# Brand new Toro Power Max 824 snow blower won't start



## pockytrader (Sep 7, 2021)

Hi all,
Received delivery from Home Depot about a month ago & finally got to testing/starting it for the first time today (Summer is almost over). Checked the included oil & it looked clean & leveled. Put in a fresh 32 oz. can of TruFuel. Followed the starting instructions. The pull cord option generated no response at all after numerous tries. The electric starter option garnered a 2-3 seconds sputter from the engine before silence. Would appreciate any & all suggestions, before I contact Toro. I really hope that I didn't end up getting a lemon. 😒 Would be a pain to haul it to an authorized dealership.
Thanks in advance.


----------



## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

Does your machine have a fuel shut off valve for the gas tank? Ensure it is on/open.

Push primer button 5 or 6 times, you should get some fuel dripping from carb, which is normal. This will ensure you have fuel to the carb. Try starting it again

Remove spark plug and reconnect plug wire, rest it on metal surface of engine. Pull it over several times and ensure you have spark.


----------



## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

pockytrader said:


> Followed the starting instructions. The electric starter option garnered a 2-3 seconds sputter from the engine before silence.


Like Ziggy said make sure the fuel is actually on.
Try it without choke, or immediately turn off choke when you get sputter.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Should have fired it up when you received it, then they could replace it immediately.

.At any rate, if you can not get it resolved easily, Just have them replace it.


----------



## leonz (Dec 12, 2014)

Did did you happen to check the plug to see if it was fouled/oily?? 
It would not surprise me if they filled the grey(straight gas) cans with mixed gas by mistake or as a joke.


----------



## pockytrader (Sep 7, 2021)

Thx for all the suggestions. I did turn fuel shutoff valve open/on. It's a brand new machine, so assume spark plug is new, but will do a check. Will also try to start it with the choke off.


----------



## pockytrader (Sep 7, 2021)

Hi all - I used the electric starter with the choke off and it worked! Thanks for the advice. I did notice the engine compartment was crazy hot, even after just 2 minutes of running the snow blower. Smoke came out too. Should this be a worry or it's due to my possibly flooding the carburetor yesterday?.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Engine compartment ?

Smoking where, out the exhaust? Smoking usually means burning oil ..... was the engine on its side? are you running mixed fuel?

Flooding a carburetor yesterday should have no effect.

Is the plug cleaned and gaped properly?

Lot a variables going on.


----------



## pockytrader (Sep 7, 2021)

Oneacer said:


> Engine compartment ?
> 
> Smoking where, out the exhaust? Smoking usually means burning oil ..... was the engine on its side? are you running mixed fuel?
> 
> ...


Please see attached pic. Engine wasn't on its side and I'm using TruFuel. It's a brand new machine straight out of the box. Thank you.


----------



## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

Welcome to the forum by the way.
Glad you got it going. Instructions to start are generic for a winter start. Every engine has it's happy place, some like a lot of prime, choke or none at times.
Choke was likely too rich for starting it right now in warm weather. 
New stuff has all kinds of shipping smears and coatings/paint, a little smoke new is fine. It's usually the finish on the exhaust. Just make sure there's no shrink wrap left on any engine part particularly the recoil housing as that's where air comes in to cool the engine.


----------



## pockytrader (Sep 7, 2021)

Thank you.
Yup...I didn't take that (instructions are for default winter) into consideration. 1st time homeowner & 1st snow blower purchase, after having gone the shovel route for the previous 3 winters. Wished instructions were more specific, especially for newbies like me. 
Good to know. Was afraid the engine was gonna burn out.
Thanks again.


----------



## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

As onebolt mentioned ... new engines have pre installation lubricants throughout the engine, as well as freshly painted and many new items with new coatings. Slight burn-off or smells are quite common on the first start up as things break in.

That area your showing that is hot has the exhaust directly under that .. That is always going to be hot, and usually tells you that on that housing ... at any rate, that is normal and keep your hands off.

Good luck and enjoy your new unit.

Come back here when ever you have any questions.


----------



## Johner (Dec 30, 2020)

pockytrader said:


> Hi all - I used the electric starter with the choke off and it worked! Thanks for the advice. I did notice the engine compartment was crazy hot, even after just 2 minutes of running the snow blower. Smoke came out too. Should this be a worry or it's due to my possibly flooding the carburetor yesterday?.


Had a case like this one, on the hood there was a clue, it said if using the electric starter, you do not need to prime you will have to choke. Starting with rope you need to prime and maybe some choke. Had another problem, engine started with electric but had to pull your guts out using the rope, Changed the spark plug first pull start.


----------



## Chaselogic (12 mo ago)

pockytrader said:


> Hi all,
> Received delivery from Home Depot about a month ago & finally got to testing/starting it for the first time today (Summer is almost over). Checked the included oil & it looked clean & leveled. Put in a fresh 32 oz. can of TruFuel. Followed the starting instructions. The pull cord option generated no response at all after numerous tries. The electric starter option garnered a 2-3 seconds sputter from the engine before silence. Would appreciate any & all suggestions, before I contact Toro. I really hope that I didn't end up getting a lemon. 😒 Would be a pain to haul it to an authorized dealership.
> Thanks in advance.


----------



## Chaselogic (12 mo ago)

I have a brand new Toro 518 single engine I’m a female that’s also a senior I live in Indiana it’s new October 2021 so I go out there to start it up today January 30, 2022 it’s not a year old yet I put fresh gas and I filled it up with the oil that came with it primed a couple of times opened the choke and it wouldn’t start. I was frustrated I sent an email to Toro and customer service is closed it’s Sunday! I cried and I thought I would try it again after reading these reviews so the fourth time I went out and tried it with the choke closed! so yes I would recommend leaving the choke closed it started right up! I thought I had a faulty machine. Thank heavens It works!


----------



## GKK (Apr 29, 2021)

Chaselogic said:


> I have a brand new Toro 518 single engine I’m a female that’s also a senior I live in Indiana it’s new October 2021 so I go out there to start it up today January 30, 2022 it’s not a year old yet I put fresh gas and I filled it up with the oil that came with it primed a couple of times opened the choke and it wouldn’t start. I was frustrated I sent an email to Toro and customer service is closed it’s Sunday! I cried and I thought I would try it again after reading these reviews so the fourth time I went out and tried it with the choke closed! so yes I would recommend leaving the choke closed it started right up! I thought I had a faulty machine. Thank heavens It works!


If the machine is cold and it is cold outside, close the choke for the initial start. Once started wait a minute and open the choke half way. Once the machine has warmed up (usually doesn't take too long) open the choke fully. If the motor should stumble or sound like it's going to stall move the choke back to the halfway point for a little while longer. If you have to turn the machine off for any reason and then restart it while it's warm, you shouldn't need to choke it or maybe just half choke at most. If you need to start the machine in warm weather (for maintenance, etc.) you shouldn't have to choke it, just do the requisite priming. The choke restricts air flow to the carburetor. Motors tend to like a richer fuel mixture to start when cold (more fuel less air). Once started the air flow needs to be increased to properly/optimally operate. The choke has to be opened for this to occur.


----------

