Snowblower help.
 

Hello, I am having a problem with my snowblower and I was wondering if someone could maybe tell me what is wrong, before I call someone and pay them 60 bucks whether they can fix it or not. I was cleaning a neighbor's driveway last year when I sucked up his newspaper. I smelled something burning and just put the blower away. I tried to use it a few weeks later and it worked but then stopped. The auger turns and the impeller spins, but as soon as it hits any snow they stop. I checked the shear pins and they are ok. It is a Craftsman snowblower and it's about 13 years old. Any ideas as to what is happening? Thanks a lot.

Replace the drive belt. That was the rubber smell you remember.

If you have the manual for the machine the instructions for doing this are in there.

I actually did get a new belt and put it on. It seems that when I engage the auger, the belt is still a little loose, which doesn't allow the impeller to turn. The old belt looked alright, but I still changed it. I don't have the manuel, but I think I found one online. I used the correct belt and wouldn't be able to get a smaller belt on there, but it seems like a smaller belt would work.

In addition you can adjust the cable length from the level arm to the idler pulley. This will seat the belt more firmly.

Make sure the belt is the correct width. If it is too narrow, it will ride too low in the pulleys and slip.

yeah, I tried that too. Is there some kind of conversion kit that I can get to change the belt system to one of those with the kinks in it, so there is more grip?

it's the same size that was on the machine when it was working. the weird thing is that the belt that was on the machine, when it was working and then stopped, didn't look bad at all. In fact, it looks like a new belt.

Do you get any belt noise or burning smell with the auger engaged? I had an old craftsman and the shear pins didn't look broken. They were rusted in place and looked fine. Put a wrench on the head of the bolt and give them a turn.

Added: Do both the impeller and auger stop, or just the auger?

I did get a burnt rubber smell, but the belt looks ok, however I did change it. If the auger doesn't turn freely, doesn't that mean that the shear pins are fine?

Not necessarily, water will get between the shaft and auger and rust, making the shaft hard to turn by hand. Put a wrench on the bolt heads and see if the exposed threads turn.

I just tried the bolts and they work. It definitely looks like the belt is not tight enough, but I am using the same size that I was using when it worked. Is it possible that something got out of whack and now it won't keep the belt on tight?

Check all of your pulleys, to make sure that you didn't accidently knock a spring loose, or something like that. Then, and I'm not sure if you were replying to Jack or 47 a little bit ago, so not to be redundant, but did you check the linkage, and adjust it as needed, after replacing the belt?

Can you post a pic of the belt routing and how it sits in the pulleys?

I appreciate all your help, guys. I took a pic of the belt. The round part that the belt is wrapped around it very tough to turn by hand. i feel like if this turned easier, then the belt wouldn't just spin around without engaging that round shaft, like it is now. I tried wd-40 and it doesn't do anything.

pic didn't attach.