Bad gas problems with our brand new snowblower! HELP

Germanshepherdlova · 12-19-2011, 07:47 PM

Last month we bought an Ariens Snotek snowblower from Home Depot. Over the weekend the first snow of the season fell and my DH got the brand new snowblower out and it just blew out black smoke and sputtered and had no power. Then when he started it again it kept stalling and shutting off. When we tried to take it back to Home Depot they said they could not exchange it because we had it for 4 days over the 30 day return period. They would not make an exception, not even because it was the first snowfall and that meant our first opportunity to test it out.

Home Depot told us that we would have to get it repaired through the manufacturer warranty. Now the authorized repair place called us and said that the problem was caused by bad gas and so the repair isn't covered under the warranty so now we have to fork out more $$$.

My DH used fresh gas from a gas station up the street from us. The gas met the requirements in the owners manual 87 and not more than 10% ethanol, I don't understand how the gas is "bad" so my question is directed to snowblower owners-what type of gas do you fuel your snowblower with? Our snowblower is not a gas/oil mix it is gas only, and it is a 2 stage. Even though the owners manual doesn't say so -is high octane gas better for snowblowers?

iBaman · 12-19-2011, 10:02 PM

sometimes gas stations give bad gas. One time, we were on vacation and filled up our RV with over 50 gallons...about 10 miles down the road, we're getting no power, and nothing is running...when we drained the tank, it smelled like bad water...there was very little actual gas in it.

sometimes when gas stations are bought out, the new company will just use up what's left of the gas, no matter how long it's been sitting.

PaddyD · 12-19-2011, 10:05 PM

Snowblowers should get premium gas.
Very sorry for your situation.
Been there with the bad gas and the denial.
Sometimes you can do something about it, sometimes you can't.
Best thing is to call the regional office and if you don't get statisfaction go higher.

Lucy Dog · 12-19-2011, 10:10 PM

It might not be a gas/oil mix, but it still needs oil if it's not electric. It's probably just oil injected. Was there no oil in it at all?

And that's BS about it being bad gas. If the gas wasn't sitting around for a year in your garage, it should be fine.

crackem · 12-19-2011, 10:21 PM

That is BS, keep making noise. Better business Bureau, write in to local news stations (most have at least one that has a consumer watch or on your side type story. Write them, call them, hound them. It will get fixed.

Lucy Dog · 12-19-2011, 11:27 PM

If the owners manual said 87 and above then you're fine with the 87 gas. You real only need premium gas when it's absolutely needed like with high compression engines or motors. It's nor like premium gas is any cleaner than the regular stuff.

A stage 1 snow blower should do perfectly fine with regular (and fresh from the gas station) 87 gas. You either had a bad engine to begin with or it ceased because it wasn't being lubricated.

ozzymama · 12-21-2011, 04:51 PM

We (don't need a blower anymore, live in Utopia for snow

) A mix, similar to chainsaw mix, but not as rich.

Honestly if there is someone in your neighborhood willing to tinker with small engines, you will save yourself money and heartache. My mom has a lawnboy/lawndouche/whateveryoucallthemtoomuchmoneyunnecessary lawn mowers, she just gets the local guy to deal with it. It's $15/year, he changes spark plugs, tightens stuff....

Germanshepherdlova · 12-21-2011, 05:09 PM

It is a stage 2 snowblower. And yes it had oil in it but in the appropriate area-it runs off of gasoline only though not a mixture of gas and oil. The snowblower is brand new-never been used yet because it didn't perform properly.

Our neighbor wanted to tinker around with it but we can't allow that because any tinkering around would void the warranty.

We had the snowblower moved to a different authorized servicer to see what they say about it and have not heard anything back yet. The reason we had it moved was because my DH got into an argument with the first place it went to when they called him and said that ALL the gas in our entire city was bad gas. How the heck can every single gas station in our city be selling bad gas including Shell and BP? Something didn't smell right there. The snowblower has been at the other repair shop since yesterday but we haven't heard anything back yet.

Germanshepherdlova · 12-21-2011, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucy Dog

If the owners manual said 87 and above then you're fine with the 87 gas. You real only need premium gas when it's absolutely needed like with high compression engines or motors. It's nor like premium gas is any cleaner than the regular stuff.

A stage 1 snow blower should do perfectly fine with regular (and fresh from the gas station) 87 gas. You either had a bad engine to begin with or it ceased because it wasn't being lubricated.

It's a 2 stage, and it has never been used yet because it failed from the first start. DH lubricated it before he turned it on. I think something is wrong with the engine.

hattifattener · 12-21-2011, 05:28 PM

black smoke and lack of power may be symptoms of too "rich" air/fuel mix.

is it 2 stroke or 4 stroke?

check air intake and choke.

12-19-2011, 07:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Germanshepherdlova Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 2,935	Bad gas problems with our brand new snowblower! HELP Last month we bought an Ariens Snotek snowblower from Home Depot. Over the weekend the first snow of the season fell and my DH got the brand new snowblower out and it just blew out black smoke and sputtered and had no power. Then when he started it again it kept stalling and shutting off. When we tried to take it back to Home Depot they said they could not exchange it because we had it for 4 days over the 30 day return period. They would not make an exception, not even because it was the first snowfall and that meant our first opportunity to test it out. Home Depot told us that we would have to get it repaired through the manufacturer warranty. Now the authorized repair place called us and said that the problem was caused by bad gas and so the repair isn't covered under the warranty so now we have to fork out more $$$. My DH used fresh gas from a gas station up the street from us. The gas met the requirements in the owners manual 87 and not more than 10% ethanol, I don't understand how the gas is "bad" so my question is directed to snowblower owners-what type of gas do you fuel your snowblower with? Our snowblower is not a gas/oil mix it is gas only, and it is a 2 stage. Even though the owners manual doesn't say so -is high octane gas better for snowblowers? __________________ You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Germa...96574693743892

12-19-2011, 10:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lucy Dog Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,180	It might not be a gas/oil mix, but it still needs oil if it's not electric. It's probably just oil injected. Was there no oil in it at all? And that's BS about it being bad gas. If the gas wasn't sitting around for a year in your garage, it should be fine. __________________ Paul

12-19-2011, 11:27 PM	#6 (permalink)
Lucy Dog Crowned Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,180	If the owners manual said 87 and above then you're fine with the 87 gas. You real only need premium gas when it's absolutely needed like with high compression engines or motors. It's nor like premium gas is any cleaner than the regular stuff. A stage 1 snow blower should do perfectly fine with regular (and fresh from the gas station) 87 gas. You either had a bad engine to begin with or it ceased because it wasn't being lubricated. __________________ Paul

12-21-2011, 05:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
Germanshepherdlova Knighted Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Posts: 2,935	It is a stage 2 snowblower. And yes it had oil in it but in the appropriate area-it runs off of gasoline only though not a mixture of gas and oil. The snowblower is brand new-never been used yet because it didn't perform properly. Our neighbor wanted to tinker around with it but we can't allow that because any tinkering around would void the warranty. We had the snowblower moved to a different authorized servicer to see what they say about it and have not heard anything back yet. The reason we had it moved was because my DH got into an argument with the first place it went to when they called him and said that ALL the gas in our entire city was bad gas. How the heck can every single gas station in our city be selling bad gas including Shell and BP? Something didn't smell right there. The snowblower has been at the other repair shop since yesterday but we haven't heard anything back yet. __________________ You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Germa...96574693743892

12-19-2011, 10:02 PM	#2 (permalink)
iBaman Master Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Cedar City, UT Posts: 809	sometimes gas stations give bad gas. One time, we were on vacation and filled up our RV with over 50 gallons...about 10 miles down the road, we're getting no power, and nothing is running...when we drained the tank, it smelled like bad water...there was very little actual gas in it. sometimes when gas stations are bought out, the new company will just use up what's left of the gas, no matter how long it's been sitting.

12-19-2011, 10:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
PaddyD Banned Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MassaCHEWsetts Posts: 5,222	Snowblowers should get premium gas. Very sorry for your situation. Been there with the bad gas and the denial. Sometimes you can do something about it, sometimes you can't. Best thing is to call the regional office and if you don't get statisfaction go higher.

12-19-2011, 10:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
crackem Elite Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,195	That is BS, keep making noise. Better business Bureau, write in to local news stations (most have at least one that has a consumer watch or on your side type story. Write them, call them, hound them. It will get fixed.

12-21-2011, 04:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
ozzymama Crowned Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: ontario, canada Posts: 6,031	We (don't need a blower anymore, live in Utopia for snow ) A mix, similar to chainsaw mix, but not as rich. Honestly if there is someone in your neighborhood willing to tinker with small engines, you will save yourself money and heartache. My mom has a lawnboy/lawndouche/whateveryoucallthemtoomuchmoneyunnecessary lawn mowers, she just gets the local guy to deal with it. It's $15/year, he changes spark plugs, tightens stuff....

12-21-2011, 05:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
hattifattener Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Latvia Posts: 240	black smoke and lack of power may be symptoms of too "rich" air/fuel mix. is it 2 stroke or 4 stroke? check air intake and choke.

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