# My Toro 928 HD Review



## mrfixit

I bought a new Toro 928 OHXE HD. It is kept in the garage. Used one time a while ago on 3-6 inches of powder. Performed well.

Went up to our place in the mountains at 9200ft. in elev.
I had 6 inches of powder drifted in some places to a foot. It was 0 degrees :t09015:, started right up with 3 primer pumps and pull started with the rope :yahoo:.

It did the job but the motor worked hard. If I took full width passes in the deep stuff it seemed to work it harder than I liked by the sound of it. Big difference if I took half width passes. 

The altitude degrading the horse power was a concern of mine. I almost went with an Ariens due to available bigger motors. 

It got the job done and it beat shoveling for sure. :biggrin:

The next test will be the spring wet snow. I will update when possible. 

I would like some input on the load on a blower engine. I figure run it like my mower, if the grass is tall take narrower passes so it doesn't work the motor so hard.
:feedback:


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## nwcove

i prefer to keep my blowers on the governor at all times, but not below 3000rpm by fine tuned ear tach !


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## Hanky

nwcove said:


> i prefer to keep my blowers on the governor at all times, but not below 3000rpm by fine tuned ear tach !


 If it bogs down try 1 gear speed slower although you do have 9,000 ft of elev. I run wide open in all my blowers I had .:blowerhug:


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## AbominableSnowman

mrfixit said:


> I bought a new Toro 928 OHXE HD. It is kept in the garage. Used one time a while ago on 3-6 inches of powder. Performed well.
> 
> Went up to our place in the mountains at 9200ft. in elev.
> I had 6 inches of powder drifted in some places to a foot. It was 0 degrees :t09015:, started right up with 3 primer pumps and pull started with the rope :yahoo:.
> 
> It did the job but the motor worked hard. If I took full width passes in the deep stuff it seemed to work it harder than I liked by the sound of it. Big difference if I took half width passes.
> 
> The altitude degrading the horse power was a concern of mine. I almost went with an Ariens due to available bigger motors.
> 
> It got the job done and it beat shoveling for sure. :biggrin:
> 
> The next test will be the spring wet snow. I will update when possible.
> 
> I would like some input on the load on a blower engine. I figure run it like my mower, if the grass is tall take narrower passes so it doesn't work the motor so hard.
> :feedback:


That's got the 265cc engine, correct? Assuming it's running smoothly and no carburetor issues, do you suspect that the stress and hard work of the engine is only because of the altitude? Just wondering how hard the motor would have had to work in the same type and depth of snow but at low altitude. 265cc isn't a huge engine, but seems like it should be enough for a 28 inch wide bucket?


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## jtclays

Those Loncin engines can and do benefit from some bigger jetting as do all new blower engines thanks to the EPA. You can hog them out yourself or search for a day or 2 to find replacement jet specs. Try contacting Toro and see if they have a "high altitude kit." It will simply be a jet with a bigger hole to let it get more fuel. I agree with nwcove though, the best engines break in and run better when taxed a bit.


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## mrfixit

nwcove said:


> i prefer to keep my blowers on the governor at all times, but not below 3000rpm by fine tuned ear tach !


I'm confused. I thought the governor limited the max RPM the engine is allowed to turn at. If a small engine is running at wide open throttle with no load, the governor would keep/stop it at max RPM. Put a load on it, decrease RPM's and the governor is not being used.


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## mrfixit

Hanky said:


> If it bogs down try 1 gear speed slower although you do have 9,000 ft of elev. I run wide open in all my blowers I had .:blowerhug:


I ran it with the throttle wide open in the lowest gear. I believe the issue is the elevation form past experience.


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## mrfixit

AbominableSnowman said:


> That's got the 265cc engine, correct? Assuming it's running smoothly and no carburetor issues, do you suspect that the stress and hard work of the engine is only because of the altitude? Just wondering how hard the motor would have had to work in the same type and depth of snow but at low altitude. 265cc isn't a huge engine, but seems like it should be enough for a 28 inch wide bucket?


It runs great. Yes, I believe it is due to the altitude. Power loss for altitude is 3% per thousand feet = 27%. I think this makes the motor 199cc.


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## mrfixit

jtclays said:


> Those Loncin engines can and do benefit from some bigger jetting as do all new blower engines thanks to the EPA. You can hog them out yourself or search for a day or 2 to find replacement jet specs. Try contacting Toro and see if they have a "high altitude kit." It will simply be a jet with a bigger hole to let it get more fuel. I agree with nwcove though, the best engines break in and run better when taxed a bit.


I believe you are thinking wrong. You go with smaller jets as your altitude rises due to the lack of oxygen. You are correcting a rich fuel mixture.


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## jtclays

Those Loncin engines can and do benefit from some bigger jetting as do all new blower engines thanks to the EPA. You can hog them out yourself or search for a day or 2 to find replacement jet specs. Try contacting Toro and see if they have a "high altitude kit." It will simply be a jet with a bigger hole to let it get more fuel. I agree with nwcove though, the best engines break in and run better when taxed a bit.






mrfixit said:


> I believe you are thinking wrong. You go with smaller jets as your altitude rises due to the lack of oxygen. You are correcting a rich fuel mixture.


You are absolutely correct. You would think I would not type the opposite answer to a question:angry: Hard to believe I have ever used the term "hog them out" too. You may have helped me quite a bit Mrfixit, thought I had this sorted out.


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## nwcove

mrfixit said:


> I'm confused. I thought the governor limited the max RPM the engine is allowed to turn at. If a small engine is running at wide open throttle with no load, the governor would keep/stop it at max RPM. Put a load on it, decrease RPM's and the governor is not being used.


the governor opens the throttle plate to try to hold max preset rpms


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## hfjeff

You can never have too much power on a snowblower IMO. I have the 1128 and it still bogs down at the end of the driveway. If you could get this thing with a 20hp it would already be in my garage. Not sure about the altitude part, but maybe one of your local dealers could make a recommendation.


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## mrfixit

hfjeff said:


> You can never have too much power on a snowblower IMO. I have the 1128 and it still bogs down at the end of the driveway. If you could get this thing with a 20hp it would already be in my garage. Not sure about the altitude part, but maybe one of your local dealers could make a recommendation.



I almost bought the 1028 HD but the + $300.00 for 1 more horse power turned me off. Same machine just a bigger motor.

I have an Mercury outboard that is carbed. Oil injected, 4 carbs and the re-jetting I did on that was a big improvement on smoothness, fuel and oil consumption. I have a generator that I re-jetted also that is way better.

I got a high altitude jet for this machine, waiting to put some more hours on it before pulling the plug to look at the color.


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## Faron79

Snowmobiles need high-altitude jets to offset the loss in O2 density. 
Makes a BIG difference!
I don't recall the "threshold" for high-alt status (relative to small-engines anyway...) though???

Faron


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## Blosumsno

Here' the high altitude kit for the 2017 928, ref #99 on the engine assy no. 3 diagram. https://www.toro.com/en/parts/partdetails/?id=46010. 


When the page comes up, click "parts" then click "engine assembly no. 3" and the parts list will come up, last item on the list. Oddly there is no option to buy but has a part number. maybe it's a dealer only regional part to prevent the majority of users to run richer.


P.S Pat's small engine parts www.psep.biz has Loncin carb and ignition parts I suspect other online sources do too, but didn't see an altitude kit.


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## mrfixit

Up Date on Review of 928 HD.

Just got back from our mountain home. Took a load of things up and checked the place out.

Blew the drive off with the Toro, 4 inches of powder and 20 degrees.
Full width passes in 3 speed forward, no problem at 9200 ft. End of drive 2 and a half feet from plow, hard packed. Bogged her down but did the job.

Happy with it so far. 
Will update again.


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## mrfixit

Up Date.
I bought my first blower recently so I had to decide what to buy.
I have a drive way that has an incline from street to garage. The steepest incline is from the street for the first 50 feet.

At the dealer they had Ariens and Toro. They had a display/model of the Hydro trans sitting on the counter. I didn't like the design, just my feelings. 
Tracked machines I knew were harder to maneuver and can not be moved unless running, learned that from research. No thanks.

My dealer told me the wheeled Toro would do the job, easier to maneuver and the tire design on todays machines are great.
I also thought the track would be more maintenance, more expensive to maintain, a lot more moving parts and take more power away from the engine to drive than wheels.

I was surprised how well the Toro did on the incline from the street with snow over ice. It would slide down hill on the ice until I engaged the drive, it would spin a little but moved without a problem. I blew snow going up hill on the ice with no issues.

I'm happy with my blower.


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## mrfixit

*Update*

We were up to our place in the mountains, remember 9200ft. in elevation.

Sunday Feb. 12th woke up to 3 inches of new snow. Bottom inch was heavy wet snow with powder on top.
The day before it was warm enough to melt the snow which caused it run across the drive in places and leave a few puddles.

The Toro did well with the combo of wet and powder but didn't throw it as far, to be expected. The slush spots from the melting put a load on the blower and it only threw it 10 feet.


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## mrfixit

*Update*

Up to our place for 4 days. 9200 ft.
Got 6 inches of wet/dry snow.
Blower would do half width passes and bog engine down bad sometimes but never clogged up.
Still happy with it.


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## Hanky

When does it quit snowing at 9200 ft.???


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## mrfixit

It's rare but it could snow in July.


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## Hanky

You will hardly have time for a oil change before the snow comes again.


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## mrfixit

Update
We have been full time residents since June 15th. This will be our first winter here and my first season of blowing snow. My first snow blower.
Still working on making it our home. The list is getting shorter.

Lots of rain the last 2 months, rained daily. For a while I was doing erosion control from the down pours. Contacted the county about our road. It was washed out so bad in places I was concerned that the wife's car might have a problem getting out to the main road if we needed it. Been 5 days now without rain. According to my rain gauge and records we have had just over a foot of rain. One of the wettest seasons on record.

Come on snow. :smile2:


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## 10953

or at 1420 in jersey, starts snowing in oct stops late april, dumb me purchased this house on top of a ski arear 30 years ago toro's have never let me down

interesting info on the HA carb jet kit.thanks guys


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## 10953

Blosumsno said:


> Here' the high altitude kit for the 2017 928, ref #99 on the engine assy no. 3 diagram. https://www.toro.com/en/parts/partdetails/?id=46010.
> 
> 
> When the page comes up, click "parts" then click "engine assembly no. 3" and the parts list will come up, last item on the list. Oddly there is no option to buy but has a part number. maybe it's a dealer only regional part to prevent the majority of users to run richer.
> 
> 
> P.S Pat's small engine parts www.psep.biz has Loncin carb and ignition parts I suspect other online sources do too, but didn't see an altitude kit.


part number is 99 the order number 121-4241 $7.78 wounder if it will have a bigger jet as my new one shows a lean mixture looking at the plug


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## mrfixit

Morning temps have been in the 30's.
First snow this morning. 1/2 an inch.
:smile2:


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## 10953

reports for here are maybe 38 degs tonight after a week of running the a/c . figures it would get cold, we have a big car show on saturday


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## mrfixit

87 powershift
I see you bought a 2018 928 Power Max.
I bought mine last year. Limited use due to we weren't living at our mountain place. We are now full time residents at 9200 ft. Our first winter in the mountains and using the blower to keep drive clear.
I used my blower last winter about 6 times while moving things from our home in the city to the mountain home.

This is my first blower but so far happy with my purchase.
Hope you like yours.
I will update this thread as I use it this winter.


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## mrfixit

Our driveway configuration. About 2500 sq. feet. Driveway entrance on the left has an uphill slope.


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## mrfixit

Been needing some snow here.
Got 3 inches yesterday and used the Toro.
Did a test.
Blew snow onto the driveway to increase the depth.
Depth got to 6 to 8 inches.
No problem.
:grin:


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## Bulldogge

I never thought I would hear myself say this, but, I am jealous of hearing about all of this snow. i haven't been able to use my new Power Max HD 1028 at all. Every time i walk past her in the garage I look at her & say, Don't worry girl we will get to soon.


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## mrfixit

Bulldogge said:


> I never thought I would hear myself say this, but, I am jealous of hearing about all of this snow. i haven't been able to use my new Power Max HD 1028 at all. Every time i walk past her in the garage I look at her & say, Don't worry girl we will get to soon.


Used mine once so far this year.
We are under a fire ban due to a lack of snow.
Really dry around here.
:smile2:


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## 10953

my 928/38801 ran for 20 hours and locked up. 3 oil changes each had major metal in the oil. never could start it with the pull,felt tight when tried, my guess is a locked up con rod on the crank 

came from snow blowers direct in sept. local dealers don't want to touch it.because of the on line purchase from a non toro dealer sale , guess i'll get SES to send me a new 312 cc briggs from a 1128 to replace the 265 cc china made clone that never seemed to rev right, idle to wot was only a 1k rpm raise


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## mrfixit

Sorry to hear this 10953.

Well another update.
We got winter this year. Not complaining we need the moisture.
We have gotten 44 inches of snow so far this year.
Most at one time was 6 inches.

My driveway configuration and the way the house sits forces me to blow snow onto areas of the driveway in front of me due to the blower cannot throw the snow far enough.
This makes the snow deeper of course but so far not a problem.
Deeper snow amounts will be.
Just have to narrow the passes.

Very happy with this Toro.
Always starts easy, even at below zero temps.
I pull start it.

Used it yesterday for 5 inches of powder.
10 degree's.
Started second pull.

The snow that the snow plow piles up at the 2 ends of our driveway work the machine hard but it gets it done.


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## 132619

10953 and Guest
that means the member bailed out and had their account closed ,


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