Harman P38 Feeder Body Weldment Wear

[kozielj]

After 1 year of using my Harman P38 I developed a crack or worn area in the front of my burn pot weldment. The area right behind the burnpot. It is the metal cylinder that houses the auger itself. It is almost like the auger dug a hole in it. I went to my dealer and they warrantied the part and got me a new one. I installed it and have been using the stove for a little over 2 months now. The other day when I was cleaning it I noticed the same issue. The original issue was at the end of the cylinder where the end of the auger is and it was at the 8 o'clock position. Now the wear is visible between the 5 and 7 o'clock position. It has not fully worn through the cylinder yet. The original fail I actually had a hole in the cylinder. My question is what am I doing wrong or what can I do to prevent this? I do get carbon build up on the end of the auger that I regularly scrape off. The only guess I have is the auger itself is sometimes rubbing on the cylinder. Why I do not know. Is it possible that the auger itself is not perfectly true or straight and as it turns it actually has a sort or "wobble" to it?? The auger has a main bearing and a flange that is bolted onto the back of the feeder body weldment. The bearing itself is at least 2 inches deep and it's a really tight fit, so I don't see how it would could possibly be loose and or flopping around. What I mean to say is that when the auger spins maybe there is a larger gap say between the top of the auger and the cylinder that houses it and a small gap at the bottom. I am very mechanically inclined and I don't see any adjustment on the auger or bearing seat. My fear is having to replace the feeder body weldment again and that is a nightmare and extremely time consuming because you basically have to tear the whole stove apart. Having 2 feeder body weldments show the same signature cannot be a coincidence. There must be something else going on with the auger itself. Any help, input or direction would be greatly appreciated. I love my stove, care for it meticulously and want it to last.

 

[GVA]

Actually the auger bearing housing only sticks in halfway about 7/8"...
It is possible that the auger was loose and loaded up at one time an cocked it, I guess.... supporting a rotating load from one end is not the greatest way of doing things but it works for these stoves..
I'm curious does your auger tip extend out of the tube and into the burnpot about 1/2" if not the tip could have broken off.

 

[kozielj]

Thanks for the info... I am gonna clean my stove again soon so I will most likely pull and check the auger... I do get a lot of carbon build up around the auger in the housing. With respect to the auger tip sticking out into the burnpot.... It never has... When I 1st got the stove it did not stick out into the burnpot. The end of the auger screw is slightly worn, but not broken off... When the tip rotates it is flush with the front of the feeder body weldment or cylinder...

 

[GVA]

My old auger shown next to a new one

 

[kozielj]

Good info.. Thank you very much... I have to go home and inspect.... I wonder if The problem from the get go was the auger... Maybe I got a slightly defective one from the beginning. It makes sense looking at the picture... The auger should extend into the burnpot. In this manner the screw itself may rub, but not cut into the cylinder. My problem is that the auger cuts into the cylinder... Now I have a real issue... My current cylinder is worn, but not all the way through(The one I already replaced). My dealer warrantied the feeder body weldment... BUT I have no idea if they will warranty the auger... Honestly I hate dealing with my dealer because they are pretty much useless... How much does an auger go for $ wise. Is there a website anyone knows of where we can order harman parts? Or does everything have to go through the dealer.... which stinks in my opinion... I would rather bypass my dealer, forget about the warranty and outright buy the auger to avoid the grief...