When we first moved into our house, we were given a used snow blower. It was a single stage blower that was powered by a 2 cycle engine.

The problem with the snow blower was that it didn’t like winter. If we left it in the garage, it would not start. So, we had to keep it in the basement. This was a real pain, of course, because it smelled like gasoline and the melting snow left puddles.

In order to get the thing started, you had to remove the plastic engine shroud, remove the spark plug, pour gasoline into the spark plug hole, reinstall the spark plug and the plastic shroud. Then, you had to put on the choke and start pulling on the starter rope. And, you had to do all of this very quickly as if it got cold, it would refuse to start.

Also, if it stopped, it would not start again until it cooled off. Apparently it didn’t like being hot either.

And, in the end, it was a toss up as to which was easier. Sometime it was easier to just shovel the driveway by hand than to fight with the snow blower.

Eventually, we sold the thing at a garage sale. When the buyer asked if it ran, I told him that it did. I didn’t go in to the details on how to get it started.

I now have a two stage self powered snow blower with an electric start. It doesn’t seem to mind the cold and starts first time every time.  Yes!