# Clean Gas Tank-Ariens Professional



## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

I am having a very hard time starting my Ariens Professional with the AX291 engine. I siphoned most of the gas out of the tank. I can see some small black specks in the bottom of the tank floating with the remaining gas. What is a good way to drain the rest of the gas and clean out any sediment? I was then going to drop the carburetor bowl, but trying to get the gas out of the tank and the tank clean first.


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

Would it be easier to install an in-line fuel filter going from the tank to the carb?


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

i got 99% of the gas out and let most of the rest dry up and then put a section of 3/8 hose on the end of my wet dry vac it worked perfect


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## jrcjr (Sep 23, 2017)

Those black specks could be rubber particles from the fuel line. I'd remove the fuel line and shine a light through it to visually inspect and see if it looks rough or cracked on the inside. I replaced mine a year or two ago and just this summer, I checked it again and in that short a time, the rubber had started to deteriorate. If yours is deteriorating, I'd suggest cleaning out the carb.

I changed to a clear Marine-grade Tygon fuel line myself, but some folks on the forums don't care for Tygon because apparently it hardens up eventually and cracks.


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

the tygon fuel line will usually star to yellow giving you a warning that it is time to change them


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

If it runs


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

1132le said:


> i got 99% of the gas out and let most of the rest dry up and then put a section of 3/8 hose on the end of my wet dry vac it worked perfect


I don't think that process is OSHA compliant ! The vac motor has brushes that create sparks that could easily ignite the gas fumes, and KaBoom- one less forum member.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

As fa


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## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

jtclays said:


> If it runs fine otherwise once started, reach up under the carb heater box and pull the primer line off the carb. Put your finger over that end and push the primer bulb, you should get resistance. If you can hear air passing out, the line is bad. Common failure on the LCT stock primer line, especially if you have ethanol gas. Seen it many times. If it checks out and is sealed line then I'd drop the bowl and look around.


BINGO!!!!! After cleaning out the gas tank, I tipped up the unit so I could remove the carb bowl. The rubber line between the primer bulb and the carb is cracked and broken. Will replace it tomorrow. 
I tried to remove the emulsion tube to see if it needed cleaning while I had the bowl off. I could not get the emulsion tube out (yes, I removed the threaded piece first). I thought he emulsion tube would just drop out. How does the emulsion tube come out?


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

mine didnt want to drop either
stick a straw from a wd40 or carb cleaner up there it will come right out


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

jtclays said:


> As far as draining gas out to the last drop. Gonna sound weird, but it works:wink2:. I have long hemostats that a clamp a piece of cut up tampon in and tilt the machine to pool the remaining gas. Stick the set up down in it and voila dry tank. If you can tilt it in such a way that you get it in the corner away from the fuel exit you can usually get everything in there out as well.


Make sure your significant other doesn’t use that tampon - WOWEE KAZOWEE!!!


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## barney (Nov 21, 2017)

explorerlyon said:


> BINGO!!!!! After cleaning out the gas tank, I tipped up the unit so I could remove the carb bowl. The rubber line between the primer bulb and the carb is cracked and broken. Will replace it tomorrow.
> I tried to remove the emulsion tube to see if it needed cleaning while I had the bowl off. I could not get the emulsion tube out (yes, I removed the threaded piece first). I thought he emulsion tube would just drop out. How does the emulsion tube come out?



How old is your machine? Glad you found the trouble.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

CO Snow said:


> Make sure your significant other doesn’t use that tampon - WOWEE KAZOWEE!!!


My wife has long forgotten what to do with a tampon. Wait until I tell her that they can be re-purposed !


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## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

barney said:


> How old is your machine? Glad you found the trouble.


*2014* Platinum 24-Model 921028, AX291 motor. I bought it used last November. Seems a little soon for that primer bulb hose to go so bad, but at least its an easy fix. The machine has been running great once started so I hope that is all it is. Will get a new hose today and try it out. When I dropped the carb bowl, it was clean and no residue. I have been using non-ethanol fuel treated with both seafoam and stabil. Don't know what the prior owner used.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

ojug


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## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

jtclays said:


> Another thing I would do is swap out the stock Torch plug if it hasn't been done. Wrap it in tin foil, place it in a brown paper bag, wrap that up put it in a zip lock baggy and put it in the middle of your trash bin so no one else can find it:devil: Pick any other brand and it's better. I prefer NGK, but someone will surely disagree, just my opinion. If you're not proficient at changing plugs, wheel it to a shop or dealer. Apparently people have trouble replacing them as I read several posts on cross threading plugs here. They are deep down in the head, but it's still a simple task. If you have sausage fingers, jam the top of the plug into a piece of fuel line and guide it in. Goes in just like any bolt, may have to spin counterclockwise to feel the first thread.


Funny, replacing the plug was the first thing I did two days ago. I replaced it with another Torch! They are cheep, I can do it again with a NGK. I had no trouble threading it in. I always do that with my fingers so I can feel it is not cross threading. Only trouble I had was fitting the spark plug socket, tight fit.


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

You know what, i


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

explorerlyon said:


> BINGO!!!!! After cleaning out the gas tank, I tipped up the unit so I could remove the carb bowl. The rubber line between the primer bulb and the carb is cracked and broken. Will replace it tomorrow.
> I tried to remove the emulsion tube to see if it needed cleaning while I had the bowl off. I could not get the emulsion tube out (yes, I removed the threaded piece first). I thought he emulsion tube would just drop out. How does the emulsion tube come out?


The emulsion tube is held in by the threaded main jet so it should just fall out when jet removed. If not then press down on the part of the emulsion tube projecting into the carb venturi. It is brass and so clearly visible from the grey carb body.


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## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

UPDATE: Replaced the rubber tube from the primer bulb to the carb today. 3 pumps on the primer, 1 pull on the cord and it started right up. Let it sit overnight now and hope I get the same result tomorrow.


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## GoBlowSnow (Sep 4, 2015)

tomorrow, just prime it once I bet it will start.


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

2 primes is the right number for the lct when its working right
manual says 2 as well someplace
mine has äll over sudden not primed right bulb was fine and the hose
noticed a slight gas leak
looked like i did not center bowl when i had it off it was off a ch
fixed that leaked stopped
hoping that was causing the priming issue to late to try it now


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

just tried it i did 3 pumps as it just doesnt sound/ feel like the primer is working right
started 1 pull but it is 40 out
before i bought this blower the primer line was cracked and the prior owner put some clear tubing on it not sure if its tygon or not
the primer worked perfect when i got it
it says not for ice makers on the line iam going to change out the line
the prior owner didnt seem to bright glad he changed the oil


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## izualangel (Feb 14, 2017)

Some of the Chinese bowl gaskets swell a bit, and can't be reused (in my experience). That may be contributing to your leak. The primer line is an easy one, just use the vacuum tubing from your local auto parts place.


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## explorerlyon (Nov 6, 2017)

GoBlowSnow said:


> tomorrow, just prime it once I bet it will start.


Primed one, two pulls and it started. This is after letting it sit overnight. Thanks for all the help and glad my issue turned out to just be a $1 rubber hose.


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

For what it's worth, no fuel ever goes into the primer bulb or hose . . . it just puts a bit or air pressure into the float bowl to force fuel up into the carb throat and through the passages . . .


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

tadawson said:


> For what it's worth, no fuel ever goes into the primer bulb or hose . . . it just puts a bit or air pressure into the float bowl to force fuel up into the carb throat and through the passages . . .


theres droplets of fuel in my clear primer line i can see it


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

Perhaps, but if you look at the size of the well in the carb the primer feeds into (at least on the ones I have come across), it's large enough that 100% raw fuel should not be drawn into the line, unlike, for instance, the primer on a 2 cycle Walbro. The point mainly being that you should not feel the resistance of liquid fuel when operating the primer . . . And yeah, it's possible that there may be some brand that does it differently . . . and that splash gets pulled in, but that misses the point totally.


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## Town (Jan 31, 2015)

tadawson said:


> Perhaps, but if you look at the size of the well in the carb the primer feeds into (at least on the ones I have come across), it's large enough that 100% raw fuel should not be drawn into the line, unlike, for instance, the primer on a 2 cycle Walbro. The point mainly being that you should not feel the resistance of liquid fuel when operating the primer . . . And yeah, it's possible that there may be some brand that does it differently . . . and that splash gets pulled in, but that misses the point totally.


The point I was trying to make earlier is that you should feel that gas is being forced somewhere. If you don't feel the gas the primer is not working. You can feel the pressured gas from pressing the primer in the LCT engine used in the Ariens AX series on the OP's machine. The Tecumseh Snow King 11 hp also has a primer that if you cannot feel the primer pushing gas then it is not working, I owned that engine for 10 years. 

It doesn't matter how the primer works, pushing gas or pushing air that pushes gas the feel is much the same, a bit heavier feel pushing gas.


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