| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Engine Will Not Start | Fuel empty | Fill |
| Fuel valve off | Turn on | |
| Ignition off | Turn on | |
| Choke off | Turn on | |
| Spark plug foul | Clean | |
| Oil level low | Add | |
| Fuel contaminated | Drain fuel | |
| Carburetor dirty | Clean | |
| Coil faulty | Replace | |
| Ignition system fault | Inspect | |
| Shear key broken | Replace | |
| Valve lash | Adjust |
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Engine Will Not Crank | Pull cord fault | Inspect |
| Belt issue | Check | |
| Too much oil | Drain | |
| Needle valve faulty | Replace | |
| Engine damage | Inspect | |
| Faulty extension cord | Inspect | |
| Battery Start Won’t Crank | Faulty battery | Replace |
| Faulty solenoid | Replace | |
| Faulty switch | Replace | |
| Faulty starter motor | Replace | |
| Cord Start Won’t Crank | Faulty extention cord | Repair |
| Faulty extension cord plug | Repair | |
| No power at house socket | Inspect | |
| Faulty starter motor | Replace |
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Engine Stops | No gas | Fill |
| Bad gas | Drain fuel | |
| Faulty gas cap | Replace | |
| Spark plug foul | Clean | |
| Ignition system fault | Inspect | |
| Carburetor dirty | Clean | |
| Auger obstruction | Check |
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Wheels Won’t Move | Belt loose/broken | Replace |
| In maintenance mode | Remove | |
| Axle bolt broken | Replace | |
| Cable slack | Adjust | |
| Friction wheel worn | Replace | |
| Drive plate dirty | Clean |
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Won’t Throw Snow | Broken shear bolts | Replace |
| Belt loose | Adjust | |
| Belt broken | Replace | |
| Belt worn | Check | |
| Auger brake on | Adjust | |
| Auger frozen | Thaw |
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
| Pull Cord Won’t Catch | Worn pawls | Replace |
| Pull Cord Broken | Cord snapped | Replace |
| Pull Cord Stiff | Needle valve faulty | Replace |
| Too much oil | Drain | |
| Pull Cord Snaps | Shear key broken | Replace |
Symptoms Alphabetically
- Auger belt smoking
- Auger stops in snow
- Auger shear pin broken
- Auger – should it spin freely?
- Drive – Snowblower won’t move
- Engine oil too full
- Engine starts then dies
- Engine stalls when auger engaged
- Engine sputtering
- Engine surging
- Engine stops after a few minutes
- Engine only runs on choke
- Engine popping noise
- Engine loses power when hot
- Oil smells like gas
- Pull cord snaps back
- Stale gas
- Smoking snowblower
- Snowblower smells like burning
- Symptoms table
- White smoke from engine
- Will engine start without oil?
- Won’t start
- Won’t start when cold
- Won’t start after summer
- Won’t start – ran out of gas
- Won’t start after carb cleaning
- Won’t start – no spark
You may find the following post helpful – How ignition systems work?
Need more info on the fuel system, carburetor components, and how they work, you can check them out here.
- About the Author
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John Cunningham is a Red Seal Certified Tech with 25+ years of wrenching.
Bringing hands-on expertise to LawnmowerFixed.com, John writes practical repair and lawn care guides with a passion for keeping outdoor equipment running smoothly.