# '78 model 932 new owner - rebuild tips?



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

I just bought my first machine and am trying to learn as much as possible. Already had some great help from Scot's site. I knew i wanted a compact 2-stage model, but I didn't have a brand in mind. I ended up with a 1978 5HP Ariens 932 by complete luck. It looks good for its age, some rust, had a slight paint job on the handles...rough around the edges but I think it looks fantastic for 36 yrs old. Knowing nothing about blowers believed it to be a 10 year old model...haha 

Anyway, it starts easy and was sold to me by a small engine hobby repairman who said that it came in needing only fresh gas + stabilizer. I have spare shear pins on order. 

I've decided to get 1 season out of it before taking things apart and likely getting into trouble. I'm wondering about which service work/upgrades/mods are most pressing? I think i'm up for breaking down the blower into its major components but not sure where to focus on...so new to this. I'm almost settled on a carb rebuild but would outsource that job as I've never worked on one before.


----------



## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

I'd say the most pressing issues are to do a quick preseason tune-up. Even though it seems like the blower came from a knowledgeable source doesn't mean he prepped it for the season. Check these first then move on
-oil change
-Spark plug
-gear oil in the gearbox
-grease the augers

After the quick tune-up then take a look at the components of the blower...
Are the belts in decent condition or are they cracked and flimsy?
The augers and wheel axle have brass bushings that may be cracked and need replacing.
The friction disc and plate may be cracked and worn out

As for the carburetor, start off with using Seafoam in your gas to help clean it out. It may fix minor issues associated with dirty carbs. If you need a rebuild, watch some youtube videos about rebuilding the carbs and try it yourself. It'll save you some coin and you'll learn how to do it for next time


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Thanks for those notes. I'll have to pickup a jerry can and remove the fuel.

Can we rundown the list of lubrication required?

- Engine oil - 5W-20 or 5W30? I'm in Southern Ontario...winter conditions anywhere from -25 to 0C (-13 to 32F).

- Gear box oil - ? Or is the "gear box" actually the hex shaft, in which case any lithium grease will do?

- Linkages & bushings - ? 3-in-1?

- Auger gear case - ? SAE 90MP? L2? Part no. 70? 


I know the engine oil is new. I had a peek at the spark plug and aside from some soot, the structure is intact. I'll pickup a new one anyway and keep this one as a spare.


----------



## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

I've always used 5w-30 in my machines and it can get down to the single digits, but you're area seems to get colder. 5w-20 is a lighter weight so it can help when first starting the blower. Personally, I'd go with 30 weight

The Gearbox/Auger gear case are the same - I actually forgot what is supposed to be used. Another forum member should be able to let you know

The bushing and linkages - you don't necessarily have to use anything specific for those, but as long as it helps reduce wear and tear. Whatever I have lying around at the time is what I'll use (3-in-1, lithium grease, axle grease, or even chain lube)


----------



## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

And by the way, post a couple pics of that snowblower if you get a chance


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Will do. 
I'm away for a week, will have pics upon my return.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

I found the listing pictures...here they are. More to come when I start working on the machine. 

I picked up some 5W30 today, as well as fuel stabilizer and sea foam...

How do you recommend I use the sea foam? There isn't really a detailed instruction on the bottle so I'm confused about if this should be used on its own, in a mixture (if so, what ratio?) and what recommended application (full tank, partial tank, every fill, first of the season, etc...).

edit: just noticed the augers are not "aligned", is this an issue?


----------



## SlowRider22 (Oct 17, 2013)

That's a clean machine you have there.

Strange that the Seafoam doesn't have detailed directions. If I recall correctly, it's used in a 1:1 ratio. That is to say 1 ounce of Seafoam to 1 gallon of gasoline.
Don't worry about how often to add it to the blower, instead every time you fill up the gas tank from the gas station, just add the proper amount of Seafoam to it. It also acts as a stabilizer, too, so the gas won't go bad

There's only one "issue" with the augers not being aligned with each other. If you are anal retentive like I am, then it will only be a huge annoyance and it will surely cause your blood pressure to go up. Other than that, they are fine.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The augers are suppose to be one side rotated 45 degrees more than the other. The way they bolt on that is the only way they can be.


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

That machine looks so clean, I wouldn't touch it! 
any sort of major rebuild looks completely unnecessary to me..

I bought my '71 Ariens six years ago:










When I bought it, I also had the intention of eventually tearing it down and doing a full restoration on it..but after a few winters, I realized it doesn't need a thing done to it! its just fine as it is..to me, its now become a case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

All I have done to my machine, besides annual "beginning of the season" maintenance, is I have taken the carb apart a few times to clean it out..other than that, its perfect.

I would still like to find a "project snowblower" to take apart and restore..but it wont be my '71. of course there is nothing *wrong* with restoring any snowblower, even if it's in good shape, if you want to..you can do anything you feel like doing..but in this particular case IMO this one is a keeper just as it is! 

Scot


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Ok, fair enough everyone! Those pics are very low rez... the handlebar and heater box have been painted white (sloppy, I might add). Some rust, but really to be expected after 36 years. It probably wasn't used very much. The snow accumulation is very hit-and-miss depending on your location around here...The "snow belt" gets punished every year (between Lakes Huron and Erie), as does Buffalo NY and the north shore of Lake Ontario...but the Western tip of Lake Ontario is somehow immune despite being dead center between these locations. Last year's weather inspired this purchase...that was different. 

I'm very curious to look inside my machine but will leave that until spring, just to make sure everything is jake. I watched some carb rebuild videos and it actually looks way easier than I thought. Will do that in spring, too. There is always a droplet of gas forming on the underside of the mixture adjustment, bad seal I suppose. 

Any consensus on the auger lube? How do I know if this guy is cast-iron? What's the reasoning behind the exact-correct lube requirement?


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

The cast iron one will look like a bit heavy round circle. The aluminum ones are more formed and look completely different. Also, usually the cast iron ones are painted orange with everything else and I think the aluminum ones are either bare metal or black.

I just use a generic 80w90 gear oil in mine. It might be worth finding a GL4 rated oil or something that specificly says safe on brass or yellow metals since the bushings are bronze.


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

cancon, for the proper gear box lube, just go by the owners manual..
use whatever it says..

Is there is a model/serial tag at the rear of the machine? It should be at the rear, between the wheels, on the end of the main "body" of the snowblower, below the engine.

Let us know any numbers you find there, and we should be able to get your specific manuals..

Scot


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Oh I've combed over your site, Scot - great stuff. What was the story with the MP90 you had to track down, is that what I'm after? 

Owner's manual calls for Ariens liquid grease part number 000070 (which does not pop up on the Ariens part's radar). The machine is 932006 with HS50 engine.

From Ariens:

Older auger gear cases that have grease, or a product called Liquid Grease, must be refilled with grease rather than oil. Old auger gear cases that are cast iron and are equipped with Helicon Gears use a gear oil part number *00006000*. These units were built from 1960s to early 1970s. For auger gear cases that use Liquid Grease (some Sno-Thro's built in the 1970's and early 1990's) use Ariens part number *00007200*.

Still, neither of these numbers pop up on the radar. 

Edit: never mind. I don't know how to use the parts radar...sigh


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

cancon said:


> Oh I've combed over your site, Scot - great stuff. What was the story with the MP90 you had to track down, is that what I'm after?


No, sounds like our machines do not use the same gear case lube..
In my case, my owners manual said I wanted MP90..so I went to an Ariens dealer looking for that..they guy at the dealer said just use "L2"..ummm..no! thats not correct..the guy was simply unaware of what to use on a 40 year old machine..it was a case where I knew more than the dealer did..
So eventually I found the right stuff..



> Edit: never mind. I don't know how to use the parts radar...sigh


did you find it then?

Scot


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

The old part number was actually 00007000! (I have no idea why they used so many zeros!  it has been superseded by part number 00068800.

http://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ariens+%2200007000%22

http://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=ariens+%2200068800%22

Scot


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Ariens customer service recommended 00007200 (Liquid lithium grease).
Edit: Scot, thanks for digging. Now...L3 lube v.s. liquid grease?? Jack's Small engine repair lists a heck of a lot of models using L3, mine doesn't appear. but the Grease doesn't show any models at all...simply generic. 

Also, since its obvious I just can't stay away, I've uploaded some more pictures to my flickr account. Please pop over there for some shots. 

I just installed a new spark plug, also cleaned and kept the old one as a spare. I've included a shot of the auger gear box, as well as gas tank supply line - Has anyone modified their tank by installing a petcock? Doable?

So there is clearly gas leaking from the carb - it isn't bad as it hasn't puddled on the floor over the course of the last 4 days. Also, the choke is notoriously difficult to use - It is definitely binding on something. I held back the small spring which "clicks" the 4 positions but the problem persists - must be the choke "door" hinge? What is appropriate to use a lube for this area? I was going to ask before using WD40 on it...


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

You have an aluminum gear case so you will want the "00" grease or the Ariens equivalent.

For the petcock you don't need to modify the tank.

If you are going directly below the tank I would go with the 90 degree shut off:
20-9294 - Shut Off Valve Replaces B&S 494769 | Small Engine Parts | MFG Supply

If you are going inline I would go with the straight one:
20-5841 - 1/4" Universal Cut-Off Valve | Small Engine Parts | MFG Supply

If you are ordering online a few clamps don't hurt:
20-5904 - Clamp For 1/4" Tubing (Priced Each) | Small Engine Parts | MFG Supply

And if you are going through the trouble of changing stuff around maybe replace the fuel line, or maybe not:
VTC30-W1 - Tygon Fuel Tubing; 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD. Buy by the foot | Small Engine Parts | MFG Supply
Doesn't look like they sell the standard black fuel line other than 25 foot rolls.

All of these parts should be available locally at any small engine repair place, most auto parts stores or hardware store. Note that that fuel line is 1/4" and is available at any auto parts store for around $1 - $1.50 per foot.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

I was looking at the carb some more and thinking my fiddling (opening/closing the throttle/choke) was causing more droplets of gas to show up. I emptied the tank and ran the carb dry, then again with the choke closed. The tank is now removed so I'll go ahead with a fuel shutoff valve and new hose. Thanks for those links. I also noticed the filter screen that is glued (?) to the bottom of the tank is falling off - not sure if i've got anything nimble enough to repair it properly, would there be any small fuel filters that could fit in the limited space under the tank? I'm willing to forgo a petcock if it means one or the other. 

Ordering a carb rebuild kit (31840)...hopefully the leak is nothing more than a bad mixture valve gasket.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

You could grab their filter too, just be sure you have enough hose clamps.
Fuel Filter Round In-Line | Small Engine Parts | MFG Supply

Will need a small piece of fuel line from the tank to the shut off, should be just long enough for the 2 nipples. Then the shutoff, then the filter, then line to the carb. The filter could probably go on either side either under the tank or right before the carb.

After you pay shipping these parts might be cheaper locally. Check around and you might be surprised one way or the other.

The correct way of replacing the fuel line involves removing the flywheel from the engine to make sure the line is routed properly and doesn't rub. You might be able to cheat and connect the old and new lines together with some type of nipple and pull the new one through. Someone on here recently tried replacing one without removing the flywheel and ended up with a garage full of fuel when the line rubbed through though.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Shryp said:


> The correct way of replacing the fuel line involves removing the flywheel from the engine...


Cripes. I just pulled the fuel line out willy-nilly thinking the re-install will be a breeze. Is it difficult to dismantle the back housing to get the hose re-installed?


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)




----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Man, Donnyboy73 is killing it!

Thanks for all the help thus far. I'll check back in next week, hopefully with a carb rebuild kit and all these new fuel line parts. 

Cheers


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Came home to find my replacement shear pins and carb rebuilt parts awaiting in the mailbox. Huzzah! I'll tackle the carb this week and post results. I found a small engine repair shop in my area so I'll check them out this week for fuel line, filter and shutoff parts. How important is it to replace the carb gasket?

What is the general consensus regarding points servicing? I have no clue about how many hours are on this machine, but in general, is loss of spark due to failed points a common occurrence? I definitely sit somewhere in between the two camps of "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and "if it aint broke fix it 'til it is" ...but this repair may be over my head. Not saying I'm diving right in, just want to know a bit more about it in the real world.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Carb rebuild today. I found it very clean inside. 

I ended up replacing only the rubber components as well as pooched fiber washer for the main adjustment nozzle. Also the float was out of adjustment.

I posted a few pics to the album available here.

The replacement main adjustment had 2 larger bottom holes where as the original had a single smaller hole. I made sure to clean the very small hole before re-installing. Any performance difference between these two pieces? 

Also can anyone point out what the rubber and brass washers are for (in the picture - top left is idle mixture, bottom left is main mixture)?

Lastly I added a picture of the 90 degree fuel line adapter. Is this piece original? what about the metal piece that it connects to? It seems to be installed with teflon tape, also there are some abusive teeth marks that were already there...I want to replace it with in-line so that I can add a fuel filter between the block and carb. I didn't know if this piece was threaded so I just left it alone and thought to ask first.


----------



## dbert (Aug 25, 2013)

cancon said:


> Lastly I added a picture of the 90 degree fuel line adapter. Is this piece original? what about the metal piece that it connects to? It seems to be installed with teflon tape, also there are some abusive teeth marks that were already there...I want to replace it with in-line so that I can add a fuel filter between the block and carb. I didn't know if this piece was threaded so I just left it alone and thought to ask first.


That fitting is pressed in as one piece. You will need a new one. Pulling out the old broken one will be the challenge. I searched for but could not locate a thread here about the process. The Tecumseh manual also talks about threading a specific size bolt into the inside of the broken metal half to pull it out with. New one gets pressed in with a large clamp or vice. Position the elbow to correct location first as they are not designed to pivot.

Edit: Example of replacement part.
Fitting


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Thanks! I just flipped through the engine manual and found the method for removing this part.

After cleaning the carb I now hear the sound of a ball bearing moving around when I tip the carb over. Is this normal? The two 'ball plugs' visible with the carb bowl removed are still intact and do not move. I looked at the component layout of this carb and there are no ball valves that I can see.


----------



## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

I have read that it is good to hear the small BB rattling around in some of the Tecumseh carbs.

I am not sure about the differences in holes in the main jet. Maybe you ordered the wrong carb kit? I have seen different ones.

Match the washers up with what came off of yours. If you have an extra tiny washer some carb bowls have a push button drain valve and some don't.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Oh man, sh*t just hit the fan.

I noticed this earlier but never thought of the potential damage within - when spinning the impeller sometimes the rake doesn't move...when I bought the machine it moved fine, though I didn't test it beyond engaging the impeller for a few seconds. The worm gear in the gearbox is totally stripped save for a few teeth...practically no grease or oil to be found. GAH. Also, after I removed the sheave, the key was (is...) fully stuck. So I opened the bearing flange instead - two of the screws are badly damaged and it looks like the bearing flange inner piece has those screws welded in...although none of the replacement flanges have this configuration. Not too bad, I can use new screws. But now removing the key, impeller, ordering a new shaft and worm gear ($$$)...sigh! Lots to do.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

$140 worth of damage.

With the help of a friend, angle grinder, mini sledge hammer and wd-40 I managed to strip the impeller shaft. The key had to be ground down. The roll pins were stubborn but eventually came out. Using the bench vise, wood blocks and the sledge I coaxed the impeller off. Definitely feeling a bit better about the situation, was a bit hairy at the beginning.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

While I wait for more parts, here's the new gas tank setup. The local shop didn't have the uber-low-pro filter, this one is about 1.5", any bigger and we'd have issues. There's another image of the installed tank in the album link. I was able to get the fuel line installed without removing the flywheel cover - the videos helped to located the correct spot and I was able to verify that the line was seated correctly with a flashlight - it's well away from the flywheel. Thanks for the heads up!


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Parts arrived and installed. 

I'm ticked off because after I completed the gearbox rebuild I gave the impeller a spin and immediately noticed a wobble in the rotation due to a bend somewhere on the worm gear shaft. It's small, maybe 1/16" all in, but still noticeable. However, the gearbox doesn't hold the shaft extremely snug and there is at least 1/16" of play in the up-down-left-right positioning, so I hope this cancels out the wobble and my machine doesn't shake apart. 

For those interested, the replacement worm gear is not brass like the original, but some sort of steel composite that isn't quite as hard as the worm gear shaft (to allow for some wear, I suppose).


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Gosh I'm feeling kinda lonely on this thread 

Great news; the blower is back together and running fantastic - dry run, of course! 
My first carb rebuild seems to have been a success - I only needed a half rotation on the idle mixture to get a beautiful rolling idle. Starts like butter, almost starts itself. The electric start was a bit grind-y so I popped it off and added some grease to the shaft, seems to have cleared it up.

No unusual vibration in the impeller shaft, woohoo! 

I changed the oil after warming up the engine, I removed the wheel to make the job easier and also tipped the machine towards the drain. The engine manual says the oil reservoir is 630mL but I'm pretty sure I only got 450mL poured in - I added oil until it reached the first few threads of the oil plug, so I guess that's that. Any ideas about the difference?

Thank you all.


----------



## sscotsman (Dec 8, 2010)

Great job! 
glad you got it all back together and purring along..
now you only need some snow! 

Scot


----------



## Gantt (Oct 31, 2014)

cancon said:


> While I wait for more parts, here's the new gas tank setup. The local shop didn't have the uber-low-pro filter, this one is about 1.5", any bigger and we'd have issues. There's another image of the installed tank in the album link. I was able to get the fuel line installed without removing the flywheel cover - the videos helped to located the correct spot and I was able to verify that the line was seated correctly with a flashlight - it's well away from the flywheel. Thanks for the heads up!


I'm totally going to copy this. Nice job!


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Thanks!
I got really lucky that the parts on hand fit just right. There is no space between the connectors inside those hoses - the lengths are cut to allow the parts to touch one another - as is, the valve barely clears the starter and the filter nearly goes into the engine. Worthy mod, I'd do it again. On the topic of gas, go premium! Well worth it I think.


----------



## Grunt (Nov 11, 2013)

Congratulations on the resurrection of a great machine. You may want to remove the grease from the electric starter gear and just put a light coat of oil on it. The grease will cause the gear to stick once the weather gets colder and the grease thickens.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Cheers, appreciate the tip, will do.


----------



## cancon (Oct 16, 2014)

Success!!

Well, we're no Buffalo but we did get 5-6" today and I made a last min decision to use the machine. There was barely enough on the ground to coax me into doing so but I figured that I may as well see how the machine works - find any potential problems now as opposed to before a big storm lands on us. 

Not bad for a 5HP machine! No issues at all, ran it on top gear for most of the job...it did eat a lot of gravel despite the scraper being set 3/8" off the ground. Also it ate the dog's 20ft nylon line...that took some untangling but aside from that, not bad for my first go! Definitely limited by space for where to put the snow and lots of objects to avoid aiming the chute, all told the reduced power capability is probably an asset given those circumstances and my novice skills. 

More. More!


----------

