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Snowblower Won’t Start at −20°C — Quick Triage (West Island)

Snowblower Won’t Start at −20 °C — Quick Triage

When Arctic air hits Montréal, weak fuel and tired ignition show up fast.

3 safe steps at home

  1. Fresh fuel (winter-grade, no stale gas). Prime per manual (usually 3–5 times).
  2. New plug check. If black & wet → dry/replace; cap firmly seated.
  3. Choke & throttle. Full choke only for start; reduce once it fires.

Stop if you smell raw fuel or you’ve pulled more than 10–12 times. Flooding washes cylinder walls.

What we fix in the shop

  • Carb clean (jets, emulsion tube), set mixture
  • Ignition test, plug heat-range per model
  • Fuel line & primer bulb health (ethanol hardening is common)
  • Shear pins check, belt condition, drive friction wheel

Turnaround: usually 1–2 days during storms queue permitting.
Price: diagnosis from $39.00, repairs quoted before work.

Pro tip

Off-season service (March–October) is cheaper, faster, and avoids first-snow surprises.

Call +1 (514) 624-3025 or request a callback.