Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Hello,

I am a single woman left with a snowblower I know how to operate, but right now I have no idea what is wrong with it! It is a  two stage Yardmaster, by MTD, 26" 10 HP. It starts fine, I know how to check gas and oil. Problem is auger will not rotate when engaged! I have wiped it clean of all snow- right down to the inside. There is a smaller 3 blade wheel that apparently runs the auger- and this only moves VERY slowly (not enough  to move the auger) when I  pushed down on the handle. I have used a blow dryer and everything on this to get it to run! Any suggestion? THANK YOU!!!!

The smaller three bladed wheel is called the impeller, it is below the chute and is what actually throws the snow. It has a rod that comes out of it that goes into a gear case that the larger sized helical blades at the front are on either side of. The helical blades are called the auger and feed snow to the impeller. The gear case has a rod coming out of it that the augers are mounted on via a hollow shaft and some shear bolts. If the augers get jammed the shear bolts break thereby protecting the rest of the auger drive train. At that point the impeller will rotate but the augers won't. You can test this by turning off the machine and then using a stick or board to push the augers down at the front. If the bolts have sheared then it will rotate freely on its own.

If everything is working properly then the impeller turns faster than the augers. If the impeller is turning but the augers aren't then either the gear case is stripped ( unlikely) or the shear bolts have sheared ( been there, done that, got the rock out). To replace the shear bolts you have to get the correct ones for your blower, most blowers use the same shear bolts but it is a good idea to be sure. Do not use regular bolts, they will cause problems. Take in the make and model number, most lawn and garden places will have them.

Given that the impeller isn't turning too fast it sounds like the belt that connects the motor to the impeller pulley may be worn or has come off. Its not hard to do but you do need some tools, the owners manual should tell you how to change and adjust the belt. If you don't want to do it yourself then the local L&G will do it for you. If you do it yourself then I've found one of those ratchet operated tie downs is very handy. You latch one hook over the top edge of the auger housing and tie the other end around the handle bars. You can then use it to help put the front and back sections together when you are putting the transmission back together.

First - Attempt the cable adjustment procedure for the auger belt. It is outlined in your owner's manual. This will remove excess slack in the cable & may help put more tension on the belt.

If that doesn't work, grab a new belt. After belt replacement, you may have to loosen the cable tension.