Catastrophic Auger Failure

[jBohmer]

So I was cutting my last hole before setting up my house a couple weekends ago and I lift my Eskimo Stingray auger out of the hole and somehow my engine was hanging on to the transmission housing by one bolt exposing the clutch . I was expecting to see find some bolts that had vibrated loose and fell out and thought that it should be an easy fix... well I was wrong. Somehow the engine body cracked where it connects to the transmission. This happened a couple of weekends ago and I finally had chance to look at it tonight in the garage. To the best of my knowledge this is unrepairable. , I would have to replace the engine. The crack went along all of the mounting bolts except for one. I could not believe it when I saw it up close. Just wrecked my season.

I have never heard of such a failure before and was wondering if anyone has had this expierance before? I do not know what to do except to scap the auger all together. I was thinking of getting someone to try and weld it, I am sure that it would not last but maybe get me by until next year but it looks like aluminum to me and I am no welder and I beleive that welding aluminum is not easy. I am looking for any of advice.

[mrpike1973]

been there done that. still dont know what happened scrapped it and got something else. sorry to hear i think there a good company but didnt make me want to run out and get another one

[updecreek]

Thank god for outsourcing. They are made in china.

[leech~~]

Got any Pictures of the area? Maybe some of the welders on this site mite be able to give some advise before you Sh-can it? Some bolt holes can be refilled, drilled and retapped.

[jBohmer]

Got any Pictures of the area? Maybe some of the welders on this site mite be able to give some advise before you Sh-can it? Some bolt holes can be refilled, drilled and retapped.

I did not think I could get a good picture when I started on it tonight. But after I pulled some of the engine shrouds off it looks like I may be able to now. I will see if can get some posted tomorrow. Thanks.

[Lusid]

Is it still under warranty? Have you tried calling the company?

[jBohmer]

Unfortunately there is no warranty. I bought this auger used about four years ago. It has been good to me, always started no matter the temp. Below are some pictures. If anyone is a welder out there I would be curious if you think that it would be worth a try if I go that route. I still do not know if it aluminum or not. I am assuming aluminum

This picture is the top of the transmission housing where the clutch matches up to tranny. You can see a large section of the engine housing still attached.

This is the engine head upside down exposing the clutch. It is hard to see but you may be able to make out where lip of the engine body broke off

A better pick of the engine where it broke.

A better pick of the engine housing piece that broke off.

[wooduck26]

That's why I'd never own an Eskimo!

[jBohmer]

BTW, the bolt holes have not been compromised. The break only happened on the housing around the termination points from the engine to the tranny.

[mrklean]

dang, i use to use my old roomates eskimo all the time in college and it was a decent auger, dont think ill ever buy one of those now

[Lusid]

Let's hope the newer ones don't explode on me!

I think that type of failure is pretty rare but I would definitely email Eskimo and tell them what happened.

[Blackhawkxp]

Before a guy starts to bash on eskimo you better consider what he paid vs the time he ran the auger. If he got 4 years out of it after another guy used it as well. For an auger that can be found for less than 200 dollars after season I think it was probably money well spent. If he paid $250 for it and got 4 years out of it that is around $63.00 per year. Sure the auger isn't in the same class as the $500-600 dollar augers but still drills holes. I bought one for $185.00 new and am on my third year. Don't get me wrong the Propane jiffy is a nice auger but for $400 dollars more? Just my

[CaptainMusky]

Stuff happens no matter what make it is. It is hard to tell, but it looks to me that that piece is cast aluminum and it appears that it is bolted to the bottom of the engine. Hard to see by those pictures, but you can clearly see what is broken.

Im no welder, but I think cast aluminum is not something that is easily welded. You could potentially try some JB Weld or something. Is everything else in tact in there?

[jBohmer]

Everything is intact. There are three bolts that mount the motor to the tranny as I recall from last night. The piece that broke off went around two of the three. When the failure happened and I pulled the auger out of the hole the bit was dangling by the last bolt. I do not think that JB weld is substantial enough to keep it together. I think that if possible welding would be the only solution.

Please please do not give Eskimo a hard time. I bought this used off a guy, it was like new. I have had to replace a couple of parts on it through the years and Eskimo has been great with getting me what I need and the parts were easy to locate on the HSOforum. I called them this morning and so far no one has ever heard of such a failure. And yes it was inexpensive but I cannot even think of how many holes that I had drilled before it broke. I do not know if I will by a new now because I do have a bad taste left in my mouth. But if I look through the classifieds and find a another one for a good price I will jump on it.

[Blackhawkxp]

I talked to our welder in the shop and he said he has welded on boat motors that are cast aluminum so he said it shouldn't be any different. From my knowledge cast aluminum isn't like cast metal. Aluminum still has most of the base metal content so it is weldable.

[mrpike1973]

i agree blackhawkxp

[Surface Tension]

You could try a Mo service center for a used part.

They might have a blown engine with the case still intact.

Or keep your eye on the lookout for a blown Mo that you could get for parts.

[jBohmer]

Thanks for all of the advice guys. I will keep an eye out for an old blown motor. In the mean time I think that I will find someone that will attempt to weld it for me and see what happens. As Forest Gump said "it happens" , I just got to deal with it.

[CrewJones]

JB weld duck tape and a wound up ratchet strap ?

[leech~~]

Since it is a part of the housing you maybe able to just order a repalcment housing for it and put it back together.

Blackhawkxp, how many boat motor housings has your buddy welded? I may be in need of a thin crack fixed on a lower unit around the first part of April?

[Blackhawkxp]

I take it somebody forgot to drain his lower unit?

[GoneFish'n71]

JB weld duck tape and a wound up ratchet strap ?

This is route i would go also unless you can find parts reasonable. not sure it would be worth tearing it apart and paying someone to weld it

[fisherman-andy]

If this is a Viper Eskimo Stingray 33cc 1.2hp I have a partially disassembled powerhead I may be willing to sell you for $50. The head was good except for the specific housing part that crack while it tip over and fell on the ice. Eskimo didnt sell that part separately and I had disassembled the powerhead before thinking I could just had it welded. lol.

The Stingray powerhead is still very much intact and you could likely just pull parts from it to fix yours or use parts from yours to fix it. It was working just fine before the crack.

LMK....

[leech~~]

I take it somebody forgot to drain his lower unit?

U'm was that an answer to my question of your buddy fixing them or a question?

[jBohmer]

If this is a Viper Eskimo Stingray 33cc 1.2hp I have a partially disassembled powerhead I may be willing to sell you for $50. The head was good except for the specific housing part that crack while it tip over and fell on the ice. Eskimo didnt sell that part separately and I had disassembled the powerhead before thinking I could just had it welded. lol.

The Stingray powerhead is still very much intact and you could likely just pull parts from it to fix yours or use parts from yours to fix it. It was working just fine before the crack.

LMK....

I am not sure if I have the Viper, my auger was built in 2005. All I know is that my auger is an Eskimo Stingray S33. I did not see any "Viper" labels on the unit. Any chance that you can send me a picture of the head? It almost sounds like you have damage on the part I am dealing with. Pleae PM me, I am interested if it will work to get mine running.