Getting Your Snow Blower Ready for Winter (November 7, 2001):

It's that time of year. Do you need the lawnmower or snow blower? What should you do to get your snow blower ready for winter? First of all, get it out and check the frame, auger housing, and auger or paddles. Look closely for worn out parts, loose nuts and bolts, and tighten them up. Replace any worn out parts. We get a lot of snow blowers in that have worn out scraper bars. The auger box is worn so bad that the bolt holes are gone where the scraper bar should have been. Get rid of the old gas in the snow blower and any extra gas you have. The best way to get rid of this old gas is to dump it in your car’s fuel tank. It will be diluted enough that it will not harm the car even if it is two-cycle gas. Refill with good fresh gas of at least 87 or higher octane. If it is a two-cycle engine, make sure you have the proper oil and gas mix. If your engine is four-cycle, make sure you change the oil and put in 5W30 motor oil. Start your engine; if it is hard to start now it will be harder to start this winter when it is cold. If you’re able to tune up the engine and rebuild the carburetor on your own, do it. If not, get it into your local repair shop. Some shops are already 5 to 10 weeks behind, so do it now and don't wait. Next week we’ll tell you how to store your mower, tiller, chain saw, and trimmers.