Snowblower Mods

[cheesy]

So, I finally got to use the MTD Yardman snowblower at Cheesy Manor last weekend. To say I was underwhelmed would be an understatement. In the units’ defense, it was heavy wet crap that I was trying to move. But as my machine was pushing out slush turds, the guy across the street was throwing said slush a good fifteen feet.
It’s obvious that the 179cc Predator engine isn’t up to the task of moving Illannoy snow. It seems it is more suited for a kids mini bike. So, I have two choices with the stock I have on hand. One is a 217cc Briggs that was destined for a stalled mini bike project. The other is a 315cc Lambordini/Kohler diesel for a diesel motorcycle project that will never happen.
Both are bolt ons with the exception of probably having to purchase new drive pulleys due to varying shaft sizes.
As you can probably guess, I am learning towards the diesel. It’s noisy, stinky, and heavy, so it has that going for it. It also has gobs of low end torque that the heavy wet crap that passes for snow around here won’t stall. And, and, and, electric start. Also, the entire neighborhood will know when I’m doing my driveway.
The Predator will unstall the mini bike project because it is smaller than the Briggs which means less frame chopping to make it fit.

[bogieboy]

hmm, one question on the diesel Cheesy, what is the max rpm of it? a 179cc motor should have more than enough grunt for snow, as long is its not trying to feed a 30" auger with a 14" impeller.... my ariens Sno-tek is a 26" path, 10" impeller, and its powered by an LCT (good ole chinese motor) 208cc, and as long as the carb is clean, you can take it andhog into a foot and a half deep half frozen low trailings and it grunts, and still spits snow, as wet or heavy as one could imagine, at least 8-10 ft, the dry powdery stuff will go more than 40 ft...LOL

i would check your belt tension, if the belt slips you get snow turds... or is it completely stalling the motor?

as a side note, the mtd yardman blowers arent exactly the greatest performers to start with... you could also look into impeller flap mods if the clearance is pretty big between the impeller and housing.... like this....will help tremendously....


http://www.tpenfield.com/SnowBlower/Impeller_Modification_1_files/IMG_7049.jpg

[cheesy]

We had a much better day today. I’ve never had a two stage before so there is a learning curve with feed and speed. Snow went quite a distance. Just one or two turds when my speed was too slow for the small amount of snow where I was. Engine really loads up when I hit the wet crap, but the little poop never stalled. So, a lot of it was me.

Past experience with MTD already had me convinced that the brand is at the bottom of the food chain. It came with the house, though, so I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

To answer your question about the diesel, 3600 max, and that can be governed down. I’ve worked with these Lambordini engines for years. They are beasts.

[minimac]

Past experience with MTD already had me convinced that the brand is at the bottom of the food chain.



At least there are plenty of junkers available for cheap $ that handy guys like us can salvage needed parts from.

[bogieboy]

We had a much better day today. I’ve never had a two stage before so there is a learning curve with feed and speed. Snow went quite a distance. Just one or two turds when my speed was too slow for the small amount of snow where I was. Engine really loads up when I hit the wet crap, but the little poop never stalled. So, a lot of it was me.

Past experience with MTD already had me convinced that the brand is at the bottom of the food chain. It came with the house, though, so I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

To answer your question about the diesel, 3600 max, and that can be governed down. I’ve worked with these Lambordini engines for years. They are beasts.

Yes definite learning curve coming from a single stage... load it up, exactly opposite of a single stage... you want that throttle wide open working as hard as it can to keep up, not barely spitting snow...LOL

All that aside, that diesel would be a beast... again, load the crap outta it... i would love to see it done...LOL

[Bruces]

I have no doubt the diesel will turn the rest of the MTD into broken junk in short order .

[Weldangrind]

As you can probably guess, I am learning towards the diesel. It’s noisy, stinky, and heavy, so it has that going for it.

People write LOL a lot, but I genuinely laughed when I read that. :D

[bogieboy]

I have no doubt the diesel will turn the rest of the MTD into broken junk in short order .

quite possibly, having had to work on too many of them to count...LOL but i am sure it would be fun to se....LOL :lmao::lmao::lmao:

[Bruces]

My neighbour gave me a 2011 mtd junker ,with the 250cc Briggs (1150 model ) ,and the engine mount is completely broken off the rest of the blower which is a completely rusted turd ,especially the impeller housing . I was going to fix the motor mount but have decided the rest is not worth the effort ,and am now thinking I might make a powered wheelbarrow out of the back half of it .

[wedooit]

Gotta love the smell of diesel, and the diesel exhaust.....the new trucks with def, they stink of fertilizer. We wish all our engines on our property were diesel....BUT WAIT, not the sleds...sorry, no way!!! LOL