HELP! For you people up North...

[trooney]

A question. Got this Ariens 8524 after I bought an Ariens 1128 that turned out the augers weren't working. Anyway, the 8524 hunts. It doesn't have the original carb on it, most likely Chinese, and the people I bought it from said it was serviced in May. Had gas in it but probably water too. Cleaned and blew out the gas tank, cleaned the carb but it still hunts. Changed the spark plug because it was black, trimmed the primer line because it was cracked, and it still hunts. The weird thing is when I close the petcock to run it out of gas, it seems to settle down and run better when its about out of gas. Any idea what could be causing the hunting or the symptoms? Hope I explained it right.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

A question. Got this Ariens 8524 after I bought an Ariens 1128 that turned out the augers weren't working. Anyway, the 8524 hunts. It doesn't have the original carb on it, most likely Chinese, and the people I bought it from said it was serviced in May. Had gas in it but probably water too. Cleaned and blew out the gas tank, cleaned the carb but it still hunts. Changed the spark plug because it was black, trimmed the primer line because it was cracked, and it still hunts. The weird thing is when I close the petcock to run it out of gas, it seems to settle down and run better when its about out of gas. Any idea what could be causing the hunting or the symptoms? Hope I explained it right.

If it settles down with the fuel turned off, you might try setting the float level lower.

The hunting is a common issue with snowblowers, and it's usually a matter of richening the mixture up to get them to calm down.

 

[trooney]

If it settles down with the fuel turned off, you might try setting the float level lower.

The hunting is a common issue with snowblowers, and it's usually a matter of richening the mixture up to get them to calm down.

But hunting usually means its starving for fuel, correct?

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

But hunting usually means its starving for fuel, correct?

Yes.

I have encountered one carb on a 5.5hp Tecumseh that hunted and acted up until I dropped the float level. It happened to be a Chinese carb, so that's why I spoke up.

 

[trooney]

Yes.

I have encountered one carb on a 5.5hp Tecumseh that hunted and acted up until I dropped the float level. It happened to be a Chinese carb, so that's why I spoke up.

So By dropping the level you mean increasing the distance between the level and the carb body? Thanks.

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

So By dropping the level you mean increasing the distance between the level and the carb body? Thanks.

Yes. Bend the tab on the float so the float closes the metering needle sooner, and the fuel level in the bowl is lower as a result

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

Ultimately, this is probably masking some other issue within the carb, but if it makes it behave and the equipment is usable then

 

[whitesnake]

Yep. Mine started hunting if I get a passage partially clogged. I’ve also bought many that wouldn’t start or would only run on half choke. Carb usually needs cleaned. Yours being cleaned already, probably means your aftermarket carb needs tinkering or your sucking air from somewhere. I’m assuming partly choked it probably clears right up?

 

[whitesnake]

Ultimately, this is probably masking some other issue within the carb, but if it makes it behave and the equipment is usable then

I’ve ran a snowblower on part choke a time or 2 when they said “only expecting a trace” and you get a foot. Surprise the snowblower runs like sh!t as well!

 

[trooney]

Yep. Mine started hunting if I get a passage partially clogged. I’ve also bought many that wouldn’t start or would only run on half choke. Carb usually needs cleaned. Yours being cleaned already, probably means your aftermarket carb needs tinkering or your sucking air from somewhere. I’m assuming partly choked it probably clears right up?

Nope, it dies

 

[trooney]

Its really confusing. Its as if its lean but I think its rich. I always heard hunting is from a lean condition but if you put it on half choke it wants to die. WTF

 

[Firewood Hoarder]

Its really confusing. Its as if its lean but I think its rich. I always heard hunting is from a lean condition but if you put it on half choke it wants to die. WTF

Does the aftermarket carb have adjustable jets or are they fixed?

 

[GMB74]

What does the sparkplug look like? showing rich or lean?
Chinese carbs for these can really be hit or miss.
Strange that it surges ( indicating running lean) but doesn't run better by partially closing the choke. It may have an internal issue due to the high quality manufacturing.
Unfortunately OEM carbs are getting scarce and expensive.
If any of these suggestions don't work, maybe spend another $10-15 to get another carb with adjustable jets to try.

 

[trooney]

Does the aftermarket carb have adjustable jets or are they fixed?

Fixed

 

[trooney]

What does the sparkplug look like? showing rich or lean?
Chinese carbs for these can really be hit or miss.
Strange that it surges ( indicating running lean) but doesn't run better by partially closing the choke. It may have an internal issue due to the high quality manufacturing.
Unfortunately OEM carbs are getting scarce and expensive.
If any of these suggestions don't work, maybe spend another $10-15 to get another carb with adjustable jets to try.

Thats what I was thinking. I bought an OEM for $60 bucks. We'll see if its OEM or not. Some of them go for $150

 

[GMB74]

I have had problems with the OEM fixed jet carbs running lean, surging, popping and running rough.
They are leaned right out to meet emissions. Not much you can do with them unless you want to try drilling out the main jet a little.

 

[trooney]

I have had problems with the OEM fixed jet carbs running lean, surging, popping and running rough.
They are leaned right out to meet emissions. Not much you can do with them unless you want to try drilling out the main jet a little.

With a micro drill? I did not know they made fixed jet carbs OEM...

 

[whitesnake]

Yeah most all small engines these days are set lean for emissions as mentioned above. Some people have opened up jets with drill bits to make them run better.

 

[GMB74]

The bolt holding the float bowl on the carburetor is the main jet. Early ones have an adjustable screw sticking out there. Late ones look more like a plain hex bolt, but it really is a fixed orifice main jet. You can take a small drill bit and open it up a little to richen the mixture. Or replace the carb with an early adjustable one.
The replacement will most likely will be a Chinese made copy carb, but I have had decent luck with them. Buy it off ebay, if it doesn't work return it as defective (no cost to you) and get another one. This isn't a good practice if you are trying to run a business, but works for your own home repairs.

Edit:
If the main jet is fixed, the low speed jet is fixed also. You may see a slotted head screw in the low speed jet location on this carb. Some people monkey with this screw thinking it is an adjustment like the earlier adjustable carbs, but it is not. It is the fixed low speed mixture jet. It should be tight, If it is loose it may cause an air leak and cause running problems.

 

[BillT85]

A question. Got this Ariens 8524 after I bought an Ariens 1128 that turned out the augers weren't working. Anyway, the 8524 hunts. It doesn't have the original carb on it, most likely Chinese, and the people I bought it from said it was serviced in May. Had gas in it but probably water too. Cleaned and blew out the gas tank, cleaned the carb but it still hunts. Changed the spark plug because it was black, trimmed the primer line because it was cracked, and it still hunts. The weird thing is when I close the petcock to run it out of gas, it seems to settle down and run better when its about out of gas. Any idea what could be causing the hunting or the symptoms? Hope I explained it right.

If you still have the OEM carb you could give it a deep clean like this guy does:

He has some really helpful snow blower maintenance content that has helped me.

If that doesn’t work, maybe it is a clogged fuel filter or the aftermarket carb was made on a Friday?