Category Archives: Small Engine Repair

Prepare Your Snowblower For Winter

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Former Poet Laureate, Donald Hall once said “November in New England is for putting Fall to sleep”. We agree with this statement. November is also a time that we have seen the first snowfall of the year. That means by now you have probably gotten your winter clothes out and have started preparing for snow. One thing that is often overlooked to prepare for winter, is very important, and that is your snowblower. Make sure to follow these steps this winter to ensure you wont be stuck shoveling with the heavy stuff starts to fall in December and beyond:

Gas Lawnmowers- If you have a gas powered lawnmower, hopefully you removed the fuel when you put it away for good last Spring. If not, use a siphon or turkey baster to remove old fuel. Fill the tank with gas and top it off with a fuel stabilizer that can be found at your local hardware store.

Check Your Tires- Nothing is worse than getting ready to use your snowblower, only to realize you have flat tires. Make sure your snowblower’s tires are properly inflated to the manufactures recommenced PSI.

Mechanical Aspects- Make sure your spark plug  is working properly. It is cheap to replace a sparkplug, and you’ll be sorry if you didn’t take the time to do it prior to the first snow fall. Also, take a look at the various belts on your snowblower just like you would your car. If you see any that are frayed, you’ll want to replace those, as they could break with the first heavy snow.

If you have gotten rid of your snowblower all together recently, or have just decided, “the heck with it”, when it comes to snow removal, get in touch with Lola’s Landscape. We offer both commercial and residential snow removal programs! 

Is Your Snow Blower Stalling Shortly After Starting?

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The Massachusetts area is notorious for its harsh snow-filled winters. Most residents that have a larger driveway or walkway on their property also own a snowblower of some type to make clearing of snow much easier than if they had to shovel it the old-school way. But what happens when you go to fire up your blower after another nor’easter and it starts…but stalls out after a few seconds. Every. Single. Time.

Lola'sLandscapeSnowblower

Let’s face it, nobody wants to shovel- it’s backbreaking, tiring, and takes substantially longer than if you had your snowblower up and running. So why is your snowblower stalling? Take a look at some of the possible causes of small engine failure below:

The Carburetor

When your small engine starts but stalls, there is a change the carburetor is clogged. How does this happen? Well if you leave fuel or gas in the engine for extended periods of time the fuel could evaporate leaving behind a mess of much thicker substance that can clog everything. You can try to clean it with carburetor cleaner, but if it’s too far gone it may be time to call a professional that specialized in small engine repair.

The Fuel Cap

Most fuel caps have a mechanism that allows air to enter the fuel tank as more and more fuel is used. If this hole is clogged then vapor lock will occur causing the small engine in your snowblower to stall after a start. If you loosen the cap and the engine runs without hiccups then you will need a new cap.

Spark Plug Issues

Stalling of your engine could be due to compromised or damaged spark plugs. There are a few ways you can tell if the spark plug is no longer functioning correctly; a cracked porcelain insulator, burnt out electrode, or heavy carbon can all be a cause. If you need to test the spark plugs in your small engine you can use a spark test plug to get to the bottom of your small engine woes.

Too Much Oil

One simple thing that leads to a small engine stalling that many can overlook is overfilling of the oil. If the engine is overflowing with oil it can seep into the carburetor and cause further damage.

If you’ve taken a look at all these possible causes and still can’t seem to find out what is the cause of your snowblower’s small engine stalling, it may be time to take it to a professional. For anyone in the Norfolk, MA area who needs a small engine repair or replacement, Lola’s Landscape offers repair service on small engines of a multitude of mowers, snowblowers, weedwhackers & and other yard tools.

Click here to see our small engine repair rates and services or give us a call today @ 774-248-4584!