Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

[BuzzStPoint]

With the news about the large snow storm coming our way this past weekend I decided to Craigslist a snow blower. I have a small 1 stage snow blower, but that just doesn't cut it. Good for side walks, but the heavy plowed snow.. Forget about it.
Found an old John Deere a guy was selling.
Turned out the be made around the Mid 70's
he told me he bought it mid 80's ran it to the mid 90's then about 4 years ago bought a new one. The guy has 4 john Deere Snow blowers lined up in his garage. Said he didn't need them all.

He fired it up in one pull. I got it home as the snow was starting to fall. In the evening when the 1st wave of snow was done, I tried to start it.. No go.. Then stupid me seen I didn't have the choke on.. Fired right up. Same thing this morning. 2 pulls and woke right up. This guy seemed to have taken very good care of the machine.

Now, I have a bad back. with the pulling, I can feel it in my back.. It's a heavy pull.
Can I add an Electric start to this unit? I don't have the full model but it's a John Deere 526

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

The original engine on that model was a Tecumseh 5HP H50-65274j, so you will need to either check around the net to see if someone has a electric start kit for that motor, or call around to you local small engine repair shops to see if one can be adapted to it.

the one pictured in this link:

http://www.smallenginewarehouse.com/RepowerItems.asp?Brand=John Deere&Model=526 Snow Blower

Looks to have the electric start kit on it, it is the beige colored box, to the left of the gas tank and just above the John Deer logo..

This one pictured in this craigslist ad, does not have the electric start option:

http://williamsport.craigslist.org/grd/2169351925.html

Here is a electric start kit, that might work on your engine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/TECUMSEH-ELECTR...382?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53e4ae85fe

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Man I hope you can get an electric start for that beast, pull starting a cold snowblower SUCKS!!

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Boatguy, The CL listing you posted looks exactly like the one I bought Sunday.

I'll have to grab the exact Model numbers when I get home. If I can't buy an electric start, or it will cost more then I bought it for. I have a lazy 16 year old that will have to come and start it.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Buzz,

It might pay to have the 16 year old start it the next few times, then look for a start system during the spring and summer, where there are people putting this type of stuff on sale, If it is anything like where I live, the price jumps 25% when the first snow flakes fall and don't go down until it melts in the spring, I keep a running list of things I need for winter and clean up during the summer buying them for the next year..

 

[windy5849]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Look on the shroud next to the spark plug for a model number stamped into the sheet metal.Should read something like H50 or similar.Any starter from an H35 to H50 will fit your engine.Tecumseh part number 33290.I also use 5W30 oil in my two stage which lets it start on one or two pulls.If the pull starter has a standard small rubber handle,I found the larger D style handle much easier to hold on to even with gloves on.

 

[Guest]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Hey Buzz wana send it my way we just got 12" of the stupid white stuff last night

 

[mla2ofus]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

buzz, you need to check if the flywheel has the ring gear for the starter bendix to engage.
mike

 

[j_martin]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Man I hope you can get an electric start for that beast, pull starting a cold snowblower SUCKS!!

Put 5W30 full synthetic in it and it'll start like it's summertime.

I have a 10 horse and a back with a little military damage. If the extension cord isn't handy and it's over 10 below, I just prime it up and give it a pull.

Log splitter engines are another place synthetic oil really shines.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Tecumseh made most of their engines in this configuration with the ring gear already there, I have had 4 different snow blowers of various brand names with the Tecumseh engine and all of them had ring gears...Briggs engines have also been the same for a long time now. I just wish my darn evinrude engine had the ring gear! :facepalm:

And I agree with J_Martin, synthetic is the only way to go for the cold weather..

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

I was poking around the garage and started to look at the snow blower. I seen the engine must have been replaced in 1983. There's a date scratched into the side of the engine. It's a tecumseh engine. Forgive my small engine dumbness, but the flywheel would be just beyond the pull starter? If so, there is no ring gear there for a starter. Just a solid "plate/wheel"

So here's my next question. for "summerization". I was told to suck out the old fuel from the tank, and drain the carb. Should I change the oil now? Or before winter?

 

[j_martin]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

If it has a fuel shutoff valve, start it up, then shut off the fuel and run it till it dies, even choking it toward the last. If you burn most of it out of the carb, it'll be OK.

If it's stored inside out of the sun, just add a bit of stabil to the gas and forget it. Top it off with fresh gas before opening the valve for the first start.

If it doesn't have a fuel shutoff, put one in. If you habitually kill the engine by starving it for fuel, you'll never have the stuck needle problem when you need to start it.

Oil....... don't matter. It's just easier in warm weather and after you've run the engine. That reminds me, that engine probably has the cold weather shrouding on it. You don't want to run it a lot in hot weather.

 

[SteveRoss]

Re: Bought a snow blower. Electric start?

Electric start snow blower ?? Mine is an electric start made by Clariol. My wife sometimes uses it to dry her hair. I use it to defrost (desnow) the freezer. Works every time... LOL.....


Sorry for being a smart a**