For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 11, 2019

Wow…

back to the shovel, Mike

Time to bring the snowblower into the house until it warms up enough to start. No wait! That would be too practical. What would be the stupidest thing possible you could do to warm up a snowblower? I predict that’s what Michael will be doing tomorrow.

You need the Aussie stuff: https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aerosols/start-ya-bastard-instant-engine-starter

I prefer to plug in the electric starter with an extension cord. Cold weather doesn’t seem to matter much.

Guess they have to be practical and wait until the snow melts before starting the snowblower. Money well spent.

Must admit that I’ve never had a snow blower. But that would be a problem. Maybe they use special oils and/or special fuels and/or something.

Must be a Toro.

Have you tried switching it off and on again?

Lynn’s Comments:

This series of strips resulted in more letters from men than most others I’ve written. Apparently, even when it’s running like a charm, the snowblower is one of the least favourite tools in the work shed!

Start the car and put the blower behind the tailpipe. Warms it right up.

Wait…You have a snowblower in the garage, and you’re out pushing a shovel??

This was literally me yesterday morning!!

Why would you have a machine designed for working in the snow that won’t start when it gets cold?

….and the power mower won’t start when it’s warm! ;o{

It makes sense to me, Michael. Our tractor used to be kept in the garage in the winter. If it wasn’t warm, there were pins in the blower attachment which would shirr off. I think that just means that they would break. Anyway, it was unusable until the pins were replaced. Wish we still could use the blower attachment, faults and all, but it needs a part which is no longer made and can’t be found. Now the tractor uses a pusher attachment.

Had (almost) this problem with my snowblower this winter. It had sat all last winter because I was recovering from surgery. Went to start it a few weeks ago, and nothing. The electric start just cranked, but wouldn’t start. Got a friend to come look at it. This friend is an aircraft mechanic, and he brought over 5 gallons of aviation fuel. Cranked that stuff through the engine for a while, and now it runs great! Cleaned out the fuel lines, carb jets, everything. Passing on his suggestion, use one tank of av gas at the start and end of each season, and you will have a clean engine. A gallon of av gas is cheaper than the additives you can buy, and it works better. Same advice for lawnmowers.

When I was living up in Mountainaire, Az. ( which gets beaucoup snow in the winter ) I was amazed at the number of people with snowmobiles who could never seem to get them started. My old F150 Ford with 4wd would start every time and go anywhere.

Oh, the counterproductiveness.

I get mine ready in the fall. New gas,new oil, carb cleaner, new spark plug, adjust tension on the auger cable. It has electric start. Never refused to start in 20 years.

Start a fire under that booger!!!

Okay Dad, so what is the trick to get it to start?

I have used 97 percent Isopropyl alcohol to start my lawn mower a few times.

My shovel worked every time I tried it.

And the lawn mower overheats in hot weather!

a little WD40 sprayed into the carb will do the trick