Snow blower does not shut down?
My snow blower works great but when I turn the key off nothing happens. Since it does shut down as a safety measure when it hits a huge pile of snow, when I need to turn it off, I just push it into a huge pile of snow. Not the best way to do it.
Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong and if I can fix it myself?
Sounds like the wire to/from the kill switch is disconnected. If your handy, you may be able to fix it yourself. Maybe get the parts list and/or wiring diagram from the manufacturer. In the meantime you have two other ways to shut it off –
1) Shut off the gas flow switch usualy a knob or lever in the tube from the gas tank to the engine. Shut off the gas and within 2 minutes the negine should shutoff.
2) If the spark plug wire is easily accesible – usually a black rubber jacket on the wire to the engine, you can just pull the wire off while the engine is running, this will not harm the engine – it accomplishes the same thing as the kill switch – key.
sounds like a wire has come loose on the kill switch, trace the wires , if you cant fine it run a wire from the plug to a switch and the other side of the switch to the frame, to kill it just flip the switch,
William B has it, sounds like the wire, unless the switch itself went bad, if the wires are on the switch, start the blower then tuoch the wires together.
You are right, that is really not the best way to shut the thing off, for sure.
The problem is that the ignition system is not grounding out when you turn the switch off. The problem could be in the siwtch itself, or with the ground contacts not making contact for some reason. You would need to test the switch itself with a multimeter to see if it is grounding out when in the off position. If it is, then the problem is at the other end of the ground wire, it is not making contact with ground.
All in all, you would be best to take it to a repair shop. It shouldn’t take long for a competent technician to fix the problem.
All good stuff.
If it also has a "dead man "switch ( a lever that must be held in when plowing) basically same problem.
Snowing now…come on over.
Best regards
Find the wire coming from under the flywheel and trace it to the key switch. If it is intact it could be the that the switch is not grounded. With the engine running take that wire and ground it to the machine, it should kill the engine. If it doesn’t you may have to remove the flywheel and make sure that it is connected to the ignition module.