Snowblower Ready Check: Same Engine Care as the Mower

Every fall on the golf course, while the mowers went into storage, the snow equipment came out for its check. The goal was simple: when the first big snow hits at 4 a.m., everything starts. At home, the same idea saves you from pulling the cord fifty times in a blizzard.

1. Fuel: start fresh

If you left gas in the snowblower all summer, it has probably gone stale.

• Drain old fuel properly and refill with fresh gas.
• Add fuel stabilizer to the gas you'll use this winter.
• Consider ethanol-free fuel if you can find it; it stores better. See small-engine fuel.

2. Oil

Change the oil if you didn't in spring. Use the oil type in your manual; many snowblower engines call for a winter-weight oil.

3. Spark plug

Pull it, inspect it, and replace it if it's fouled, worn or cracked. They're cheap. Check the gap against the manual.

4. Test start

Start it in fall, before you need it. Let it run for several minutes. Electric start models: test the electric start too.

5. Shear pins

Shear pins are designed to break if the auger hits something solid, like a newspaper or a chunk of ice, protecting the gearbox.

• Check them and replace any that are worn.
• Buy spare pins and keep them taped to the handle or in a bag on the machine. Use the correct pins; a regular bolt in their place can wreck the gearbox.

6. Belts

Look at the drive and auger belts for cracks, fraying or glazing. Replace worn belts now, not in a storm.

7. Auger and impeller

• Check the auger paddles (rubber on single-stage machines) for wear. Worn paddles don't clear to the pavement.
• Check the scraper bar and skid shoes; adjust or replace them.

8. Chute and controls

• Make sure the chute rotates and the deflector moves freely.
• Lubricate per the manual.
• Check the controls and cables.

9. Tires and tracks

Check tire pressure on two-stage machines. Look for cracks.

10. Safety

• Never clear a clog with your hands, even with the engine off. Use a clearing tool. The auger and impeller can still move under stored tension.
• Run it outdoors only. Exhaust contains carbon monoxide.
• Refuel outdoors with the engine cool.
• Know where the edges of the drive are. Mark them with stakes before the ground freezes so you don't chew up the lawn.

Your mower, too

If you haven't put the mower away yet, do it now. Same engine basics: fuel, oil, plug. See mower winter storage.

A little time on a sunny fall Saturday saves you from fighting a machine at dawn in a snowstorm.

Photo by JillWellington on Pixabay.

Related: Store the Spreader So It Works in March