Snow blower not blowing

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

My snow blower wouldn't discharge yesterday. First time I fired it up in a couple years. The snow was wet and sticky, but all the neighbors were having success with their blowers. I shoveled the heavy stuff for five hours instead.

I'm thinking it's a bad belt to the impeller. The augers are turning just fine. Before I drain the gas, flip it over and crack it open, I'm looking for any words of advice.

 

[blades]

Well, check the shear pin first on the impeller. after that it is either a broken spring on the clutch ( possible something else concerning it) or a broken belt.
Just feel lucky as it could be like mine that started burning the belt after a few passes- nothing jammed in the auger or impeller. haven't had time to dig further. This one is not fun to work on as it is 15hp and 36" wide . I barely weigh enough to get the frontend off the ground to turn it around.

 

[triptester]

More info on the brand of machine would help.

 

[Rob711]

The augers and impeller are usually driven by the same belt/gear box. With machine off can you freely turn the augers? And what they said. What machine is this. And pics might help.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

It's a Craftsman 31AS6WEG799
247.886900. It meets ANSI B71.3 2005 safety std. It's got a B&S 250 cc engine with 11.50 ft lbs of torque.

In other words, I think it's an mtd build.

The manual does not refer to an impeller shear pin, and does refer to an impeller drive belt. The augers look to be direct shaft drive to a gear box. So I am thinking the augers and impeller are independent.

 

[mellow]

Donyboy's channel has helped me a few times with my snowblower that I NEVER use now that it is fixed.

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[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Thanks Mellow! I use the utube vids all the time to fix stuff, but I appreciate you curating the videos to cut through the chaff. I sure could have used more and better videos back when I was installing my stove.

This site needs a video section/function. Just not with autoplay!

 

[mellow]

While your at it you might want to upgrade the impeller:

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[mellow]

I bought a craftsman from a guy for $50 a few years back that he said it wouldn't run. The fuel line had a kink in it! Cleaned it up and did a few upgrades(including a fuel shut off!) and it has sat in my shed ever since. Donyboys vids helped me go over it since I never had one before and see what I needed to clean and fix.

 

[Rob711]

I don’t think most machines have a shear pin in the impeller. Just the augers. The direct drive to the augers is driven through the impeller. Did it work at all this last time? My belt slipped off the pulley when I let clutch go the first time I tried it this year. Belt was in same position for 2 years!
Let’s get this fixed so you don’t have to use it!!

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

While your at it you might want to upgrade the impeller:

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I've been planning on adding the rubber paddles from the first time I used it. They surely will help.

 

[Rob711]

The impeller mod is great! I recommend it to anyone with a two stage machine. Mine will pump water/slush now

 

[peakbagger]

Its highly likely your auger belt is broke or loose. Most snowblowers have two belts, one for the drive and one for the blower. Rarely are there shear pins on the impeller. There is usually a plastic guard immediately behind the engine and before the chute that can be removed. There is usually an eccentric arm actuated by a cable that forces a small pulley to take up the slack on each belt. The belts stretch and can slip and the pulley needs to be adjusted. Usually a slipping belt after several years is sign that the belt will break soon.

Changing the belts is usually a lot more work as you almost always need to split the auger housing from the drive housing. Usually its removing lots of bits and pieces and linkages then removing four big bolts to split them. This takes awhile and is best done with heat. Anyone with an older snowblower should buy spare belts as they may not be standard and locally available They usually break early in the season in heavy snow.

 

[paulnlee]

Where is this belt you speak of located? Cannot see where one would be on my Troy

 

[jatoxico]

The impeller mod is great! I recommend it to anyone with a two stage machine. Mine will pump water/slush now

Yup. I did it to my 1990 vintage Craftsman and it throws much farther and does not clog. Chugged through that mess we had yesterday (12/17) without much trouble.

 

[Rob711]

The belts are on pulleys directly off engine driveshaft. Is your Troy a 2 stage machine?

 

[paulnlee]

The belts are on pulleys directly off engine driveshaft. Is your Troy a 2 stage machine?

It's 2620--2 stage so I guess it has a belt, hasn't failed me yet tho

 

[PA Fire Bug]

When my MTD snowblower bogged down and stopped throwing snow, I found that the friction wheel needed to be replaced. I don't know if your machine has one but this video shows where to find it and how to replace it.

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[peakbagger]

That is odd, normally the friction wheel impacts the wheels not the blower.

 

[Treacherous]

My 2008 rebranded Husky for Sears made by AYP has a shear pin on the impeller as well.

I don’t think most machines have a shear pin in the impeller. Just the augers. The direct drive to the augers is driven through the impeller. Did it work at all this last time? My belt slipped off the pulley when I let clutch go the first time I tried it this year. Belt was in same position for 2 years!
Let’s get this fixed so you don’t have to use it!!

 

[blades]

tore down the 36" Beast ( that is the brand name also ) double belt drive to Impeller- one which was double twisted( and burnt to crisp) ended up cutting that one out in order to split unit. replaced both belts. As I got this used, it had been messed with before hand. ordered a new friction ring material and a cable assembly that controls the shoot hood as that was frozen internally and repaired various other anomalies I came across. Carb is leaking gas when sitting but does not seem to be entering into the crankcase- cracked fuel line ? Haven't attacked that yet. Nasty storm headed this way Tue- Wed. With a little preview due here this afternoon. Naturally I am doing this at home in garage- limited amount of tools yada yada. But it is a 1 hour drive from there to my 2000sq ft shop. Still looking for that darn 14mm box wrench- would have saved an hour dinking around to get enough room to get the 3/8 14mm socket on 2 bolts.

 

[maple1]

The way this thread has gone off in all directions, I don't think it is going to be much help.

(When this happens with my Toro, it is the shear bolts on the impeller shaft).

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

The way this thread has gone off in all directions, I don't think it is going to be much help.

(When this happens with my Toro, it is the shear bolts on the impeller shaft).

Lots of ideas, but as with everything, the only real way to know is to get the sucker open and take a look. My best guess by the way it was behaving, is a worn out belt to the impeller, and replacing that is detailed in the manual. To find out, I'll need to drain the gas, flip it over, and get in there. Fortunately I have the manual that is pretty descriptive with both words and drawings. Now I just need a little gumption, and to find my 14mm socket...

 

[maple1]

Lots of ideas, but as with everything, the only real way to know is to get the sucker open and take a look. My best guess by the way it was behaving, is a worn out belt to the impeller, and replacing that is detailed in the manual. To find out, I'll need to drain the gas, flip it over, and get in there. Fortunately I have the manual that is pretty descriptive with both words and drawings. Now I just need a little gumption, and to find my 14mm socket...

Shouldnt have to go quite to that extent to find the issue. That black plastic shroud over the pulley/belt area, in front of the engine, should come off by removing a couple bolts. Allowing for visual inspection. I had another issue one time with my main pulley working it's way off the engine shaft. But that revealed itself when it started making ugly scraping noises before any further damage happened. And if it had gotten bad enough, the whole thing would have stopped working.

 

[Easy Livin’ 3000]

Shouldnt have to go quite to that extent to find the issue. That black plastic shroud over the pulley/belt area, in front of the engine, should come off by removing a couple bolts. Allowing for visual inspection. I had another issue one time with my main pulley working it's way off the engine shaft. But that revealed itself when it started making ugly scraping noises before any further damage happened. And if it had gotten bad enough, the whole thing would have stopped working.

Right you are, regarding the black plastic shroud for visual inspection, before going any further on the belt.

I suppose I also need to rule out the cable being out of adjustment. I think I assumed that the augers turning as they were, ruled out the cable issue, as it engages both the augers and impeller, but as it's my first time doing any significant repairs/maintenance, I really should just go through all the troubleshooting steps to familiarize myself with everything on the machine for the future.

On the plus side, the oil was clean and full, it starts easily on the first pull, no air filter to bother with, and the drive engages in all gears.