Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Snowblower Problems, craftsman snowblower, snow on the ground

Question
I just bought a Craftsman Snowblower model 536.886540 from someone that was moving.  I tested it out and it runs great in all gears, the blades spin fine but now that there is snow on the ground the first time I tried to use it it kept dying whenever it started to throw snow.  I tried going to a lower gear but it still cut out.  It seems to me like it is bogging down but the snow was only a couple of inches deep and it wasn't a wet heavy snow.  Could it be from the gas sitting for a summer, or is there something more serious wrong?  It starts right up with the electrical start, but for some reason it is just dying out whenever it has to throw snow.  Any ideas?

Answer
Hi Phillip
 It sounds like it is starving for fuel when under a load which would indicate a blockage of a jet or port in the carb. Remove the carb and give it a good cleaning making sure all jets and ports are open. Also, empty and clean the fuel tank and use fresh gas. It also would not be a bad idea to go ahead and check the magneto arms and flywheel magnet for rust and/or trash buildup which could cause problems later on. Hope this helps.