Another project, slightly odd

This weekend i picked up an old Ariens Snow Destroyer Deluxe for the easy to afford price of free.

Its was one of those situations where it was parked in the backyard during the off season and then never was put back into service. So as a result it has been sitting for a tad over 2 years.

Its got 5 forward speeds and reverse and its just got this giant honkin' auger. It comes with a block heater even. a block heater. Crazy.

Initial inspection revels water in the gas. However i put some gas in the cylinder and tried starting it and BAM it fired and ran for a second so i hope things will be ok. Needs a throttle cable prob cause this one is rusted together.

Any how ill be doing a quick freshening up and see how quick i can get this thing into service. Its a name brand unit so parts should be easy to come by.

well see how it goes as time goes on

I don't know how well versed in snow blowers you are, but check to make sure that the shear pins haven't been replaced by regular bolts. Shear pins will save you lots of money and aggravation in the future.

You must live somewhere warm. All snow blowers around here have block heaters, since it's often -40 in the winter.

I've never heard of a block heater in anything that doesn't have a driver's seat. Now, if your luck is anything like mine you'll get that baby fired right up, it'll run like a champ and we'll never get any snow. I just got mine running a few weeks ago and we just had our first dusting (2" is a dusting in my book). Nice find.

Woody wrote: I don't know how well versed in snow blowers you are, but check to make sure that the shear pins haven't been replaced by regular bolts. Shear pins will save you lots of money and aggravation in the future.

i picked one up for free that ran great but wouldnt throw snow because the shear pins were sheared. 1/4" bolts fit perfect. 7 or 8 years later i never chewed anything up.

patgizz wrote:

Woody wrote: I don't know how well versed in snow blowers you are, but check to make sure that the shear pins haven't been replaced by regular bolts. Shear pins will save you lots of money and aggravation in the future.

i picked one up for free that ran great but wouldnt throw snow because the shear pins were sheared. 1/4" bolts fit perfect. 7 or 8 years later i never chewed anything up.

But...if you happen to come across a stray rock or an especially solid chunk of ice, you'll break the auger shaft in half or destroy the gearbox. I bought one in that condition last year, rebuilt the gearbox, welded the shaft and sold it.

I think a package of shear bolts is about $4 at Lowes. They're worth it.

I also found one at the dump this summer. At first I was going to grab it for the horizontal shaft engine, but then I discovered that it was nearly complete. I added fresh gas, a new plug and it started on the first pull. I had to make a crank for the snow schute because it was the one part I neglected to grab off the pile, but I ended up selling it for $250 a month or so later.

I couldn't believe that someone would actually throw one out after last winter, but I'm guessing that he just said "berkeley it" and moved to Florida.

I don't think there's any project that you could post on this forum that warrants the moniker of "slightly odd".

It was worth what you paid for just to own something called "Snow Destroyer Deluxe".

carguy123 wrote: I don't think there's any project that you could post on this forum that warrants the moniker of "slightly odd".

+1 ...we give brownie points for odd.

I was gonna say LSx but a rotary would do...no?

Looks like it has 'lectric start, too.

what is this device?

With a name like that, I expect it to be decorated like Star Wars, imperial style.

Its officially called the "Snow Destroyer" in homage? to the Star Destroyer from, well, Star Wars.

Did a lot of work tonight. Pics to follow.

What i learned is PB Blaster is awesome. It freed up a throttle cable, carb linkage, numerous bolts and such and just got hosed on every visible fastener.

Works great.

Cleaned out the gas tank, all fuel lines. Then cleaned out the fuel shut-off valve. Cleaned the carb and linkage as well.

Productive night

I have a very similar-looking unit, but a Craftsman. No block heater, but an electric starter. (you use an extension cord!) Best of luck getting it started, mine needed a shot of WD-40 in the cylinder hole after sitting for a few years, then it roared back to life. One word of caution, the auger will chew up and spit out bricks!

driver109x wrote: I was gonna say LSx but a rotary would do...no?

A big block should surffice.

I have a slightly newer version of that one that I purchased from a co-worker.

He has rebuilt his Craftsman twice since then.

I clean-out the carb and put in a new spark plug!

I think he regrets it.

My 15 yr old MTD needed a couple bearings/bushings on the auger shaft. Easy job ? Wrong. Turns out I had to seperate the housing from the drive, no big deal. wrong again. Even PB blaster didn;t work on some of the bolts. Twisted off three of them. Easy to replace, just carriage bolts, wrong again. To get the auger drive assy out of the housing, there is a bearing that slides off the drive shaft first. No way. Finally got a pluller under it and some heat, got it off, Figured I should get a new bearing. Then I found a huge crack in the housing where the blower housing and the auger housing go together. Contemplated trying to weld it, but then the broken studs also cracked the housing, not carrigae bolts. After thinking about it a couple of days. I bought a new housing. So now after $300 I have a fine running snow blower. Changed the oil in the Techumseh, runs like a champ. Usually starts on the first pull. Never use the electric starter.

I also have an old snow blower, it was in my parents' pole barn when they moved in. Much like your Ariens, it weighs twice as much as a new one and has a lot of grunt.

Methinks that block heater is a 120 volt starter. Unless you have 2 120v plugs on that beast.

That being said it looks like you are on the right track. I would suggest removing and dipping the carb, then cleaning it out and rebuilding it. Its like $20 or less in parts and will make it run like new. Mine takes a bit of fiddling with the high speed needle on the carb depending on the weather, but it always starts and runs great.

I admit it, this makes my John Deere leaf blower (free!) project look lame. I'm $10 in and it still haven"t got it to do more than a slight pop. Knowing me, I'll get it running well for slightly more than a new one costs.

As long as you're fixing and cleaning, I would suggest replacing the gas line (rubber hose) from the tank to the carb. Mrs. Mini got a thrill when the fuel line split on a 4 year old MTD and started a fire while she was using it. Fortunately she knew where the extinguisher was, but wouldn't touch the snow thrower again, even after I fixed it. Apparently the fuel line dry rotted from the inside.

The fuel line is really hard so i may do that as a precaution. Ill see if i can get away without a carb rebuilt. Ill know by later this week when i try to run it.

Doing a vinegar soaking right now on some carb throttle linkage. So far so good.

Pics from the other night. Carb cover removed and all the linkage and swiveling pieces lubed and cleaned.

The fuel shutoff petcock thing was not flowing so i took it off and looked inside. Full of crap. so some carb cleaner and fine cleaning and its good as new.

Fuel tank off and all ready for assembly. Gonna redo the fuel line as stated above by another reader

Carb linkage swivel plate thingy was rusted together and would not move so i threw it in vinegar and as of tonight it started freeing up. Vinegar really does work to remove rust. Here is another example of it helping

That block heater is an 110 volt electric starter motor. Sweet things to have when the snowblower has been outside and the oil is thick.

Check the gear oil level in the auger differential. More than one has been burned out because the oil was long gone.

Spray the snow chamber and auger and shute with something like silicone, and it will clear snow much better.

Cheap grade 2 bolts are usually the correct type to act as sheer pins for the augers. In many machines, this is what is specified as the sheer pin.

Ariens were nice machines. Rather regret selling mine and replacing it with a much newer machine.

Put it all together last night. Tried starting it up nut no go.

Runs on starting fluid and the such but not on its own.

Carb rebuild time as i have sprk and fuel to carb.

12$ for the kit so i cant complin