What the heck has happened to Ariens ??? Isn't it an American company ??

toolmanmike said
I have one just like yours only a few years older. I haven't used it for 3 or 4 years but I start it yearly. The old Tecumseh starts easy with the primer bulb carb. I bought a couple new Toro's a few weeks ago and couldn't be more pleased. They start on the first pull and will auger through 10" of snow and blow it across the alley into the neighbors yard. The 4 stroke engines replaced the old 2 cycle Tecumseh engines they used since the original paddle wheel Snow Pup. tmm

Mine is actually a 1981 model, but I swapped the handles to some later 80's ones I got on ebay after the originals wore through so many times I couldn't really weld them up anymore.

My old Tecumseh (4hp) still started easily, it just really had no power whatsoever. Anything over 4" of snow and it would bog. The 212cc 6.5hp predator engine also starts just as easily (no primer bulb or carb heater), and works great (have used it at -5 F before). Now it has enough power to move anything that can come in the intake. When the snow gets deep, the front end starts rising, but it never bogs, even in heavy, wet snow.

All you need to do the swap is a 3/4 to 1" adapter sleeve, a spacer for the chute handle, and a longer bolt for the chute handle. Can do the engine swap in about an hour at this point.