# Ariens - Tecumseh H50 - Repair



## Big Fish Billy (Feb 6, 2014)

Hello All, New Guy here, Well it finally happened, after flawless operation from about 1977 my Ariens 24" snowblower finally stopped working, suddenly in the storm the other day. It has the 5hp Tecumseh H50 engine. I cleaned the carb, (which seemed clean) am going to replace the spark plug, (looks original but still sparking) put on a new muffler,(baffles blown out) and change the head gasket (noticed gasoline leaking out through it). I was wondering if someone new the spark plug gap and what the torque should be on the head bolts. I'm sure it's a carb issue, I can get it running and use it, but after I shut it down, I can't get it running again, my low and high speed needles are set one turn out, is this normally correct? Thanks for the help, Bill


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi Big Fish Billy
Welcome to the forum. Sounds like trouble free usage for longer than can be expected. Original plug? I change mine every year. Torque for head is 200 inch lbs or 16.5 ft. lbs. Plug gap is .030 inches. Keep her runnin! MH


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## Big Fish Billy (Feb 6, 2014)

Thank you very much, yes trying to keep throwing parts at it, my neighbor just bought a new one for $1,100, trying to avoid that.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

H50s are known for needing the valves ground and lapped sometimes too. Especially if it starts acting up once it gets hot.


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## mkd (Dec 31, 2013)

big fish billy! set the high speed at 1 1/2 turn out and the low speed at 1 turn out. get the engine completely warm and at idle turn the low speed in till it starts to slow ,then out till it starts to slow, then set the low speed needle half way between the lean and rich rpm drop position. then put the machine on high speed and turn the high speed jet in till it stumbles and then out till it stumbles and set the high speed midway between the two stumble positions. you will know when the low speed is right when it will transition to high speed without stumbling or coughing. high speed will be right when you can start the cold engine with the choke and within a few seconds be able to let the choke off completely. if the high speed is too lean it will be hard to start cold and will die shortly after the engine is started from stone cold. this might put the high speed a tad rich but then you don't have to mess with the choke once it starts up from cold. if you let the choke off from cold start if it's lean it will start to sputter. i like to tweak the high speed just rich enough it doesn't sputter when the choke is completely let off from cold start up. hope this makes sense. i beleave my high speed ended up about 1/2turn richer than the initial 1 1/2 turns. but by being richer it will start better and run better when it's really cold out.


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## Big Fish Billy (Feb 6, 2014)

Thank you guys, I will try that stuff, to be honest, I haven't had to do anything with this machine since it was new, so turning screws now that haven't ever been moved. I have 90-95 pounds compression, does that sound alright, or do I need to grind the valves. I have never used the choke, I just turn it over with the starter and touch my hand over the carb opening and off she goes, I either lost or never had an air cleaner, if someone knows what was original, I'd love to get an air cleaner (at least the shell) to keep the snow out. To be honest, it stalled out this past storm when some snow blew in the carb, and hasn't been the same since.


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## Sparks69 (Feb 7, 2014)

mkd said:


> big fish billy! set the high speed at 1 1/2 turn out and the low speed at 1 turn out. get the engine completely warm and at idle turn the low speed in till it starts to slow ,then out till it starts to slow, then set the low speed needle half way between the lean and rich rpm drop position. then put the machine on high speed and turn the high speed jet in till it stumbles and then out till it stumbles and set the high speed midway between the two stumble positions. you will know when the low speed is right when it will transition to high speed without stumbling or coughing. high speed will be right when you can start the cold engine with the choke and within a few seconds be able to let the choke off completely. if the high speed is too lean it will be hard to start cold and will die shortly after the engine is stated from stone cold. this might put the high speed a tad rich but then you don't have to mess with the choke once it starts up from cold. if you let the choke off from cold start if it's lean it will start to sputter. i like to tweak the high speed just rich enough it doesn't sputter when the choke is completely let off from cold start up. hope this makes sense. i beleave my high speed ended up about 1/2turn richer than the initial 1 1/2 turns. but by being richer it will start better and run better when it's really cold out.


OK, so I registered on the forum because of this post. 
This sounds very similar to the problem with my 1985(ish) Ariens ST504. A few weeks ago, I filled the blower with fresh gas treated with Sta-bil. I started and ran it for a few minutes and put it in the garage. Two days later, I went to use the blower and it would not start. Had a buddy of mine work on it and he found one of the magnets came loose from the flywheel so he epoxied it back on. During the repair the old primer bulb gave up the ghost so he replaced that as well. I brought the blower home and about three weeks went by until we got snow on Tuesday of this week. I tried to start the blower and it was very difficult. 
Full choke, high throttle, pull start and nothing. Left in on full choke, low throttle and it would start and then die. Repeat, high throttle pull, low throttle pull, start and die, repeat again.........I did this about 20 times before it finally started but then would only run on full choke. 
Aggravated I took it to a shop today to get worked on and they cleaned the carb and check it over. I picked it up just before they closed and it started right away. Brought it home and tried to start it and now I am back to the exact same problem. Had to do the high throttle, low throttle method several times before it would stay running. Only change is it will now run with the choke off.
Side problem......the new primer bulb is hard as a friggin rock at 5 degrees outside. Whats up with that? Thought maybe ice but it is new fuel with Sta-bil. 
Thanks for the input..........not meaning to step on the OP's thread, hopefully this can help him as well.


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## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi there Sparks..
You should really start a new thread so you can get responses directed to your problem. Big Fish may want to check back in on his. 
Big Fish...I think you are looking for a "heater box." Snow engines didn't come through with air cleaners, thinking being that in snow situations, there is not much dust to worry about. The heater boxes are out there on the Bay, but they can be pricey...30-40 bucks. You have to look closely at the slot configurations to accommodate your carb controls and muffler set-up. MH


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## Big Fish Billy (Feb 6, 2014)

motorhead64 said:


> Hi there Sparks..
> You should really start a new thread so you can get responses directed to your problem. Big Fish may want to check back in on his.
> Big Fish...I think you are looking for a "heater box." Snow engines didn't come through with air cleaners, thinking being that in snow situations, there is not much dust to worry about. The heater boxes are out there on the Bay, but they can be pricey...30-40 bucks. You have to look closely at the slot configurations to accommodate your carb controls and muffler set-up. MH


Thanks MH, I've seen a few, I'll probably make up a deflector of some sort just to keep the snow out, once I get it running better again.


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## Big Fish Billy (Feb 6, 2014)

Well mine is all back together, running better than ever, thanks everyone...Bill


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