# Help ID my MTD age? Engine model number a puzzle



## brassmonkey (Nov 10, 2015)

Hey guys - the noob's back with more questions. 

Trying to ID my engine and blower's age but the shroud is so rusty I'm not sure I'm reading the numbers correctly. At least the format doesn't seem to completely match the Tecumseh tech manual's interpretation guide. 

What I _think_ I'm seeing is:

HM80-155377N SEP 8682D

That decipherable to anyone??


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## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

If the first number of the serial number is in fact an "8", that would make the engine a 197(8), 198(8) or 199(8). The parts list below shows your motor has a solid state ignition and not a points ignition which were last used in the 1970's and early 80's. I could not find a picture of your machine if you ever posted one, so my "guess" is a 1988 or 1998???

Tecumseh HM80-155377N - Tecumseh 4-Cycle Horizontal Engine Engine Parts List #1 Diagram and Parts List | PartsTree.com


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## Snow Knight (Oct 11, 2015)

Sometimes posting a picture of the whole machine helps.

I have a mechanic that works for me who's been repairing snow throwers since the early 60's and can pretty much identify the aprox. age of just about any snow thrower built.


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## brassmonkey (Nov 10, 2015)

Thanks guys - guess a coupla photos would be in order, eh?


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## brassmonkey (Nov 10, 2015)

I believe the electric start was an add on by a previous owner, and- rather odd to me is the fact that the throttle quadrant to the right of the gear shift has no lever. - there's just an emtpy slot with the usual turtle and rabbit decals. Engine speed is adjusted down beside the carb where the choke switch is. It's got a proper grip like it's supposed to be there. Makes me wonder if this thing has been Frankensteined together from various bits, ir maybe a repower at some point? Perhaps the handle grip assembly is a common part and having t he throttle up on top was a option this machine never came with. 

Gear shift shows 5 forward and 2 reverse positions and neutral. 

The thing has obviously been neglected for a while. First oil change was like pouring tar, carb was a blob hidden under all sorts of gunk and grease under the shroud. The chute worm gear mechanism hasn't seen lubrication for ages. When you turn it theres a groan like Dracula's crypt opening along with a fine shower of light rust which falls out from under the collar where the chute sits on the impeller opening - LOL. 

It's also louder than all get out. Makes me wonder if the innards of the muffler have turned to dust. You can see from the paint worn off the chute interior it has probably seen plenty of action in the past. 

On the upside, it seems to be built like the proverbial you-know-what house. Very heavy gauge metal everywhere. No serious rust. Weighs far more than 
I would have thought a "little" 24inch machine aught to. Course, my back ain't what it used to be either... :blush:

Looking forward to getting it in finer fettle. To its credit it fires right up despite the neglect although surges seriously and won't idle. Figure a carb rebuild is high on the list. Just shifting it around in the driveway and the fuel line crumbled and cracked open. Also, it won't move in first gear unless I shift to second, run a few feet then shift back to first. Then it will move in that gear. Poor old girl needs some serious loving!

For those still pondering its lineage I should mention I live in Canada. Not sure if we built anything different up here.

Anyway, thanks for all the help. This is a great site with a fabulous bunch I can see already.


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## 94EG8 (Feb 13, 2014)

The engine is an '88 but the blower is older than that by probably close to a decade.



brassmonkey said:


> rather odd to me is the fact that the throttle quadrant to the right of the gear shift has no lever. - there's just an emtpy slot with the usual turtle and rabbit decals. Engine speed is adjusted down beside the carb where the choke switch is. It's got a proper grip like it's supposed to be there. Makes me wonder if this thing has been Frankensteined together from various bits, ir maybe a repower at some point? Perhaps the handle grip assembly is a common part and having t he throttle up on top was a option this machine never came with.


It's been re-powered. at some point in it's life. The original engine would have looked more like this:










If you look closely you can see the throttle cable on the left.



brassmonkey said:


> It's also louder than all get out. Makes me wonder if the innards of the muffler have turned to dust. You can see from the paint worn off the chute interior it has probably seen plenty of action in the past.


That's normal. Tecumseh was not exactly known for making smooth, quiet engines. They're loud and the choke control will rattle and jingle something awful. 



brassmonkey said:


> On the upside, it seems to be built like the proverbial you-know-what house. Very heavy gauge metal everywhere. No serious rust. Weighs far more than
> I would have thought a "little" 24inch machine aught to. Course, my back ain't what it used to be either... :blush:


That was built in a time when MTD was making good stuff.


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## brassmonkey (Nov 10, 2015)

Ah- the mystery begins to be solved. Thanks very much guys. Yes, 94 - the various bits on that motor do rattle pretty good!


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