Seven Ways to Maintain your Snow Blower

To ensure peak performance, maintaining your snow blower is an important part of winter preparations. Maintenance of this machine is relatively simple and involves steps similar to those taken for cars. Precise knowledge of the oil, lubricants, and replacement parts for your model is essential.  Locate your owner’s manual.  It contains information about the best replacement parts, oil, and lubricants for your model. To ensure you get your machine ready for next winter, here are seven ways to maintain your snow blower.

1. Inspecting and tightening

snow blower service Greg's Small Engine Performing an inspection and ensuring you have secured everything tightly is easier than getting your small engine repaired. Check to make sure that every nut, bolt, screw, belt and cord is properly secured and that nothing is loose. Single-stage snow blowers feature one belt while their two-stage counterparts have two belts.  One for the auger and the other for the drive.  After ensuring they are tight, you should also replace worn or cracked belts. Make sure you also inspect the starter cord, and replace it if there is evidence of fraying.

2. Change oil and gas

Four-cylinder engines use straight gas and feature a separate crankcase for the oil.   Two-cylinder engines use a mixture of gas and oil. You will most likely need snow blower engine repair services if you fail to drain all the old gas and oil from the engine before replacement. To change the oil, start and run the motor for several minutes so that it warms up. Remove the oil plug after you have stopped the engine, and drain the old oil. Replace and tighten the cap once you have drained all the oil.  Then use an appropriate amount of oil to refill the engine. Check the oil level once you have turned the engine back on. Check for any leaks and tightness of the drain plug.

3. Replace the fuel, spark plug, and air filter

Professional snow blower service providers recommend checking your owner’s manual to make sure you have the correct replacement parts on hand. To change the spark plug, you will need to remove the lead wire before using a socket wrench to remove the spark plug. Take care not to over-tighten.  Then replace the old spark plug with a new one and re-attach the lead wire.

tighten the cap once you have drained all the oil.  Then use an appropriate amount of oil to refill the engine. Check the oil level once you have turned the engine back on. Check for any leaks and tightness of the drain plug.

3. Replace the fuel, spark plug, and air filter

Professional snow blower service providers recommend checking your owner’s manual to make sure you have the correct replacement parts on hand. To change the spark plug, you will need to remove the lead wire before using a socket wrench to remove the spark plug. Take care not to over-tighten.  Then replace the old spark plug with a new one and re-attach the lead wire.

4. Lubricating the drive and chassis

snow blower engine repair Greg's Small Engine According to guidelines provided by snow blower engine repair professionals, you should check your owner’s manual to ensure you  use the correct lubricant. Put the snow blower onto its side for easy access and inspect the scraper bar.  Replacing a worn scraper bar can avoid potential damage. You should also examine the skid shoes located on either side of the auger housing. Skid shoes are for adjusting the auger’s height to ensure it does not scrape the ground or pick up stones. Replace worn skid shoes. Also examine the rubber on the auger. Replace it if the space between the rubber and housing is big enough to fit your finger.

 

5. Check the tires and chains

Professional snow blower service providers recommend checking the tire pressure and adding air if necessary. Visually inspect each tire for wear, and replace worn tires. If you use chains on the tires, you can either affix them in advance or ensure they are readily accessible.

6. Buy new shear pins

Snow blowers feature shear pins or shear bolts designed to break and prevent serious damage in case the casing and auger are over-torqued. Shear pins are an important safety feature. They are between the gear casing and auger. Apart from replacing missing or broken pins, you may want to buy extra pins to have enough on hand throughout winter.

7. Check every accessory

Snow blowers come in different makes and models, each featuring accessories such as headlights, power steering, and electric starters. You should inspect all the accessories and replace any that are worn or broken.

Running your snow blower over a cleared surface helps to remove leftover snow from its auger.  Remember to wipe snow from the throw chute and housing before you put the machine away. A few minutes of maintenance can keep snow blowers in tip-top shape and ready for winter’s worst. However, contacting the professionals in case of issues is the best option. If you are having trouble with your machine, please contact us for professional advice and solutions.