# keyless start



## snow&ez (Nov 12, 2014)

Today I did summer storage maintenance on my Ariens deluxe series snowblower. I thought I followed the startup settings procedure & and gave a pull on the recoil start handle. It started and ran flawlessly. After about five minutes running time, I shut it off.I went to remove the key and there was none in the ignition switch. I forgot to insert it, yet, it started and ran normally.It did backfire once. Being the novice that I am, I was somewhat bemused. So, before I wreck my brain trying to figure this out, I am asking,is this normal?what purpose is the key if will start without one?Did I hurt something.



Thanks..


----------



## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

snow&ez said:


> Today I did summer storage maintenance on my Ariens deluxe series snowblower. I thought I followed the startup settings procedure & and gave a pull on the recoil start handle. It started and ran flawlessly. After about five minutes running time, I shut it off.I went to remove the key and there was none in the ignition switch. I forgot to insert it, yet, it started and ran normally.It did backfire once. Being the novice that I am, I was somewhat bemused. So, before I wreck my brain trying to figure this out, I am asking,is this normal?what purpose is the key if will start without one?Did I hurt something.
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks..


Not sure about Ariens since I've not really looked at my Sno Tek but I do know my Toro 521 won't run w/o key. Read your owner's manual and see if it will shed some light.


----------



## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

sounds like a bad ground in the circuit the key goes through, with the key out it should ground the ignition so it doesn't start


----------



## nwcove (Mar 2, 2015)

id guess the grounding contacts that the key opens, arent fully closing with the key removed or have some crud on them or a bad connection on one of the connectors in that circuit.


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

You might want to look around and see if a wire someplace has come loose and is hanging in midair. That or like the above comment, the contacts the key goes into are making contact.

You can't hurt it this way. It's just a safety to keep people from starting it without a key.


----------



## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

and another thing, welcome to *SBF*


----------



## snow&ez (Nov 12, 2014)

*RE:Keyless start*

Since my posting, I've been advised it may be possible to start the snowblower without the key, however, the auger will not rotate. if this is true, it appears to be a safety feature.Thanks to all who responded to my posting.

 Snow&ez...


----------



## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

Advised by who ??

Seems strange you ask a question and all of us tell you it is a start/no start feature and you reply that you've been advised it somehow controls the auger ??

The key is a very very simple switch on every blower I've ever seen. The key has always been to keep it from starting and to be able to kill the engine.

On yours there is a wire coming from the unit at the flywheel that produces the spark for the engine and when you pull the key out it simply lets two pieces of metal make contact and grounds out the circuit so there isn't any spark. It's the same function as when you move the throtle all the way to stop. That will kill the engine or stop it from starting as it uses the same wire to ground the ignition coil.

The auger is driven by a shaft that's connected to the impeller by a shaft and behind it is a belt driven pulley. On the handle bar is a lever that tightens that belt and makes the impeller and auger rotate. There is no safety other than the handle bar lever to start and stop the auger and impeller. 

When in doubt, call the dealer or read the manual.


----------

