# Compact 24 issues throwing



## Nate Chorney (Mar 15, 2017)

https://youtu.be/chguWlT8xRk
https://youtu.be/aVCiWNP-96E
https://youtu.be/uDbKJIUjjYQ


Had a couple problems with my blower. It was easily getting jammed up and then wouldn't spin until completely being cleared. Once it was able to blow again it would easily get jammed again under heavy snow.

Videos are in original post. Any ideas? Dealer said check belts and shear pins. Shear pins seem ok.

Thanks


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

Seems like the auger belt may be loose. Def. no prob with sheer pins because it does throw snow from time to time.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

RIT333 said:


> Seems like the auger belt may be loose. Def. no prob with sheer pins because it does throw snow from time to time.


Could be shear pins, or a loose belt. It chops a bit of snow, then stops, snow tumbles back into impeller after a rest, then throws that, then goes through the cycle again. 

See if the auger rakes can be rotated by hand when the engine is turned off. 

Also, It appears that you are tilting that machine all the way down and resting the handles on the ground while cleaning it out. Don't do that with the engine running as all the oil will slosh to the back of the engine and not get splashed to where its supposed to be. Its not a good idea to clean out a clog with the engine running at all.


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## Nate Chorney (Mar 15, 2017)

skutflut said:


> Could be shear pins, or a loose belt. It chops a bit of snow, then stops, snow tumbles back into impeller after a rest, then throws that, then goes through the cycle again.
> 
> See if the auger rakes can be rotated by hand when the engine is turned off.
> 
> Also, It appears that you are tilting that machine all the way down and resting the handles on the ground while cleaning it out. Don't do that with the engine running as all the oil will slosh to the back of the engine and not get splashed to where its supposed to be. Its not a good idea to clean out a clog with the engine running at all.



Only was doing that for demonstration purposes. I had the auger engaged throughout all the videos. 

With the engine off I am able to turn to the impeller in the back by hand. Not able to turn the auger rakes by hand. All shear pins I can see in the front appear to be ok.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

If the impeller can free-wheel, you should take a look at where it is pinned to the shaft that goes through it. There may be one or two, either roll pins, or sheer pins that are sheered, or fell out, and they would need to be replaced.


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## Nate Chorney (Mar 15, 2017)

RIT333 said:


> If the impeller can free-wheel, you should take a look at where it is pinned to the shaft that goes through it. There may be one or two, either roll pins, or sheer pins that are sheered, or fell out, and they would need to be replaced.


Hmmm I'll have to take a look at that spot. The only shear pins I saw were on the auger housing and one to the left and the right of that. So you're saying there's more pins towards the back?


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Nate Chorney said:


> Hmmm I'll have to take a look at that spot. The only shear pins I saw were on the auger housing and one to the left and the right of that. So you're saying there's more pins towards the back?


Check this page. Ariens 920021 - Ariens Compact 24 120v (SN: 000101 & Above) Auger and Chute Diagram and Parts List | PartsTree.com

It shows two roll pins, item 10 holding the impeller to the shaft.


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## Nate Chorney (Mar 15, 2017)

skutflut said:


> Check this page. Ariens 920021 - Ariens Compact 24 120v (SN: 000101 & Above) Auger and Chute Diagram and Parts List | PartsTree.com
> 
> It shows two roll pins, item 10 holding the impeller to the shaft.


Very cool! I'll have to take another look.


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## RIT333 (Feb 6, 2014)

And please - as suggested, DO NOT clean out the blower with the engine running. I go one step further, and pull off the plug wire. Better safe, then have to learn how to write left-handed.


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

Yeah, please be careful, both of the engine (running & tilted back), and of you (clearing it while running). I'm glad you were using the clearing shovel, at least, but if the augers had suddenly spun in the video with clearing them out, they could have tried to grab the shovel. 

Has someone been able to watch the augers, when the snow stops throwing? If the augers are still spinning normally, but snow stops coming out, then I'd expect the impeller is spinning somewhat freely on the impeller shaft, and maybe those roll pins broke. It keeps throwing snow for a while, though, so if the impeller is spinning on the shaft, I'd think it must be somewhat tight on there, and not just flopping around. 

If the augers stop at the same time that the throwing stops, then I'd suspect a belt, or some other slippage (possibly pulley to shaft). I didn't notice belt squealing in the video.


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## Nate Chorney (Mar 15, 2017)

Absolutely do my best to be careful. I don't have any one else available to take a look. I only put the blower in that position to take videos of what was happening. This thing isn't even old it's only its second season. It's probably only been used maybe a dozen times.


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

Nate Chorney said:


> Absolutely do my best to be careful. I don't have any one else available to take a look. I only put the blower in that position to take videos of what was happening. This thing isn't even old it's only its second season. It's probably only been used maybe a dozen times.


Understand why you tilted it back, but the video was about 90 seconds, and 90 seconds without proper oil circulation is a long time for an engine spinning at 3600 RPM. 

Have you got a selfie stick you could use to film the front end of the blower while moving into a snow pile so you can see what's going on, or perhaps a neighbour who could eyeball things for a couple of minutes so we call all get a better idea of where the problem is?


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## 1132le (Feb 23, 2017)

Nate Chorney said:


> Absolutely do my best to be careful. I don't have any one else available to take a look. I only put the blower in that position to take videos of what was happening. This thing isn't even old it's only its second season. It's probably only been used maybe a dozen times.


pull off the belt cover and try it and watch the belt
the motor never sounds like it changes rpm at all
i dont think it would throw snow as good as it was with the roll pins broke or out


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## RedOctobyr (Mar 2, 2014)

I should have mentioned it in my previous post. Check those pins that secure the impeller to the shaft, of course. If they're gone, that's your problem, and there's no need to be able to watch the augers while putting it into snow. 

Or, if you can keep the impeller shaft from turning (like grabbing it with visegrips), then see if you can still rotate the impeller on that shaft. This is with the engine off, of course. If the impeller turns but the shaft doesn't, those pins have failed. 

I was thinking along the same lines as skutflut. If you could rest your phone on something, facing the augers, as you drove it into the snow, maybe you could get a video showing what happens. 

If it's a firm/icy snowbank, I can feel the front of the machine bouncing around a bit as it chews. Perhaps you could get a sense of this by feel, for whether the augers are still turning?


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## Marcus (Mar 15, 2017)

This video seems to demonstrate -- classic auger belt slippage --... Check the auger cable adjustment procedure in your manual.. My machine requires the in-line spring to expand 1/2 to 11/16 inch when engaged. If the auger belt is run with too much or too little tension it can wear very quickly.. Adjust your auger belt in-line spring... If that doesn't work I think the auger belt probably needs to be replaced ... And the tension adjusted to the proper level. Many videos of this procedure are available on Youtube.. It's a very common maintenance procedure.


It is normal for the belts to wear and age. Just not as fast as yours seems to have..


Let us know how you make out.


Good luck !


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