# Tecumseh 8hp flathead non-adjustable cab surging



## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

I got my Ariens ST824E used. It came with Tecumseh SnowKing 8hp flathead engine. It starts up easy and run fine for like 5 mins in any throttle position, and then it likes to surges after that. It is like once the engine is warmed up, something kicked in to take over the gas/air mixture control, which caused the engine to surge. If I give it half choke, it would smooth out.

It happened like that every time.

This snowblower is 10 years old by the way and the cab is non-adjustable.

I already cleaned the fuel tank, cab bowl, main jet and idle jet (I cleaned them well). I put in new fuel. The bowl's seal is good. Nothing loose and all the linkages seemed fine. Nothing helped.

The surging isn't that bad, but it would affect snow blowing for sure.

I could put in new spark plug and ignition coil, but I don't think they are the issue.

Chinese cab would be my next move, but I want to hear from others first.

Thank you.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

Also, would it be a good idea to run with half choke all the time? Maybe drill the jet holes help? I'm afraid it would run rich and carbon build up.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

I buy these all the time, has a adjustable jet. I have 3 more to replace and this is way I’m going


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## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

i'd try it with the gas cap loose just for shi#@ and giggles.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

True


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

nwcove said:


> i'd try it with the gas cap loose just for shi#@ and giggles.


I tried that and cleaned the gas cap as well. It didn't help. There was a dirt ball under the rubber cushion of the gas cap, or whatever you called it, :surprise:

It is no wonder why the gas tank would get dirty/greasy overtime.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

e.fisher26 said:


> I buy these all the time, has a adjustable jet. I have 3 more to replace and this is way I’m going
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


It is the way to go, considering the price of it. It might not be the same quality, but it is new and clean.

Clean a dirty cab take a lot of times, and it is not guaranteed. I don't even have all the tools and the knowledge to clean it properly.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

LOL, I just received that same carb today for my 8HP Tecumseh Ariens rebuild.

The old carb looked fine, but for 13.00, its a no brainer, and I'll clean and shelve the old one in my spare time.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

oneacer said:


> LOL, I just received that same carb today for my 8HP Tecumseh Ariens rebuild.
> 
> The old carb looked fine, but for 13.00, its a no brainer, and I'll clean and shelve the old one in my spare time.


The rubber hoses will need to be replaced anyway. They tend to crack overtime.


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## e.fisher26 (Nov 6, 2016)

If you don’t have replacement Welch plugs or a ultra sonic cleaner it’s hard to correctly clean a carb 


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

e.fisher26 said:


> If you don’t have replacement Welch plugs or a ultra sonic cleaner it’s hard to correctly clean a carb


Agree completely. Ultrasonic Cleaner is terrific for thorough cleaning but removing the Welch plug is even more important, maybe the most important! I buy then from an outfit in FL, 10 for $10 or something.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

@Dman,

I have a roll of 1/4 inch certified fuel line … I always change the lines if there stiff or show any signs of wear … I also keep 90 degree shutoffs and in-line filters on hand as well …. some of the blowers have no room for a filter, so good to shut the fuel off and empty the bowl as needed.


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## rod330 (Oct 9, 2015)

I started to swallow my pride about a year ago when it comes to Chinese carbs. Now I have a "once and done" approach. I'm willing to dissemble, spray with carb cleaner, use torch tip cleaners in orifices, use compressed air and run 3 cycles in my ultrasonic brew. If that doesn't do the trick, a Chinese adjustable carb is going on. Now I'm trying to resist the temptation to skip directly to a new carb.


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## cranman (Jan 23, 2016)

I vote for the Chinese adjustable carb....like efisher said, without popping the welsh plug and ultrasonic cleaner..hard to do right.


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## Jackmels (Feb 18, 2013)

It Depends on What Your Time is Worth. To Me, Spending The 12 bucks is a No Brainer.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

I just bought a Chinese non-adjustable cab on Amazon (prime shipping). I found some adjustable ones, but I'm not sure if they will fit on and run correctly. I don't want to deal with the adjustment screws on those.

I'm very confident that it will fix the surging problem.

The old cab is probably plugged somewhere that I wasn't able to clean up (like inside the welch plug).


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

most variants of the Tecumseh carbs can be found with adjustable needles, However I DID come across one that I could not for my 11.5 HP OHV Tecumseh, The choke linkage is slightly different than the norm and the ones I DO find have the fuel nipple strait out the side where as I need a 90 do nipple to fit under the cover so instead of piecing one together out of other carbs I ordered the non adjustable variant and will see how that goes, Seeing how cheap they are I may end up getting a adjustable one if I ever find one or swap parts on them to make what i want but too many other projects to worry too much now.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

*New carb in. It is running strong, but doesn't want to idle. When at idle, the governor would rev it up to 3200 rpm. Does that means I have to adjust the governor lever somehow? I hooked it to the same hole on the new carb. Not that I will ever need it to idle, but it is good to have idle*

I rather have the original carb if it is still working.


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## dman2 (Sep 22, 2019)

Never mind. I found the adjustment screws for that on this carb. I will try that out first.


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## melson (Feb 9, 2015)

I was leaning towards the gas cap air bleed being blocked but you said you left the cap off and made no difference. The next suspect would usually be the carb but I'm wondering if the governor system is maladjusted? The governor is sensitive and can be temperamental. And some people like to play with them. You could try putting a load on the engine to see if the surging stops. Or put your finger on the throttle and hold it firmly, see if the engine becomes stable.


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