How to Adjust the Idle on a Toro 5200 Snowblower

Locate the carburetor which is exposed by removing the air filter. Look for a large flat-head screw near the side of the engine. This is the idle adjustment screw. Use your flat-head screwdriver to turn the screw clockwise until it cannot turn anymore. Don't turn it too tight; this can break the adjustment switch. Now turn back the screw counterclockwise one revolution.

Turn on the snow thrower using normal starting techniques. Allow the engine to run for ten minutes in order to get the engine to an optimal operating temperature. You do not want to adjust the idle when the engine is cold. This won't give you an accurate adjustment.

Turn the adjustment screw clockwise again. Turn the screw slowly and take note of the position where the idle begins to run extremely high. This will make the engine sound like it's operating louder than usual. Turn the screw slowly again but in the counterclockwise position and take note of the position where the idle is at a low point. This will sound like the engine is sputtering and about to fail completely.

Turn the screw clockwise to the position in between the two points of notation at the low and high point of idling. Leave the screw in the halfway position of those two settings. This will give you a balanced idle setting meant for optimal engine performance. If you feel the engine is still not running properly or is sputtering, you may need to address other maintenance and troubleshooting options such as changing the oil, cleaning the carburetor or installing new spark plugs, all of which can help improve engine performance.