# New (to me) Toro 826 Snowblower! Pls help with mods!



## treysoucie

hello friends! I just picked up a good running condition Toro 826. everything functions on it and it was a score for 100 bucks! it was owned by an old mechanical engineer who took very good care of it. always "summerizing" it, oil changes, fuel stabilizer, etc. 

anyways it does appear to have a slight drip from the carburetor. I'm wondering if this is a standard problem with these old Toro's and if I should just get a cheap carb rebuild kit for it?

Also has anyone added LED flood lights using a full wave bridge rectifier and a capacitor? Do these snow blowers have a 12-20v output harness anywhere to tap into to power a headlight?

Also, how many of you have done a paddle mod to the impeller? I have been dealing with a lot of thick wet snow lately with the temp changes here in So. Me. Is this a worthwhile mod? I will probably cut out some fins using an old tire and use self tapping metal screws to attach them. 

Also can anyone tell me where i can find a downloadable manual for this thing? Also, based on the serial #0006053 can i assume this is a 1980 produced model? im having trouble finding it online.


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## UNDERTAKER

treysoucie said:


> hello friends! I just picked up a good running condition Toro 826. everything functions on it and it was a score for 100 bucks! it was owned by an old mechanical engineer who took very good care of it. always "summerizing" it, oil changes, fuel stabilizer, etc.
> 
> anyways it does appear to have a slight drip from the carburetor. I'm wondering if this is a standard problem with these old Toro's and if I should just get a cheap carb rebuild kit for it?
> 
> Also has anyone added LED flood lights using a full wave bridge rectifier and a capacitor? Do these snow blowers have a 12-20v output harness anywhere to tap into to power a headlight?
> 
> Also, how many of you have done a paddle mod to the impeller? I have been dealing with a lot of thick wet snow lately with the temp changes here in So. Me. Is this a worthwhile mod? I will probably cut out some fins using an old tire and use self tapping metal screws to attach them.
> 
> Also can anyone tell me where i can find a downloadable manual for this thing? Also, based on the serial #0006053 can i assume this is a 1980 produced model? im having trouble finding it online.


*Get the OEM BRIGGS carb kit for it. not 1 of those cheap knock offs. those old TOROS will rip right thru that heavy wet stuff without a impeller kit. I have a 1974 TORO 8-26 that plows right thru that stuff. you will have to take the starter cover off and look around for a stator behind the flywheel. it may have 1 or it may not. more than likely it is still running a breaker point system on it. I would up it to a HEI system while you are in there. let me know the score on that 1 there.k:k:k:k:k:*


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## tpenfield

Old School Toro 'Snow Beast' . . . it should serve you well.

The carb drip thing is probably indication of needing a rebuild. There also should be a fuel shut-off valve under the fuel tank.

1980 sounds about right . . . before all the safety features were added in 1984. So, just be careful leaving the auger running and sticking hands/fingers anywhere.

No need for the impeller mod on those machines. The impeller blades should be pretty tight to the housing. It might improve it some, but check the clearance to see if it is worthwhile. If it is about 1/8" or less, then it may not really benefit

the Toro web site should have manuals and parts diagrams online.


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## treysoucie

I imagine its still a point system. 

converting to electronic ignition would be easy enough but wouldnt the EI need to be pull started much harder/faster to energize vs the points/cond. system? the point system requires much less RPM to energize i think.






I dont think there is a stator based on the pics of the engine.


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## 43128

its a 79 so its still points. 1982 was the first year they eliminated points with a module that worked with your old points coil and then 84 was the first true solid state ignition i believe


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## treysoucie

does anyone know what the correct OEM carb overhaul kit part # is? ive found multiple types online and cant seem to sort out the correct one...

engine No. 190402 0989-01

Ive seen B&S #394989 (shows as correct # on some diagrams but when googled it shows for 10-16hp engines) & #295938 (not available anywhere), everything else is aftermarket parts which im not too fond of...


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## treysoucie

43128 said:


> its a 79 so its still points. 1982 was the first year they eliminated points with a module that worked with your old points coil and then 84 was the first true solid state ignition i believe


any idea what would be involved in converting over to full solid state ignition?


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## 43128

just get a new coil. you can just the wire going to the points and leave them in place


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## classiccat

43128 said:


> just get a new coil. you can just the wire going to the points and leave them in place


For the old briggs snow engines, It's plug-n-play.


_*Have an older, breaker point ignition system?*

Breaker point ignition systems were common through 1982. You can improve its reliability on a single-cylinder Briggs & Stratton® engine equipped with breaker points and a two-leg armature by installing a solid-state ignition conversion kit (service part number 394970) that bypasses the points (conversion kit will not work with a three-legged ignition armature).​_
No fiddling with the timing / spark-advance either...pretty sweet.

EDIT: I found my Amazon order. I actually used PN 398881 for my 170000 series engine.


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## Grunt

Hello and welcome to SBF trey. Here are links to the Toro two stage repair manual and the Briggs flat head service manual. The Toro manual doesn't list your model, but has enough information to be of some value to you.

Toro two stage service manual- ( compliments of Shryp)
http://shryp.ashendust.com/Snowblowers/2stagdrv.pdf
　
Briggs flat head manual-
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6NaqjIxWV1ycG8wd0s3Z2Q2X00


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## treysoucie

Anyone have any idea if an alternator could be installed on the 190402 Briggs Motor that doesnt have one from the factory?

https://www.smallenginesuppliers.com/html/engine-specs/briggs/alternator/alternator_chart.pdf


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## AnOldGearhead

treysoucie said:


> it does appear to have a slight drip from the carburetor. I'm wondering if this is a standard problem with these old Toro's and if I should just get a cheap carb rebuild kit for it?


Hi, I recently have been working on an old 826, and I'm pretty sure that our engines were built within days of each other. You can see my trials here:
http://www.snowblowerforum.com/forum/toro-snowblowers/122874-another-toro-826-ca-1979-rebuild.html

Because the engine runs good, I think the drip is somewhat trivial. Is that drip actually from the bottom of the square-ish air inlet chimney? When does the carb drip happen? Is it when it the engine is put away, or is it when you're trying to start it?

You should not have a dripping carb when the engine is stopped, even if the shutoff valve under the fuel tank is open. If the drip happens when the engine is not running you almost certainly have a leaky float valve (or maybe a float that doesn't actually float) in the carb. I don't think this is happening because the engine runs good.

If the drip only happens when you are trying to start the engine I suspect that you have it over-choked.

It could also drip from the area of the emulsion tube needle (the one that is angled at the bottom of the carb bowl). There is a thin gasket between the bottom half of the carb and the threaded insert that the needle threads into (it has a 7/16" across flats hex), and there is also an o-ring around the needle itself. 



treysoucie said:


> Do these snow blowers have a 12-20v output harness anywhere to tap into to power a headlight?


No.



treysoucie said:


> Also, how many of you have done a paddle mod to the impeller?


I have done this and I am very happy with it, but I have never tested the snowblower without the modification. I did have other impeller problems, and the gap between the impeller blades and the inside of the impeller housing at the start of discharge opening was big enough that I could fit my finger tips in the gap, so I just decided to do the mod without testing having first tested the snowblower without the mod.

===

You do have the safety features on your Toro, so it would be difficult to stick your hand in there while the auger and impeller are engaged. Even so, don't stick your fingers or hands anywhere where they could become mangled (or worse) if any stored energy becomes suddenly released (I'm thinking of cylinder compression, bent foreign objects, etc.).

===



treysoucie said:


> I imagine its still a point system.
> 
> converting to electronic ignition would be easy enough but


...but because it already runs good, my advice is to leave it alone for this season. Don't try to create your own problems.


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## treysoucie

I will do a better diagnoses of the carb tomorrow we are expecting 4-8 inches here on the sea coast of southern Maine so I'll be using it for the first time. I'll try to make a video of the carb drip and explain in more detail. The blower ran and function great on initial testing bit there was no snow to test it on.


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## treysoucie

I've got about 1/4 to 3/8in gap around the outside of the impeller fins and the impeller housing. Just enough room to squeeze about half a figernail worth of pinky between the two. I'll know tomorrow if an impeller mod will be worth it. I've seen some pretty sweet videos on YouTube showing a pretty good boost in wet snow performance doing that mod.


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## UNDERTAKER

treysoucie said:


> Anyone have any idea if an alternator could be installed on the 190402 Briggs Motor that doesnt have one from the factory?
> 
> https://www.smallenginesuppliers.com/html/engine-specs/briggs/alternator/alternator_chart.pdf


*The 1 you want and need is the 1 in the bottom left hand corner.*


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## UNDERTAKER

*Carb kit rebuild number is 295938 that is a BRIGGS part number.*


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## 10953

no need to impeller mod a toro,these beast can throw snow like no tomorrow dead stock.


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## jtclays

sdfkjhb


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## classiccat

treysoucie said:


> I've got about 1/4 to 3/8in gap around the outside of the impeller fins and the impeller housing. Just enough room to squeeze about half a figernail worth of pinky between the two. I'll know tomorrow if an impeller mod will be worth it. I've seen some pretty sweet videos on YouTube showing a pretty good boost in wet snow performance doing that mod.


You won't be sorry!

I've done it on both of my old school toros. They'll throw a mile (_limited mainly by the old-school chute design_) and I've never had a clog.

Regarding the stator/alternator...make sure you can source the proper flywheel (_with the additional stator magnets_) if you don't have it already.


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## 10953

jtclays said:


> Curious what you see different in Toro's design that overcomes 1/4"-3/8" impeller gap to throw snow "like no tomorrow?"


never had any issue with a stock toro impeller throwing snow like no tomorrow on either powershift, never had one clog up either,toro limits what goes in so the out is not a issue. what i like about the gap is it's just right so road gravel bypasses gauging up the impeller housing


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## tadawson

As a data point, I just resurrected a 1979 724, with the original Tecumseh 7 horse L head. New fuel line and a carb rebuild, and it runs better than anything I have seen in years. And as far as throwing performance, I have used two 7 or 8 HP Ariens on this property, and they threw well - dropping snow in the center of the yard. Did the same thing this year with the Toro, and my biggest problem was that it was dropping the snow on the roof of the house, a good 50% farther than I ever remember any blower throwing. 

Yeah, they can thow snow very well in stock form . . .


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## treysoucie

Operating. I think I'll run some seafoam through it and oil change. It runs decent but has some slight stumbling. I think the carb just needs a slight tune.


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## vinnycom

i used an old tire for the impeller mod. if there's a gap it wil help. vids on how i did it are in my sig below


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## tpenfield

With a gap of 1/4"+, I'd go with the mod. It will help a little bit.

As stated, the chute design on the older machines tends to be the limiting factor on the throwing distance.


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## classiccat

The OP's EXACT machine.


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## vinnycom

it will make a difference, on mine it did anyways.
first vid is without impeller mod, second vid is with, same type of snow, wet and heavy. best throwing distance is when chute is pointed to the right as thats the direction of impeller ejection angle.

https://youtu.be/UebcI_1j1nE?t=47


https://youtu.be/9KzmU71VMIE?t=174


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