stim

As I look outside her in Massachusetts it's snowing and although I have to admit the coming snow was worrisome w/ a loooong driveway. I just finished up reassembling the machine.. Refit the key, realigned the gears bolted all back together, filled it with gear oil. and..................

It works!  I still don't know what happened.  As I recall disassembling the gear box I do remember the key falling from the bottom of the assy.  I may have dislodged it when I was pulling it apart but that is all I can imagine as to the problem.

Anyway as a really poor mechanic I am happy I took the plunge and repaired (cross fingers) it myself.  My thanks to all on this board for your help and suggestions.

Well the journey continues....

Pulled it all apart.  Shear bolts fine..  Oil low but clear of any shavings... Gears both worm and helical look fine.  Reassembled (tough getting the 4 bolts holding the bearings/flanges and thus position the augur shaft to the frame by hand) and found I had missed one of the spacer/washers that go into the gear case assy on the auger shaft ) @#$@$$.  Now pulling it all back apart.

As I described above not real handy but I've seemed to manage.  The key looked fine (small half disk that fits into groove on augur shaft).  At this point the only thing I can think of is the helical gear somehow moved off the key and was spinning free and not engaging the worm gear.  Although I really don't see how that could happen.  Admit I am puzzled but until I put it back together again I won't know if I've actually got it licked.  Question.  When reassembled should I be able to spin the augur (and thus impeller) by hand? 

Belts are fine.  DId take a look.  However if the impeller is turning and the auger is stationary (not pulsing or moving at all ) then it has to be in the gearbox.

Thanks for your well thought out and visual reply.. appreciated.  I did go on Toro's site and saw what you had described.  Funny thing is I opened up the gear case and the helical and worm gear look fine.. No real wear and no metal shavings etc.  Not bone dry - not even close.

Can the helical slide off the key that it sits on?  I am going to attempt to put it back together and see if I can't get the gears to mesh correctly.. reassemble fill it with oil and see if it that is the ticket.  The pain is the reassembly to make sure I have the augur shaft and impeller shaft seated and centered properly before I can see if I have got it correct.  If I bolt back the gear housing though I may be able to tell pretty quickly.

OK I've made the leap towards doing it myself... Have the housing off the auger removed and just the auger and impeller shafts and helical/worm gear unit left.  Am trying to get the impeller shaft removed from the impeller itself w/o luck,  Given the prices I have seen for the worm gear unit, $300+ I want to make sure that is the issue before I order one.  The impeller shaft is connected by two shear? bolts but they have a brass? casing that fits into the shaft.. any advice?