snowblower modification help
 

I have a garden variety MTD snowblower that has a tecumseh engine. I think its about a 22" two stage unit with maybe an 8 hp engine. I've used it for many years and the only thing I would change is the manual discharge chute crank. I've got an old electric window motor from my 95 e300d drivers door that could easily spin the crank and change the direction of the discharge chute. Any way to get enough electricity from the engine to power the electric window motor? How about a battery turning the motor and the engine charging the battery?

Couple of things come to mind:

Window motor (regardless of origin) - pretty dang powerful and would require some amperage to operate. If your blower is a key-start unit, you could tap into that circuit.

Most 2 and 4-cycle utility engines are magneto ignition, so no alternator or anything to obtain a sustainable current.

First, make sure your engine has an alternator. Some are equipped from the factory. If it has a light, it has an alternator. Instead of using a window motor, maybe you can find a used chute rotating mechanism on ebay, as MTD has used this on some models.

alternator
 

Machine has no light, therefore probably no alternator.

I've got a Simplicity Tecumseh (OHV) engined snow blower without a light. But there is a lead on the engine to power a light. If the engine has over head valves it might have an alternator.
Depending on the time spent removing snow, you may be able to use battery power and use a battery charger when the blower is idle.
Is the crank for the shute down near your knee?

Even if there is no alternator, you could run the electric motor off the battery, and recharge the battery from a stand alone charger if necessary.