# Can anyone identify this snowblower



## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Newbie acquired this today but the ID decals are missing.

Does anyone know the model number etc.

Basically I initially want to find Owner Manual, Engine Manual perhaps Service Manual etc.

Also I may need to order parts and therefore need a model number to start searching.

Thanks in advance
Stuart


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Found the decal between the wheels.
Very faded
Think it might say 
*312-610E000 H301B4*


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

also .... thanks to donyboy73 video on youtube..





The engine ID should be engraved underneath the electric starter button

..who would have guessed? Not me!


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## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

Tried to upload the manual, but says file too large.
Sent you a private message.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

1992 MTD 524 Mod# 312-610E000 Serial # H301B4

Outdoor Power Equipment Parts: Use the Part Finder Tool from MTD

MTD SNOW THROWER Parts | Model 312610E000 | Sears PartsDirect


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## micah68kj (Oct 8, 2011)

:white^_^arial^_^0^_ Stuart
An FYI there are a million of those blowers out there. They were very popular and lots of people bought them. No frills, bells or whistles but a good machine. Parts are readily available and you might try some of the local OPE repair shops in your area for parts. You can also try parts tree and jacks small engines. There are other places as well but these two come to mind.


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## liftoff1967 (Jan 15, 2014)

micah68kj said:


> An FYI there are a million of those blowers out there. They were very popular and lots of people bought them. No frills, bells or whistles but a good machine.


Back in 19 hundred and 91, I purchased the big brother to what you have, an 8/26. I worked the he11 outta that machine. 

Fast forward 15+ years, I was at my daughters house right after she moved in helping her out and I nailed one of her landscape rocks and actually busted the impeller shaft between the fan and the auger gearbox thing. Being we where in the middle of a Christmas blizzard, my local OPE center was only open till noon Christmas Eve day and it was 11 am, I just pushed the blower aside, giving it to my daughter, and got a new blower to finish off the blizzard. She got it fixed, and it is still moving snow for her today. 

Looking back I screwed up and never took out the shear pins as part of my maintenance routine. I'm thinking they became rusted into place and did not do the intended job when I found the rock. Lesson learned.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

stuart80112 said:


> also .... thanks to donyboy73 video on youtube..
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlX_MTE3OLw
> 
> The engine ID should be engraved underneath the electric starter button
> ...


What a great forum with great people!

Many thanks to @russkat for manuals and @kiss4afrog, @micah68kj, @liftoff1967 for replies, anecdotes and welcome.

I now have the Operator manual and several Tecumseh manuals.

Later today I will peek under the electronic ignition (thanks donyboy73 on youtube) to nail down specifics of the engine ID.

This is my first "big" blower/thrower. It was a freebie from Craigslist!!
Somehow managed to squeeze it into the back of a Subaru Forester.

The engine starts, the drive controls work, not checked auger operation yet. Want to do some basic lube and grease before stressing it too much.
Check that there isn't a hex-bolt where the auger shear pins should be etc.

A few bolts are missing here and there, choke knob is missing and the whole "box" that covers the carb is missing. 

I didn't see any evidence of a key or switch as I fumbled in the dark last night. Maybe it has been hotwired to be constantly "ON". Will know more later as I look at it in daylight.

Thanks again everyone!
Stuart


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## russkat (Feb 25, 2015)

Hey Stuart...

There are some carb covers on eBay or someone here on the forum may have one to sell once you determine the engine you have installed.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

You will definitely want to come up with a way to make a KILL switch. Grabbing the plug cap to pull it off to stop the engine can result is a serious kick in the pants


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

skutflut said:


> You will definitely want to come up with a way to make a KILL switch. Grabbing the plug cap to pull it off to stop the engine can result is a serious kick in the pants


There's a few people in this world who would say that's what I need!

Time to go look at my new acquisition and research how kill switches work.

I guess there's only two possibilities...
1) A series switch that cuts off the current for the spark
2) A short-circuit to ground that kills the spark

I'll find out pronto!


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

Lowering the throttle on a Tecumseh of that era all the way usually kills the engine. May have had another switch in the form of a cheapo plastic key mounted on the carb heater box.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

jtclays said:


> Lowering the throttle on a Tecumseh of that era all the way usually kills the engine. May have had another switch in the form of a cheapo plastic key mounted on the carb heater box.



Well I got the machine into daylight and can see things much better now.

Engine: HS50 67324K SER 1227B
Engraving is visible just in front of the electric starter. 

Without any work or adjustments or cleaning, the engine starts and all basic controls work. 
(I checked oil level and added gas.. that's all I did)

Cutting off the throttle does not make the engine die.
I had to play with the choke and flood it out to stop it.

I will pursue figuring out how to add (or put back) a kill switch for convenience and safety.

Parts needed so far look like..
1) choke knob
2) carburetor "box"
3) A few bolts that have vibrated out of the handle over time.

Pretty nice for a Craigslist freebie!


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Electric starter makes an awful sound when I press the button.
No idea how they work yet... but will worry about that later.
To the untrained ear, it sounds like the noise two cogs would make if they were stripped or out of alignment and missing each other and just scraping around.

Manual pull works fine (on a warm sunny day like today) so no urgency on that for now.


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## Kiss4aFrog (Nov 3, 2013)

When you decide to tackle the starter.






Donyboy73 has plenty more vids on all kinds of stuff.


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> When you decide to tackle the starter.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW2FIqGCW3c
> 
> Donyboy73 has plenty more vids on all kinds of stuff.


Doesn't get any better than that!
He's so thorough and helpful. Good camera angles too.
If I let this blower watch the video it might just fix itself!


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## jtclays (Sep 24, 2010)

You can see what I'm talking about at the 2:50 mark. If you don't have the terminal (you can get them) your missing carb heater box will have a key that breaks another little switch like that (see Engine Parts list #1, call outs #110, 110A, 206 and 329) some type of set up where a green wire will go back to the bottom of the recoil shroud. When that goes to ground, no spark.
Tecumseh HS50-67324K - Tecumseh 4-Cycle Horizontal Engine Diagrams and Parts List | PartsTree.com


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

jtclays said:


> You can see what I'm talking about at the 2:50 mark. If you don't have the terminal (you can get them) your missing carb heater box will have a key that breaks another little switch like that (see Engine Parts list #1, call outs #110, 110A, 206 and 329) some type of set up where a green wire will go back to the bottom of the recoil shroud. When that goes to ground, no spark.
> Tecumseh HS50-67324K - Tecumseh 4-Cycle Horizontal Engine Diagrams and Parts List | PartsTree.com
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tibBwpiTDf8



Good to have the link to the parts page - thanks.

So this explains why I could not shut off the engine.. my throttle presumably does not have the electrical kill switch mechanism built into it (as seen in that video at 2:50) and relies instead on the (missing) key switch in the carb box (which I don't have).

Did anyone spot the deliberate mistake in that parts diagram?
There are two callouts for #355
one is shown as my missing carb box
the other is shown as the starter pull handle

I wonder if Tecumseh will give me a free snowblower if I tell them? ;-)


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

stuart80112 said:


> Good to have the link to the parts page - thanks.
> 
> So this explains why I could not shut off the engine.. my throttle presumably does not have the electrical kill switch mechanism built into it (as seen in that video at 2:50) and relies instead on the (missing) key switch in the carb box (which I don't have).
> 
> ...



I just sent an email telling them about the double callout #355
Jokingly asked them for a free snowblower.
Maybe I'll get a cap or a mug out of it. ;-)


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

nyone out there know for certain if this carburetor box will fit this machine?

I asked the ebay seller... but hoped someone here might have the same model and recognize the part visually.

I'm hoping these might be standard across lots of Tecumseh 5hp engines.

5HP Tecumseh Snow Blower Engine Carburetor Cover Heater Box Air Box | eBay


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## unknown1 (Dec 13, 2015)

Kiss4aFrog said:


> When you decide to tackle the starter.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW2FIqGCW3c
> 
> Donyboy73 has plenty more vids on all kinds of stuff.


I decided to look into the Electric Starter today.
My model is not exactly the same as the one in the video you posted but close enough to point the way.

If you recall.. it was making a horrible grinding noise and I said this..

Electric starter makes an awful sound when I press the button.
No idea how they work yet... but will worry about that later.
To the untrained ear, it sounds like the noise two cogs would make if they were stripped or out of alignment and missing each other and just scraping around.

So I opened up the starter and was happy to see that the teeth on the engine flywheel looked good and the teeth on the starter cog also looked good.

That left me with the second possibility.... they are missing each other and just scraping around.

After playing with the cog and watching how it moves back and forth I thought it felt a bit "stiff" so I sprayed lube on it and noticed it was able to travel back and forth on the spiral thread much more easily.

Could that be all the problem was?

I was about to post a question to see if anyone agrees with my thinking when I stumbled into another Donyboy73 video.
It explains EXACTLY word for word what I had stumbled into and answered ALL my questions and confirmed ALL my assumptions.

Awesome!

Here it is...


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