Tips on Starting a Toro Snowblower

Prime Properly

• You must prime a Toro snowblower’s engine sufficiently before you start it. With the ignition key turned and the choke lever moved to the right, press the primer button and hold it for a couple of seconds. Release the button, and wait another 2 to 3 seconds before pressing it again. After holding it for another 2 seconds, you can let go of the button and start the engine. In some conditions, such as below freezing temperatures, you may need to prime the engine one or two more times for it to start properly.

Use Electric Starter Sparingly

• Some Toro snowblowers feature an electric starter feature, which can help get the snowblower started more easily, but you must use it properly or you can damage the blower. Plug one end of the electrical cord into the snowblower and the other end into a grounded outlet. Press the electric start button, but only run it for 5 seconds at a time. After turning it off, let it rest for 5 seconds before running it again. You can repeat this process up to 10 times. If you leave it on for more than 5 seconds or attempt to start it more than 10 times, the starter may overheat. If the engine does not start during this process, you should wait approximately 40 minutes before trying to start the snowblower again. Unplug the electrical cord after using the electric starter to prevent family members from accidentally starting the snowblower and causing injury or damage.

Pull Recoil Starter Properly

• If your Toro snowblower has a recoil starter, a little more effort is required to get the engine started. Rest your snowblower on level ground without any debris or large mounds of snow beneath it. Grab the recoil starter firmly with one hand. Before pulling the starter, you may find bracing a foot on the bottom of the snowblower is helpful for better leverage. Try to pull the recoil start in a smooth, quick motion. If the engine doesn’t start on the first pull, prime it again before attempting to pull the recoil starter again.

Move Choke Lever

• Once your Toro snowblower’s engine has started, you must move its choke lever to the correct position or the engine may stall. Keep the engine running, but slowly move the choke lever all the way to left. You must move the lever in a smooth, deliberate motion to prevent the engine from stalling. If you feel the engine begin to stall, you can attempt to slowly move the choke lever back to the right to keep it going.