Posted: 3/12/2012 6:56:32 AM EDT
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I'm tempted to buy a new snow blower. The old one is over 10 years old and is starting to show signs of hard use. Body is pretty rotted out, paddles short, coil is about to fail. It's 6.5 horse single stage TORO. Thinking of picking up same size machine as they are on sale now - no snow, no demand. But do I go with the old 2 cycle concept or switch to 4 - still a single stage?
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4 cycle all the way you don't have to mix gas and there is more power with them. unlike a 2 cycle which only has a lot of power close to the red line. they are also worth repairing if something major goes wrong with it. 2 cycles are throw away motors.
I would go with a 2 stage i wouldn't even bother with a single stage thrower |
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Why a single stage? 2 stages will throw it farther, and will work much better for heavy wet snow. Only advantage to a single stage is smaller size, and usually lower price.
2 strokes will have a higher RPM, but require pre-mixing the gas with oil. 2 strokes' reed valves & carbs don't like ethanol  The higher RPM /lower torque and smaller size is why they're only used in single stage blowers.
4 strokes will have lower RPM (not the best situation for a single stage) but more torque, and no pre-mixed fuel. Just my opinion and experience, but 4 strokes are easier to start, have less problems, and are easier to maintain/repair if needed. But if you want a single stage, I'd go for the 2 stroke, and use non-ethanol premium ($$$) fuel. A small two-stage 4 stroke probably won't cost much more, and will work better, but will be bigger/heavier. Look for "season over clearance sales" at Menards / Home Depot / Fleet Farm etc. I found one at Menards about 5 years ago that was a super deal. It's a monster (8.5 hp 4 stroke Tecumsah Snow King motor, electric start, self -propelled - 6 speeds forward, 2 reverse, 28" wide 2 stage, headlight) and probably too big for your needs. I saved almost $300 over what it would've cost in the fall, by buying it in the spring. Normally was $879, got it for $600.  It starts first pull every time, so I don't even bother with the electric start.
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4 cycle all the way you don't have to mix gas and there is more power with them. unlike a 2 cycle which only has a lot of power close to the red line. they are also worth repairing if something major goes wrong with it. 2 cycles are throw away motors. I would go with a 2 stage i wouldn't even bother with a single stage thrower I'm not trying to be an jerk, but it's going to come off that way. 2cycle are throw away? Less power? You haven't done much work with 2cycle engines have you? If mixing gas/oil is too difficult, then I argue you don't have the ability to operate a snow blower. How do you feel about changing oil in the 4 stroke? Honestly, snow blowers operate at a single RPM, which would put a 2 stroke in it's power band 100% of the time. 2 strokes are EASILY rebuilt. Children can rebuild two stroke engines. Far easier than 4 strokes with far less parts to break/wear out. That said, I agree that a 4 stroke two stage is the way to go for snow blowers. I currently have a 15 year old single stage MTD snow blower that has gone through everything. I can't seem to kill it. |
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... I currently have a 15 year old single stage MTD snow blower that has gone through everything. I can't seem to kill it. I've got two blowers. The big one I mentioned earlier, and a small "Yard Man" 2 stroke single-stage that I bought at a garage sale for $5, in 1989. The guy couldn't get it to run, so he sold it. All it needed was the "proper" spark plug (he had a J-8 4 stroke lawn-mower plug in it  ). I use it when I need to shovel the snow off my low-sloped garage roof, cuz I can carry it up the ladder with one hand, or to clear my dog run when the snow gets too deep(the "monster" 2 stage won't fit through the gate). I used it after last week's snowmageddon dropped two feet of snow in the dog run. Poor female Labs had to pee standing up.  I cleared it out with the 4 stroke (it will throw a frozen turd 20+ yds, too  ).
Before I bought that big 2 stage/4 sroke from Menards, I contemplated building the mother of all 2 stroke snowblowers, but I couldn't find a big enough "junker" two stage frame & auger that my motors would fit on. I've got two spare Yamaha snowmobile engines from wrecked sleds out in my pole barn. Both are older fan-cooled, oil injected, 2 strokes. Got the clutches and chain-case drives too. One's from an '87 Bravo, 248cc single cyl., 26HP. The other's from an '80 Exciter, 440cc twin, that puts out 56HP. Yup, I've got the "Tim Taylor, more-power" affliction. 
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... I currently have a 15 year old single stage MTD snow blower that has gone through everything. I can't seem to kill it. I've got two blowers. The big one I mentioned earlier, and a small "Yard Man" 2 stroke single-stage that I bought at a garage sale for $5, in 1989. The guy couldn't get it to run, so he sold it. All it needed was the "proper" spark plug (he had a J-8 4 stroke lawn-mower plug in it ). I use it when I need to shovel the snow off my low-sloped garage roof, cuz I can carry it up the ladder with one hand, or to clear my dog run when the snow gets too deep(the "monster" 2 stage won't fit through the gate). I used it after last week's snowmageddon dropped two feet of snow in the dog run. Poor female Labs had to pee standing up. I cleared it out with the 4 stroke (it will throw a frozen turd 20+ yds, too ).
Before I bought that big 2 stage/4 sroke from Menards, I contemplated building the mother of all 2 stroke snowblowers, but I couldn't find a big enough "junker" two stage frame & auger that my motors would fit on. I've got two spare Yamaha snowmobile engines from wrecked sleds out in my pole barn. Both are older fan-cooled, oil injected, 2 strokes. Got the clutches and chain-case drives too. One's from an '87 Bravo, 248cc single cyl., 26HP. The other's from an '80 Exciter, 440cc twin, that puts out 56HP. Yup, I've got the "Tim Taylor, more-power" affliction.
Snowmobile engines on a snow blower....I like your style! |
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4 cycle all the way you don't have to mix gas and there is more power with them. unlike a 2 cycle which only has a lot of power close to the red line. they are also worth repairing if something major goes wrong with it. 2 cycles are throw away motors. I would go with a 2 stage i wouldn't even bother with a single stage thrower I'm not trying to be an jerk, but it's going to come off that way.its the internet you have to have a thick skin to put your thoughts on it. i dont think your a jerk 2cycle are throw away?They are usually cheaper and in my experience you have a hard time finding someone who will fix(lets say a string trimmer) for less then you can buy a new one. i have also had a lawn boy that i couldn't get someone to service so in my experience they are throw away motors Less power? there is more torque in a 4 cycle engine which give you more power at a lower rpm and i might be wrong but it seems like you have more power at all rpms. with the 2 cycle you need to run that thing as fast as it will turn to get the power out of it. You haven't done much work with 2cycle engines have you? nope cant say do If mixing gas/oil is too difficult, then I argue you don't have the ability to operate a snow blower. your right there its not difficult but its an extra step you have to do every time you fill your gas can. How do you feel about changing oil in the 4 stroke? usually you only do that once a season with the 2 cycle you do it every time you get more gas Honestly, snow blowers operate at a single RPM, which would put a 2 stroke in it's power band 100% of the time. 2 strokes are EASILY rebuilt. Children can rebuild two stroke engines. Far easier than 4 strokes with far less parts to break/wear out. That said, I agree that a 4 stroke two stage is the way to go for snow blowers. I currently have a 15 year old single stage MTD snow blower that has gone through everything. I can't seem to kill it. In red i should have put a disclaimer that the only 2 cycle engines i have delt with are one boat motor a whole bunch of string trimmers and a snowblower(single stage) that couldn't take care of snow faster then i couldo |
| I've had them both. My last was a single stage and the current is a 8.5HP Toro 2-stage. One question: Is your wife EVER going to use this thing? I travel a lot so there are times when mine uses it. I wish I had that single stage back - it's just so much easier to maneuver. Sure, the Toro would emulsify and launch not the snow, but the concrete IN my driveway if given the chance but I can count the times I've needed that on one finger the past three years. If I did it over again I think I might buy a new Toro 2-cycle single stage. |
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2-stroke vs. 4-stroke:
Can you even buy a 2-stroke snowblower anymore? The toro snowblower website only shows 4-stroke models. Bonus for 4-stroke: I don't smell as bad when I'm done snowblowing (as compared to using my old lawnboy 2-stroke snowblower). Single stage vs. double stage I've had both, and hands-down prefer single stage for my driveway. My driveway is about 3 cars long and 2 cars wide, so it isn't huge and there is a lot of turning around. The single stage is way easier to handle which makes it quicker. I think if I had a really long driveway where I didn't have to turn much then a double stage might be better. I bought a Poulan Pro single stage snowblower last November at farm and fleet for $320. Thus far I've been very impressed. Even the wet, heavy snow we had a few weeks ago got thrown far. My understanding is the Toro and non-Toro single stage snowblowers are more on equal footing now because the Toro single stage auger design patent expired. So everyone copied the Toro expired patent design because it works great (this is true with my Poulan Pro). |
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I want to stay with single stage as there is a lot of maneuvering to get my drive done. If I could read I would have seen that. My single-stage was, in fact, a 4 stroke. I don't recall the brand but it was green and gold (MTD maybe?). In any case it was a Fleet Farm cheapie. I'd love to say something negative about it but I can't...it started on the first pull. It even had an electric start, which I never needed. I guess take your pick...mix oil or change oil. 
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I vote 2 stroke if you don't care about smelling after blowing snow.
The auger needs speed to throw snow, and conveniently that's exactly what 2 smokes like. High RPM, high power, low weight. Mixing gas was never an issue for me. I have outer clothing i wear while blowing snow anyway so those get stinky and my regular clothes don't. |
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I want to stay with single stage as there is a lot of maneuvering to get my drive done. I have a lot of turning to do and also a fairly long skinny driveway in a tight/compact neighborhood so I have to throw the snow in certain dirtections only. I have to adjust the chute a lot and it is very easy to do with this machine. No plastic shit to break. We bought this last year on sale around labor Day from Central Saw in Racine. Ariens 24" compact In addition to the free extended warranty offered (5 years) on the Briggs motor, it has a low compression easy pull start. They don't market that fact but I only used the electric start the first time, after that, 1 pull starts all winter and a short easy pull at that. The blower is compact, very light and uses the smaller tires so it is easy to turn and lift as well. Large gas tank, it runs for hours on one fill up. It is one of the best purchases we have made with a motor in the last 20 years. |
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I vote 2 stroke if you don't care about smelling after blowing snow. The auger needs speed to throw snow, and conveniently that's exactly what 2 smokes like. High RPM, high power, low weight. Mixing gas was never an issue for me. I have outer clothing i wear while blowing snow anyway so those get stinky and my regular clothes don't. Red Me neither. I've got a bunch of both 2 & 4 stroke engines. So I've already got the "dedicated" pre-mix 5 gallon gas can for the two strokes, and another can for the four strokes. I might mix up a 5 gallon can twice in a year. My 4 strokes get a lot more use, so I do the oil change thing yearly too. 6 of one, half-dozen of the other.
All my 2 strokes run just fine with the same 40:1 pre mix. But after some bad experiences with two-strokes & ethanol, I use pure gasoline only, mixed with the oil. If that means spending extra for premium, non-ethanol gas, so be it. They don't use that much to worry about an extra dollar when I put 4 gallons in the can. I use non-ethanol only in my 4 strokes too.... including all my snowmobiles (that can be expensive, but they run better). I just counted them up... holy crap, I've got a lot of small engines!!! I've got a grand total of 23! 6 snowmobile, 3 generators, 2 chain saws, 2 leaf blowers, 2 snow blowers, 1 lawn tractor, 1 push mower, 1 string trimmer, 1 log-splitter, 1 ice-auger, 2 outboards, and an old air-compressor I rigged up with an old horizontal shaft Briggs lawn mower engine.
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