My Yard-Man Snowblower Is Not Idling Correctly

Fuel System

• A compromised fuel system can cause your Yard-Man snow thrower to idle improperly. Operating on a near-empty tank won’t provide the back pressure to keep fuel delivery into the carburetor, so keep the tank at least halfway full. A fuel line clogged with large sediment deposits hampers fuel delivery for combustion. These deposits occur from contaminated fuel or fuel more than 30 days old. Keep the fuel fill port closed and the ventilation system clear.

Choke

• An open choke can cause rough idling. To start your Yard-Man snow thrower in cold conditions, open the choke control to allow a richer fuel-to-air mixture to warm the engine faster for combustion. The choke control should close after combustion in the engine. An open choke continues to add fuel to the mix, which won’t ignite and interrupts normal combustion. If you stop your snow thrower, you don’t need to use the choke again upon restart.

Loose Parts

• Yard-Man snowblowers are compact by nature. The snow auger also has heavy vibration when in full operation. It’s possible that engine parts become loose over time, causing a shakier vibration during idle. Inspect all exposed hardware on the engine, auger and wheels for general tightness. Inspect the drive belt for wear and tear; if it appears worn or isn’t snug along the pulleys, replace it.

Carburetor Adjustment

• The carburetor mixes fuel and air to create an ignitable vapor for the combustion chamber. Inspect for fuel leaks coming from the carburetor area. Over time, carburetors can become contaminated with fuel sediments or deposits introduced by the air-pressured primer. Use carburetor cleaner to remove these deposits. Also inspect the carburetor float valve to ensure it's properly measuring how much fuel is allowed into the combustion chamber.