# "Older" Simplicity Not Running Great



## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

I have an 8HP 24" Simplicity that's about 15 years old. I'm wondering if it needs a bit of a tune up.

1. Even though I know today's snow storm produced a very wet and heavy snow, the machine really under performed in my opinion. It constantly clogged with snow both at the auger/impeller and in the chute. It even did this if I cut my swath in 1/2 and slowed to a crawl. Would changing the auger belt help? It's never been replaced. Could something else be done?

2. After turning off the snowblower, I had a little bit of a hard time restarting it only a few minutes later. I'm sure the spark plug hasn't been replaced in a few years and I bet the carb is gummed up. I can easily change the plug, but I don't want to touch the carb. Would Seafoam help, or do you guys recommend something else?

Any helpe would be appreciated.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

*Performing*

It's possible you could have a number of things going on. First you could use something to improve the slickness of your auger housing and chute. Some people use things like "PAM" vegetable spray while others use specificallly designed products.
It's possible your belt is worn or the idler could just need adjusting. I expect you should have 2 belts, one for the auger and one for the drive.
I'm guessing your machine is a friction disc drive. It's possible the disc is worn or the friction wheel could be contaminated with oil etc, compounding your slipping issue.
Your carb may need a rebuild kit or just need some adjusting (depends on the engine model etc). If it's a Tecumseh with a High and Low speed jet, they really aren't that difficult to rebuild. You do want to document well how everything is hooked up, how you take it apart and reassemble. There are some general default setting for the float, jets etc but they are just starting points and may take a little additional adjusting.
If you have stale gas, that can cause problems as can gasahol fuel. I've found 100% gas definitely works better in the machines I've worked on. SeaFoam sure can't hurt. Another thing can be if the head and valves are carboned up, that can hurt your performance.
Wet and heavy snow can tax most any machine but with a 8 HP, it should hold it's own. One other thing might be worth considering if you expect alot of wet/heavy stuff - the Clarence Impeller kit. The videos on it seem to show a better 'blow' than without it especially on the hard to blow stuff.

That's a few of the possibles. You need to decide which you want to check and/or tackle yourself and what you want to pay someone else to do. Most aren't that difficult to do, there's a wealth of info here along with YouTube videos showing how to do alot of things.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

It's a Briggs 8HP Intek engine.

What's meant by "slipping?"

As for as cleaning the carb, I'll leave that for the pro's. I've seen a few videos on Youtube and don't wan to mess with something that has to be so precise to work well. I'll try running some SeaFoam through it first.

I've also seen those videos on Clarence Impeller kit. What is the general consensus on that? Pro's vs. Cons?


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I don't think I have ever seen one negative on the Clarence kit other than price. Some guys like to make their own and some guys just pay the money and get all the parts bundled together. I have a kit on my blower, but I can't offer a comparison because I never used it without the kit. I can say that 2 years ago it never clogged and I was blowing some stuff that I thought for sure would clog it up. Also that was before I repainted my blower so there was scaly rust all over for everything to stick to.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

if you haven't done anything, start with the basics. fresh gas, new plug, and I have found if there is any rust, even slight rust, on the impeller or chute it severely hinders the performance. sand it and paint it then go with the pam.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

Smolenski7 said:


> What's meant by "slipping?"


By slipping I'm referring to something like belt slip or the friction disc slipping.

If you're running the blower and while the engine is maintaining speed the auger slows down, or when going forward in gear the forward speed slows down as a load in put on it yet the engine is maintaining it's rpms.
It comes down to whether the full rpm's and torque provided by the engine are not getting applied to the various components as they should.
For the auger it could be the belt idler is not adjusted correctly to put sufficient tension on the belt. The belt could also be worn, damaged or glazed over. The same applies to the drive belt. Additionally the drive typically has a friction disc and wheel as part of the drive mechanism. If they aren't applying the full pressure, the rubber on the friction disc is damaged or hardened or the drive wheel is contaminated with something that reduces that contact friction then forward motion is lost.

Hope that helps.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

I'm going to check the belt idler today, change the spark plug, and run some Sea Foam or maybe Stabil through the carb to help clean out any deposits. Hopefully that will help in run a bit better.

Are there any videos around on the installation of the impeller kit? Or, a step by step list of directions? I can't seem to find anything.


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## CAPTAINCONSUMER (Feb 18, 2011)

I posted pics of impeller kit installation....look for "pimp my snowblower" post or "impeller kit works....so does auto pilot" on youtube.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Here are some pictures of an old Ariens I did. It has since been stripped, repainted, repowered and rebuilt.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

Well, I figured out the starting problem.

I noticed that when I was priming the engine, that the bulb depressed a little too easily and that I didn't hear that normal girgling sound. So, as it ended up there was a small slit in the line leading from the primer. It was close enough to the end so that I could easily cut it off and just secure it on tightly with no other adjustment. Problem 1 solved!

I also installed a homemade impeller kit. Thanks for the picts Shryp. I had a piece of 3/8" rubber left over from an old lawn tractor modification I made several years ago, so I just had to buy the metal bracket, bolts, and nuts. Total cost was about $13 - $15. It was a bit more than I wanted to spend, but I went with a bracket that had pre-drilled holes and stainless steel bolts and nuts. Both added to the price slightly.

Installing the kit was more time consuming than I wanted, the hole to access the impeller was very small and my drill bits were certainly not new. In fact, I think one of them was older than me.....and I just turned 39! In fact, now that I'm thinking about it, the drill was older than me too. I could only get 3 bolts installed (b/c of lack of access) instead of 4 like pictured above, however, I don't think I will make much of a difference, if any.

It's supposed to snow by the end of the week (at least that's what forcasted) so I really don't know how the modification turned out, but it looks good. There is absolutely no light between the rubber and impeller housing and it runs as smoothly as the day it was purchased. 

Wish me luck.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

Good job! It's always nice when we can discover the problem, and it's a simple one with an easy fix.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

Well, not to bring up an "older" thread, but here I go.

After I installed the impeller kit, it worked like a champ after the first snowfall of about 8" of fairly light snow. Unfortunately, the second storm was much heavier. My dad called it "heart attack snow." The kit was not very effective at all. 

To be very specific, I was not the operator of the machine, my 73 year old father was. He said the machine clogged on the second pass down the drive way, so he stopped and pulled out the shovel. Obviously I didn't fix up the snow blower so that he would do that, especially during these storms that dump heavy snow.

Could it be that he was just moving too fast, remember he's 73? Would slowing down and spraying some Pam or Silicone on the chute help? Or, am I just expecting too much of the impeller kit?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

rust on the inside of the chute? 

belt on the auger look ok? if it slips the auger will loose speed as will the impeller, giving the snow a chance to stick. the engine will probably sound the same and not lose rpm.

how old is the machine, spark plug new? and points changed if it is old enough to have them.
they would cause a loss of power/rpm causing auger to slow and giving the snow a chance to build up and clog the chute/


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

In addition to what has been said, yes speed can have an effect on 'heart attack' snow. Sounds like it was likely wet, sloppy and heavy. If what's in the impeller area is not allowed to clear before more is pushed in by the rakes, it will plug.

Your Dad can't shovel that as fast as light and fluffy snow, the same thing applies to blowers. You can't add more till the previous has been gotten rid of. Sounds like Dad needs to slow the drive down some in those conditions.

You also need to insure the machine is running at normal running speed (High RPM's) and all the pieces and parts are working as they should and anything that will slow the velocity of the snow (like rusted chute) are taken care of.


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

1. I'll check on the rust, I do know it has some, but not much. How should I take care of that? Sand and spray regular Rust-o-leum?

2. As for points, I really don't know. The machine is probably 12 or 13 years old.

3. I did check the belt, after I changed the plug and oil, and it looked ok to me. I'm not an expert though.


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

It doesn't have point if it is that new. Make sure plug it gapped to.030 

One way to check the belt it to lodge a 2 x 4 in the auger and very slowly engage the auger.
the engine will die down quite a bit. Maybe completely if the belt is good and adjusted properly


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## Smolenski7 (Nov 24, 2010)

td5771 said:


> It doesn't have point if it is that new. Make sure plug it gapped to.030
> 
> One way to check the belt it to lodge a 2 x 4 in the auger and very slowly engage the auger.
> the engine will die down quite a bit. Maybe completely if the belt is good and adjusted properly



That sounds like I could cause more problems. Is there a video around showing it being done?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

at no point would you fully engage the auger lever. you are just slightly engaging the auger to put a load on the belt. if it is slipping it will do so right away. if it is not slipping the motor will die down. I am talking 1 to 2 seconds of engaging the auger.


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