Toro CCR 2000 Snowblower: Mikuni Carb 38180 Clean

Toro CCR 2000 snowblower, Mikuni Carb 38180 diagram, 1995

Raining, it is today and 14C, but my new-to-me Toro CCR 2000 snowblower, last winter (2015), started once, sputtered and quit. I changed the plug but it did not restart, so I had to resort to my trusty Canadian Tire snowblower, which I do maintain. The Toro needs a carb clean, which I will do today.

The Toro CCR 2000 snowblower circa 1995 is much more famous than my Canadian Tire model # 318-180-515, 3-21″ model. I have had this snowblower for 10 years now (2025), and apart from the occasional carb clean, has just performed. This machine has been alive for 30 years, and is still not only very much operational but it does a great job. Try to get such long life from a battery operated model. You’d need to replace the battery every 4-5 years. My Toro does need gas and a little bit of snowmobile oil (20ml/L of gas), an occasional carb jet clean, but that is it. The 2 stroke engine gives it enough power to get through wettish snow, but does best with dry powder. For really wet snow the Toro does bog down, so you will need a 2 stage snowblower. While progress is important, longevity plays a crucial role in the machines I own.

There are Toro CCR 2000 snowblower diagrams and videos on the internet, but no one has really documented a good carb and jet clean for the Mikuni 38180. Few tools are required, it is pretty easy and it should take you a leisurely 30 minutes. Here it goes:

Tools:
-needle nose pliers: to remove the fuel line clamp
-sockets: 8mm, 10mm
-5mm hex wrench
-dofu container to catch dripping gas
-flat head screwdriver
-carb cleaner and fine nozzle

1. Cover Removal

I’ve done this a couple of times without issue. Remove the front cover screws, one on each side, 8mm. The front metal plate, which is behind the plastic cover, is attached to the machine near the handles, bolts one on each side, 10mm, Wiggle the cover up, watch the plastic ears on each side, then pass the plastic cover rearward between the handles. This exposes the carb. You should clearly see the float bowl in brass.

2. Remove Bits attached to the Carb

Disconnect the fuel line, which goes from the fuel tank to the carb. It is attached with a green spring clamp. Use the needle nose pliers to release the pressure, then slide the clamp down the tube, which will now remove quite easily. Drain any gas into the dofu container. As I drain my tank after every winter I had nothing to drain. Disconnect the other smaller black tube, which attaches to the primer pump on the front cover. Disconnect the choke wire, which is thick. The choke is the large black block of plastic visible from the rear of the engine cover.

3. Remove the Carb
Remove the 2 black carb bolts (1), hex 5 and a ‘u’ shaped metal cover or spit cup (2), facing outward. They are long and attach the carb to the engine body. Thanks, Mikuni, for making these bolts standard to the bicycle hex wrench! Disconnect the ‘z’ shaped throttle cable. There is a small spring that goes into the same hole as the throttle cable. You will need to turn the carb right and left to wiggle out of the ‘z’ wire. As you wiggle the carb gas might come out, so catch any in the dofu container. Your carb should be now free from the machine.

4. Disconnect the Float Bowl

Remove the large 14mm bolt (24) at the bottom of the float bowl. There is also a red metal washer (23) on the bolt. As you remove the float bowl (22) gas might leak out so catch any excess gas with the dofu container. Usually the inside of the float bowl is pretty filthy, so clean it out well.

5. Remove the Float

Turning the carb upside down you should see the beige plastic float (20). There will be a large metal tube, the main nozzle (19), in the center of the float, which holds the main jet (28). Remove the black plastic collar (27) from the main nozzle that stops the float from going too far, or it will fall out by itself.

There are three parts that are together, so don’t let them fall to the ground and get dirty. Holding the float (20) to the carb body is a pin hinge (17). When you remove the pin hinge, which simply slides out, not only will this release the torsion spring (18), but also the float seat (29), which simply slides into a groove in the float. Don’t drop the float seat, like I did, and don’t lose it or it’ll cost you $25.

6. Remove and Clean the Main Jet

Within the main nozzle (19), the long metal tube in the middle of the float, there is the main jet (19). You will need a flat head screwdriver to remove this. Gently remove this, as a replacement jet is $14. It takes 5 full turns. Clean this well by blowing carb cleaner into both ends. It is hollow. I also use the bristle hair of a plastic broom to get into the hold and scrub it. Do not use any metal wire as it might enlarge and cause the machine to run with too much gas. Blow it out and clean it well. Blow carb cleaner into the main nozzle as well, and ensure it is clean. Reinstall the main jet with 5 full turns, gently.

7. Reinstall the float assembly

This is the trickiest part. Slide the float seat (29) into the slot in the float (20). Lower the float into position, while ensuring the float seat goes into the proper float hole. At the same time position the float and torsion spring (18) so that you can then slide the pin hinge (17) into place. The long end of the torsion spring rests on the float bowl. You do not need any tools for this but it is a bit tricky to get all 3 parts aligned and pin hinge back into place.

Toro CCR-2000 snowblower, gas float assembly: pin hinge, torsion spring, float, float seat, black spacer, photo by Don Tai

Important Notes for the Float Reassembly:

• the black plastic spacer (27), large tab points down, the “U” groove fits the metal main nozzle (19), 3 small tabs at the bottom
• inside the metal main nozzle (19) is the main jet (28)
• the gas float (20), orange, the flat surface is at the bottom, the curved surfaces are at the top, hidden and out of view
• the float seat (29), metal, just fits into the groove of the float, and goes into the hole in the carb. There is no other hole in this area.
• the torsion spring (18) has multiple circles on the right side, the wire that connects the left and right sides is on the top. The end of the right side spring hooks onto the float

8. Remove and clean the Jet

On the opposite side to the carb bowl is the Jet (8). It looks very similar to the Main Jet (28), uses a flat head screwdriver, and takes 5 full turns to remove. Gently remove it, as a replacement will cost you $13. The jet has a hole in the top and 3 holes on the sides of the tube. Blow carb cleaner into all these holes and ensure they are clean. With a little effort you should be able to look sideways and see light from one hole to another.

The end, near the 3 holes, has a tiny hole, as I found out! The first time I cleaned the carb the hole was not evident to me. The snow blower was surging and was difficult to start. The cause was this tiny hole at the end. Be very careful, as the hole is very small. I actually was able to use the end of the spring (18) to poke into this orfice. The diameter of the spring is very small. A single strand from a plastic broom head is just able to enter it. Clean it out with carb cleaner. Stick the plastic strand through the end hole and you should be able to see it through the 3 holes. I could not push the plastic strand through the whole length of the jet. After I thoroughly cleaned out this tiny orfice the snowblower started with the first pull and there was no surging. Hurray!

After you clean this last but important orfice, reinstall the jet with 5 full turns.

9. Reinstall the Float Bowl
The small screw (25) and washer (26) are on the same side as the pin hinge (17).

10. Reinstall the Carb

Reinstall the ‘z’ throttle wire and small spring. Then screw in the 2 main black 5mm bolts back into the engine body. If there are no residual parts you are good to go.

11. Reinstall the Plastic Cover
There are 2 10mm screws into the handlebars and 2 8mm screws for the plastic cover. Ensure that the side ears of the cover and tucked behind the front red cover.

That was not too hard, was it?

Quick Carb Jets Clean
This machine seems to be easy to clog up its jets. I have to do a carb clean every couple of years, and usually in winter. Oh my frozen fingers. Maybe after each season I should just proactively clean the jets? Here are some abbreviated steps, which will make a jet clean much faster and less fiddly.

1. Drain the gas, flip the machine over, take off the cover
2. The main jet is large and may not be clogged up, but it is accessible and easy to do. You may want to try cleaning the small jet first, then see if the machine will start. Remove the float bowl bolt (24) with a 14mm socket. To clean the main jet you need not remove the float assembly, saving you a lot of fiddly hassle, especially in winter. The main jet will be visible in the middle of the float. Remove the main jet with a flat head screwdriver, ensure it is clear, one large hole.
3. Take the carb assembly off the machine by undoing the two large hex bolts (1), 5mm. you need not remove the gas intakes
4. Turn the carb over and from the top you will see the secondary jet, remove this and clean it well. Remember the tiny hole in the middle of the secondary jet. You’ll need a very thin piece of wire.
5. There are two lever wires to attach to the carb. One is the choke mechanism. The other, I don’t know what it does, but also has a spring.
6. Button everything up, you are good to go.

Toro CCR 2000 snowblower, Mikuni Carb 38180 diagram, 1995

Diagram Numbers
1 black bolts, hex 5mm
2 metal spit cup
24 Float Bowl bolt, 14mm
23 Float bowl bolt washer
22 Float Bowl
20 Float
27 Spacer, black plastic, limits the float movement
17 Pin Hinge
18 torsion spring
29 Float Seat
19 Main Nozzle
28 Main Jet
8 Jet
25, 26 Float bowl small bolt and gasket

Addendum 2016 Dec 12: We had 15cm of snowfall last night. The temperature is rising above 0C to +2C but tonight it will go back down to -5C, and stay below a high of 0C for 5 days. This means that during the day today the snow will partially melt, followed by a 5 day solid freeze, turning the snow into a block of ice.

I rose early and did half the driveway by shovel, as to not wake the family and neighbours, but at 12:00 noon i gassed up the Toro and it was sweet. It started on the first pull and throws snow much farther than my Canadian Tire snowblower. There is a little bit of hesitation in the engine, a sort of pulsing, that I hope will go away when I use it more often. Otherwise I will clean it again in the summer. For now it works well and I’m happy that the carb clean was successful.

Addendum 2017 Feb 11: Snow blower starts but runs unevenly with low power, then dies. Then hard to start. Ripped apart the carb again, after missing the end port on the jet last time, but everything was clean. This time it was the spark plug, 19mm, with a bit of dirt on it. I cleaned it, installed it and the snow blower started right up. Went to the street that had some snow still and it threw the snow just fine. I hope this is the final “fix” or cleaning for this, but I’m getting good at ripping apart the carb.

Spark plug gap 0.032″

Addendum 2020 Oct 13: It is fall and there is no snow on the ground. In fact it is 18C outside! Last winter the snow blower was running rough, so I did a carb clean, after which it would not start. In fact I cleaned the carb and jet 3 times, replaced the plug, and it still would not run. Was it bad gas? This is odd, because this machine is pretty reliable. I had to use my neighbour’s snow blower all last winter. Damn. Today I decided to look at it one last time.

After I took the carb off for the nth time I checked the float was clear (it was, I can blow air into the gas inlet and the float would open and close properly. The prime inlet was clear, and the jets, including the main jet were all very clear.

Looking at the diagram and comparing it to my carb I realized that I put the float in upside down. The slanted side should face up! The grey plastic spacer under the float, the nose should point to the back, with the tab on top and not bottom. I buttoned it up, added gas and sure enough, it fired up on the first pull. Damn, life can be harsh. Live and learn. Next time print the diagram and assemble it correctly!

2019 Fixing A Toro 2 Cycle Snowblower that Won’t Run or Start: great teardown of the Mikuni carb