We Finally Got Some Snow.

It came a little late for a white Christmas, but it started in earnest earlier this week and has been falling fairly heavily at times especially in the past three days. Above, I posted a picture off the Internet of a radar image of the snow pattern. This is a classic and fairly common situation where we live (in the lee of Lake Huron) The snow clouds pick up moisture off the relatively warm water and the prevailing northwest wind funnels it right into London. As you can see, other areas received very little as the pattern remained almost stationary for days.

Note the "tall person handles" on my 25 year old blower

Well, it’s 2010 and that makes my old MTD “Gran Prix” 825 snowblower twenty five years old. I recently gave it a full tune up with new plug, rebuilt the carburetor, and replaced the fuel line and muffler. Here’s a picture of Tim giving it a workout. You can clearly see the extension handles that I put on in March 2008. They are about a foot higher and allow a tall person to work without stooping. To see the old blog entry, click here.

It's great that you can still get replacement parts for this common old workhorse. You see, MTD made this same machine as "a cheapie" for a dozen companies like Noma, Canadian Tire, Sears, etc. so there are lots around and they still haven't changed the design or parts in all these years. The new muffler for the 8hp Tecumseh engine was $10 on eBay and locally, Kensal Rentals had the carburetor rebuild kit for $11.

It still runs as good as new after all these years and the machine was ten years old when I bought it used. Tip: change the oil every season. Also, I use Shell V-Power highest octane gas because it contains NO ETHANOL, It was the ethanol I think that rotted out the rubber parts in my carburetor and fuel line. My personal campaign: DRINK ETHANOL, DON'T BURN IT!!!

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