# Toro Snowmaster engine not turning over, is it carburetor?



## swebbIL (Dec 11, 2016)

Hi all, 
Still fairly new snowblower owner as we just moved back to the midwest last year so going through just my second winter in 15 years. I bought a brand new Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE last year and only had to use it 3-4 times. Went to fire up today and the engine simply will not turn over. Gas / oil is right, pull starter doing nothing, electric starter works but engine wont engage. Is this just a carburetor that needs to be cleaned or is it possibly something else?


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## Blosumsno (Dec 7, 2016)

Hi swebbIL, I recently got a snowmaster too but haven't used it yet, Did you check to make sure the red key is all the way in? By not turning over do you mean it cranks but just won't fire? 


If so then it is possible the carb may have old gas (if you left un-stabilized gas in there) causing issues. It's pretty much necessary to use a fuel stabilizer if you use pump gas with ethanol in it. Even if you run the tank dry at the end of the season there can be some leftover gas in the carburetor bowl. Also if you leave gas in the tank during the off season sometimes its good to start it and run it for a few minutes every once in a while.


If it ran fine before storage then my money's on stale gas assuming some was left in the tank. The carb may or may not need cleaning depending on how old the gas is but sometimes I've been able to get an engine running by draining the tank (into an appropriate container) and taking the carburetor bowl off, emptying it and cleaning any sediment out while checking that the float is not sticking, reassemble with a new bowl gasket and bowl nut washer/gasket then refill with fresh, stabilized gas.


But sometimes the gas can clog the jets and orifices which requires a little more work, and removing the carburetor to clean it out. In the snowmaster the fuel line is buried under the tank and carb heater box (rectangular cover on top of the engine) so draining the tank could be a pain.


From what I understand a mower shop may charge upwards $100 to clean the carb and get it going. If you can get any old gas out of the tank and refill it you may be able to get it going. If it won't start after a few attempts then likely the carb needs to be emptied and/or cleaned. Don't try to start it too much because you can flood it which won't help either. And as a reminder don't run the electric starter for more than 5-10 seconds without letting it cool for several minutes because it could burn out.


If you're not comfortable with or can't get someone that can empty out the tank and carb then it may need to go to the shop unfortunately.


Hopefully others here can chime in with more info.

Hope you can get it running. I tried mine out yesterday on a dry run and looks like a good machine, and was surprised at how little vibration there was when I engaged the rotor despite the high rotor speed.


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## Normex (Feb 21, 2014)

swebbIL said:


> Hi all,
> Still fairly new snowblower owner as we just moved back to the midwest last year so going through just my second winter in 15 years. I bought a brand new Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE last year and only had to use it 3-4 times. Went to fire up today and the engine simply will not turn over. Gas / oil is right, pull starter doing nothing, electric starter works but engine wont engage. Is this just a carburetor that needs to be cleaned or is it possibly something else?


Hi you may have to be clearer with your question such if you are saying if the engine is seized when you mention the engine will not turn over?
Was the oil ever changed after the first 5 hrs of operation?
from your answers we will be able to help you more.

Norm


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## NJHonda (Feb 8, 2013)

you have to learn the correct nomenclature. "not turning over" means the engine does not move at all. The engine moving as you attempt to start but not not actually running is called "not firing(or starting)" which is it?


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## Mike C. (Jan 28, 2016)

I don't know if you've ever seen what untreated, ethanol laced fuel looks like when it sits for a while,but the moisture that gets absorbed forms a gelatinous mass that settles in the tank.If that glop is in the tank on first startup,it gets sucked right into the jets of the carb.

If I leave fuel in my blower during storage(treated or not),before I even think of starting it,I take a flash light and look into the gas tank to check for that glop.Whether I see any or not,I tip the machine back slightly so anything in the tank(water,glop,whatever) runs towards the tank outlet.Then I either remove the bowl drain on the carb(if it has one Honda,Chonda),remove the carb bowl itself,or disconnect the fuel line from the tank or carb(whichever's easiest) and let about 1/3 of the gas drain into a clean jar and inspect what comes out.If it's clean,I'm good to go.If it's contaminated,I completely drain the tank and flush if necessary.

I have done this for years and pretty much never have fuel-related issues.I also use fuel stabilizer without exception.Just my $.02.


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## UNDERTAKER (Dec 30, 2013)

* The carb is all gummed up. Anyhoo ALOHA from the paradise city.:smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027::smiley-rpg027:*


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## LouC (Dec 5, 2016)

This is the bane of small power equipment. I have used stabilizer and not had to drain my machines but I also try to start them up every few months to prevent the fuel from evaporating in the carb bowl. I have had to clean out the carb on my 2 stroke Toro a few times over the time I've owned it. The engine companies have always advised draining which may be the safest plan esp if you can't run them once a month. I have had less trouble with my bigger 4 stroke engines because the Jets and passages in the carb are not as small as on the small 2 cycle engines.
I have 9 small engines around the house and don't drain any of them but I always use stabil. 4 4strokes and 5 2 strokes....


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## bad69cat (Nov 30, 2015)

take the air cleaner off and give it a whiff - if it smell like varnish - you have bad gas. Could also be that you have water in there (due to ethanol). You will need to drop the fuel bowl off, drain the gas out of the thing, clean out any crud/water in the carb, then put it back together. Don't buy gas that has ethanol in it if you can avoid it.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

swebbIL said:


> Hi all,
> pull starter doing nothing, electric starter works but engine wont engage. Is this just a carburetor that needs to be cleaned or is it possibly something else?


Like everyone said, need to be more clear what is happening. I read the above to mean either the pull start will not move, or pulls with zero resistance, indicating some mechanical failure. Recoil housing packed with mice, or sheared flywheel key. Guessing by not following up the engine switch was off:icon_smile_big:


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## Bluejoe (Nov 29, 2016)

So engine spins when you pull cord or use electric start but it just doesn't start up. You say oil and gas are good. Well if you feel ambitious and think you can work on the unit. Did you use fresh gas ? If so take out plug and check if gas soaked. At the same time check for spark. Just watch out when you remove plug because they turn out kinda tight. After checking reinstall plug. Spray some WD 40 on threads so it goes on easy. The plug is under a cover and sometimes hard to get at because of this and angle. If you get spark and plug is dry the carburetor is gummed up, fuel line plugged or choke isn't working properly.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

While you have the plug out, check for spark by connecting the plug to the plug wire, and then grounding the threaded part on an engine bolt. Pull the starter, or get somebody else to do that while you watch for a spark across the plug gap. If there is no spark, try a new plug. Still no spark, might be a wire shorted to ground from the ignition coil.

Make sure the "KEY" is inserted into the machine, or if its a switch, it is turned on. No key, no spark, no go.


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