Hello.

I have an older two-stage Craftsman 8 hp snowblower. The engine
starts great, and the wheel drive works fine in all forward gears and
reverse.

I was using it for the first time this season last night, and managed
to clear a small part of my driveway before it crapped out on me.
What happens is this: when I engage the auger drive, the engine comes
to an immediate dead stop.

I tried cleaning the augers and thrower mechanism, and opened the
shroud covering the drive belts. Everything seems fine (belts all
free to move, nothing visibly blocking the auger/thrower from turning,
etc.) except for a small frayed part on the auger drive belt, but I
can't see that causing the engine to seize up on me. BTW, my driveway
is graveled, and some gravel was thrown out while I using the
snowblower. I'm not sure if this could have caused some kind of
damage or not (it worked fine all of last winter, except for some
shear pins going).

I'm going to open up the main drive part to see if there could be some
kind of problem with the clutch discs tonight, but I'm wondering if
anyone else has had this problem or knows what the cause might be?

Thanks,
Corey

Sounds like you may have a problem with the gear box for the auger itself. Pull
the plug and drain it to see if any chunks of gear come out. If that'snot it
perhaps the engine it to tired to run everything at the same time. The stones
aren't good for it you should adjust your shoes so the cutting edge is a little
above the stones.

you need to remove the spark plug, remove the belt cover engage the auger
then slowly pull the starter and see if the belt turns the auger asss. if
you cant pull the starter rope the auger is sized up (something jammed or
gear box sezed up , ect) if it does pull over you have a different problem ,
it may have a a igition kill switch that cuts the spark when engage (on some
unit 20+ years old have this the newer units dont)


"Corey Dale" wrote in message
om...
Hello.

I have an older two-stage Craftsman 8 hp snowblower. The engine
starts great, and the wheel drive works fine in all forward gears and
reverse.

I was using it for the first time this season last night, and managed
to clear a small part of my driveway before it crapped out on me.
What happens is this: when I engage the auger drive, the engine comes
to an immediate dead stop.

I tried cleaning the augers and thrower mechanism, and opened the
shroud covering the drive belts. Everything seems fine (belts all
free to move, nothing visibly blocking the auger/thrower from turning,
etc.) except for a small frayed part on the auger drive belt, but I
can't see that causing the engine to seize up on me. BTW, my driveway
is graveled, and some gravel was thrown out while I using the
snowblower. I'm not sure if this could have caused some kind of
damage or not (it worked fine all of last winter, except for some
shear pins going).

I'm going to open up the main drive part to see if there could be some
kind of problem with the clutch discs tonight, but I'm wondering if
anyone else has had this problem or knows what the cause might be?

Thanks,
Corey

(Corey Dale) wrote in message . com...
Hello.

I have an older two-stage Craftsman 8 hp snowblower. The engine
starts great, and the wheel drive works fine in all forward gears and
reverse.

I was using it for the first time this season last night, and managed
to clear a small part of my driveway before it crapped out on me.
What happens is this: when I engage the auger drive, the engine comes
to an immediate dead stop.

I tried cleaning the augers and thrower mechanism, and opened the
shroud covering the drive belts. Everything seems fine (belts all
free to move, nothing visibly blocking the auger/thrower from turning,
etc.) except for a small frayed part on the auger drive belt, but I
can't see that causing the engine to seize up on me. BTW, my driveway
is graveled, and some gravel was thrown out while I using the
snowblower. I'm not sure if this could have caused some kind of
damage or not (it worked fine all of last winter, except for some
shear pins going).

I'm going to open up the main drive part to see if there could be some
kind of problem with the clutch discs tonight, but I'm wondering if
anyone else has had this problem or knows what the cause might be?

Thanks,
Corey

You say the belts look fine and are free to turn. How about the auger
itself? Can it be turned? It sounds like you have something in the
final auger drive or the auger itself that is totally jammed. I found
a small rock that caused the problem in mine. It jammed the auger way
in back and hard to spot.

Harry K

You say the belts look fine and are free to turn. How about the auger
itself? Can it be turned? It sounds like you have something in the
final auger drive or the auger itself that is totally jammed. I found
a small rock that caused the problem in mine. It jammed the auger way
in back and hard to spot.

Harry K

Hi.

Thanks to everyone that responded.

When the problem began, augers could still turn somewhat but the
impeller was jammed. My first thought was that it was jammed with a
rock, but when I first looked for a cause I didn't find anything
jamming the impeller

I took a closer look last night in better light and sure enough there
was a small rock, just big enough to jam the impeller, way back in a
hard to see spot. I managed to chip the rock out and now the impeller
turns fine! Thanks to those who suggested it, as it made me take a
closer look. I was starting to think it was gear problem.

Thanks again,
Corey