Sometimes auger/impeller does not engage

[Vikas]

I have 9hp Sears/Techmush 2-stage snow thrower. These days I am finding that it clogs lot easily than before. This is happening even with Pam spray and dry snow. However, the most annoying part is that even after clearing the clog, it will not spin. Engaging the lever seems to do nothing. The engine does not labor at all. Is the cable needs to to be adjusted? It has minimal free play. There is no adjustment at the level end of the cable.

Do they have a real clutch with a pressure plate etc or just or some pulley and belt type contraption? If there is a friction disc or something inside, then the amount of free play seems to be correct and necessary. Come to think of it, one always wants free play to prevent premature wear on the belt or on the friction disc. I did "discover" a way to "jump start" the auger/impeller by pushing on the cable by hand because it is exposed. I am not sure if that implies it needs adjustment.

There had been couple of incidents with this blower. Once garden hose got wrapped around the auger but that was couple years ago. This year, it ate a Sunday newspaper. Both times the engine stalled and I had to extract bits and pieces from the auger and the chute.

We just had a foot of fresh powdery stuff. Unfortunately, the dams created at the end of the driveway by the town caused it to clog and then not spin again just too many times.

- Vikas

 

[eljefino]

It's almost for sure your belt.

You want it set up so if you hit a newspaper you either bust a shear pin or stall the engine.

They often don't squeal when they slip, and you'd be lucky to even smell it.

It's not only worn but also stretched. Can you run it with a guard off so you can see it in inaction?

A new belt will almost catch in "neutral". This is how so many ER visits/ lost fingers happen.

 

[pbm]

Mine has a cable that sometimes needs to be tightened.
Loosen the locknut...tighten the cable....the auger engages again. Follow the cable down from the handle to find it....

 

[Vikas]

If that is the case, then my "jump-start" method should be OK. If I tighten the cable, is there a chance of ``catching it in neutral'' as Elje pointed out?

- Vikas

 

[yeehaw1960]

When you get ready to change the belt (as you probably will have to), don't kill yourself trying to feed it onto the bottom pulley through the top. Turn off the gas and lean the machine forward so it balances on the auger housing. Remove the plate on the bottom to get easy access to the bottom pulley.

 

[Vikas]

There is no gas shut off valve on this snow blower. But the owners manual does tell to lean the machine forward on the auger housing.

 

[Litecrew]

Sounds like the belt. I have a YTD with the same engine. Caught a couple newspapers and sure enough it stretched the belt. Ordered replacement ones. I was able to adjust the tension slightly to get it going but definitely changing them next week when the new ones get here.

 

[QuadDriver]

change belt, adjust idler pulley and make sure the shear pin is intact.

 

[Vikas]

I took the cover off. The original belt is cogged! Why? Both both the pulleys are standard pulleys. The replacement belt I purchased does NOT have cogs.

Belt replacement procedure is from the bottom of the thrower and looks somewhat of a pain. There is belt-keeper screw and a spring which needs to come out from the bottom after the thrower is balanced up on its auger.

There is lot of black carbon particles around. Those must be from the slipping belt. The idler pulley has some adjustment but from all indications the belt is a goner. I was barely able to nurse it to remove the today's fluffy snow. I took me hours as it was clogging constantly, I don't think it is going to handle the next storm without me doing something about the belt.

I have replacement Dayco belt which was cross referenced at the parts store but it is a straight V-belt. Before I go through the trouble of replacing the bad belt, I would like to know if I can use that Dayco or need to look for exact cogged belt.

- Vikas

 

[eljefino]

Those cogs are something they do to v-belts. I have dimples on mine. I figure it helps them make a tighter corner.

Remember it's the sides of V belts that do the power moving. The cogged bottom should not bottom out on any pulley and therefore isn't responsible for anything.