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Snowbound


Joined: Feb 17, 2006
Points: 76

Craftsman Snowthrower Model 88115, 11.5 hp won't start
Original Message   Dec 13, 2007 9:27 pm
Sears had a recall last summer-fall to fix these machines because of a concern about fire when primed.  They offered an oil change, new spark plug along with the new fix. 

The technician arrived at 9 am on a September day and acted very nervous and shaky when he worked on the machine.  I asked him if he was ok and he responded that he had too many recall type service calls and not enough time in the day.  He kept rushing and scattered screws and parts all over the place.  I gave him a plastic container to hold the parts while he worked.  When he put it all back together and was ready to leave, I asked him to start the machine for a test run.  He ran it for thirty seconds or so, shut it down and I assumed it was ok.  I should have test run it again in November but took it for granted that all was ok. 

I have only used this machine ONCE.  It was last February 2007.  Purchased in February 2006, it sat for a year unused in a snowless winter.  I have a feeling the troubled technician's bad day is now haunting me.  Sears can only send a tech out on January 2, 2008 so I'm stuck with a machine sitting out half the winter.  (I did have the urge not to have Sears do this fix but they were fairly aggressive with mailings, etc.)  The machine is also under the extended warranty I purchased. 

Anyone else out there who had Sears call on them for this so-called fix?

I tried the pull start first with choke on full (primed with two shots as required).  After waiting several minutes, I then tried the electric start after I walked through the owner's manual check list with everything in place and it still won't start!  I returned 30 minutes later to try again and still no start.

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Snowbound


Joined: Feb 17, 2006
Points: 76

Re: Craftsman Snowthrower Model 88115, 11.5 hp won't start
Reply #34   Feb 20, 2008 5:10 pm
As a follow-up to my recent soap opera drama with Sears, I started my machine today (to excercise it) with three squirts of primer and only two pulls.  Blamm!!  Sounded great!  Air temperature was 30F on a clear day.  My hope for this snow thrower is that it's a Briggs & Stratton.

Ran it for twenty minutes at recommended full power, reduced the throttle to fast idle in the final minute and then shut it down.  Nice.

This message was modified Feb 20, 2008 by Snowbound
Snowbound


Joined: Feb 17, 2006
Points: 76

Re: Craftsman Snowthrower Model 88115, 11.5 hp won't start
Reply #35   Dec 31, 2008 11:37 pm
Here's a brief update from last season's drama with Sears Service and my new machine.  All is well.  Starts on the first pull, runs extremely well and is very powerful!  We got eight inches today in Massachusetts, blowing snow (powder), temp nine degrees and winds gusting to 35 kts. 
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