# 1974 Bolens 8/24 info and opinion!



## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Up for restore consideration in my garage is a 1974ish Bolens 8/24, it was purchased at Kensington Michigan State Park Auction for a mere $30. I just got it home tonight and was able to fire up the engine but both belts are missing and it has no carb cover. The auger spins freely and despite the look of it the Tecumseh engine ran nice and smooth, I took the bottom plate off and friction disk and chain drives looks good. 

I have never operated a Bolens Two Stage Blower but I figure if it's good enough to for Michigan State Parks it's good enough for me.....What can you guys tell me about these machine....Pros/Cons...Is it worth my time to tear it down, fix and restore.


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

i am not familiar with that machine but it looks really clean for a 74. I suspect it has many parts in common with a lot of other snow blowers. I don't know who made this for bolens or if they made there own, but, with a little tlc and cleanup i am sure you will get many years of solid work out of it.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

GAR said:


> Up for restore consideration in my garage is a 1974ish Bolens 8/24, it was purchased at Kensington Michigan State Park Auction for a mere $30. I just got it home tonight and was able to fire up the engine but both belts are missing and it has no carb cover. The auger spins freely and despite the look of it the Tecumseh engine ran nice and smooth, I took the bottom plate off and friction disk and chain drives looks good.
> 
> I have never operated a Bolens Two Stage Blower but I figure if it's good enough to for Michigan State Parks it's good enough for me.....What can you guys tell me about these machine....Pros/Cons...Is it worth my time to tear it down, fix and restore.


 I would fix it up. If I remember right FMC. owned them in the 70's. now if they made their own, or farmed them out is the million dollar jeopardy answer of the day.:emoticon-south-park


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

O boy, problem found! Oil leaking from governor shaft. I started another thread in the repair section of this site to see if there is an easy fix. Never come across this problem before. Hope I can save it, I got belts for it this morning and got it running.....Moves great but saw this oil leak and shut down the machine quickly. I will do the quick easy checks and clean out the engine breather....All my other machines (4) have Briggs engines and I Have never come across this problem....Dam!


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

GAR said:


> O boy, problem found! Oil leaking from governor shaft. I started another thread in the repair section of this site to see if there is an easy fix. Never come across this problem before. Hope I can save it, I got belts for it this morning and got it running.....Moves great but saw this oil leak and shut down the machine quickly. I will do the quick easy checks and clean out the engine breather....All my other machines (4) have Briggs engines and I Have never come across this problem....Dam!


 stick a BRIGGS on it and call it a day well done.k:k:k:k:k:


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Omg.....Things are never this easy....LOL. I pulled the engine breather cap and the tube was completely pluged. I replaced the tube and put the breather cap and new tube back on engine, restarted it and NO oil leak. So with the engine breather clogged I would guess the engine presure was high and it caused the oil to seep out the governor hole....

Powershift, I do have an extra Briggs engine laying around but it's only a 5hp....I am going to go forward with a restore and use this Tecumseh 8hp engine. If it ends up failing me I will find a 10hp Briggs and put that on it.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

GAR said:


> Omg.....Things are never this easy....LOL. I pulled the engine breather cap and the tube was completely pluged. I replaced the tube and put the breather cap and new tube back on engine, restarted it and NO oil leak. So with the engine breather clogged I would guess the engine presure was high and it caused the oil to seep out the governor hole....
> 
> Powershift, I do have an extra Briggs engine laying around but it's only a 5hp....I am going to go forward with a restore and use this Tecumseh 8hp engine. If it ends up failing me I will find a 10hp Briggs and put that on it.


*ROCK ON there GAR with that 1. and MAZEL TOV!!!!!!!!!!!!!:rock::bowing:*


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

I finneshed fixing, replacing and tweaking the machine, found and ordered the missing heat box, choke switch and a couple knobs. Started tearing it down today and stripping the paint on auger, blades and front of the machine.

Now, I ran into another problem...The wheels, the rims are basically welded onto the axle. Now I can heat, beat, twist and turn on them and risk possible damaging the axle and rims, OR I can just deflate tires and remove just the tires and work around the rims. 

Anyways, this is how she sits at the end of today, I have a lot more old paint to remove.

My plan on this machine is to restore it the way I want it, going to paint it milatary flat green with semi-gloss black engine, handle bars, skid plates and number it. It will basically look like a bad ass milatary issued machine.....Why you ask, I say why not. Once winter hits we go to war with our machine right....lol


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

I guess you will have to work around it. because in reality there not going any were.:icon_whistling:k:


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

you probably want to put new tires on it anyway so i would just remove the tires and work around he rims.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

I got the old tires off and just left rims on the axle, I looked up new tires and there a bit costly. The tires I took off don't have great snow tread on them but there in very good shape and I have chains that fit the tires so I think I will keep my cost down and use the tires I have. Plus the machine weights in at 315 pounds so I think it will push threw the snow good...we will see...lol

I stripped the remainder of the paint off the body of the machine and handle bars. Still waiting on the heater box and a pulley spring I ordered on ebay to be delivered. 

I also found a stress crack on the body were the engine sits, two of the bolts on one side that hold the engine on were loss when I took engine off so I thing that was the cause of the crack. I am going to grind out the crack and weld it tight to assure it will hold under use. I sure do have my hands full with this old machne but I am determined to get her back in service again.


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## sidegrinder (Apr 18, 2015)

If those are the original Bolens Sno Trac tires, they actually work quite well despite their appearances. As you have noticed, the weight of these older and heavier-built machines goes along way in making the tires hook up. If you need any other bits and pieces for your rebuild, drop me a line. I have an assortment of Bolens parts from the 524, 724, and 824's.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

finished the engine off the Bolens today, before and after picture. Still working on the the rest of the machine.


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## guilateen02 (Nov 23, 2014)

Awesome job in that engine. Looks very clean and detailed. Did you order all the decals or mask around them. I see you change the paint scheme from white to black. Are you changing the machine as well.


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

I had decided to paint the machine green with the engine and possibly the snow shoot black, I taped off the decals. The heater box decals came off easy before painting then applied back on with a little liquid adhesive. The engine was missing the heater box, choke and choke knob so I found a deal on used parts but as suprized with how nice they were when I got them...the project is coming along nicely and I should be able to shoot the full machine in the next couple of days.


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## sidegrinder (Apr 18, 2015)

Looking good!


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## GAR (Nov 7, 2014)

Just got her all back today, I like the way it came out...what do you guy think.


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## markd (Oct 29, 2014)

Looks like new. Seems like a shame to use it now. Congrats on a great job.


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## WisconsinDave (Feb 24, 2014)

That looks very nice, great job!


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## CarlB (Jan 2, 2011)

Looks great, as good as new. I love taking old iron and bringing it back to like new condition. That blower will probably out last any modern blower made today. Looks a little lopsided with only drift cutter


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## Jweiszer (Nov 24, 2021)

hello Gar,

I have the same machine. I can’t seem to figure out how to adjust the tension For the auger properly. The engine runs great but when I try to blow snow it just clogs up. Any advice.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

You may want to start a new thread for your question. This thread has been inactive for 6 years and the last activity for GAR was 11 months ago.


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## Jweiszer (Nov 24, 2021)

Ok thanks


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