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Snowblower won't start

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NetWareHead

THAT guy
Came home to 15 inches of snow last night after work and ended up shoveling entire driveway by hand. 😡

Snowblower always ran strong, and ran a few days ago with no problem for last snowfall. When I pull the starting handle, I can smell gasoline which I assume is coming out of the muffler and the carb is giving the engine the proper mix.

Choke is on (cold engine), throttle is wide open, ignition is on and engine is full of gasoline.

I'm thinking that I'm going to stop at home depot and grab a spark plug. Any suggestions?
 
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just take spark plug out, connect it to the lead, lay it on a spot on the snowblower where there is bare metal, turn over snowblower, watch for spark.

No need to just buy a spark plug on the off chance that's the problem.

Before you do that though give it a shot of ether and see if it turns over. If it does it's not a spark problem but a fuel/air one.
 
So I spoke to a small engine guy I used and he thinks the gasoline smell coming out of the muffler is because the engine is flooded. He said you can try to keep starting it or use the electric starter. Start it without priming it for a few times and eventually the flooding should clear. I'll check the spark plug. If not, I'll ask him to take it into his shop and fix it.
 
While you have the plug out, crank the engine over for a few seconds to clear any fuel that might be in the cylinder.
 
Why not just try the electric start as your mechanic suggested? Maybe it was just flooded. No point fixing something until you know it's actually broken.

Now that it has sat a while it may start right up if it was just flooded.
 
Why not just try the electric start as your mechanic suggested? Maybe it was just flooded. No point fixing something until you know it's actually broken.

Now that it has sat a while it may start right up if it was just flooded.

Yep this is what ended up working. Sorry I didn't update this thread in time.

I tried to clear the engine manually by pull starting it but after 20 or so pulls I was about beat. Hooked the electric start to it and press the button. The starter spun the engine for about 10 seconds or so and it fired up. Man that thing must have been SERIOUSLY flooded!
 
Good news, I'd replace the plug anyway since the fuel delivery was fine or clean the present one and check it's gap.
 
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