# Broken Connecting Rod



## Brokenrod (May 15, 2017)

hi,

i have a 12 year old Ariens 926 LE- i was told it has a broken connecting rod, but the front gear box is working.
the mechanic would charge me $600 including parts and labor,,, He suggested i try to sell it for $100.00 an d just get a new one. It makes sense as far as dollars and cents are concerned.

My questions to the forum. 

1. Does this sound right?

2. With everything else in very good working order, what is reasonable for me to ask to buy it from me? $100.00 just sounds too low..


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## 524SWE (Jan 20, 2017)

I see snowblowers of all ages that need an engine for sale in my area for less than a $100 all the time. Guess it depends on your area.


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## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

I would say $100 is about right..maybe even a bit high.
even though its a new-ish machine, you still have to remember:

1. the people who want to buy a non-running snowblower and do the work of installing a new engine are about 1% of the total customer base for used snowblowers.

2. This time of year, about 99% of the total customer base for used snowblowers isn't even looking, at all.

basically, your potential buyer pool is reeeeaaaally tiny.
very little demand = very little value.

I would offer it up for $100..and dont be surprised if you dont find a buyer until November.

scot


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## Brokenrod (May 15, 2017)

sscotsman said:


> I would say $100 is about right..maybe even a bit high.
> even though its a new-ish machine, you still have to remember:
> 
> 1. the people who want to buy a non-running snowblower and do the work of installing a new engine are about 1% of the total customer base for used snowblowers.
> ...




much appreciated everyone. have sold it for $100.00


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## FearlessFront (Aug 18, 2016)

Oh the engine is busted. Yea that's where the large majority of the money was. Unless you feel like breaking down the machine and selling it part by part along with the engine which still has good parts and sell them part by part, which does add up to descent $$$. $100 does sound about right for an Ariens snowblower that age with a blown engine.
However your best option in this situation is to remove the blown motor and buy a Predator 212cc for $100 put that engine on an your good to go. You just have to make sure you have a single shaft engine. If your engine's shaft was a different size than 3/4 you will have to buy the correct size pulley for the new engine. 
If your not a fan of the Chinese Predator 212cc for a bargain at $100 or if you have a dual shaft engine you can go on ebay and buy a descent used Tecumseh for a reasonable price. The one other great option is the NOS Tecumseh single shaft engines this one guy is selling on ebay. The 10hp L head is $385 plus $45 shipping and the 12hp OHV is $425 plus shipping. Very easy to install, will save you a lot of money compared to buying a new machine (which in my opinion in general their quality has dropped in the last 15 years anyway).
Here is the link to the brand new Tecumseh engine's this would be my second choice after a Predator if I had a higher budget. I would not buy a new OHV Briggs as they are Honda clones just like all current OHV engines just with a name brand and selling for 4x more but also made in China now -but that's just me, plus they are a lot more expensive. NOS American made Tecumseh's is still the best option right now until they are all gone... You had a 9hp, so the 10 is perfect get a little extra power or if you want even more power along with the fuel efficiency and less noise of an OHV, go with the 12hp, I have had my eye on the 12 this guy has been selling for a while, but cant justify the expense. The Predator 212cc runs about as strong as an 8hp Tecumseh give or take so their strong and reliable as well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-HP-Tecum...982784?hash=item21264516c0:g:~OoAAOSwZjJU1rIl

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-HP-Tecum...668096?hash=item1ec76a8e40:g:8okAAOSwt5hYYxbF

http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-5-HP-212c...590996?hash=item4d25055fd4:g:M6YAAOSwd0BV1lKv (You can get the Predator 212 at Harbor Freight with the coupon for $99.99 plus tax=$106.99


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

:welcome: to SBF brokenrod

congrats on getting $100 for it. If we can help with anything on it's replacement just give us a shout.


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## FearlessFront (Aug 18, 2016)

Brokenrod said:


> much appreciated everyone. have sold it for $100.00


You should have just put a new engine on it and kept on going, if you took good care of the machine the 15 years you owned it. 15 is not very old for a snowblower, its still pretty young. If I bought a brand new snowblower at retail and only got 15 years out of it I would have been really pissed off. Unless the machine was also in horrible condition, besides the engine blowing, that would have been the only reason I would have sold it. Now I guarantee the person who bought it for $100 is going to take an engine he already has laying around and throw it on the machine and will have it going in no time a nice expensive Ariens or will turn around and sell it for a nice profit come winter. Now your going to have to spend 3 to 4 times more to buy a new machine rather than just re-powered the one you had.
If/when my Snappers engine kicks the bucket, I will be re-powering the machine. One because I'm not spending the money on a new machine and second and most importantly they do not build machine's solid like that anymore. My Snapper is the best machine I ever used or owned, I would not trade it for anything. I paid $450 for it in 2006 when it was 4 years old and was barely ever used and practically still brand new, that's about 1000 off retail. I will make every effort to own that snapper my whole life. I will be damned if I will ever buy one of these new cheaper made machines they build now with their Chinese made engine's, no thank's. I'm counting on getting 40 years out of the Tecumseh on my Snapper just like I got out of my Ariens. Either way when the day comes its getting a re-power. I guess it boils down to do people have the knowledge and skill to remove one engine and install another which is not very hard, have the time, or would rather just get rid of it for very little and than turn around and go spend the money on another new machine. I use my machines commercially every year, the Snapper the last 10 years now and even as a commercial Snow remover, I will not go buy a brand new machine. In fact I own a lot of quality machines is excellent condition and I never bought a machine brand new. You could have saved a lot of money easily by simply putting a new engine on the machine. But your machine your choice. The way I see it any Snowblower under 20 years old is still a newer machine, I'm talking commercially used as well. I would not expect a snowblower to start having serious problems are a complete failure until between age 30 and 50+.
Well good luck on your search and shopping for your next machine, I hope you get a lot more time out of your next one than you did on this one. :facepalm_zpsdj194qh


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