially fuel with ethanol in it. So if you have not got fresh fuel in it, that's the very first thing to try. Also double check the oil level. Many of these engines have a low oil level sensor that grounds out the ignition if the level is getting low. If the oil level is just at the point where the sensor is intermittently grounding out the ignition, it can cause all sorts of funny running issues. Generally the next easy item to eliminate is the spark plug. Change it even if it looks fine. Misfires and surging go hand in hand since a misfire will often then manifest as governor surging. Not sure what "cable" you are talking about? Perhaps you mean linkage rod/push rod? If so, the long pushrod with that spring goes to the governor. The governor is what ultimately controls the carburetor throttle/butterfly plate and thus the engine speed. That little spring on the rod wouldn't cause the engine to not run. It only takes up slack in the linkage to help prevent fluttering of the butterfly valve which can produce slight engine surging if there is a fair amount of slop in the governor linkage rod. If you close the choke, does the running issue get any better? If it gets better, then you likely have a lean running issue like I had and need to clean the carb. All ports of the carb, not just the main jet & emulsion tube. There is one I didn't do in the video but others have mentioned it in the comments. It's the one under the red plug on the carb. Your blower may also have an internal fuel filter in the gas tank (mine actual did so I never bothered installing an external filter). Anyway, that little fine mesh filter can get clogged full of gunk while sitting in storage. Most of those in-tank fuel filters are threaded in from the bottom of the fuel tank where the fuel line attaches. If closing the choke however has no affect, then it's likely not running lean and is something else like bad fuel, low oil, or bad spark plug.

[@AchillesWrath1]

​@@Rchelicopterfun Thank you for the reply. After i typed that message to you i went back and tore it all apart again and cleaned the jets and that emulsion tube inside the bowl. It's purring like a kitten now. My snow blower isn't the same brand as yours but it looks close. It's a Yard Machine with a a Briggs and Stratton motor. It's only a year old. Looks brand new. The wire i was talking about is a separate one that is attached to a spring and runs parallel to the linkage rod. The end of it is shaped like a hook and goes into a hole in the same piece that the linkage rod attaches. I think i've heard someone say it's a safety spring in case the linkage rod comes off you don't blow the motor. So i probably just answered my own question. I just didn't know if it served another purpose also. But it's running great now thanks to your video showing me how to take the float apart and clean it out. That was it. Thanks again!

[@nicolauscory2065]

So do what this guy did. But dont drill anything out. If it still surges at idle you have to clean out the pilot jet which is under the idle adjustment screw. Its red in this case but on my troy bilt its black. In general pilot jet is for fuel delivery at idle and main jet is for fuel deliverg at quarter throttle and above.

[@caltom1427]

Great video. Repaired mine yesterday. Thank you.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Great to hear 👍

[@MrRatkilr]

Peek inside the gas tank. Mine is a different brand. But geeking inside tank there was one inside of the tank on the fitting. Not very big though.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, as per the first pinned comment 🙂

[@MrRatkilr]

@@Rchelicopterfun Didn't see first comment. i travel fast and light through you tube on weekends. No time to read every response. lol

[@jisla2]

Thanks so much for the video. It avoided lot of frustrations.

[@chriscurry694]

The inline fuel filter can also be fitted next to the fuel-line shut off value on the other side!

[@spitzo1192]

thanks mate, good for winter now

[@Rchelicopterfun]

👍🙂

[@ristoojala7844]

Thanks John!! I have the same blower and same problem. Now I dare to try fix it. Greetings from Finland!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hope you are able to get yours fixed as well - greetings back from Canada 🖖

[@gc4040]

I have a Ariens compact 24 I bought used for $300. The person only used it a couple times. The electric start wouldn't work. I took the starter apart and found moisture had worked its way inside the stator and rusted it up and seized it. For the hell of it I took it apart and gently sanded it clean (mostly) with fine sand paper. Put it back together and it now works. A $175 dollar savings on that. On to the carburetor. The engine was surging. When I took it apart it was actually pretty clean through the needle. I cleaned it out with carb cleaner. However I did notice that the O-ring for the cup had white corrosion built up on it ( pay particular attention to that). My best guess is poor assembly from the manufacturer. The O-ring wasn't seated properly causing outside atmosphere to works its way through the O-ring into the cup. The small amount of murky gas inside was an indication of it. Im pretty sure this snowblower was surging since day one or shortly after. Everything is back together now and running great. I used a small amount of Parker Super O-lube to coat the O-ring. I'm a little hesitant about that. But if it causes issues then cleaning the carb again is a simple process.

[@josephscotto3418]

There are to screw adjustments on the float bowl of my carburetor what do they adjust

[@wrightbrent73]

The switch and key are wired in series. If they were wired in parallel, both switches would have to be turned off in order to stop the engine

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, that makes sense. 👍

[@wrightbrent73]

@@Rchelicopterfun Sorry, I'm an electrician. lol This was a good, informative video all the same

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@Brent Wright - not sure what my excuse is then as I have an automotive & electronics background. Brain fart I suppose where my mouth was flapping faster than processor - a common occurrence according to the wife.

[@wrightbrent73]

@@Rchelicopterfun You're not alone brother... lol

[@Rchelicopterfun]

😄👍

[@joaocoelho7331]

Great video! Very professional. Thanks!

[@killerpitdbo]

It is snowing and I have surging. Brand new machine bought last year. Cub Cadet 2x .Left untreated gas in it for about 10 months.Can I run it full choke to get rid of snow till I can get it fixed?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

I would empty the tank and put fresh gas in. That to me would be the first thing to try as it might be all that's required to get it running properly. Running with the choke on is not ideal because power will be down and depending on how much/how heavy the snow is, could bog down the engine excessively.

[@thegonzo3514]

Seriously great video. Thank you!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

@David Gonzalez III - Thanks back & glad you like it. 🙂

[@tomp3146]

Awesome, awesome video tutorial... Thanks very much!!! Extremely helpful!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

You're very welcome

[@kaksken1999]

With this problem would you get the smell of gas in the oil?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Shouldn't be. Since it's running lean and being starved for fuel, should be no raw fuel left in the cylinder to seep into the crankcase.

[@Fr0gz]

How do you get spare parts, my GOVERNOR ARM & LINK KIT broke.

[@Fr0gz]

@Thomas Andrews Thanks

[@robopam]

Excellent instructional video. Thanks.

[@johnfulcher559]

Great video I think my Ariens has the same engine with the same problem.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hope you get it sorted.

[@treborterb]

have not read all the comments so , sorry if this has already been posted, but the only fuel filter I have been told about is the screen assembly that sits over the opening to the gas container that is visible and accessible at the opening after you remove the gas cap. you can remove it be grasping it with a pair of needle nose or even regular pliers and pulling straight out and up.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, it's mentioned in the very first pinned comment. However they are all different. Mine is built into the hose bib that exits the tank and the only way to remove it for cleaning is to remove the tank & unscrew the bib. Lucky yours just pull out from inside the tank 🙃

[@MJorgy5]

I just cleaned my carburetor and added an inline fuel filter and after snowblowing my drive once the thing won't run for more than 15 seconds. I miss my old 5 hp Tecumseh powered Craftsman.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Have you checked to see if there is an inline filter in the outlet from the fuel tank as per the first pinned comment? Many of these newer blowers have a tiny screen filter in the fuel tank hose bib that can easily get clogged and there is no way to inspect it other than remove the tank and pull out the hose bib to access the filter for cleaning. Mine had one and it was plugged half way with what looked to be overspray paint particles from inside the fuel tank. I think it was some of those tiny paint particles that got by that filter that clogged the main jet in this carb clean.

[@darrinschappert8017]

Really detailed instruction. Thank you!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it was helpful

[@randylee2549]

would running a snowblower on partial choke be ok as long there is no surging, so that I can get to this in the spring summer when it is warmer, have no heated shop((

[@Rchelicopterfun]

It won't hurt anything, but power will be down. You are basically restricting some air into the engine when doing that to cure the lean running condition.

[@randylee2549]

@@Rchelicopterfun ahh, I get it, someone told me that Briggs had issues with the Nikki Carbs, and the walbro replacement was the way to go, could it be a carb issue, or just that my carb is dirty?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Always start with easy stuff. If it runs better with some choke but it used to run fine before, it's running lean and the most common reason after bad fuel or a dirty fuel filter would be a dirty/contaminated carb, but there are other possible reasons as well. I of course don't know if your carb is dirty or if it's something else. That's why we have to open them up to inspect them - it's part of the diagnostic process. If it's just dirty like this one was, the repair won't cost you a dime other than some time. If however you'd rather just throw a new costly part at it in hopes that might fix it without any diagnostic investigation, it's your $.

[@randylee2549]

@@Rchelicopterfun cleaning and check it is!

[@prymas39]

Is there a way to remove the bowl and jet without removing the entire carb? Also, I have seen in another video that there is another jet under the idle adjustment screw. (When you remove the red tab that the idle screw holds down). Did you ever look in to that or have a schematic to confirm?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yes, you can certainly remove it from underneath by just unscrewing the center bowl bolt. You likely won't even have to remove the metal cowling to gain access. Thing is, it's more difficult to see what is going on when working on it in that orientation. If/when I have to do this again, that is what I will try first. But until I do, I can tell you just how much of a pain (or easier) it will be. Perhaps others who have done it this way will be kind enough to comment. Removing the bowl will be the easy part. Getting the float and needle out, cleaning everything, and fitting it all back in place correctly while still attached to the machine & working upside down or at best sideways, may be turn out to be trickier than pulling the carb off in the first place? I guess if it turns out to be a real hassle trying to get it all back in place, one could always remove the carb at that stage to clean it and refit the needle, float, and bowl.

[@prymas39]

It doesn’t appear as though you need to remove the float- just the bowl, jet and emulsion tube. Why do you need to remove the float?

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Why? To remove the float needle for inspection/cleaning. You very well may not have to do that of course, but I'm of the opinion if you are in there and gone to this much trouble already, checking the float needle and cleaning out that port as well is worth the extra time. There could have been crud in there just as likely as up in the jet hole after all.

[@ravenfeather7087]

I had the same surging issue. There's another video discussing this same issue on the same LCT 208 engine. The presenter did the whole carb take off and clean process and in the end it still surged. He removed the red plastic jet assembly under the idle adjustment screw, cleaned it up. I did the same and didn't have to do all the disassembly. I used a bristle I cut off a wire brush to clean the orifices and it solved the issue. I also flushed out the carb, tank and lines. Apparently, according to a tech I spoke to, using unleaded gasoline is a no-no on these engines. He highly recommended zero alcohol content gas (premium). Apparently the alcohol in the gasoline causes the lines to deteriorate. He also recommended to not use Stabil during the off season (which I had used). There were some black particles in the tank and my machine had been used very little and I'm always careful when fueling. So who knows where that came from. Anyway, it runs perfectly now. I'll drain ALL the gas at the end of the season.

[@BandKMUSIC69]

@@ravenfeather7087 Do you have a link to that video, I also still have the surging after cleaning the carb but not that slow idle jet Thanks!

[@scottspooner6070]

Great video, thank you...

[@alexhatcher8812]

30 snowblower repairmen downvoted this.

[@richardmaaske7483]

You should have drilled out the jet to the next micro drill size bigger hole. Now that you had it open. The bigger hole would not plug up as easy. Also you know that, the colder air temperature gets. There is more Oxygen in that air. So you need more gas to go along with that Air,or it will be running lean. On my cub cadet snowblower, I opened up my low -speed Jet and high-speed Jet.

[@ForeIndication]

Nice video, thanks for sharing.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@seannagel9226]

Filter is inside the gas tank on top the on/off valve. :)

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep 👍

[@agfa663]

There is a fuel filter, it is in the tank. Where the hose connects at the tank, unscrew the nut and pull the filter down.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep. Found that out later in the season when it started acting up again below 1/4 tank. Stuck the good old borescope probe in and noticed that tiny screen was plugged solid half way up with black paint particulates (presumably from when the tank was sprayed) and the filter/bib assemble threaded into the hole. Those black particles were also likely what were getting into the carb and blocking the jet as I found more in the carb bowl after cleaning the filter. Had to remove the tank, and unthread the screen bib to clean it as you mentioned - such fun.

[@agfa663]

@@Rchelicopterfun I might have to do that, Will empty gas, remove tank, flush rinse using garden hose, rinse using alcohol then let dry before to reassemble.

[@agfa663]

Also, enlarge the throtle jet (rep plastic screw) to 1/64" using a drill bit so it won't run lean.

[@rayladeojen1594]

Nice vid - helped me!

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad to hear it

[@johnvandenburgh8771]

clean the carb before fresh gas ! DONE!

[@masterbuilder6375]

thanks you! great job explaining everything!

[@TheTechII]

Thanks for the video. I have been having the same issue. I think that I will make this part of my annual servicing for my snowblower. Did you end up putting in the fuel filter? I was curious to see if you were able to make it fit.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Hi Gordon, sorry I missed your question here from a few days back. No, I never did put an inline filter in. Even the small one looked like it might not fit under the cover after looking at it more. I'm sure some smaller diameter ones would work however.

[@redneckadventures9122]

Have a craftsman same motor with that problem will try that tomorrow thanks I’ll update

[@Auguur]

My brand new Huskvarna surges just like that, very disappointing to say the least.

[@robertgwalsh5878]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Glad it was helpful

[@frankie2234]

Very good video detail.

[@waynestefinashen239]

John nice video would suggest pressure testing the carb at 5 psi to ensure needle valve seating prior to reinstalling. Check out Eliminator Performance videos the kid shows the pressure testing pump.

[@truenorthmuskoka9077]

Great video but why not just pull the bowl off to access the emulsifier and jet without having to pull off all those covers.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Two reasons: First, I didn't know what the issue was so decided to take it all apart to get a clear view of the entire layout. May have been something as simple as a blocked inline filter or pinched fuel hose for example (of course that was not the case) but now we know. Second, taking it completely off really was the only option for doing a video to clearly show the carb and internal components within the bowl including the float needle. Plus, for those that do need to remove the carb; this might help give them a little more information on the scope of the process. Yes, in hindsight, and hopefully what people will get out of this is you can just take the bowl off from under the cowling to service the jet (assuming of course a clogged jet is the issue).

[@blkdgbts]

@@Rchelicopterfun I found dirt through out the carb, ... so removing it & doing through cleaning was a good thing. Very helpful video. Likely saved me $100 by DIY, rather than taking it to a small engine repair shop. Thanks again.

[@Platinumtag]

Him taking off the cover was the best thing bc most guys start these stuff without viewers seeing clearly how the butterfly carburetor works while the machine is actually running.

[@DougAlesUSA]

I was very disappointed by the amount of disassembly I was required to do to clean a clogged carburetor fuel jet in my cheap MTD Yard Machine snowblower with this China made 208CC power-stroke brand engine. Again, I WAS disappointed until I saw your video which was even more steps. 10 years ago we could turn a screw. If it was really bad, we removed a screw, cleaned, then reinstalled, and that was it. Today, us consumers are in a very bad position. At about 7 years of life, this jet cleaning needs to be done. To have a small engine repair place do it, the cost is $100 - $170 if you bring it to them, and pick it back up. However, the entire snow blower, which can be replaced with new for $600 - $700 is worth no more then $250 when 7 years used and running properly. So yeah, spending $170 to repair a $250 item means toss it and buy another. I have a relative that has a small grass lot. He’s a actuarial scientists. He did some basic math and determined he’s better off not maintaining small engine items such as push mowers, weed whackers, snow blowers, leaf blowers. Instead, he does no maintenance, runs until it has a failure then tosses the item in the trash as he replaces with a new, cheap one.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Looking at the glass over half full, us DIY'ers who enjoy tinkering on stuff are in a wonderful position today to save massive amounts of coin. I know I sure have. Never has there been as much free and helpful information available to us within seconds showing us all exactly how to service our our own equipment, learn a good deal in the process, and get that good feeling of accomplishment. From very simple stuff like this, right up to much more complex servicing on everything from a little snow blower to a Ferrari engine. This is a wonderful time in history for the average DIY'er & Renaissance man.

[@DougAlesUSA]

John Salt well, I can’t argue with that 👍

[@02155Tony]

You didn`t clean the low speed jet. That is usually were the problem lies. You must clean the jet and tiny orfice in carb body. with carb cleaner and tiny wire threw the orfice.

[@Rchelicopterfun]

Yep, a few others have made mention of that. Next time it starts running rough I'll be sure to check that one as well. Thanks for the information.

[@thomazz1976]

Thank you!

[@DIYVariety]

Where do you find parts for it

[@Rchelicopterfun]

I always support our local power equipment & rental store when I can: www.alpinecountryrentals.com/ They almost always have better parts prices than the online sources such as Amazon or Ebay, and I can get the part/s immediately or within 3-4 days tops if they have to order it in from the city. Of course, that's in my small town. If you don't have a good power equipment shop in your area, Google search is your friend.

[@bobbymiller2951]

All wanted to say one more thing., I noticed those wire connectors., Have little pin clips., That's why they're on there so tight., I'm no expert, I have just been learning from KZbin videos., Neighbor gave me a 2014 snow TEC., That's like brand new. Obviously carburetor was all gummed up. So I've just been passing information that I've just learned recently., Like I said i'm no expert, Or even a mechanic at that., I'm a KZbin mechanic.😂😂😂

[@fishmandad588]

You should have tried to spay some sea foam in the carb while it was running before you took it apart.

[@fishmandad588]

Do use ethanol gas in the blower it kills the motor.

[@JoseRivera-pe2dc]

Hello guys.....Hello guys.....Hello guys.

[@barn19800]

I love you

[@algorel4763]

Theses carbs resemble the Honda carbs, thus Honda cloan engine’s. Make an effort to Run gas stabilizer, buy ethonal free gas at pure gas.org, worst case buy the ethonal free gas at the large box stores in cans. Expensive. Then you will reduce or eliminate these ethonal related problems. If you take a look at the diameter of the holes in the emulsion tube, very tiny they will clog easy due to ethonal. Just to keep the corn farmers alive???