My dad got me one of the best gifts I could get (in Chicago) a couple of years ago.. a Toro CCR 2450 GTS snowthrower. I have used this beast quite successfully on several occasions without incident but today it started to seize...
After about 15 minutes of usage, the motor would start to sound clanky and then seize. It is difficult to describe sounds in words, so bear with me. The normal sound is a nice deep regular chug-a-chug sound but after some usage the motor sounds more hollow/shallow and like clack-clack. Kind of like the rattling sound that happens when you are in a car that has something loose and you hit a bump. I think the thrower is over-heating. If I let the unit rest, for about 10 minutes it runs again for a bit then the seizes. I don't know too much about the engine yet, but I do know that it is air cooled and gets its oil from the fuel mixture.
Call #1: Toro Customer Care
I called Toro (1-800-348-2424) and after navigating one of those awful phone menus, was speaking to a customer care representative. I described the issue that I was having with the snowthrower and she found something similiar in her support database. The hypothesis provided was that the act of throwing snow is causing the motor to seize due to ice formation on the engine. This is a known issue and apparently authorized service locations have a fix for it; she mentioned something about a new engine shroud. I will test this theory out when I get home by starting the unit and not throwing snow. If it seizes, then this isn't the problem.
Call #2: Skokie Lawnmower Inc
I used the service locator functionality on the Toro website to find a service dealer near to me and found Skokie Lawnmower Inc (1-847-677-3434). I spoke to a man and described the problems I was having with the unit. About 30 seconds into the call, he told me that I must have a bad fuel/oil mixture and that the machine is irreversibly damaged. I told him that I knew how to read instructions and that I mixed the fuel properly (I only use Toro 2-Cycle oil, no other brands).. He said no, that I must not have done that properly. When I told him that I have had the machine for a couple of years and have gone through several refillings he still said that I must not have followed the instructions. I decided to bring up the hypothesis posed by Toro and he didn't have any idea what I was talking about.. other than to say a rather unconvincing well it's possible.. Just to round out the call, I asked him how long it would take to service the equipment-- they have a 3 week backlog. 
Resolution
I didn't end up taking the thrower to a service place. Instead I realized that I needed to vigorously shake up the gasoline/oil mixture. Apparently in cold temperatures the oil and gas separate.. ack.
toro snow blower
Hi Matt, No snow in Queens, NYC, yet. Went to Home Depot, & the Toro 2450 is selling for $503. I'm 66, & it's about time to consider not shoveling. We have a driveway that rises from basement level to street level. Do you think the Toro is capable of blowing going up? Going down? My neigbor has a monster 2 stage blower, but it leaves a slight surface of snow, & it really is to heavy. Was the fuel separating, during freezing conditions, the underlying issue? I'm retired, & my hope is to hit snowfalls with a plowing after 5, or 6 inches of snow. Does the Toro really start after 1 or 2 pulls? Does it really plow to the surface? Any other helps about plowing, or maintenance, with the Toro. Thanks from the Big Apple, Joe.
I'm skeptical but optimistic
We have had one decent snow here in Chicago this year. Not too bad like 5" or so. I go out the garage to start the thrower and it doesn't even turn over. Now it could be a problem with old gasoline. I need to get some new gas and somehow get the old gas out of the thrower. I think last time my problem was with the gasoline as well.
Here's what I can tell you definitively.. I have used the thrower to push 11-12" of wet snow in past winters and it handled the load with no problem. Other than this year, it definitely started within 5 pulls. I think last year separated fuel was the issue, once I shook it vigorously everything was great.
In general, the thrower is a dream compared to shoveling. I'm a fit 34 (tomorrow) and shoveling really sucks; it causes me shoulder and back pain, etc. Now the thrower still requires some physicality; I'm not sure if my 5'2", 100lbs wife could move 6" worth of snow.. but she just might. As far as shoveling up or down.. not a problem either way (my driveway is on an angle).
Toro CCR 2450
I found your site looking for info on this snowblower. We bought one about 3 years ago and used it 4 or 5 times on a 60' two-car driveway and about 200 feet of sidewalk. Snow generally 3 to 6" and fairly lite. Last time we tried to use it just plain would not start. Didn't have time to monkey with it so put it away and didn't need it in '06 & '07. Of course didn't drain the fuel out, so this year I knew I'd have to drain and clean the tank, replace the fuel filter, and dismantle the carburetor and clean the gunk out. Successfully did this and decided to replace the spark plug. Pulled the old one out and inspected and found a tiny bit of carbon stuck between the electrodes and the gap was down to about .010". Called around and found the proper gap was .025" and installed the plug, filled the tank with freshly mixed fuel and pulled the rope. No turn! Tried again. Still no turn. Took the spark plug out and sprayed some WD-40 in to maybe loosen up any rust that might have formed, then took the belt cover off and used some pliers to rock the main shaft back & forth. Finally got a full turn out of it with no tight spots so put the plug in and pulled the rope. Started and ran for about 3 seconds. Did this repeatedly for 10 minutes so gave up for then and left it. Next day, got a call from wife that she had decided to try and it finally stayed running after about 5 tries. Ran good, she said. She took it out and used about a half-tank of fuel cleaning our driveway when it started vibrating really bad and something started clanking. She can't remember if she shut it off or it just stopped. I checked it when I got home and found the muffler had vibrated off. Decided to pull the rope through and it is seized!
This time the crank will turn half a turn and stop either way. Probably broke a connecting rod. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm not real impressed with this particular engine and blower. I don't know if it has a weak spot or something else happened, but I think I'll go find a 4-stroke blower with a different name on it.
Do not buy a Toro 2450 GTS whatever you do!
Our first one never started.
The Toro reps had me take the stupid thing apart to check the spark plug. It was fine, of course--and we then exchanged it for a new unit.
The 2nd unit fired up the day before a snow storm for a test run. The next day it ran for five minutes, siezed, and didn't run again all that day.
We ran all the gas/oil and at the end of the season. Of course b/c there was no snow, it ran great.
Today is the first serious snowfall of this season. It started on the 2nd pull, smoked a little bit, but ran fine. I threw about 400 linear feet of snow (4-6 inches), let the thrower keep running for a few minutes on a clear patch--both with and without the blades rotating, and brought it back into the semi-heated garage for about 45 minutes.
I brought it back outside and pulled the cord and it wouldn't start on the first pull, so I re-primed it and tried again. NOTHING.
Won't start.
So I prime it, and try to start it again. Won't start. Pull a few more times--nothing...
Spent about 10 minutes getting to a Toro rep (0,0,0,0,0, should get you through once you're in the automated snowblower menu--ignore the "don't understand" recordings) who was exceedingly cheery on the phone, if completely and utterly unhelpful.
Time to get on the phone...
Turns out, it should have started with just a pull w/o a prime as a "warm start", but then her theory was that I flooded it after re-priming. I asked where the info about "warm starts" was in the owner's manual and was told it's a "feel thing" that isn't in there.
After I start ranting and roaring my wife takes the phone and goes about trying to troubleshoot the "warm start" situation and is told that we should have bought this from an independent AUTHORIZED DEALER, (not the Home Depot!) who would have gone through the mystical mojo nonsense of warm and cold starts. Now, it's suggested to let it dry out, then COLD-Start it again. But try not to flood it. Or take it in for service. Or whatever. GTS=Guaranteed to Suck.
So, it's another snowy day, and another day where I'll be humping snow with a bad back due to the ridiculously deceptive "Guarantee to Start" marketing gimmicks of Toro.
If you are considering purchasing the Toro CCR 2450 GTS snow thrower, beware! I have had nothing but complaints since paying for one of these.
It's a design flaw.....and Toro knows it
The reason these things seize up is because the muffler sits directly on top of the exhaust port which pours directly into the cylinder. The motor sits at a 45 degree angle and the exhaust port is on top with the muffler sitting right on top of the hole.
Take a guess what happens to the inside of a muffler on a small two-stroke engine?............It builds up carbon!
Take a guess what happens to the carbon inside the muffler when it is being shaken violently?..........It falls right in to the cylinder!
I rebuilt one for a friend and was absolutely stunned how stupid the design is on this thing.
Toro is telling people they failed to use the proper mixture or that their oil and gas is separating.......pure BS! I had similar problems with a Toro lawn mower and Toro blamed everything from me to my neighbors but refused to acknowledge the design flaws that were plain as day.