April 20, 2023

Gas Snowblower: Why does my snowblower stop running after a few seconds?

When your snowblower engine only runs for a few seconds and then dies, the problem is often caused by a gummed-up carburetor. The carburetor mixes air with fuel in the proper proportion to produce a combustible gas. That gas/air mixture then moves into the cylinder where the piston compresses it and the spark plug ignites it.

The engine probably starts because gas enters the cylinder when you press the primer bulb. The engine dies if a clogged carburetor can’t properly mix gas and air to supply the cylinder with combustible fuel.

Replacing a clogged carburetor is the quickest and easiest way to fix the snowblower. Finding the right replacement carburetor for some snowblowers is challenging. Use the carburetor part chart in our Find the right carburetor assembly for a Craftsman snowblower, tiller or log splitter article to accurately find the correct replacement carburetor for your snowblower if necessary.

To save money, you can rebuild the carburetor to fix this problem instead of replacing the entire carburetor. The carburetor rebuild kit has parts and gaskets needed to refurbish a clogged or worn carburetor.

When you’re not able to fix your snowblower yourself, schedule a Sears Technician to visit your home and repair the snowblower.

gas snowblower

THESE REPAIRS MAY HELP SOLVE YOUR GAS SNOWBLOWER PROBLEM

JC-SNOW-Clean-and-rebuild-the-snowblower-carburetor

Clean and rebuild the snowblower carburetor

Rebuild kits are available for most carburetors. The kit contains the essential components such as jets, pins, seals and gaskets to overhaul the carburetor. You can sometimes fix a fuel supply problem by disassembling and cleaning a carburetor. Use the rebuild kit to rebuild the carburetor after cleaning it.

Clean and rebuild the snowblower carburetor

Find the required part specific to your product.

RG-SNOW-Rebuild-a-Snowblower-Carburetor-Intro-Image
December 01, 2015

How to rebuild a snowblower carburetor

The snowblower carburetor mixes air and fuel going to the engine. You might need to rebuild the carburetor if the snowblower won't start or dies soon after starting.

Repair difficulty
Time required
 45 minutes or less
JC-SNOW-Replace-the-snowblower-carburetor

Replace the snowblower carburetor

Over time, varnish from stale gasoline builds up in the carburetor, decreasing the amount of air/fuel mixture reaching the engine. Replace the carburetor if it's severely clogged with varnish or if the orifices are clogged with debris and can't be cleared using carburetor cleaner and compressed air.

Snowblower carburetor

Find the required part specific to your product.

Symptoms for gas snowblowers

Choose a symptom to see related snowblower repairs.

Main causes: loose drive clutch cable, damaged drive clutch cable, worn friction disc, scraper blade scraping the ground…

Main causes: dirty carburetor, clogged fuel filter, dirty spark plug, incorrect valve lash, leaky engine gaskets…

Main causes: clogged chute, damaged auger blades, broken shear pins, worn auger belt, damaged gear case, engine problems…

Things to do: replace the spark plug, change the oil, rebuild the carburetor, adjust valve lash, adjust or replace the b…

Main causes: snow build-up in chute, chute drive mechanism failure, bad chute control assembly…

Main causes: stale gas, clogged carburetor, clogged or broken fuel line, dirty spark plug, bad rewind starter, incorrect…

Main causes: dirty carburetor, stale fuel…

Main causes: clogged chute, snow build-up in auger housing, broken auger shear pins, auger drive belt needs adjustment, …

Main causes: broken shear pins, worn or loose auger drive belt, auger drive cable failure, damaged auger, bad gear case…

Repair guides for gas snowblowers

These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your snowblower.

How to adjust snowblower engine valve lash

How to adjust snowblower engine valve lash

Adjust the engine valve lash on your snowblower to keep the engine starting and running smoothly.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace a snowblower auger drive cable

How to replace a snowblower auger drive cable

A loose or snapped auger drive cable can prevent the auger from rotating. Follow this step-by-step guide to replace the …

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less
How to replace a snowblower friction disc

How to replace a snowblower friction disc

The friction disc is one of the components of the drive system. If it's worn or damaged, the snowblower won't self-prope…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 15 minutes or less

Effective articles & videos to help repair your snowblowers

Use the advice and tips in these articles and videos to get the most out of your snowblower.

How to make your snowblower last longer

How to make your snowblower last longer

Learn the steps to take to adjust and maintain your snowblower so it lasts longer.…

Introducing new technical repair content that we’re developing for the Sears Technical Institute

Introducing new technical repair content that we’re developing for the Sears Technical Institute

Learn about Sears Technical Institute and the advanced technical content being developed for aspiring appliance techs.…

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Top questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect

Get answers to frequently asked questions about Sears and Sears PartsDirect.…