Craftsman electric start snowblower wont start

check vent--if has fuel filter change it --carb cleaning --rebuilt--replace --------cdi failing

It needs three things to start. Fuel., spark and compression. First pull the new plug and make sure that it is at the right gap and clean. Crank the engine over to see if it has compression. A gauge will help you tell. Check to make sure the plug is getting spark. Spray some starter fluid into the carb then try to start it, If it starts then it is a fuel problem. The carb may need to be replaced. Had to do that on a honda 500. If it still does not start then start looking into the electrical part of the system. If it has a coil make sure it is getting current from the module. Check all electrical connections. Had a computer whos connection was bad.

Its the carburetor. Needs to be cleaned. But try this first. On the bottom of carb is a round bowl with a bolt holding it on .If snowblower has gas in it clamp fuel line to stop fuel leakage. Remove bolt and pull bowl down slowly. Look in bowl to see if there is water at bottom under gas.To be sure dump out fuel and clean out bowl with clean rag and some air. Next place a small piece of tube in bottom of carb that you took bolt out to hold bowl on. Blow air in to remove any dirt and reassemble carefully and refuel carb and start engine. Good luck.

Gotta take the Bowl off the carburetor and see if the Jet is Plugged up.
Today's Ethanol gas ills carburetors. New gas wont help a gummed up carb from leftover old gas.

Gap the plug at .030 What is most likely the main problem is whatever gas sat in the carb. Even with fresh gas there will be some old gas still in the float bowl. You may be able to drain the bowl and be OK but I have a feeling that the carb will need to come off and be disassembled and cleaned properly. You can try spraying carb cleaner (I dislike starting fluid as it is too volatile and carb cleaner does just as well in this instance) into the carb/intake. Remove the air filter, open the choke, and spray the carb cleaner in through that way if possible. You can actually keep an engine running by spraying with short bursts. Even by just spraying once you should be able to get the engine to start. If it does start but then will not stay running without spraying more into the engine then it is a carb problem.

You have to take the bowl nut off he bottom of the bowl and clean it with a small wire or torch cleaners. Try not to allow the bowl to drop off the carb, the float drops down and the needle might come off the float.

you put new gas in the tank -- but did you drain the carburator bowl ? -- also clean the bowl and the needle seat and jet. if your gas was bad in the tank - there is a chance that the carb got gummed up.
also -- are you getting spark ?
if you are still having troubles - please feel free to write me back here and I will do my best to walk you thru the steps needed to fix.

c...

First check fuel shutoff valve on bottom of carb . Disconnect and remove , clean witn carb cleaner and be sure there is power at wire when the key is on . Also clean carb jets and bowl .....

You are on the right track. Do check the air cleaner, and also check your oil level and condition. If the oil's been in there for 3 years, I'd change it.
Also pull the carb off the motor, and get a spray can of carb spray cleaner and clean the bowl, needle valve, around the float, and in any ports, jets, etc.
Drain a bit of the gas out and check to make sure you've got gas flowing, that it's clean and not blocked.Look in the carb bowl...make sure it's not full of sediment, water etc... Spray all the carb linkage and make sure it's all working freely.
While you're at it, use the spray cleaner to spray off the tip of the spark plug, and use some fine sandpaper to clean up the electrode. Then pull the motor thru with the spark plug out , but still attached to the spark plug wire and check for spark. If no spark, replace with a new one. If it's an older style ignition, it may even have contact points that youll need to clean and regap..

Sounds like you have water / debris in your carb fuel bowl. Using spray carb cleaner will only work if you remove the bowl and clean the carb jets. Also, you could have water in the gas tank as well. First, remove your air filter, then remove the 3 screws that attach your filter bracket to your carburator and mower. Take off your fuel line at the carb and drain all your gas into a clear jar. If it looks very yellow, cloudy, or see water in the bottom of the jug, change your gas. Using a half inch socket wrench, after gas line is disconnected, remove the fuel bowl and clean with carb cleaner. Also, examine the bolt you just removed. There are 2 jets in the side and one at the end. Using the carb cleaner, make sure they are clean as well. Use the carb cleaner extension tube to spray up inside the bottom center of the carb, where the bolt threads, to clean that area as well. After all this make sure your float assembly is intact and reassemblt the bowl to the carb and reattach the the fuel line. finish by reattaching the air filter support bracket making sure the gasket between the carb and the bracket isn't damaged. Also, never use last year gas, alway buy freah every year.