# My old Ariens suddenly acts like it's on steroids.



## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Hi All, new member here from , Ontario, Canada, I hope I get some guidance from some of you , my problem is with my 8 year old Ariens(920 series), 24" snow blower. it runs /throws snow much faster than before like it's on steroids! the only logical explanation I might have is I switched to higher octane gas (from 87to 92) I'm thinking the Ethanol or some other winter additives could have loosened some blockage in the carburetor but the speed did not go back to the older / slower RPM when I switched back to 87 octane. 

The way I always started it for the past few years was, press the bulb twice to prime, turn the ignition on with choke fully closed, pull the string to start. the speed lever was often left on "rabbit" which is the fastest.
Two days ago I went through all the steps, started the engine and turned the choke to wide open like I have always done but this time the engine was running twice as fast as before, I tried to slow it down by pulling the speed control all the way down to slowest position( From rabbit to Turtle) which helped but still the RPM is like twice what it normally ran.

Here is the strange part, I really like the new high speed blower, it does not sound sick like surging and coughing , it runs smoothly, every knobs work as the should like the choke, the speed lever, this blower runs like a dream, it throws snow way further , I'm thinking if I had no previous experience with the blower, I would have loved it's performance a lot

My question as might have guessed is, should I leave it alone and run with it the way it is or will I eventually damage the motor?
Any help/comments will be appreciated.
Ken.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

Check engine speed...do not operate if engine speed is higher than 3750 rpm.
I suspect you have a governor issue going on.
Check for binding at the shaft...check for debris in the linkages or any binding with the linkages..sometimes a twig can be all it takes to cause an issue


Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> Check engine speed...do not operate if engine speed is higher than 3750 rpm.
> I suspect you have a governor issue going on.
> Check for binding at the shaft...check for debris in the linkages or any binding with the linkages..sometimes a twig can be all it takes to cause an issue
> 
> ...


Thanks for chiming in, the speed lever moves freely right now I'll try to remove the cove to get access to the linkage . I have a cheap Chinese RPM counter/reader but can't think of an accessible rotating part to stick a reflector on so I can count the RPM.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

I have hears if the butterfly flap in the carburetor gets loose or falls off, it can create the same high rpm situation but I just don't think I will tackle a problem like that .


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## Cstanis (Oct 19, 2021)

I would definitely check the governor linkage for obstruction. Once you pull off the heater box cover you will get a better look at the governor and carb.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Any small engine is meant to run at full throttle. But not at screaming governor.

Is there someone local, friend, family member that can listen to it.

Running it in a screaming governor mode will cause great damage.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Cstanis said:


> I would definitely check the governor linkage for obstruction. Once you pull off the heater box cover you will get a better look at the governor and carb.


, I hope you guys forgive my ignorance, I gather the throttle lever is what you're referring to as the governor, the cover is held with bolts, I'm sure I can carefully remove that cover,
good tip.


Oneacer said:


> Any small engine is meant to run at full throttle. But not at screaming governor.
> 
> Is there someone local, friend, family member that can listen to it.
> 
> Running it in a screaming governor mode will cause great damage.


Unfortunately don't know a reliable neighbor who's familiar with a snow blower.
I can only rely on my own hearing since I am very familiar to what normal used to sound like,, the engine unmistakably is running fast and that is on lowest speed, at full throttle it won't be "screaming" loud but it is loud.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

I think I will take it to my shop first thing tomorrow and try to get access to the linkage /obstructions.


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## Cstanis (Oct 19, 2021)

Can you slow the motor down at all or is it full throttle from the start?


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## Darby (Dec 18, 2020)

There are free Tachometer Apps for android and iphone. I;d get one and see what your machine is turning. But as as others have said,if its really racing, don't run it


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Cstanis said:


> Can you slow the motor down at all or is it full throttle from the start?


When I start the cold engine, the choke is closed and the throttle is at it's lowest speed position, the moment it runs, I move the choke to second position, if I fully open the choke, the motor runs really fast, the only way to slow it down (with a warmed up motor) is to move the choke to 2nd position which is slight open.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Darby said:


> There are free Tachometer Apps for android and iphone. I;d get one and see what your machine is turning. But as as others have said,if its really racing, don't run it


It's not really racing but I am the only person judging that, it would be a shame to damage that engine, it's been a workhorse.
I wonder if the speed on this Briggs& Stratton can be adjusted without removing the covers


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Please keep the replies coming, I may not respond immediately but will read them all with great interest.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

I think you are confusing governor and the speed control function commonly called the throttle. You should be able to control the speed of the engine from slow idle up to full speed with the throttle. The governor is basically a air vane inside the engine. At full speed, the vane is held in the open position by the air flowing from the fan that blows air across the cylinder and head. If you hit a heavy patch of snow and load the machine down, the air vane moves in response to the reduced airflow and a set of rods pulls the carburetor throttle plate open to increase the RPMs in response. The governor is self regulating if it is working properly.

As others have already mentioned, you may have a blockage or misadjustment in your governor linkage which can overspeed your engine causing damage.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

Actually the engine you have probably has a centrifugal governor not an air vane, but the result is the same. A spinning set of weights responds to a drop in engine speed pulling the throttle open to regulate speed. Still it is inside the engine and self contained.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> When I start the cold engine, the choke is closed and the throttle is at it's lowest speed position, the moment it runs, I move the choke to second position, if I fully open the choke, the motor runs really fast, the only way to slow it down (with a warmed up motor) is to move the choke to 2nd position which is slight open.


So with the throttle set to low speed the engine runs fast...you slow it down by choking it?
If yes...definitely an issue.
The engine speed works as follows...with engine not turning...throttle wide open...the carb butterfly opens full...start engine..the governor pulls the throttle shut..it is fighting the sping ...the spring is what opens the throttle.. the governor lowers the engine speed by countering the spring.
Ideally an engine without a load with the throttle set to fast will only have the carb butterfly open a small amount...just like in an old car in park you can reach 3600 rpm with just a little throttle applied....think of a governor as cruise control based on engine speed rather than the speedometer..it gives more pedal uphill and less downhill. 

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## Marty013 (Mar 14, 2014)

ive had an engine run WOT before for 2 seperate reasons... governor issue.. my problem was the linkages had frozen at WOT ( engine was wet.. cold temps froze everything at WOT, didnt take long when i started the engine to notice lol )

air getting into the intake stream.. but not thru the carb... leaking gasket and then you only have 3 options, head gasket ( my case, which after a short warmup would stop acting a fool ) head to intake gasket.. and carb to intake gasket.. an air leak at any of these 3 places.. would pull extra air in the engine.. couple with a rather rich-ish setting from a carb.. will allow higher RPM than the throttle plate allows.. governor essentially bi-passed as air comes in elsewheres


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## WrenchIt (Dec 6, 2020)

The best tool for any snowblower is the shop manual - and many are available online for older machines. No idea what an Ariens manual shows, but my Honda SM has exploded drawings with labeled adjustment points. Since it sounds like you are familiar with tools, I'd strongly suggest picking up a copy for your machine. You can also get inexpensive tachs online - you have the optical type that picks up a reflective tag you affix to the spinning shaft/pulley - but there is also a type that senses electrical pulses in the spark plug lead (like old timey timing lights).

When I pulled the pulley cover off my Honda, I was able to apply a small dot of reflective tape to the crankshaft next to the pulley. You might be able to do the same, otherwise you might need the spark type of tach.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> So with the throttle set to low speed the engine runs fast...you slow it down by choking it?
> If yes...definitely an issue.
> The engine speed works as follows...with engine not turning...throttle wide open...the carb butterfly opens full..*.start engine..the governor pulls the throttle shut..it is fighting the sping ...the spring is what opens the throttle*.*. the governor lowers the engine speed by countering the spring.*
> Ideally an engine without a load with the throttle set to fast will only have the carb butterfly open a small amount...just like in an old car in park you can reach 3600 rpm with just a little throttle applied....think of a governor as cruise control based on engine speed rather than the speedometer..it gives more pedal uphill and less downhill.
> ...


Thanks for this post, I have watched a few videos on this subject, one specifically refers to the spring you mentioned, that opens the throttle, according to the mechanic in the video , it is a quite possible after many years of heating/cooling the spring would get weak and lose tesion.this scenario makes perfect sense in my case I still don't get why it wasn't gradual, why it worked for 8 years and one day it just didn't, I'll find out soon, thank you again for the quick tutorial.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Marty013 said:


> ive had an engine run WOT before for 2 seperate reasons... governor issue.. my problem was the linkages had frozen at WOT ( engine was wet.. cold temps froze everything at WOT, didnt take long when i started the engine to notice lol )
> 
> air getting into the intake stream.. but not thru the carb... leaking gasket and then you only have 3 options, head gasket ( my case, which after a short warmup would stop acting a fool ) head to intake gasket.. and carb to intake gasket.. an air leak at any of these 3 places.. would pull extra air in the engine.. couple with a rather rich-ish setting from a carb.. will allow higher RPM than the throttle plate allows.. governor essentially bi-passed as air comes in elsewheres


I doubt the engine in my blower has worked that hard (50 hours total in 8 years) to have any sort of leaking gasket although it is possible but a linkage issue would be more likely but I sincerely appreciate looking at all possibilities.



WrenchIt said:


> *The best tool for any snowblower is the shop manual -* and many are available online for older machines. No idea what an Ariens manual shows, but my Honda SM has exploded drawings with labeled adjustment points. Since it sounds like you are familiar with tools, I'd strongly suggest picking up a copy for your machine. You can also get inexpensive tachs online - you have the optical type that picks up a reflective tag you affix to the spinning shaft/pulley - but there is also a type that senses electrical pulses in the spark plug lead (like old timey timing lights).
> 
> *When I pulled the pulley cover off my Honda, I was able to apply a small dot of reflective tape to the crankshaft next to the pulley. You might be able to do the same*, otherwise you might need the spark type of tach.


You are right, a shop manual is what I desperately need to familiarize myself and get a better understanding, the owners manual that came with it did not help much but I'm far from blaming manuals for my shortcomings. so far after reading the comments here I'm sure we all agree that I need to first look for the easiest or simplest causes and tackle them one at a time, the linkage issue whether caused by freezing temperature or a piece of dirt/debris interfering it's movement , a broken spring should be the first thing I should look at, if I happen to have leaky gaskets, then I'll stop going any further and have pro shop look at fixing it.
BTW, thanks for the tip on the reflective tape on crankshaft, it's easy enough.


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## Cstanis (Oct 19, 2021)

You could try tipping the blower into a service position and with a good light look around the carb area. You may be able to see if the governor is obstructed, no guarantees.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Great tip, * Cstanis, *I hope it is possible with my compact blower , I'll give it a try.


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## Cstanis (Oct 19, 2021)

It will work just put a pc of plywood or something under the bucket to prevent scratching.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> Thanks for this post, I have watched a few videos on this subject, one specifically refers to the spring you mentioned, that opens the throttle, according to the mechanic in the video , it is a quite possible after many years of heating/cooling the spring would get weak and lose tesion.this scenario makes perfect sense in my case I still don't get why it wasn't gradual, why it worked for 8 years and one day it just didn't, I'll find out soon, thank you again for the quick tutorial.


A weak spring actually slows down the engine.
A sudden increase in engine speed such as your points to binding...or a failed governor .
Which engine do you have?

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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> A weak spring actually slows down the engine.
> A sudden increase in engine speed such as your points to binding...or a failed governor .
> *Which engine do you have?*
> 
> Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


Briggs & Stratton model 130000 snow(professional) series


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> Briggs & Stratton model 130000 snow(professional) series


I don't know if the governor arm and linkages are visible on those or not.

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## oneboltshort (Dec 16, 2019)

As Shovel mentions, most of the system is hidden under the gas tank (some have a plastic shroud under the tank too)..Usually (2) 8mm to get to the front (2) 10mm's and then get the rear (2) 10mm, tank pops off, roll over toward carb leaving the fuel line on.
Nests, both vermin and wasp have been known to cause issues here.


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## carguy20 (Feb 8, 2021)

Couple of questions,

Where did you buy the machine?

Have you ever actually had it serviced since you brought it (oil change, etc.). 

At this point, I would just get it to a good shop / dealer. They will be able to diagnose / fix it without too much trouble, and keep it in good running order. 

You can spend time fiddling with it, but why risk ruining a machine when a shop will be able to take care of it for you.


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## groomerz (Feb 7, 2015)

How bout some pics from f the engine 

We are blind but can help if we can see the machine you need help with

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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Thank you for the picture of a similar linkage, I'm planing on taking the blower inside my shop and removing the gas tank to get to the problem , I have done a similar task on my pressure washer but getting access to this snow blower linkage seems more complicated, I have no problem doing the task but it is a guessing game to know which bolts to remove or which which wire connections to be careful with since I don't have a procedure manual to follow from, I will keep posting as I go along , thankyou all for your thoughts and your guidance, you have helped me a great deal .


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

carguy20 said:


> Couple of questions,
> 
> Where did you buy the machine?
> 
> ...


The blower was bought form Home Depot 8 years ago, I have done the recommended annual maintenance myself including oil changes, lubrication etc. 


carguy20 said:


> At this point, I would just get it to a good shop / dealer. They will be able to diagnose / fix it without too much trouble, and keep it in good running order.
> 
> You can spend time fiddling with it, but why risk ruining a machine when a shop will be able to take care of it for you.


You have a solid /logical point but I need to know more about what caused the sudden change in the performance or speed and to be honest this task can be challenging and admittedly could be beyond what I can handle, if I reach to that conclusion of course I won't waste my time and risk damaging something else, will then take it to a shop .



groomerz said:


> How bout some pics from f the engine
> 
> We are blind but can help if we can see the machine you need help with
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I will post some pics this afternoon of the snow blower and specifically the throttle /gas tank part.


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## Ziggy65 (Jan 18, 2020)

distrbd said:


> Thank you for the picture of a similar linkage, I'm planing on taking the blower inside my shop and removing the gas tank to get to the problem , I have done a similar task on my pressure washer but getting access to this snow blower linkage seems more complicated, I have no problem doing the task but it is a guessing game to know which bolts to remove or which which wire connections to be careful with since I don't have a procedure manual to follow from, I will keep posting as I go along , thankyou all for your thoughts and your guidance, you have helped me a great deal .


Take lots of photos as you go through the disassembly, so you have a reference when reassembling.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

You might get lucky and be able to see it through a gap somewhere...if not disassembly time.
If there is nothing obvious...check that you can move the governor arm freely back and forth..the shaft can corrode and bind where it goes through the engine. 
The governor gear can be bad on the inside...not very common though for low hour engines.
Also the governor arm can slip on the shaft...not common..if it happens it's usually on the first day or so of operation 

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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> You might get lucky and be able to see it through a gap somewhere...if not disassembly time.
> If there is nothing obvious...check that you can move the governor arm freely back and forth..the shaft can corrode and bind where it goes through the engine.
> The governor gear can be bad on the inside...not very common though for low hour engines.
> Also the governor arm can slip on the shaft...not common..if it happens it's usually on the first day or so of operation
> ...


I just prepared my shop and moved things around so I can ride the blower in the shop through the front bay door, I got one question to ask, should I empty the gas tank before removing it ? don't I need to run the engine to find the correct RPM?


Shovel said:


> If there is nothing obvious...check that you can move the governor arm freely back and forth..the shaft can corrode and bind where it goes through the engine.


I contacted a local small engine mechanic to find out his houly charge and whether he offers pick up/drop off service, the minimum cost just to come by and look at the blower and fixing it if it was a simple matter :$132 which sounds fair around here,but he offered his opinion as to what to look for which is what you and most of the others mentioned:


_*"My suspicion is though, the piece that I’m referring to that those governor pieces attached to at the top of the carburetor is likely somewhat bound up. The first thing I would do would be open that up and move it with your fingers to see if it’s free and moves easily. At the same time checking to make sure there’s a little spring attached to it and A larger wire. I called that the governor but it’s not actually it just governs the Carburetor. "*_
I will have more questions for you all, will post pictures.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)




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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Hi All, I only opened the throttle cover so far but in order to reach the covernor linkage, I need to lift the gas tank, so far the only suspect is the black plastic part (2nd close up pic) which I'm not sur if at full throttle is supposed to touch the stop nub , it does not, I'm going back in the shop to take a close up picture of the governor linkage .


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)




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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

I'll check back later, on my way to open up the area by removing the tank for now. your thought/comments are appreciated.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

distrbd said:


> Hi All, new member here from , Ontario, Canada, I hope I get some guidance from some of you , my problem is with my 8 year old Ariens(920 series), 24" snow blower. it runs /throws snow much faster than before like it's on steroids! the only logical explanation I might have is I switched to higher octane gas (from 87to 92) I'm thinking the Ethanol or some other winter additives could have loosened some blockage in the carburetor but the speed did not go back to the older / slower RPM when I switched back to 87 octane.
> 
> The way I always started it for the past few years was, press the bulb twice to prime, turn the ignition on with choke fully closed, pull the string to start. the speed lever was often left on "rabbit" which is the fastest.
> Two days ago I went through all the steps, started the engine and turned the choke to wide open like I have always done but this time the engine was running twice as fast as before, I tried to slow it down by pulling the speed control all the way down to slowest position( From rabbit to Turtle) which helped but still the RPM is like twice what it normally ran.
> ...


youll have to get tach and measure rpm's.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

other posts give good advice but you havent reported back on your linkages being free or stuck? the throttle linkage which controls engine speed up and down should be easy to move. 
If the engine speed is high and can only be lowered by choke then you have a problem. This would point to something stuck or partially stuck.

Do NOT run if rpm's sound real high. You cant go by your ears. 
This is why you need a small engine tachometer . You could blow engine. you high RPM should be around 3600 or so.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

Is this machine left outside? sure looks rough for only 8 years old.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

The linkage is not stuck, moves freely, at this point I'm looking for advice on how to get to the governor linkage, it looks like the linkage for the governor is under the tank, I have removed 4 bolts and the tank will not budge.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

I'll figure it out, thanks for all comments so far.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

All went well, the old Ariens is back , cleaned up what I could access , nothing was broken or missing as far as I could see, cleaning the moving parts/linkage did the trick, the RPM is back to normal, the throttle and choke both function as they should and the blower runs like a dream.
I thank you all for your great advice and constructive feedbacks.


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## Cstanis (Oct 19, 2021)

Great, you are back in business


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## NOS (Dec 3, 2021)

Good to hear things are fixed.

If you go to Canadian tire ( or other industrial supliers ) I think they sell ACF 50
Give your Machine a bath in this stuff from end to end.
Not only will it lubricate, but its an excellent product for keeping ice from freezing jamming up linkages.
Also an excellent corrosion inhibitor that's safe for rubber.

Fortnine has it and will ship.
Non flammable propellant so its not fire hazzard.
Or you can get a squirt bottle like this.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Thanks for the tip NOS, I'll check CDN Tire to see if they have it in stock.
I actually had planned to use a similar lubricant on the metal parts/ linkage area with Krown K73 lubricant.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

NOS said:


> Good to hear things are fixed.
> 
> If you go to Canadian tire ( or other industrial supliers ) I think they sell ACF 50
> Give your Machine a bath in this stuff from end to end.
> ...


This stuff sounds different from Krown anti-corrosion spray, I found the squirt bottle version on Amazon at a reasonable price so I went ahead and ordered it, thank you for the suggestion.


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## NOS (Dec 3, 2021)

distrbd said:


> This stuff sounds different from Krown anti-corrosion spray, I found the squirt bottle version on Amazon at a reasonable price so I went ahead and ordered it, thank you for the suggestion.


We use it by the drum where I work.
The acidity of the water and harsh abrasive dust that cakes on and corrodes all by itself is what we use it against.

Toyota is well known for building stuff that lasts, but we only get about 4 or 6 years service out of stuff.
Mostly frame and floor rot.
This product adds years to the life expectancy of our machines...
I am a true believer......


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

orangputeh said:


> Is this machine left outside? sure looks rough for only 8 years old.


Sorry I missed some of the comments in this thread, the blower was always kept in an unheated shed, I've always tried to clean and remove the snow after each use but living near a lake and in sever weather condition , rust is always an issue, the chemical spay mentioned above could have made a big difference but overall, here everything prematurely rusts.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> All went well, the old Ariens is back , cleaned up what I could access , nothing was broken or missing as far as I could see, cleaning the moving parts/linkage did the trick, the RPM is back to normal, the throttle and choke both function as they should and the blower runs like a dream.
> I thank you all for your great advice and constructive feedbacks.


Was it the shaft binding where it goes through the engine case?
You can buy a cheap tach from eBay or amazon..you wrap a wire around your spark plug wire and that is the only 'connection'
Some people have several of them..I use one and check my engine speed on all my equipment yearly with it..also idle speed for the motorcycle .They aren't expensive.


Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> Was it the shaft binding where it goes through the engine case?
> You can buy a cheap tach from eBay or amazon..you wrap a wire around your spark plug wire and that is the only 'connection'
> Some people have several of them..I use one and check my engine speed on all my equipment yearly with it..also idle speed for the motorcycle .They aren't expensive.
> 
> ...


the throttle linkage and a couple of springs were hard to move at first, after a good dose of WD-40 followed by some lithium grease on connecting parts choke connection, things started to move more freely again, of course at that point I wasn't sure if I had done anything significant to improve the poor performance but I had reached the end of my patience and was frustrated that I did not reach the area under the tank (I really wanted to adjust the governor linkage) , so I decided to put all back and call it a day, I was pleasantly surprised that after I started the blower, it ran a slower, no more screaming speed at slowest throttle position, when the motor is warm and I open the choke, the engine runs smoothly but it does not increase the RPM like it did before. overall the way this blower run reminds me of when I had just bought it, I also changed the oil while I was at it and plant to top up the gear lube once I receive the EXPENSIVE L3 gear lube oil.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel, I do not have that cheap tach that you mentioned, it sounds like the old timing light but I'll get one to have around the shop.


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

distrbd said:


> Sorry I missed some of the comments in this thread, the blower was always kept in an unheated shed, I've always tried to clean and remove the snow after each use but living near a lake and in sever weather condition , rust is always an issue, the chemical spay mentioned above could have made a big difference but overall, here everything prematurely rusts.





distrbd said:


> Sorry I missed some of the comments in this thread, the blower was always kept in an unheated shed, I've always tried to clean and remove the snow after each use but living near a lake and in sever weather condition , rust is always an issue, the chemical spay mentioned above could have made a big difference but overall, here everything prematurely rusts.


People that live in the rust belt or near oceans should coat everything on the machine. Farmers used to use old motor oil for decades. A guy I know buys Fluid Film by the gallon , heats it up and mixes some water in and uses his sprayerr to spray everything he owns.

One nice thing about Commiefornia they dont use rock salt on the roads.( where I live ) They use a brine spray on major roads but not in res areas. I get cleaning the machine after use. I try but sometimes dont do a very good job of it when tired.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> the throttle linkage and a couple of springs were hard to move at first, after a good dose of WD-40 followed by some lithium grease on connecting parts choke connection, things started to move more freely again, of course at that point I wasn't sure if I had done anything significant to improve the poor performance but I had reached the end of my patience and was frustrated that I did not reach the area under the tank (I really wanted to adjust the governor linkage) , so I decided to put all back and call it a day, I was pleasantly surprised that after I started the blower, it ran a slower, no more screaming speed at slowest throttle position, when the motor is warm and I open the choke, the engine runs smoothly but it does not increase the RPM like it did before. overall the way this blower run reminds me of when I had just bought it, I also changed the oil while I was at it and plant to top up the gear lube once I receive the EXPENSIVE L3 gear lube oil.


Could have been the shaft for the butterfly in the carb was sticking...it can happen causes same problem as when the governor shaft gets stiff where it goes through the engine case.
Best thing you can do at this point is start the engine cold ..turn off the choke and let the engine surge and hunt until it warms up that will be moving all the linkages back and forth...although its fixed now..the problem could 'grow ' back if clearances are borderline with the shafts.
Many of us start our machines every few weeks off season to put fresh fuel in the carb and spin all the pulleys..sitting seems to cause random problems just like with lawnmowers 



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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> Shovel, I do not have that cheap tach that you mentioned, it sounds like the old timing light but I'll get one to have around the shop.


Here is the kind I'm talking about..I am not recommending this specific one as I haven't researched it...it is just to show the style. 








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I purchased my tach manufactured by hardline.. plenty of menu options for any engine application..its refresh rate is a little slow though ..there is probably better out there
Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

orangputeh said:


> People that live in the rust belt or near oceans should coat everything on the machine. Farmers used to use old motor oil for decades. A guy I know buys Fluid Film by the gallon *, heats it up and mixes some water in and uses his sprayerr to spray everything he owns.*
> 
> One nice thing about Commiefornia they dont use rock salt on the roads.( where I live ) They use a brine spray on major roads but not in res areas. I get cleaning the machine after use. I try but sometimes dont do a very good job of it when tired.


I was reading the reviews on ACF-50 lubricant that NOS recommended(post#46) and someone refered to heating the spray bottle up under running hot water to thin it down and make it easier for spraying, I should have done this years ago, the only spray I've used so far is PAM non stick oil on the inside the bucket and on the auger, seemed to help or slow down snow from sticking to the bucket during snow removal.



Shovel said:


> Could have been the shaft for the butterfly in the carb was sticking...it can happen causes same problem as when the governor shaft gets stiff where it goes through the engine case.
> *Best thing you can do at this point is start the engine cold ..turn off the choke and let the engine surge and hunt until it warms up that will be moving all the linkages back and forth...although its fixed now..the problem could 'grow ' back if clearances are borderline with the shafts.*
> Many of us start our machines every few weeks off season to put fresh fuel in the carb and spin all the pulleys..sitting seems to cause random problems just like with lawnmowers
> 
> ...


Great tip on waiting for blower to warm up. 
I should wait a little longer than a minute or two(that's how long I wait usually) and thought it was enough but what yousaid makes perfect sense.


Shovel said:


> Here is the kind I'm talking about..I am not recommending this specific one as I haven't researched it...it is just to show the style.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I found them on Amazon.ca, I had no idea such device existed, and it's so easy to install, there has been occasions during snow plowing operation that I felt the engine was kind of laboring , mny remedy has been to slow down right away and let the engine to catch up, but with this device, it is easy to monitor the RPM , it sounds accurate enough. I will order one ASAP. Thanks for the suggestion.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Update:
The Ariens snow blower went back to the old screaming speed again last week, for a day or two I searched for shops who would be willing to pick it up and possibly fix it ( I don't own a van /truck) finally found a shop . now the bad news, the engine governor itself was the problem, it could not be adjusted!! did not expect that, I thought all small engines were repairable unless something catastrophic had happened to it, any how his solution: replace the engine or buy a new blower.
At this point I was at my wits end ,soon after received the bad news I decided at my age(69 years old) my peace of mind was more important than the headache this thing was causing me.
so I got rid of it and started looking for a new snow blower.
Finally yesterday I bought a 2021 Husqvarna ST224p (not the old discontinued model), I have not received it but got a decent deal on it with a local authorized dealer. left the old Ariens with the dealer, he may find the time to fix it and sell or scrap it, I don't know but I'm not concerned about it any more, I'm just happy I don't have to think about it any more.
I also bought one of those tach/hour devices that Shovel had mentioned, will only use it to check or verify the RPM on my new blower , won't install it since I'm almost sure it won't last one season in our wet/cold weather .
That's it for now, I just wanted to report the demise of this Ariens blower in case someone else has the same issue in the future , at least they'll know my blower was not fixed, it continued to run at screaming high RPM and eventually was withdrawn from service.


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## burt8810 (Nov 28, 2019)

First of all thanks for letting us know how this ended, many don't.
On a cynical note I don't think I'd trust the mechanic you found. The "governor" on your engine isn't a thing. It's 3 basic things. A spring trying to open the throttle, a rod trying to close it when the engine is running, and the carb butterfly. The faster the engine runs the harder it opposes the spring. This opposing force comes from either air-flow or the speed of a simple assembly inside the engine (as others have mentioned). Since it worked for a while after you worked on it probably means the internal assembly was okay (if it had one). Or that the air vane or linkage was binding or obstruced. Either of which should have been an easy fix for a competent small engine mechanic. I can appreciate your relief from getting the new blower. At 78 I get frustrated a little easier than I used to. However having worked on engines and machines since about 14 I have a pretty good store of experience to draw on which makes it a little less aggravating.
Enjoy your new blower.


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## Shovel (Mar 26, 2019)

distrbd said:


> Update:
> The Ariens snow blower went back to the old screaming speed again last week, for a day or two I searched for shops who would be willing to pick it up and possibly fix it ( I don't own a van /truck) finally found a shop . now the bad news, the engine governor itself was the problem, it could not be adjusted!! did not expect that, I thought all small engines were repairable unless something catastrophic had happened to it, any how his solution: replace the engine or buy a new blower.
> At this point I was at my wits end ,soon after received the bad news I decided at my age(69 years old) my peace of mind was more important than the headache this thing was causing me.
> so I got rid of it and started looking for a new snow blower.
> ...


Sorry to hear the bad news...there is a plastic gear for the governor...but they are not under alot of stress and usually last a long time...some of the briggs have plastic timing gears that on occasion go bad.
It is odd that it worked for a while then acted up again.
Now all you need is some snow for that new machine

Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

Shovel said:


> Sorry to hear the bad news...there is a plastic gear for the governor...but they are not under alot of stress and usually last a long time...some of the briggs have plastic timing gears that on occasion go bad.
> *It is odd that it worked for a while then acted up again.*
> Now all you need is some snow for that new machine
> 
> Sent from my SM-A115U1 using Tapatalk


Actually what happened was I was fooled by the smoother running engine, anyhow, it's time to take better care of the new one, the new sno-blower uses a lot of cables instead of linkages, like for the Shute, and gear selection, I'm planning on using white lithium spray on all the cable connections, lubricate the conduits and probably clean and lube the "shifter hex shaft" where the friction wheel slides on(saw it done on a few YouTube videos,) then use that ACF-50 anti corrosion spray (that NOS mentioned, post #46) on the painted body of the machine just to give it a good head start and as you said, pray for some good snow.lol.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

I hear statements like that, and I can smell the BS from here . . . a gov is an almost trivial fix, so what I hear is "I'm either too stupid or lazy to deal with this, and get more money selling you an engine you don't need".

IMHO . . .


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## Craigory (Nov 11, 2021)

distrbd said:


> Hi All, new member here from , Ontario, Canada, I hope I get some guidance from some of you , my problem is with my 8 year old Ariens(920 series), 24" snow blower. it runs /throws snow much faster than before like it's on steroids! the only logical explanation I might have is I switched to higher octane gas (from 87to 92) I'm thinking the Ethanol or some other winter additives could have loosened some blockage in the carburetor but the speed did not go back to the older / slower RPM when I switched back to 87 octane.
> 
> The way I always started it for the past few years was, press the bulb twice to prime, turn the ignition on with choke fully closed, pull the string to start. the speed lever was often left on "rabbit" which is the fastest.
> Two days ago I went through all the steps, started the engine and turned the choke to wide open like I have always done but this time the engine was running twice as fast as before, I tried to slow it down by pulling the speed control all the way down to slowest position( From rabbit to Turtle) which helped but still the RPM is like twice what it normally ran.
> ...


I think maybe your governor has some crud on it and your motor is turning too fast. You should probably remedy that before it blows up.


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## distrbd (Dec 8, 2021)

tadawson said:


> I hear statements like that, and I can smell the BS from here . . . a gov is an almost trivial fix, so what I hear is "I'm either too stupid or lazy to deal with this, and get more money selling you an engine you don't need".
> 
> IMHO . . .


You are right thinking that ,the problem living in a small city like where I live is, most of the shops also are authorized dealers for for a brand like Toro, or B &S, Troy Built etc. or sell used machines on the side, that's how they make a living., I tried 5 different shops, 3 of them did not even want to bother fixing an old engine that was not the brand they were authorized to sell , those that would show interest, also tried to warm me up to the idea that a refurbished or new one might inevitably be a better option for me and they all wanted me to think they had my "best interest" at heart.

I have been on this earth long enough to smell BS from miles away , that's why I said in my last post I was at my wit's end , If you all (please) take a brief look at my situation:
I could not fix the problem myself, I had pay $70 for labor to the mechanic who diagnosed the issue, $60 for pick up/drop off and still had a blower sitting in my shed unreliable for the winter ahead, the cost of fixing it by another (honest) mechanic would have been another $300 on top of the $130 already spent, so I could have this 9 year old machine functional, I would have considered it if it wasn't such a pain in the butt to find a decent independent/reliable mechanic but in reality I couldn't wait and spend days on the phone begging them to just fix my engine and not try to up sell their refurbished machines.

I ended up not paying the $70 labor and $60 delivery charge, I just left the blower at the dealer's lot and paid $1200 for a new one which will be delivered free of charge tomorrow, he did tell me he'll eventually either fix and sell or or part it out. for me it was a case of out of sight out of mind. lol.

One of the reasons you guys with 10-15 year old snow blowers still have them in service is, you fix most issues with engines yourselves or replace parts on your own, and most likely have the older models that were reliable, easier to adjust/ service , just imagine not knowing a reliable mechanic for miles around you and are facing at least 18" of snow every snow fall ,my hat's off to you all for knowing the tricks to get your machines going and for so long, the Ariens I had was not easy *for me* to even remove the tank from, I kept removing bolts and still it looked like I needed 4 more, in ideal situation I should have been able to find a mechanic, pay $350 and get my Ariens back on the road but I soon realized that was not happening,.
I thank god that I can still afford to buy a new snow blower and get rid of the old one when it was causing me more headache than was worth.

The bottom line : you are right, I also smelled BS but that was my cue to not stress over a used machine , get a new one and enjoy my life while I can. I do appreciate bringing it up though because what you felt was most likely what everyone else felt, thank you for letting me vent and get my frustrations with mechanics out and explain my thoughts.
Don't forget I love the fact that you all came to my help when I am a total stranger, you were honest with your thoughts and genuine with your willingness to help me out of a tough situation, I'm glad to have found you all. .


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

For what it's worth, you likely could have fixed it if you were determined to do so. This stuff is not rocket science, and all the docs are rasily available, you just need to read them. In my opinion, diving in blind is a recipe for failure is a lot of cases . . . 

The gov system is very simple - centrifugal gear/weight set inside the engine, rod that comes through the case, and the linkage to the carb, period. In cases like yours, I typically see the rod binding due to dirt where it exits the case, and clean and lube is all it needs. Worst case is opening the engine and dropping in a new gov gear . . .

You are in a happy place now, with a new machine, but looking forward, next time, give it a try! The machine can't get any more unusable, so there is nothing but upside that you very likely could fix it, and learn things and gain confidence as well! And if you don't fix it, you have still learned a lot, so win/win!


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