/Updated/ AUPDATE: Root cause found — timing belt is severely worn/shredded (photos attached)
Confirmed: The auger drive timing belt is severely shredded. The belt material is clearly damaged and cannot transmit torque, which explains the repeated faults and the inability to reach auger speed. I am also concerned this failure may have already affected (or may soon affect) related components such as pulleys/gears. For that reason, I do not believe replacing the belt alone will be a reliable or permanent solution.
Symptoms leading to this finding (recap):
-
Auger cannot reach commanded speed even at Level 4
-
Repeated warning: “Waiting for the auger to reach the required speed”
-
Poor snow throwing in light, dry snow
-
Odd mechanical noise, especially during reverse
-
Shear pins intact (auger does not free-spin)
Why this is critical:
This unit received a core replacement approximately two weeks ago, and the previous core failed within ~10 days due to the left wheel locked issue. A timing belt should not fail catastrophically within weeks under normal residential use. This strongly indicates an underlying mechanical defect (e.g., pulley misalignment, incorrect belt tension, gearbox drag, or assembly/QC issue), not normal wear or a consumable item failure. Without addressing the upstream cause, repeat failure is likely.
- Got the replacement of snowblower and ready to work for next snow storm.