# Upgrade from jd 928E



## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

hi people, new member here. Love going through this group for all the opinions and pros and cons of different snowblowers. Just upgraded ( l hope) from a 2008 JD 928e to a new ariens 30 in efi deluxe. About 2 weeks ago my JD started to make a grinding noise from the bucket but alot less when going through snow. After 10 years and considering my age (64 young) l needed a solid machine out here in the Quebec countryside with the huge amounts of snow and packed windswept drifts( 4 cars long , about 2 1/2 wide) . I looked around and after looking at some opinions and reviews found the Ariens model at a dealer with a 400$ price drop so l pulled the trigger. Afer reading more posts here l wonder about the EFI . The only efi l have delt with , aside from cars, is a 2004 Mercuery 50 hp efi. Never had a problem. I always put a little seafoam/stabill in all my containers . I am guilty of rarely preparing my John Deere for summer with exception of new oil and spark plugs. It started every november with 1 or 2 pulls. All the gas is used up in the other engines (car,boat,etc. ). May be some Holy water was sprayed on the JD carburator ha. Many people have stated that EFI have been in use for small engines by Ariens. I talked to a friend about EFI who is into ski-doos and they are also used quite a bit. They seem to be dependable because no one wants to be stuck 100 miles in the woods and not come back. My doubt after reading the many posts here concerns the battery pack used to start/control the computer and the EFI. How long will they last, how long will they be available. What is the sign it has gone bad? Many good machines last more or less 20 years. Just wondering what your opinions are.....ps: decided to keep my JD 928E and fix it - looks toO good and motor purrs like a kitten ha.


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## JLawrence08648 (Jan 15, 2017)

Your John Deere 928e I believe was made by Briggs & Stratton, some say Murray, but Murray was bought by Briggs in 2005. It's a nice machine, around 8hp OHV with a cast iron gear box, friction disk. I believe unlike the Murray made machines with a rectangular impeller exit, this is round.


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Yes it is round. On the motor it day 405 ccmade by Briggs and Stratten. When l first git it l searched and found it was a carbon copy of the Simplicity machine machine
Very think gauge metal. The auger looks like it could chew up a telephone pole ha


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Sorry...305 cc.keyboard is small on phone ha


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## tadawson (Jan 3, 2018)

GeorgePowell said:


> hi people, new member here. Love going through this group for all the opinions and pros and cons of different snowblowers. Just upgraded ( l hope) from a 2008 JD 928e to a new ariens 30 in efi deluxe. About 2 weeks ago my JD started to make a grinding noise from the bucket but alot less when going through snow. After 10 years and considering my age (64 young) l needed a solid machine out here in the Quebec countryside with the huge amounts of snow and packed windswept drifts( 4 cars long , about 2 1/2 wide) . I looked around and after looking at some opinions and reviews found the Ariens model at a dealer with a 400$ price drop so l pulled the trigger. Afer reading more posts here l wonder about the EFI . The only efi l have delt with , aside from cars, is a 2004 Mercuery 50 hp efi. Never had a problem. I always put a little seafoam/stabill in all my containers . I am guilty of rarely preparing my John Deere for summer with exception of new oil and spark plugs. It started every november with 1 or 2 pulls. All the gas is used up in the other engines (car,boat,etc. ). May be some Holy water was sprayed on the JD carburator ha. Many people have stated that EFI have been in use for small engines by Ariens. I talked to a friend about EFI who is into ski-doos and they are also used quite a bit. They seem to be dependable because no one wants to be stuck 100 miles in the woods and not come back. My doubt after reading the many posts here concerns the battery pack used to start/control the computer and the EFI. How long will they last, how long will they be available. What is the sign it has gone bad? Many good machines last more or less 20 years. Just wondering what your opinions are.....ps: decided to keep my JD 928E and fix it - looks toO good and motor purrs like a kitten ha.


The EFI battery is basically a generic 6 cell, 7.2 volt NiMH pack, absolutely nothing magic or special there, and it is used only to power thr fuel pump and EFI when starting, and then power from the stator runs the system from there. The battery does not concern me in any way, and I think it was a good choice instead of a lead-acid (or gel lead-acid) cell battery, since it cannot freeze, and power requirements are very low. The charger is just for off season top-up (if even needed) since in normal operation, the blower charges it (and I think some folks don't understand that, thinking that yiu need to constantly charge it between uses . . . )

All in all, other than parts cost and stock levels, there really isn't anything in the EFI that converns me - it's a very simple system . . . this is basically the same comparison between points and electronic ignition vs carbs and EFI . . . and I am sure that some were afraid of that at first as well . . .


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## skutflut (Oct 16, 2015)

If you want to chew up telephone/power poles, suggest you use a different attachment and probably a bigger engine. Vermeer makes some nice chippers, but they are not much good at blowing snow.

:wink2:


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Haha

Will forget about telephone poles 
. 
..just surprised by the thickness .


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

A long time hobby of mine is radio control model airplanes and although they have since mostly gone to other types of batteries the NiMH packs are simple to take care of with one caveat: DO NOT let it sit until it goes flat or the battery is pretty much done for. Also do not overcharge, that merely shortens life but does not kill it. While I'm not familiar with the particular pack that Ariens uses tadawson says it is a 6-cell 7.2 volt pack. Just note the mAh capacity before ordering a new one, just to assure that it will fit more than anything else. Unless Ariens uses some proprietary connector those are standard too, but know which one because there can be several choices. The web sites will have photos so it'll be easy.

BTW, if/when (they don't last forever but should be good for a few years at least) you ever need a new battery check with hobby sites like Tower Hobbies, Horizon Hobbies, and any of the other mainstream hobby sites, or a local hobby shop if there is one near you. They may be significantly cheaper than what Ariens will charge for the same battery pack. If Ariens uses some special connector just cut it off the old pack and splice it onto the new one - no magic there either.

The charger that Ariens furnishes should be adequate, but again if it goes bad check with hobby sites before ordering one from Ariens - there is nothing special about them either and by now, especially for a trickle charger, which is all that you will need, they are dirt cheap.


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

What do you think of putting a spray dressing/conditioner on new belts to make them last. I was also thinking of using a small brush to seal up the electrical connections with dyelectric grease when my machine arrives or is it a waste of time...?


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Just got my new baby delivered


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## WVguy (Nov 24, 2018)

GeorgePowell said:


> What do you think of putting a spray dressing/conditioner on new belts to make them last. I was also thinking of using a small brush to seal up the electrical connections with dyelectric grease when my machine arrives or is it a waste of time...?


I don't know enough about the belt dressing/conditioner to comment - I've never used one.

Re the dielectric grease on connections - well, it won't hurt, might help, so nothing to lose there.


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Thanks for the quick answer. I am s little upset. When l signed for the machine they notice one tire was flat . Had to wait till the orfered s new rim, delivered today. After he left l was checking it over a saw the tire was installed with the tread on the opposite direction compared to the other side. Crap.


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## Dauntae (Nov 10, 2016)

Oh I would be calling him back in a instant, those are directional tires and when mounted it’s right and left, I have a small HF tire machine so would flip it over but on a brand new machine, not a chance.


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## rod330 (Oct 9, 2015)

I wouldn't be happy about that either. It makes you wonder if they took other shortcuts in setting up your new machine. At a minimum, I'd follow the procedure outlined in the sticky section above, "Ariens Auto-Turn Adjustment".


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Just got back, they changed the direction of the tire immediately. Mechanic said it was the same order number for either side so it was a crap shoot. Put my old 928e next to my new deluxe arien 30 efi and made some quick observations
928: Bigger frame, dash more simple and easy to operate, obviously less electronics, tough as nails carburator ( never babied it and always used stabil). Prefer the shoot cable ajustment coming up from the bottom- less chance to kink. Same cc motor but less powerful. have to use wheel lock to lock both wheels - a bit of a hassle
Ariens 30 efi deluxe : bigger machine , bigger shoot, more powerful motor, depends more on electroncs for smoother power delivery, no primer or choke( time will tell for endurance) auto turn. I plan to be more strict with maintaining this one. Just oiled everthing that had a likage or gears. Was squeaky and rough but is smooth as butter now . What a difference !! Hand warmers too!


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## GeorgePowell (Mar 17, 2019)

Yes , did a complete check of machine. I think a verification of the machine should be done by the owner no matter who delivers it.


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