snowblower question

[Oss]

I realized just now that its gonna snow over a foot tomorrow and I dont have
the oil I am supposed to use in the sears snowblower that gets mixed with the gas either
30 or 40 to 1

In a pinch what would happen if I used MMO? or 4 cycle oil that I would use in the pressure washer?

I would be using the blower for about an hour

[5_19]

Don't think that a good idea! Your engine will either seize up or the plug would foul up very quickly. The mixing oil is made to burn fairly clean during combustion and form a lubricating fog/mist in the crankcase. If either doesn't happen you will be buying a new snow blower in about 5 minutes.  How do I know? I bought a new chain saw, not much use for snow blowers in this area even although we are supposed to get 1-3" on Thursday. TJ

[Madmike]

Not sure about the MMO, in the olden days we used to use straight 30W all the time for mix oil and mix it at about 25:1.  Some guys that I know that did loggers sports and competitive powersaw sports  sweared by oil that was designed for aircraft engines and mixed it at 100:1 instead of the recommended 50:1, said that it glazed on the intake - similar to polishing and didn't foul.

I would risk it in a pinch but that's me..... if you are worried why not just go over to the store and buy some??

[Patrick]

Like Mike said,, if you can't run to the store and get some 2 stroke oil then you can use straight 30 at a fairly high mix rate of about 25/1 or greater such as 16/1.. Don't just dump the oil into some gasoline and go,, make sure its thoroughly mixed..

[John Schmidt]

This was back in central Iowa about 40 yrs. ago, a fresh layer in the driveway about 6" deep. I just happened to be home for a short visit so got to observe this first hand. Dad finally broke down and bought a blower, it took a little assembly however. That never stopped him, he spent a couple hrs. putting it all together in the basement and lugging it up the stairs. With great flourish he did the fuel and oil thing while we watched from the big picture window in the living room. Then mom suddenly started rapping on the window and yelling no-no-no. He didn't hear her, the thing was already running, and I saw what she was talking about....he had mounted the chute but forgot to fasten it down. It had a pin mechanism you could pull to change the direction it blew the snow, and dad hadn't inserted the pin somehow. He revved it up and hit the first pile of snow, the chute immediately whipped around and did three 360's blowing snow at high speed. It happened so fast he was hit all three times before he could react. When he got it stopped, all you could see was his entire front covered with snow and his rather large schnoze poking out through the snow on his face. His glasses were packed behind them as well....he looked like a walking snowman. Mom had to leave the room, afraid of wetting her britches from laughing so hard. Me, I'm standing there with tears in my eyes and my sides aching. While he got de-iced, I went out and cleared the driveway for him. He sold the blower to a neighbor a week later and went back to the shovel.

[Patrick]

If you've never used a snowblower before,,, don't ever stick your hand in the chute if it becomes plugged !! Let the machine shred a broom handle, not your arm..

[Madmike]

.................you should see how fast they chew up a 50' extension cord............

[alph]

I love my snow blower!  Thankfully I don’t need to mix the oil, but I do know that you don’t want to use anything other then mixing oil.  Like stated earlier, it’ll plug up your sparkplugs, don’t know about seizing up your cylinder though.

I use to do my neighbors driveway, it seemed that every time I did, the machine would break, and I’d have to do mine by hand!!

Bought my machine for $20, it needed a $8 head gasket!  Runs great!

[Patrick]

ROTFLMAO to Mike !!  We have an electric starter, do we??!!  Thats funny !!  Probably wasn't so funny at the time though was it..

[Madmike]

ROTFLMAO to Mike !!  We have an electric starter, do we??!!  Thats funny !!  Probably wasn't so funny at the time though was it..

I bought my snowblower mostly for the wife when I was away from home over half the time.  I always did the driveway and yard  with a quad and snowblade and came home one time and there was the quad drove up against a snowbank and stalled and she couldn't rock it hard enough to get it back into neutral to get it restarted.  Now I use the quad to do a quick job and  then the snowblower to keep the sides back and blow it back in the bush on the south side where it won't drift back on to the driveway.  

We have hardly any snow this year, about a foot total. I have only done the driveway twice this winter and used the tractor and bucket both times and scraped it right off.  Sure glad I don't live down in the snowbelt like some of you guys, it has been nice here lots of -15 with clear skies and sunshine - beautiful.

[Patrick]

Well,, I'm in the snowbelt,, downwind of the great lakes..  Mother Natures Ice-box,, there's ice in them thar clouds[ for the fliers in the crowd]..  We're pushing 14 ft so far this winter,, may end up setting a new record before its over.. There is only about 8 or 9 inches out there right now,, the recent big event was just to the south of us.. We did get 4 ft one night about a month ago.. Been a long winter, can't wait to get to Key West.. We're in dire need of some sun, sand and a margarita..To keep this blower related,, I have a two stage 10HP Ariens that kinda got retired years ago as it was an exercise in futility trying to keep up with the snow removal with that little guy,, its now serving double duty as an airplane toter and keeping the hangar doors clear..