Depending on the age of your blower, it sounds like your carb might be
dirty. Especially when you say it starts fine with the primer. You already
ruled out the possibility of it being a "gravity" feed problem by loosening
the cap, so that shouldn't be the issue.

Do you have an inline filter going to the carb? I'd check that to make sure
it's not clogged. If you want to attempt repair by yourself, it shouldn't be
too much of a challenge. I would pick up a repair manual for your model
Tecumseh so you can get an idea of the work involved before you start. As
long as you have a socket/wrench set, screwdrivers, and regular and needle
nose pliers. If there are jets in the carb that can be taken out with a
screw driver, make sure your screwdriver is the right size, otherwise you
may end up stripping it (I've done this many of times). Just make sure the
screw driver is snug with the jet.

I think the Tecumseh engines have a fixed jet in the bowl (again, depending
on age). You may get lucky just by blowing the jets with compressed air (I
assume you have an air compressor).

Have you tried running a bottle of Gumout carb cleaner through the tank?
Pick up some of that and mix it in proportion (one bottle treats a tank full
in a car!). This shouldn't be too critical since it's combustible and is
somewhat like a fuel.

The theory of carburetors isn't difficult, so learning a little about them
definitely may pay off for you in the future and save you lots of money.
Knowledge learned now can be applied to your other pieces of equipment (weed
wacker, chain saw, etc.). I've been in the small engine repair business for
years, so feel free to ask any questions.

Mike

"Frank Rosenbaum" wrote in message
...
Hi, all. I have a problem with my Yardman/Tecumseh snowblower stalling. It
was run out of gas in the spring and worked ok for the first two times
this year. Now, sometimes it will run for 20 or 30 minutes and then stall
other times it won't even run long enough for me to get back to the
handlebars. It always restarts if I push the primer button, but doesn't
always stay running. The gas cap was dropped and the rubber part and the
foam part came out. (Am I missing any pieces?) I think I put it back
together the right way. (Foam on the post then covered by the rubber
funnel with the wide part inside the cap and the narrow part facing into
the gas tank). I have also run the blower with the cap loose. There is
fresh gas in the tank. When the blower stalls, it almost sounds as if it
isn't getting enough gas. I am not at all familiar with engines so I don't
know where to start. I don't want to take it apart myself, but I will if
it can be fixed by a DIY.

Can anyone help??


Thanks

Frank in Snowy Michigan