Leaking Gas

[Miramichi]

Okay guys i see that there is great fans of the Yamaha snowblowers here.I have one question i have the leaking of gas in the carb of my 828 so do i just order the needle valve for 38.00 or should i go ahead and order the whole  carb for 148.00?everything looks good in the carb and works like a charm until today

[YamahaGenuineParts.com]

You should put the carb in a vise on the bench, hook up a fuel bottle to it and see if the needle and seat hold ...if the carb overflows then you will reuire a needle and seat to correct.
If you have something broken or jets are siezed in the carb ,or something is stripped on the carb then I would recomend replacement..cheers !

[trouts2]

   It could be dirt causing the float needle to not seat or the float may have developed a hole and won't lift the needle fully.

trouts2
http://www.kedawei.com/snowblower.htm

[Underdog]

Before I'd spend $150 on a carb I would price out a replacement engine. New motors have technology way beyond what our blowers had when they were produced  20 years ago.
You can pick up a new honda (clone) 11 hp engine with cast iron lined cylinders, overhead valves,
a new electric  start, new gas tank, ball bearings on the shaft, and a one year warrantee for around $219. It might be worth looking into.  

[Tim the toolman]

If you get the honda replacement engine will it bolt right on and will all the yamaha add ons like the belt guides bolt right on? Have you done this?

[Underdog ()]

I have never tried it.  I cannot answer your questions about the belt guides.  The first step would be to check the rpms on the replacement engine and then measure the output shaft's length, hieght, and diameter. I read through the service manual and owner's manual for the 828 and I could not find a spec. (other than 3800 rpm).  

I doubt the the engine was made to fit the snowblower. It is more likely that the snowblower chasis was designed to fit the engine. (just like the honda).  These "yamaha"  (or Wisconsin Robbin?) engines are on other outdoor power equipment (including generators).
 
Yamaha was alreadly producing very advanced 4 cycle small engines for motorcycles at the time they started selling snowblowers.  It makes me wonder.  Why did our snowblower engines have side valves when overhead valves, overhead cams, and newer technology existed?  What, no fuel injection?

[Tim the toolman]

Thanks for the info. If anyone has tried this and is succesfull I think alot of people would be made happy, that is untill we can get OEM short blocks or engines