# Starting on first pull



## m1234 (Nov 6, 2013)

I often read posts that claim that the snow blower "always starts first pull...". My snowblowers don't start first pull very often at all. My new HS724 has required 5-10 pulls lately and I don't recall any of my old blowers always starting first pull. I keep it in my unheated attached garage, but it's been really cold maybe -25C (-13F) or colder, even in the garage. How are so many people able to start on the first pull? Is the blower not being started it in such extreme cold or is it always being stored in a heated garages?


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

Everry snowblower I've ever had started 1st or 2nd pull. I dunno.... Just fortunate I guess. Usually if it doesn't start by third pull I know something isn't right.


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## m1234 (Nov 6, 2013)

micah68kj said:


> Everry snowblower I've ever had started 1st or 2nd pull. I dunno.... Just fortunate I guess. Usually if it doesn't start by third pull I know something isn't right.


What sort of temperatures do you usually experience? Do you store the blower in a warm garage?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

What oil are you using? And I know its new but check the spark plug gap. A good deal of new plugs come "pre-gapped" but I wouldnt trust that for a second. I just did the head gaskets on my wifes 4 runner and pregapped plugs my butt, 3 were way off.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

m1234 said:


> What sort of temperatures do you usually experience? Do you store the blower in a warm garage?


Always been stored in out building or unheated garage. Yesterday I used my Toro Power Clear. It was about 12°. Started first pull. Just now went out and tried my $75.00 Ariens 5520. Primed it four shots, set choke and pulled the trigger. Started first pull. Both been sitting for a couple weeks. It was 6° here this morning. Here are pics of both machines.


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## Kestral (Dec 22, 2013)

For years both of mine would start first pull but last night -15F the Simplicaty Pro 1524 would not fire for boo! I was about to take out the old Toro but said I would try the elec start for once and it took a bit of cranking but it did start and it ran fine. ??? Don't know why?


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## GustoGuy (Nov 19, 2012)

Kestral said:


> For years both of mine would start first pull but last night -15F the Simplicaty Pro 1524 would not fire for boo! I was about to take out the old Toro but said I would try the elec start for once and it took a bit of cranking but it did start and it ran fine. ??? Don't know why?


Gasoline doesn’t atomize and burn as well in cold temperatures. This is especially true at temperatures below zero Fahrenheit. I have a heated garage and all of my engines start better because of it. The temperature is kept at about 35 to 38 degrees so it makes a nice walk in refrigerator for the beer and soda. Even with the heated garage the Tecumseh could still be a bit difficult to start. I once left the snow blower outside at my cabin which does not have a heated garage and I could not start it all all so I pushed it up on the trailer and shoveled that day. The new engine starts really well when it is cold and even better when it is summer time. ​


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## detdrbuzzard (Jan 20, 2012)

most times it takes me two pulls to get the snowblowers i use most running. if they have been sitting awhile i just use the electric starter


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

It could also be "learning" the motor. Not all motors will require full choke even when ice cold. some like no priming, others like 3-4 primes.

I have a tecumseh 7 hp I used today. ice cold and was 2 pulls. no primer (doesnt have one), full choke, half throttle. However no matter what the temperature that hunk of steel will never ever start with the throttle set at full.


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## Ray 1962 10ML60 (Oct 14, 2011)

When I first got my MTD (Tecumseh 4hp with primer) would take several pulls. Got the points dialed in perfectly and it was a 2 pull engine ever since. The Ariens got the same treatment (6hp Tecumseh no external primer) and it takes one half pull to prime, then cranks on first or second full pull for 2 years running. I think, on the old ones, points and timing is one of the keys to quick starting. My brother in laws brand new Ariens with primer takes 2-3 pulls.


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## SnowRemovalFan (Oct 12, 2013)

Yeah I'm still not good at knowing how many times mine needs priming, and sometimes if I run it, turn it off, and then try to start it right after, it can be tempermental. Mine starts 1-3 pulls usually, unless I don't prime it enough. It's stored in an unheated garage, which can get really cold...the snow was not melting off of the snowblower today, so it was below freezing.


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

SnowRemovalFan said:


> Yeah I'm still not good at knowing how many times mine needs priming, and sometimes if I run it, turn it off, and then try to start it right after, it can be tempermental. Mine starts 1-3 pulls usually, unless I don't prime it enough. It's stored in an unheated garage, which can get really cold...the snow was not melting off of the snowblower today, so it was below freezing.





td5771 said:


> It could also be "learning" the motor. Not all motors will require full choke even when ice cold. some like no priming, others like 3-4 primes.
> 
> I have a tecumseh 7 hp I used today. ice cold and was 2 pulls. no primer (doesnt have one), full choke, half throttle. However no matter what the temperature that hunk of steel will never ever start with the throttle set at full.


I have that problem with my Mantis tillers. Two of them absolutely will not start if they're primed. Just full choke and they start in two pulls, usually first pull. The others get two primer shots and full choke. Gotta "learn" the engine as you say.


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## m1234 (Nov 6, 2013)

Thanks for all of the replies. Maybe it's just too cold lately and that it is a 1 or 2 pull machine once the weather gets a bit less cold (it's -33C right now, so using the 'warm' just doesn't seem right...). I'll go over the machine and check a few things to make sure it all looks fine. I readjusted the ignition coil gap tonight, but didn't try it out yet. One leg was almost below the 0.2 to 0.6 mm specification, so I adjusted both of them to just over 0.4 mm, but I'm not sure if that will make a difference.


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## m1234 (Nov 6, 2013)

Unfortunately, this machine has a combined throttle/choke control lever, so I don't have quite as much control when starting it as a machine with separate choke and throttle controls. I'm not sure what exactly the throttle is set at when the lever is in the full or partially choked position. I assume the throttle is set to maximum, but that's just a guess.


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## m1234 (Nov 6, 2013)

td5771 said:


> What oil are you using? And I know its new but check the spark plug gap. A good deal of new plugs come "pre-gapped" but I wouldnt trust that for a second. I just did the head gaskets on my wifes 4 runner and pregapped plugs my butt, 3 were way off.


I'm using synthetic 5W-30. The plug gap was fine.


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## mkd (Dec 31, 2013)

I've been a carb man all my life and my 8 hp tecuseh I just sold started first pull after sitting for over a week in an unheated garage. I adjust the carb to my liking and fine tune it to how it runs not only starting but also when it's warm. and it does help to have 5w30 oil in it rather than 10w30, fresh non ethanol fuel, and a good spark plug. start procedure is gas tank shutoff turned on, key on, choke full, throttle full, three or four primer pumps, and pull the cord. carb is adjusted to start and run almost immediately with the choke all off or first position.


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## FairfieldCT (Nov 8, 2013)

Honda engines are very easy to start as a general rule. I have a honda walk behind trim mower that starts first pull, every time. The mower is like 10 years old. A 13 HP honda engine on a fraden leaf blower that starts first pull every time. My new 928 snow blower starts seriously with a half a pull. That is in a heated garage that is kept at like 55 degrees.

If you have a relatively new honda snowblower that takes 5 to 10 pulls I would definitely take it back to the dealer for a look. Something could be out of adjustment. 

My John Deere tractor (18 HP Kolar) doesn't like the cold. It will crank for quite a while in the winter.


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