My Simplicity 860 snowblower ran like a champ in the storm we got last week. Threw both shear pins and shut it down to go get some more and it wouldn't restart, even with the engine warm and running the electric starter. Pulled the plug and the thing was so covered with black crap that the gap was filled in 100%, so no spark. Threw a new plug in and it fired right up on the first pull of the cord.
The plug is pretty obviously oil fouled. It was clean when the storm started and about 3-4 hours runtime on it was all it took. Oil levels were down from the full mark to barely the tip of the dipstick. This is on a new oil change...I changed the oil this summer, ran it WOT for maybe 30-40 minutes with some seafoam in the crankcase and then changed the oil a second time...this storm was the first use since the second oil change. Don't have a good picture, but the fouled plug has no gap now, its totally filled in with crap, though I'm certain I could clean it off with a quick wire brushing...it almost looks like creosote on there.
The snowblower does NOT blow clouds of blue smoke. Fires on the first pull when the plug is clean, goes from full choke to no choke and ready to work in about 20-30 seconds...its a great machine except that after a few hours its getting dangerously low on oil and the plug needs to be removed and cleaned.
So my question is, is there anything useful I cna do about this or is it more likely the motor is toast and I should just keep an eye on the oil level and clean the plug after each use? It fires right up on the first or second pull every time...just not sure how long that will last. It was a free snowblower, clearly this is why, so it doesn't owe me anything and I generally don't depend on it to be able to get out of the driveway...but its real nice to have a good snowblower around if I do need it.
Don't know if there is a PCV that might be blocked on this motor. Its a Briggs 8hp Intek (I think thats the name) motor that came with the machine.
The plug is pretty obviously oil fouled. It was clean when the storm started and about 3-4 hours runtime on it was all it took. Oil levels were down from the full mark to barely the tip of the dipstick. This is on a new oil change...I changed the oil this summer, ran it WOT for maybe 30-40 minutes with some seafoam in the crankcase and then changed the oil a second time...this storm was the first use since the second oil change. Don't have a good picture, but the fouled plug has no gap now, its totally filled in with crap, though I'm certain I could clean it off with a quick wire brushing...it almost looks like creosote on there.
The snowblower does NOT blow clouds of blue smoke. Fires on the first pull when the plug is clean, goes from full choke to no choke and ready to work in about 20-30 seconds...its a great machine except that after a few hours its getting dangerously low on oil and the plug needs to be removed and cleaned.
So my question is, is there anything useful I cna do about this or is it more likely the motor is toast and I should just keep an eye on the oil level and clean the plug after each use? It fires right up on the first or second pull every time...just not sure how long that will last. It was a free snowblower, clearly this is why, so it doesn't owe me anything and I generally don't depend on it to be able to get out of the driveway...but its real nice to have a good snowblower around if I do need it.
Don't know if there is a PCV that might be blocked on this motor. Its a Briggs 8hp Intek (I think thats the name) motor that came with the machine.