Warming up the Old Wheel Horse with Anthracite

Forecasters were warning of some nasty weather so I finally got around to pulling out the snow tires and my old Wheel Horse 414 with the snow blade attached from last year. All went well til I tried starting the old Horse, it wouldn't fire up unless I kept spraying gum cutter through the carb, uhmm. Since my Husqvarna Rider is my summer ride, I depend on the Wheel Horse to plow the stone driveways and sometimes the street out front.

Since it wouldn't stay running, I thought just get it out of the shed and tow it to the house. Well the wicked cold wind turned the Horse into a steel block about 200 feet from where I needed it to be. I suspected that the fuel pump or lines had frozen moisture in it and that kept it from running. I had no four wheel drive available and snow arrived so my front wheel drive vehicles weren't going to do the job - what to do??

Well yesterday and today I ran through a bunch of scenerios to move it - from calling a tow truck to eyeing up all the toys at Tractor Supply. All costly.

Then it struck me, why don't I take a pan of hot coals and place it under the engine and cover it with a canvas tarp for about ten minutes. Gave it a squirt of gum cutter and it fired right up. Moral of the story, never underestimate the many uses of anthracite coal.

To all, have a Merry Christmas!!

Snuffy

Yes, lots of uses for a coal fire. I've used an anthracite coal fire to burnout an old tree stump. Dug down some and put a bed of burning coal and then using an electric leaf blower was able to burn the stump out.

My wife's father was a civil engineer in charge of facilities at a VA Hospital in Fargo, ND. He would using burning coal dumped on the ground to warm it enough to dig when making winter time underground repairs. I saw a similar idea using propane. Concrete pipe was used as blow torch head. Open valve propane tanks supplied the fuel, leaf blowers supplied the combustion air. I ran like hell.

Theory being,no matter how great hi-tech stuff works--that old school stuff will get it done in a pinch---welcome to the world of common sense--my best to your father in law,probably belated:) Good for you snuffy--Merry Christmas to all

snuffy wrote: Gave it a squirt of gum cutter and it fired right up.

Snuffy

You may want to use something else besides gum cutter or eather, they will wipe the oil off the cylinder walls. I have used WD40 and PB blaster when engines sat for long, the problem is more the gas(new junk with enthalol absorbs moisture) evaporates, and gums the jets up.

Soltron is a decent additive for the new fuel issues and old carbs...
http://www.teamrsm.com/soltronsales2.html