# MTD snowblower wont move?



## caveman79 (Apr 3, 2010)

I have a MTD model 317e610e000 snowblower and it will not move. When It starts up fine and everything else works (auger) except the blower will not move forward or reverse. The wheels move slightly, but not enough to move the blower. The belt is in good shape (brand new) and there is no problem with the friction disc. The belt looks to be too loose and there is a pulley there that looks like it should tension the belt, but for some reason it does not? I believe it is the idler? 

Is this something that is easy to fix or is a take it to a shop type of thing. Any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.


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## Bushman (Mar 28, 2010)

make sure the idler spring is attatched to the pulley arm. It may be broken or came off.


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## caveman79 (Apr 3, 2010)

The spring looks to be in good condition, but there is no tension on the spring. The idler arm is not being pulled back away from the spring at all.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

You may need to adjust the linkages up to the handlebars for engage-wheels and select-speed. It is not unusual for the little turnbuckle (threaded sleeve and two nuts in a cable) to come loose.

With the snow blower turned off, can you push the idler arm by hand so the pulley presses the belt and the belt get tight? The various parts could be rusted stiff.

Double check to be sure the belt is the right size (not a bit too long so the movement of the pulley arm can't make it tight).


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## caveman79 (Apr 3, 2010)

Thank you for your reply

I looked over the linkage to the handlebar and that seems to be good. The problem seems to be with the idler? The belt doesn't get tight enough to turn the wheels. The wheels barely move if I lift the whole thing off the ground. I can push the pulley to tighten the belt up, but the engine doesn't move the pulley to tighten up the belt when it is on. I am pretty sure the belt is the right size. I have both the original and the replacement belt, both are the same size.

What causes the pulley to tighten up? The handlebar works something different...


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Can the other end of the spring be pushed or pulled to tighten the idler arm without touching the pulley or pulley arm with your fingers? Is there some other part whose purpose it is to push the other end of the spring, perhaps also under control of the linkage to the handlebar lever?


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## caveman79 (Apr 3, 2010)

I think there is something internal to the engine that tightens the pulley arm. The spring is attached to a bolt and looks like it returns the arm to the starting position.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Does the idler arm or anything near it move at all when you pull the engage-wheels lever up on the handlebar?

On mine (different brand) the handlebar lever has a cable that connects to something on the back of the machine and this turns a rod that goes through the body of the machine to connect with the same kind of idler arm and pulley.

You might check for a loose setscrew that holds the idler arm on its pivot and also check for other loose or cracked parts nearby.


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