Enviro Omega problem

[mw529]

I have going through auger motors on my omega. I just replaced my 3rd one. It seem that the bushing keeps breaking free of the plate and seizing on the auger shaft. This wears down the bushing collar and the auger scrapes on the plate causing too much friction for the gears in the motor box to handle and the gears pop out. Anybody else have this issue? Is there a fix? So far no real answers from dealers. Waiting for response from Enviro.

 

[Lake Girl]

Did you hear back from the company? No sure how consistent the augers are between stove models but could try a search on the forum to see if it turns up any answers for you...

 

[vinny11950]

maybe get another plate and bushing would be the solution

http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/Auger-Brass-Bushing-and-Plate-p/50-1658.htm

or just the bushings - but i would get the plate and bushing in case it is the plate.

hard to see how it wore down and came loose. though i did hear someone mention in another thread that some Enviro bushings wear out fast.

how old is the stove? also there should be another bushing at the top of the auger. but after 3 years, on my M55 that bushing shows very little wear.

make sure the bottom plate is flat and balanced against the stove body. and that the auger shaft is not warped somehow.

good luck.

 

[mw529]

maybe get another plate and bushing would be the solution

http://www.stove-parts-unlimited.com/Auger-Brass-Bushing-and-Plate-p/50-1658.htm

or just the bushings - but i would get the plate and bushing in case it is the plate.

hard to see how it wore down and came loose. though i did hear someone mention in another thread that some Enviro bushings wear out fast.

how old is the stove? also there should be another bushing at the top of the auger. but after 3 years, on my M55 that bushing shows very little wear.

make sure the bottom plate is flat and balanced against the stove body. and that the auger shaft is not warped somehow.

good luck.

I purchased a plate/bushing assembly in July 2012. I only run the stove during the winter so that assembly lasted me only one heating season before it caused the gear box failure. I purchased the stove in August 2009 so that fall/winter was the first season. The factory assembly only lasted 3 years. I luckily had purchased spare bushings last time when I had the issue so I was able to get the bushing in the plate and get the stove back running once I fixed a gear box. The top bushing is fine as there is no pressure or force on it like the lower bushing. I have uploaded a couple pictures of the wear. All seems flat and balanced. I would think that in the manuals it would say to check the bushing for wear in its maintenance schedule if they knew of the wearing problem.

 

[mw529]

Did you hear back from the company? No sure how consistent the augers are between stove models but could try a search on the forum to see if it turns up any answers for you...

No response as of yet. Still waiting.......

 

[vinny11950]

I purchased a plate/bushing assembly in July 2012. I only run the stove during the winter so that assembly lasted me only one heating season before it caused the gear box failure. I purchased the stove in August 2009 so that fall/winter was the first season. The factory assembly only lasted 3 years. I luckily had purchased spare bushings last time when I had the issue so I was able to get the bushing in the plate and get the stove back running once I fixed a gear box. The top bushing is fine as there is no pressure or force on it like the lower bushing. I have uploaded a couple pictures of the wear. All seems flat and balanced. I would think that in the manuals it would say to check the bushing for wear in its maintenance schedule if they knew of the wearing problem.

Wow that's a lot of wear.

The shaft is either bent or too big for the assembly or something is throwing it out of place somewhere along the holding chamber. When you place the new bushing on the lower end, does it turn freely?

Here is my thread showing the auger disassembled.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/m55-auger-and-rust-removal.115771/

Did you check out the top bushing plate by taking the auger cover off?

I imagine the Omega has a similar auger setup as the M55. I was thinking of buying but they discontinued it.

 

[johneh]

From the looks of the bushing it was turning in the plate
The auger should turn in the bushing . Check to see if the
auger is bent it does not have to be bent much to make the
bushing jam and turn in the plate.

 

[mw529]

From the looks of the bushing it was turning in the plate
The auger should turn in the bushing . Check to see if the
auger is bent it does not have to be bent much to make the
bushing jam and turn in the plate.

The bushing did seize on the shaft and it was turning in the plate. If it is bent, I cannot find it.

 

[johneh]

Try using some silicone grease on the shaft inside the bushing
just enough to make it slippery. Thats what I use . I do mine every year at it's
full spring cleaning ( both bushings) and never had a problem with bushings
or auger 1n 12 years .

 

[nailed_nailer]

You could try an "aftermarket" Bushing.

McMaster Carr has a great selection.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#bearing-bushings/=pwrokp

Not sure what exactly you need but they should have it.

---Nailer---

 

[mw529]

Try using some silicone grease on the shaft inside the bushing
just enough to make it slippery. Thats what I use . I do mine every year at it's
full spring cleaning ( both bushings) and never had a problem with bushings
or auger 1n 1yearT

Thanks for the tip. The high temps doesn't bother the grease? I wonder why enviro doesnt recommend that in its manual?

 

[chamas]

The high temps doesn't bother the grease? I wonder why enviro doesnt recommend that in its manual?

They are sintered bronze bushings, grease-impregnated. That means there are tiny "pockets" of lube in the bushing material itself, that releases over time, to lubricate.

Theoretically, adding grease to this type of material can block the pores and not allow its own grease to surface and lubricate, but I have not seen this happen.

Synthetic grease usually has more resistance to high temps.

Something is causing the lower bushing to seize on the auger shaft which forces the bushing to rotate in the end plate. The bushing should be a tight press fit in the end plate, not able to rotate. When installed, the auger shaft should be able to spin somewhat easily inside the mounted bushing. What does the surface of the auger shaft look like, where it spins inside the bushing? It should be smooth, round, and polished, no burrs or galling allowed.

 

[vinny11950]

i am wondering if they put the correct auger in the stove, or if you just got a defective one. It would be hard to diagnose without the specs or comparing to another auger.

Call Enviro and see if they can help you with the specs to find out if you do have the correct auger in that stove.

That was the time when they were transitioning out of that stove model and introducing the M55, so maybe they were mix and matching parts.