# Frozen Piston? Damaged Rod? Crank Won't turn. Troy-Built Snow Thrower 24" Storm 2410



## snowbank99 (3 mo ago)

Hi: I have a Troy-Built, Storm 2410, OHV 179cc 24" snow thrower. Model 31AM62N2711. It has a MTD-PowerMore Engine. 
I got the thrower for free. It's in good shape about 4-5 years old (per the serial #). 
The pull cord will not turn the engine over. It's locked up. The thrower sat outside in Michigan under a deck unused for the last 2 years.
I got the plug out and am soaking the piston and cylinder with PB Blaster. 
I'm hoping that the piston is rusted to the cylinder walls only. I'm looking for some additional guidance on how to proceed. 
I'm on day 1 of soaking the piston with PB-Blaster. 
I do have the snow thrower tilted about 30 degrees so the PB blaster will coat the top of the piston evenly. 
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks...(10/25/2022 1:30 pm EST)


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

*Bust Open The Case And Have A Looksee In There. Because If It is Toast Then The Only Thing It Is Good For Is A Boat Anchor. ALOHA!!!!!!!!!!







*


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

i would recommend taking the belt cover off and trying to spin the engine backwards. usually even if the piston is stuck it is more likely to break free going the opposite way of the pull start. if it is just a stuck piston once it breaks free it should spin pretty easily.


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## JJG723 (Mar 7, 2015)

Auger belt could have snapped or jumped the pulley and jammed up the crank. Donyboy73 came across this issue last winter.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Ya... I think it's probably just stuck... good advice to see the belts, and to use a wrench on the crank nut to work it loose instead of the rope, which may well break.

Also drain whatever mystery mix is in the crankcase and fill with fresh oil, what comes out may also tell a tale.

And welcome to SBF, glad to have you here.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I have un-seized a couple in the past, and they are still running fine today ... as long as nothing is broke, they usually free up ... My go to lube is Trizol, which is a bit hard to come by ..... I spray some in the plug hole, let it sit awhile, and using the crank, gently work it back and forth .. once free and moving, with the plug still out, pull it over by hand a few times.


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## snowbank99 (3 mo ago)

Thank-you all. I will try these suggestions this week


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

Gently push to curb......


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

It is likely Hydrolocked. Remove spark plug, and turn it over. Gas will come out of the spark plug hole. pull a few times to clear it out, and then replace spark plug and run it. If this is the case, you'll need to replace the carb or the float needle/seat.


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## Yanmar Ronin (Jan 31, 2015)

Jackmels said:


> It is likely Hydrolocked...


No, he already has the plug out and is soaking the piston/cylinder with PB.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

Zavie said:


> Gently push to curb......


actually depending on condition and options it might actually worth doing an engine swap on. i know i have been looking for a 24" machine and good or decent machines are slim pickings or people are asking way too much for them. most of the machines available fore sale around me are 30" which is just too big for most people. i might actually be stuck using the same junky snowblower as last year at 1 persons place because i just couldn't find something better


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

Get a pipe wrench or vicegrips on crank, and break it free. OR remove recoil, and get a socket on the crank nut, and break it free.


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## Zavie (Sep 23, 2014)

crazzywolfie said:


> actually depending on condition and options it might actually worth doing an engine swap on. i know i have been looking for a 24" machine and good or decent machines are slim pickings or people are asking way too much for them. most of the machines available fore sale around me are 30" which is just too big for most people. i might actually be stuck using the same junky snowblower as last year at 1 persons place because i just couldn't find something better


Yes engine swap is OK. However if we don't get some pictures soon I'll stand by my push to curb.
Or if the OP lives on a gravel road I'd suggest chaining it behind a pickup truck and enjoy the ride.


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## crazzywolfie (Jun 2, 2014)

Zavie said:


> Yes engine swap is OK. However if we don't get some pictures soon I'll stand by my push to curb.
> Or if the OP lives on a gravel road I'd suggest chaining it behind a pickup truck and enjoy the ride.


or depending on condition he could sell it. i don't see it being in too rough of shape if it is truely 4-5 years old and hasn't been used for 2 years. i know at this point i would consider paying $50-100 for a non running machine in good condition. heck saw someone asking $80 for a machine with a blown up engine sell and it wasn't even in that great of shape and it seemed to sell which had me surprised.


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## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Before you become too worried remove the cooling fan shroud which is where the 
recoil starter is being VERY, VERY, VERY SURE you save all the bolts for the cooling 
shroud and the head by putting them in a solid bowl or a magnet ashtray to avoid 
losing them.

In many cases it is simply stuck full of nut shells that prevents it from spinning over. 
I found my 1980 OEM Troy-Bilt Rototiller like that and after removing the cooling 
shroud it rolled right over by hand in both counterclockwise and clockwise rotation 
on Wednesday.


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