I have a Tecumseh 4 stroke snowthrower for the past 4 years. I recently did an oil change and spark plug replacement on it, and now the engine will not run when the choke is released, even when properly warmed up. The only thing different about this motor is the spark plug. Is this the culprit, or is there something else I should check. The manual doesn't provide an answer, it just says to call a dealer.

Thanks.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

Probably a gummed up or varnished carb. Is it a floatbowl or diaphragm carb?

The older techumsehs had adjustable needle valves for the main jet and the idle jet, the later "fixed" ones usually need a good disassembly and cleaning, brake parts cleaner works well.

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carb is probably plugged up. stall gas or dirt.might try some gas additives but most likely needs cleaned and possible diaphrams/gaskets

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1972 280 sel 4.5
1986 xr4ti
For any given large, complex, hard-to-understand, expensive problem, there exists at least one short, simple, easy, cheap wrong answer.

could also be areally dirty air filter

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1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale
2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold
2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably)
1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast)
1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style)
2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)

if it's a Floater type carb, take the bowl off, Rinse out all the old gas with a little new, Also a thing to check is the hole though the bolt if there's one. I fixed a power washer from goodwill by cleaning out the jet in there, Runs like a champ now. A multitude of problems can be fixed just in the carb... as an after thought... did you check the gap on the plug? it might not make a huge difference... but I'd still check it to be sure.

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure what kind of carb it is, but the engine itself is only 4 years old. I'm not even sure it has an air filter. I'll check for that and run some carb cleaner through it to see if that helps. If not, I'll have the carb cleaned out.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

Get friendly with your local dentist and hit him up for some used root canal files- they're great for cleaning small carburetors. The bolt that retains the float bowl is the main jet assembly- it will have an orifice in the bottom and possibly another very small hole at a 45 degree angle just above the lower set of threads. Once they're both clean, you should be OK.

I've got that engine on my snow blower. It doesn't have an air filter to plug up. The carb is very simple- I use a reamer from my welding torch cleaner set, which can be bought easier than a root canal file. A good blast of carb cleaner or brakekleen will help.

A word of warning about brake cleaner.
Do NOT ever use brake cleaner around heat. When heated, brake cleaner, unlike carb cleaner, will emit phosgene gas. Nasty stuff.
Spraying some on a hot engine may hit the exhaust and make just enough of that deadly gas to be bad news.
I read a safety tip from someone who used it instead of carb cleaner for a pre-welding cleaner. Some brake cleaner remained in one of the rust pits. When the guy hit it with the torch, it vaporized and he inhaled enough to nearly kill him.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Thanks for the warning. I'll stick with carb cleaner then.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

Can you give her a small shot of starting fluid to see if that'll get it running long enough to get gas moving through the carb? My leaf vacuum required this ritual each fall (if i forget to add Stabil to the gas tank when I store it the year prior). Usually a quick shot of fluid near the air intake will do the trick.

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1992 300D 2.5T
1980 Euro 300D (sadly, sold)
1998 Jetta TDI, 132K "Rudy"
1974 Triumph TR6
1999 Saab 9-5 wagon (wife's)

Chas H's suggestion is good, however, the smallest tip cleaner is too big to clean the idle jet. Dentists only use RCT files one time, and then they're discarded- they cost about $15 each in case you wondered why RCT is so expensive. I got 20 or 30 from my dentist once- all I had to do was ask, but then again, I'm a good customer.

Try another plug. I had that same thing happen to me and it turned out that when the old plug was used, it worked. Another new plug and it worked. That one plug, no deal.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

I think we have a very similar snowblower. First my dad was having trouble because the car float was stuck, but that was with gasoline going everywhere, so you'd notice that. Second was, my mom couldn't start, no matter what you did. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE KEY IN. I sat there trying to figure it out, and took out the plug to make sure it was getting a spark and I saw the key on the floor.

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1983 240D 3.0T 4-speed manual, now sold

1989 Subaru GL Wagon 5-speed Touring Edition

The key is in, and the motor will start and run on both the full choke and partial choke settings. It dies as soon as I turn the choke off, even after sufficently warm.

I will try the carb cleaner this weekend when it warms up a little bit. Failing that, I'll try a new plug as it was the only thing that changed with the engine between April and November. I drain the gas when I store it for the year, and always make a point of running the carb dry of gasoline before storing it.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)