Jiffy clutch?

[picksbigwagon]

Okay, I took my auger in to get what I thought was a carb problem handled, the place put in a new carb kit, adjusted the carberator and did some work with the pull cord. I just took it on the ice and it still cuts out when it gets under load. The tech was still there, I talked with him and I told him the auger spins when you start it and that it never used to do it. He said those words, "Hmmm could be the clutch" since the engine is running like a raped ape, the problem is in the gear box.

My auger is a jiffy 2hp white lightning with a 9" auger on it. It is on it's 10 or 12th year, I am not sure which, so the 280 bucks I paid for it new over a decade ago, it definately doesn't owe me anything right now. I paid 100 bucks for carb work and adjustments, but I told them before the put another 200 bucks worth of work into it, call me so I can decide what to do.

Anyone here know what the problem might be or how a clutch replacement or worse is gonna cost?

If it is close to 200 or more, I will be looking for a new auger.....Now is the time to be looking.........

thanks for the help if you can. the second part is where can I get a nils auger for 300 bucks????

[Surface Tension]

Just to clear things here.

Does the engine die/bog or does the engine still run but the shaft won't spin? Did it do that before the carb cleaning?

[picksbigwagon]

Okay, 3 weeks ago I seafoamed the auger ( put a little in the tank and mixed up new gas with a bit of seafoam in it as well as the recommended oil), it started running like it did when it was new, I was happy. I took it to mille lacs on Monday, and as I got to the bottom of the third hole, it stopped, engine and auger just stopped. I thought it was odd so when I started it, the auger started spinning as soon as I started it, it had never done that, and I thought it was weird but I thought it had something to do with the auger extension on it (I am not mechanically inclined what so ever). Each and every hole had to be finagled at the bottom of the whole or it would just flat out stop, and I would have to start it, rev it up and put it in the hole with the auger spinning.

The auger shaft still spins while when I start it after the carb work. IT NEVER DID THAT THE LAST 10 YEARS.

3 weeks ago it was running awesome, now it is not running well at all.

SO: Engine bogs and dies in about a half a second. Auger spins when you start it, it used to idle with out spinning. The engine sounds a little throatier (if that makes sense) then it used to as well.......

[Surface Tension]

Your clutch is fine,

Look to see if the foam is still in the air cleaner. That could account for the new sound and less power.

It sounds like it cuts good then locks up just as its about to punch through the ice. A tweak to the carb might fix that.

Or it could be a blade issue. Some augers need to be lifted up to finish the hole. Blade condition is the reason sometimes but ice conditions and do that too. Especially thick ice.

Also, the governor spring can be set to a further hole on the governor linkage/fin. That'll give you more RPMs and maybe enough to finish drilling the hole.

The high idle speed is an easy adjustment. Look for the throttle stop screw and turn counterclockwise wise. If you look at the linkage this is the external screw that hits a tang as the throttle returns to idle.

[picksbigwagon]

That doesn't explain why the auger spins now when you first start it. It never did that. I have tried to find the screws on it to adjust it and there are no visible screws. The filter is in the carb, at least before I took it to Mille lacs on Monday. the engine the tc300 series 2 model I believe....The same engine as on the strikemaster 2hp series....

I know you are trying to help Frank, thus the edit.....I am frustrated right now....ice could be the issue, but it never used to be. The throaty sound and the auger spinning when it starts is what is bothering me the most, besides that it stops at the bottom of the hole. I was drilling it on Prior lake tonight which doesn't have as much ice as mille lacs.....

I noticed a lot more wobble in the auger as well tonight, way more than it ever used to have. Could that be indicative of some bad in the gear box? The auger blades are 2 seasons old, they are the second set it has ever seen. The gas cap is original too, never overtightened the vent screw......

[Surface Tension]

If the idle is to high the auger will spin. I guess if something inside the gear case went wrong it could lock up the clutch. Maybe even cause friction and rob you of power. That should have been noticeable to the guy that worked on the auger.

I take it the auger is at the shop now. $100 for a carb overhaul and kit is pretty steep. I would wait to hear what they say. Then decide whether you want them to do the work or do it yourself.

[ScoutII]

Did you go to Bang?

[picksbigwagon]

weekend freedom in savage........what and where is bang?

there is a bit clickity clack noise with it as well that is new. It runs great when it is not under load, it doesn't run well at all when it is under load...........

[crothmeier]

  picksbigwagon said:

there is a bit clickity clack noise with it as well that is new. It runs great when it is not under load, it doesn't run well at all when it is under load...........

My auger did this last year. I had the carb redone, cleaned, replaced, adjusted, and mine spun when idling also.The repair shops i brought it to didnt take the time to take the motor apart to find the problem, just tampered with the carb. Sent it in, and Jiffy replaced the crank seal, and said it was a compression issue. After getting it back it ran like new. Not saying this is whats wrong with yours, but the symptoms match exactly. Jiffy turned it around in 3 days.

[picksbigwagon]

thanks Crothmeier, depending what the shop says, that will be my next course of action.....

[crothmeier]

Your welcome. Good luck!

[picksbigwagon]

Don't need luck, just a working auger..........correct that, an auger that works like it used to

[GoodToGo]

I am interested in your results. I have a Jiffy Model 30 that is maybe a couple years older than yours. This year the blade is spinning when the motor is idling, just like yours. It didn't use to do that. It makes it tough starting it when the blade starts to move right away. The engine runs great and as far as I know there are no carb issues. I was thinking htere could be a clutch problem, but I don't really know how these are put together.

[crothmeier]

Haha i know your frustration. Mine was only 3 years old at the time. It happened right out of the box, i was told by a few "elders" that "ahhh these things never run right out of the box, takes sum adjustments, and break-in time, next year it will be fine"

Well next year it wasnt, and the year after it wasnt, 3 trips to the shop and $137 later I had an auger that still wouldnt cut, that i saved for and spent $400 on.

Finally at the end of last ice season before my annual end-of-march trip to LOTW i e-mail jiffy, explained my situation, and frustration, and they took care of it. Shipped it to Sheboygan, WI and 3 days later it was on my doorstep, fixed, cleaned and shined up like new, NO CHARGE (even though it was out of warranty)

sorry for the rambling!

[picksbigwagon]

I just called the shop, they found two broken clutch springs, so they ordered them and once they get them, they will be installed. That would explain why the auger would stop spinning under load and why it spun when it was started too. Of course I am hoping that it is up and rip roaringly ready to run this weekend..........

[crothmeier]

Well that seems cheaper and easier than tearing the motor down!

[picksbigwagon]

I am hoping that as well. but that seems to make sense why the auger quit spinning and the motor would stop since the clutch would disengage.......

[Dozer]

picksbigwagon I think I would find a different shop to do bussiness with nex time. First off they should have found those clutch springs the first time it was in, no excuse for that. I am by no means an expert but anybody with any technical experience should have caught that. Second $100 for a carb adjustment is absolutly reduculous! I have my Model 30 tuned up this fall because I couldnt get it to run quite right, took it to Trail Cycle in Forest lake. $53 later and I had a rebuild carb, new blade, new spark plug, a FULL tank of new gas, and most important an 20 year old auger that runs better than the day it was new!

[picksbigwagon]

Thanks Dozer, I'll try and remember that next time.........

[picksbigwagon]

after 12 days in the shop, they finally called today (after I called them at lunch time) to tell me they are putting in a new clutch, and we have to wait until they get it in from Jiffy.......Guess my season is over.......Yes, I realize now I should have done something different, so thanks in advance for those kind of helpful comments........