# Unknown ancient ariens snowblower help



## Brian090 (Feb 10, 2015)

Hello!

I purchased a snowblower yesterday, because my wife didn't want to keep seeing me out shoveling our driveway. So she found one on one of her facebook groups, I trekked out in our beat up minivan and paid $100 for what looked like a really nice snowblower!

Now I'm not much at all of a mechanic or even remotely inclined when it comes to anything that has an engine. I've never owned a snowblower, and I had no idea what I was doing. The rope to start it (later found out it's called a 'recoil rope') was broken and I had my neighbor come over and install a new one. He then told me I had an "old" ariens, about 40-50 years old!!!!!! I had such a hard time getting it started, I'd pull the rope and it would rip through my hand and go back in the thing.. (Where the rope goes into). It started eventually, and when it did I was blown away by how much power it had, just chewing through massive snowbanks and I felt like a champ as my wife and kids cheered me on while watching from inside. Until I touched something..

I have a problem, whenever I get comfortable using a machine I tend to get over zealous and touch levers and things to find out what exactly they do. I pulled the lever for one of the clutches, the auger stopped spinning and so did the wheels. I couldn't get either to work so I put it in my garage and tried again this morning, no go. I found an old ariens manual so I could figure the correct lever positions and maybe find a way to get it running again. It starts, but nothing goes. I know absolutely nothing about snowblowers, and I was directed here from a very cool website of people who admire and still use these snowblowers and even restore them! I'm actually really excited and I told my wife that I'm going to learn everything I can and maybe restore it and keep it for years to come. 

I'm attaching some pictures, and maybe some people here can help me get it running! And figure out how old it actually is. From what I found online it's a pre-1973, as the lever stops the wheels rather then move them. After 1973 the lever moved the wheels. Thank you for reading my rambling, I'm Brian as the username states and I live outside of Amsterdam NY with my wife and 3 children!

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/7Qo6FjRXi3ZPFuMvdZentRF76QbUarofdrzgSbh36mQ
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/zoxPHuiJYZCZzpVhPYoepsRc9XKvPPxn8I4lvtu9n9g
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/D63Usnz9_gd7kgkYb6v4PvUIqx66VVRfnmNBUGQUCv4
https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/xrmXq9R898YnUcoMXy7qEePKM9nXhHybWqypTOqxM0o


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

In basic terms, the lever that twists turns the augers on and off and the lever that lifts up and down connects the engine to the machine.

There is a metal jaw coupling under the belt cover. It has square teeth that lock the 2 pieces together when the auger is on. Generally you just want to leave that on and not touch it. Never turn it on with the other lever engaged.

The other lever tightens and loosens the belt. When the belt is in the loose position the engine runs, but nothing else works. When the belt is in the tight position power is on for the wheels and if you have the auger lever on the augers will turn.

Remember, never mess with the auger lever while the belt lever is tight. The sudden impact can damage the metal teeth.



This doesn't help you now, but next time you buy something you are not familiar with just explain to the seller you have never used one before and ask for a basic rundown of how it works. I would think anyone would be glad to spend even just 5 minutes going over something with you if they really wanted to sell it. It would also be a good opportunity to make sure everything works properly before you buy it.

$100 is a great price if everything is working properly. The 32" wide ones are a bit harder to find. Bet you are wishing for snow now. Maybe the neighbor that helped you with the recoil rope can show you a few things about using it as well. For the hard starting you might need the carb cleaned.

Remember to never stick your hands into the front or down the chute. Even if the engine is off, if it jams up there can be enough "spring" left in the parts to cut your fingers off.


----------



## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi Brian 
Welcome to the forum. You have what is referred to as a "10000" series Ariens...the classic Ariens Sno Thro. You hav e two levers...the one that engages the wheels is the one that pulls DOWN. The one that with the bicycle type grip engages the auger rakes...the throwing part of the machine. The machine should be in NEUTRAL to start...both the tractor (wheels) and the auger mechanisms should be DISengaged for starting. 
The auger is engaged first after starting. Then the wheels are engaged. The clutch on your hand grip allows you to start and stop...also for shifting. ALWAYS return to NEUTRAL before engagingly/disengaging the tractor drive or the auger drive. MH


----------



## Brian090 (Feb 10, 2015)

Thank you for your quick reply Shyrp! Yes I am wishing for more snow, we shoveled most of our driveway in between getting the snowblower working, but I have a huge snowbank to clear out in front of my house where my daughters speech therapist parks on Fridays so my goal is to try to get it running again and clear the spot out for her. 

Where can I find the belt cover to see if I damaged the teeth? If I did damage the teeth is it repairable? I always seem to learn the hard way, in just about every aspect in life, haha. Much appreciated!

And thanks Motorhead! That's great to know, I was a little weary of having something so old (I'm only 24 years old, so that means this snowblower is almost twice my age!) but after reading about it, and running it for the short time I did, I'm really looking forward to fixing it up to like new condition and learning as much as I can about it. I don't really have a serious hobby, maybe this can be a new one!


----------



## motorhead64 (Dec 15, 2013)

The belt cover is the white hump between the engine and the bucket end. There is a single 1/2 inch bolt holding it on. My guess is your teeth survived ok. These old girls are tough! MH


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Hi Brian,
welcome to the forum!
nice find on the Ariens! 

You have a 1969, 1970, 1971 or 1972 Ariens 10,000 series with the somewhat unusual 32" bucket..a great machine! I own two '71's, and I love them..

I have been meaning to make some sort of demo to show the lever positions..either a series of photos, or a video..but I never remember to do it! 
(edit, I did find photos! see below)

Post all the numbers you can find on the machine..they will help determine your exact model year..there are three sets of data tags:

1. Tecumseh engine tag, on the side of the engine:










2. Ariens "tractor tag" at the rear of the machine:










that one contains your actual model number for the snowblower as a whole..it looks like yours might be missing..if it is, see if you can find any numbers stamped into the metal in that vicinity:










3. The Ariens "attachment tag" on the side of the scoop..
that is the model number of the scoop attachment only, not the model number of the snowblower. but post those numbers anyway, because they can be useful for figuring things out..










Post all the numbers you can find, and we should be able to work your exact model number and model year..

Scot


----------



## Brian090 (Feb 10, 2015)

I opened it up and it just looks like the belt slipped off the pulley! Put it back on and I'm ready to go, but the auger lever, should that be facing me or pointing towards the auger when I start it? Just making sure before I start it. And Scott all the labels are there but faded, however the model numbers are on the engine and I will post within the hour!


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Brian090 said:


> I opened it up and it just looks like the belt slipped off the pulley! Put it back on and I'm ready to go, but the auger lever, should that be facing me or pointing towards the auger when I start it? Just making sure before I start it. And Scott all the labels are there but faded, however the model numbers are on the engine and I will post within the hour!


The larger of the two levers is the "Tractor Clutch".
it turns the power to the wheels on and off..

The smaller one is the "Sno-Thro clutch", it turns the augers on and off.

To start the machine, have both in the "disengaged" or "off" position,
which is the larger tractor clutch "down"
and the smaller Sno-Thro clutch "out", which is facing forward, pointing toward the bucket.
like this:

Both levers disengaged:









I call that the "down and out" position..the larger level is "down", and the smaller is "out", facing forward..
I park the machine in that position, both disengaged, and when I do my mental checklist for starting, I check those positions.

to start:

1. gas valve on - check.
2. levers "down and out" - check.
3. Handlebar speed control in neutral - check.
4. choke on full - check.

start the engine..

To start using the machine once the engine is running:
Move the smaller Sno-Thro clutch to "In", which is pointing off to the side.
Raise up the larger tractor clutch to "engage".

Augers should be spinning..but wheels not yet turning because its still in neutral. 
Hold in the handlebar level, engage a forward speed..let go, and you are off..

you can also run with the tractor clutch on, but the sno-thro clutch off..which allows you to wheel the tractor around, 
engine running, with the wheels turning under power, but the augers not spinning.

Scot


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Hey! I did take photos afterall! I forgot I had them..
I just found them by digging through my on-line photo album..

Levers for 1965 to 1972 Ariens 10,000 series:

Photo 1:
Both levers in the "off" or "disengaged" position.
"down and out"
I store the machine in this position, and this should be the position when starting the engine:









Photo 2.
Both levers "on" or "engaged".
position while actually blowing snow, augers and wheels turning:









Photo 3.
"tractor clutch" (the larger lever) is "on" or "engaged"
The Sno-Thro clutch is "off", "out", "disengaged".
This allows the machine to be wheeled around, engine on and wheels turning,
but augers off and not spinning:









Scot


----------



## Brian090 (Feb 10, 2015)

Thank you all for the help, just got done clearing the front of the house and chopping away at the snowbanks alongside my driveway!

Scot I really appreciate the pictures, I'm starting to fall in love with my new machine. My wife is slowly regretting this as I have talked her ear off about it all day, haha. I just clicked one of your links on your signature and I had no idea that was your webpage I viewed yesterday! Your website sorta inspired me to look closer into the machine rather than look at is as a old hunk o junk. I spent about 2 hours on your site last night, nicely done. 

I couldn't upload the picture but the numbers on the engine read as followed - MODEL - H70 130067A SERIAL - 13140

Again, thank you all for your help and I hope to learn as much as I can about this snowblower and if it's not too much of an undertaking possibly doing serious work on it over the spring!


----------



## AandPDan (Nov 18, 2014)

Nice find Brian.

Just to add what everyone else has posted, CHECK THE OIL! The Tecumseh is a great little engine but it will not tolerate a low oil level - at all. Keep it full.

Good luck.


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Brian090 said:


> Thank you all for the help, just got done clearing the front of the house and chopping away at the snowbanks alongside my driveway!
> 
> Scot I really appreciate the pictures, I'm starting to fall in love with my new machine. My wife is slowly regretting this as I have talked her ear off about it all day, haha. I just clicked one of your links on your signature and I had no idea that was your webpage I viewed yesterday! Your website sorta inspired me to look closer into the machine rather than look at is as a old hunk o junk. I spent about 2 hours on your site last night, nicely done.
> 
> ...


Thanks Brian, glad you enjoyed the webpage! 

based on your Tecumseh numbers (and assuming its the original engine, which it likely is) you have a 1971 or 1972 model. The Tecumseh serial number, 1314, says the engine was assembled at Tecumseh on the "314th day of a year ending in 1." Unfortunately Tecumseh only used a 1-digit year code! So "year ending in 1" could mean 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, or 2001. But based on the machine the engine is bolted to, we can be certain it has to mean 1971 in this case..

The 314th day of the year is November 10. That seems really too late to have gone on a 1971 model year snowblower..the '71's were likely all finished by that point..So its more likely the engine was assembled in November '71, shipped to Ariens, where it sat around for a few months before being installed on a '72 snowblower in the summer of '72.

But we dont actually know what Ariens production schedule was during this era..Did they make 1971 snowblowers from say July through January? we dont know..Today we usually hear that companys that make both winter and summer produts, as Ariens does, makes "summer products in the winter, and winter products in the summer"..So I have always assumed that snowblower production would cease for the year around August or September..but we dont know what was happening 40 years ago..

Often the engine date code is pretty definitive, but it isnt in this case, because that November build date is ambiguous..it could mean the snowblower is a '71 or a '72 model year.

The Ariens numbers, if you have them, should help nail it down..

Scot


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Brian. I have one of those 32s also. Mine is a '69 and I have it in pieces ready for new parts and paint. They will eat their way through a drift pretty easy and as you know it's thick metal that lasts.
Congratulations on buying a great older snow blower without knowing what you were doing. 
Those 32s are hard to find and usually expensive. IMHO you got a great deal and this is the place to get help repairing and maintaining it.


----------



## Rob711 (Feb 5, 2015)

Hey Brian I'm new here too. I acquired a 67 ariens that needed a engine so I put a 100$ harbor freight engine on it with help from some guys here. I Too have 3 kids under the age of 5....girls! So snow blowing my small driveway and all the neighbors is quite fun!!! Enjoy ur new toy.
Rob


----------



## gsnod (Sep 2, 2013)

Brian -- I would also suggest that your Tecumseh might have a primer button that will help with your starting. This is not a typical looking primer button -- instead, it is a knob under your choke lever, that you hold in while you slowly pull the recoil rope. This causes a vacuumn the pulls gas from the tank to the carb. Then, set the throttle and choke and give the recoil rope a pull. Hopefully it starts....


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

The primer he's referring to looks like this with the cover off.


----------



## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Brian090 said:


> Thank you for your quick reply Shyrp! Yes I am wishing for more snow, we shoveled most of our driveway in between getting the snowblower working, but I have a huge snowbank to clear out in front of my house where my daughters speech therapist parks on Fridays so my goal is to try to get it running again and clear the spot out for her.
> 
> Where can I find the belt cover to see if I damaged the teeth? If I did damage the teeth is it repairable? I always seem to learn the hard way, in just about every aspect in life, haha. Much appreciated!
> 
> And thanks Motorhead! That's great to know, I was a little weary of having something so old (I'm only 24 years old, so that means this snowblower is almost twice my age!) but after reading about it, and running it for the short time I did, I'm really looking forward to fixing it up to like new condition and learning as much as I can about it. I don't really have a serious hobby, maybe this can be a new one!


Welcome to SBF. Unfortunately it can become more than a hobby. I have 2 excellent running blowers and when I was looking for a third one thankfully my wife put her foot down. Some of the guys here have tons of old non working snow blowers and blown engines with ventilated blocks. I say in some cases it can become more of an addiction.


----------

