Snowthrower refuses to start, until I spray starting fluid into sparkplug hole?

[Elixer]

This is a single stage snowthrower (~10 years old), and have tried new sparkplugs, new gas, gas cleaner, fuel additive (to get higher octane), some engine deposit cleaner, and it will just never start until I squirt some starting fluid into the sparkplug hole.

Once that is done, it runs perfectly fine until it is out of gas, then, I must use starting fluid yet again to get it to start after the refill.

I thought it might be some carbon deposits blocking gas flow to the plug, but, the plug isn't dirty at all when I remove it to add the starting fluid.

Anyone know what the issue could be?

 

[boomerang]

Is the choke closing fully?

 

[Elixer]

Yeah, the spring on it is fine as well.

 

[boomerang]

The choke is closed by a lever with a spring? I don't think I've ever seen that. I've seen levers, I've seen a cable but only the throttle itself is controlled that way through the governor.

Is there a primer bulb?

Two cycle, four cycle? What engine? Might as well tell us the make and model of the snowblower as well as what engine.

You say it runs perfectly fine until it runs out of gas. What if you just turn it off, does it restart or do you have to use starting fluid?

Last for now, it won't start spraying starter fluid into the carb?

 

[RLGL]

Disassemble and clean the carb, the best way is with an ultra-sonic cleaner

 

[SearchMaster]

Disassemble and clean the carb, the best way is with an ultra-sonic cleaner

Almost certainly this. I had the exact same issue with my backpack blower....after a year I realized I was never going to do it myself so I took it to a small engine repair shop. $30 later he had cleaned the carb jets....one of the best $30 ever spent.

 

[john3850]

Could be rust build up in the gas tank that may be clogging your fuel system.

 

[Elixer]

It is a 2 cycle B&S engine, no name/brand is on it. I think I would need to remove the panels to find the engine # on it, nothing is shown on the bottom of the unit. (Got it from a snowblower shop ~10 years ago, and that guy died last year, and shop is closed now.) Yeah, it has a primer bulb on it.
If I start it up, then shut it off, then try to start it up again, it won't, until I squirt more starting fluid in.
There is no port I could squirt the starting fluid in--at least, I don't think there is. Nothing obvious?


Tank is plastic, so, can't be rust.

Disassemble and clean the carb, the best way is with an ultra-sonic cleaner

Hmm, never heard of that before, found this video of it:

I think a new carb would be cheaper though, I have no idea how to find the exact model needed for this, is it printed someplace on the carb itself?

is what it looks like, though, can't tell if it is the exact one, I just know that is what it looks like now. Seems these run $70.

 

[john3850]

I would say your primer bulb is dried up.
Most primer bulb will feel soft when not used once you squeeze or prime them up they get hard and you may hear the gas discharging.

 

[boomerang]

You should take it in to be serviced.

 

[NutBucket]

A new carb is probably less than $40. Figure out what model engine it is and go from there.

 

[pcgeek11]

The engine make and model number will tell you what carb you need.

 

[Whaeveva]

Do it with a shovel. Be a man.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Disassemble and clean the carb, the best way is with an ultra-sonic cleaner

From experience with my first car (a 72 Buick) with the same problem OP has it didn't get better until I put a new/rebuilt carburetor in.

 

[SearchMaster]

As I'd said earlier, I have a backpack blower that would not start without starter fluid, and would only run if the throttle and choke were in the *exact* right spot (a millimeter of movement on either would cause it to sputter and eventually die). Took it into the local engine repair place and he ran the carb through a thorough cleaning and it's running really well now.

 

[Elixer]

Cool, just need to find a place that does that.