# Ricky help



## jrajhoff (Nov 24, 2019)

Hi all,
I've been searching this forum for a while now for any clues to help diagnose the problem I am having with my Ricky. It's been about 3 years and haven't been able to get it to work properly.
During normal operation, the auger operates normally, but when it gets into a heavy load situation, the auger and impeller stops turning like it's disengaged. I tried to adjust the cable, but it didn't make a difference. I checked all of the shear pins (2 on the auger, one on the drive shaft) and they are all good. The engine does not bog down or lose power.
I'm thinking it's something in the transmission, but I am reluctant to open the transmission due to the lack of parts available.
I reached out to Speedy in Canada, that was a dead end.
This weekend I pulled it out of the garage and after not touching it for over a year, it started up on the first pull. Everything else works perfectly, except for blowing snow which makes this a really big door stop.
Does anyone out there have any experience working on these that can give me some guidance? Ricky outperformed any snow blower in the neighborhood when it was operational.


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

Welcome to SBF.

You are in the right place.

You have a great machine!
Will be fixed right away.
Some Yamaha experts will be right by.

Meanwhile, check a few things.
With the plug out and everything safely off, can you freely rotate the auger and/or the impeller?
Does the impeller still turn when it stopped blowing snow?
Have you checked the belts and the idle/tension wheels? Is the belt brake correct? (If Yamaha has those.)


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## jrajhoff (Nov 24, 2019)

Thanks!
No, you cannot rotate the auger or the impeller freely.
No, the impeller does not turn when idle.
No belts on this one.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

Looking at the parts list, it appears that the most likely place for a failure is inside the transmission case in the area of what Yamaha has listed as the drive dog. [Page 2 of the transmission exploded view.] My guess is the interaction of part number 4 with part number 1 or any of the related springs, detents or shift arms.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

I'm not familiar with Yamaha but if the auger is driven by belt then the belt is slipping. Replace the belt. Sometimes you have to go a little shorter. Best to post a video of the belt not turning, move it sideways with your fingers then engage and disengage, then start it and engage and disengage the belt so we can see. There's something called belt slap.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

My inclination would be an issue in the auger gearcase...... I never worked on a Yammy, but on most snowblowers, the transmission/friction disc is used for the drive of the unit under belt tension off the crankshaft sheave and the bucket is operated under separate belt drive as well, with both using some fashion of belt tension/clutch action. If indeed you have checked any belts and looked for sheared pins and keyways, then it only leaves the auger gearbox. Unless a Yammy drives that auger shaft through a transmission?


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## jrajhoff (Nov 24, 2019)

The Ricky does not have any belts. As deezlfan mentioned, the auger is driven by a transmission.



deezlfan said:


> Looking at the parts list, it appears that the most likely place for a failure is inside the transmission case in the area of what Yamaha has listed as the drive dog. [Page 2 of the transmission exploded view.] My guess is the interaction of part number 4 with part number 1 or any of the related springs, detents or shift arms.
> 
> 
> View attachment 200232


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

As I mentioned, "unless a Yammy drives that auger shaft through a transmission", which in that case, look at the transmission or the auger gearcase ... nothing else but damage in either of those two items could or would be a cause.


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

You have to bear with us. The guys are thinking conventional snowblower technology and this one certainly ain't that. This thing is completely different than almost any other machine out there. You almost never see a vertical shaft engine driving a transmission with an integrated auger drive.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

jrajhoff said:


> when it gets into a heavy load situation, the auger and impeller stops turning like it's disengaged.


Since both the auger and the impeller stop turning, I think you can eliminate the auger gearbox, which leaves the transmission as the most likely candidate...

On another thread, it was mentioned that a possible culprit is bolt #3 in transmission diagram 3.











https://www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-ys240tb-snow-blower-1990_model9668/partslist/


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Could have sheared a roll pin or keyway inside the gearbox, thus working lightly by friction, but spinning under load .... etc.,

Have to inspect things to find out ...-


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

That would be better than a trans part giving way. Looking at the diagram. Well give me a lot of time.


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

Please posr some more pictures. Close-ups of the area please.


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## English_Cat (Sep 1, 2020)

deezlfan said:


> Looking at the parts list, it appears that the most likely place for a failure is inside the transmission case in the area of what Yamaha has listed as the drive dog. [Page 2 of the transmission exploded view.] My guess is the interaction of part number 4 with part number 1 or any of the related springs, detents or shift arms.
> 
> 
> View attachment 200232


I think this is right on the money. Unfortunately for OP I don't know where he'd find a manual for this machine. Parts might be available on impex.jp, but this machine was actually a rarer one and didn't have as long of a production as the ys624/ys828.


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## Tony-chicago (Feb 10, 2021)

After looking at the diagram, and not in-person, I would have to agree with Tabora. (Gee tough decision...)


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## jrajhoff (Nov 24, 2019)

Thanks all for your thoughts. I'll post more pictures later this week.


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## JnC (Feb 21, 2014)

I sold mine a few years ago along with the more precious OE service manual, you thought finding a Yamaha ricky was hard, finding a service manual for that thing was even harder.

The transmission has conventional clutches inside that may be slipping due to old transmission oil or wear. A good idea is to change the transmission oil to see if that helps.

But good luck finding the recommended oil for that machine, here is an old post that I made with info on the oil "Simpo TD22"



JnC said:


> Ok, so here is the info on the mystery oil.
> 
> The oil is made by Nippon Oil Co. and sold/used by Mitsubishi and Simpo. Back when the service manual was published Simpo was known as Simpo, since then, at some point, they have changed their name to Shimpo.
> 
> ...


More discussion on the transmission can be found here









YS 240 TB transmission question


I am in the midst of putting a Ricky back together, but I do not have the owners manual or service manual. Does anyone know what lubricant it calls for in the transmission/traction drive unit, and how much? Any help would be much appreciated.




www.snowblowerforum.com


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