# Snowblower chute clogging



## medman90 (Jan 14, 2011)

The chute on my snowblower keeps clogging every 6 steps I take. As I am just new to using one I wondered if there is anything I can spray or do to solve this problem. Thanks.....


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... A fresh coat of Rustoleum enamel does Wonders....

Fluid Film is another alternative...


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

what does the inside of the chute look like? If the paint is deteriorated, flaking, scratched, whatever and especially if there is rust, that would prevent smooth flow of the snow.


Also, some types of snow (heavy wet) tends to clog a lot easier, especially with a lower powered unit as it doesn't have the strength to really throw that type of snow well. If that is the case, you might need to simply take smaller bites.

I have heard of using spray silicone or even things such as Pledge furniture polish. I don't know how long they would last but it seems like it should help for a while.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Pam (cooking spray)


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Is the impeller spinning properly or is the shear pin broken. 
With the engine OFF reach in and see if the impeller spins freely. It should not. It should be fastened to the shaft.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

What these guys have already said is spot on.

Unless you're trying to blow extremely wet, heavy snow, it should not clog the chute.


But this has me wondering... You admit to being a complete novice with this snowblower. Sorry if this sounds insulting, but do you have the engine throttled up?


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## medman90 (Jan 14, 2011)

*Snow blower clogged*

Yes engine throttled up and thanks for asking and no offense taken. As a person who always shoveled this is new so again thanks.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

If you are in southern Michigan, you probably have heavy, wet snow that takes time and a lot of power, so walk very slowly and carve out your line. If you are in northern Michigan, you probably have much lighter snow and dual stage with reasonable power will cut throygh 18", but you may have to cut the width of the cut depending on the snow and depth.

During a winter in northern Michigan with about 200" one year, my 12 hp two stage could not be as fast as an eldery neighbors blower with 10 hp and he was always looking for another driveway or sidewalk and then attacked the street in front of his corner lot. - He knew how to make it work.

He did nothing other than drag it into his garge and makes sure the snow and ice dropped off.

Just look at your chute and speed if you have the throttle up.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

joed said:


> Is the impeller spinning properly or is the shear pin broken.
> With the engine OFF *reach in and see if the impeller spins freely.* It should not. It should be fastened to the shaft.



*
DO NOT REACH IN AND D THAT!!!!*

Even with the engine off do not do that because the impeller blades can still get you, trust me.

I did this two years ago. The engine was still running....BUT there s still some torque left n the impeller blades with the engine on or off.

I broke trhee fingers in spots. Had two pins drilled in each finger.

*DO NOT STICK YOUR HANDS IN THE CHUTE TO CHECK THE IMPELLER BLADES OR THE AUGER BLADES...PLEASE!!!!!!!*


You can use a product called "Spray 9 Snow Shooter.
http://www.acehardwaresuperstore.com/snow-shooter-nonstick-spray-p-62095.html?ref=42

You can use silicone or PAM too.

Here is a picture of my fingers after I was stupid enough to stick my fingers in the chute.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Joe Carola said:


> *
> DO NOT REACH IN AND D THAT!!!!*
> 
> Even with the engine off do not do that because the impeller blades can still get you, trust me.
> ...


The engine was still running.... That just the dumbest thing to do. Don't go near the auger or impeller with the engine running. I have no problem with the engine off reaching in.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

joed said:


> The engine was still running.... That just the dumbest thing to do. Don't go near the auger or impeller with the engine running.* I have no problem with the engine off reaching in.*


I'm telling you right now that you don't do it with or without the engne running. I already met three people who had the same thing happen to me with the engine OFF.

Do what you want. 

Anyone else reading this....DO NOT LISTEN T THIS GUY HE'S A FOOL TELLING YOU TO STICK YOUR HAND IN THE CHUTE!!!

Use a stick PLEASE at least 2' to clean the chute just in case the stick hits the impeller blades it won't smash your hand into the chute.


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

> I'm telling you right now that you don't do it with or without the engne running. I already met three people *who had the same thing happen to me with the engine OFF*.


Ayuh,... Bullship.... How do broken things get fixed or checked without touching 'em,..??

Motor Off, momentum gone....

If the motor is still *Running*,.... Sticking *ANYTHING* in there, muchless your fingers is beyond Stupid.....


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

I had the same thing happen to me, when we had a mild spell.
I was wondering why and then a day or so later the drive belts broke.
I installed new belts and that ended any problem with clearing the chute.
I have heard that silicon sprayed in the chute helps keep the snow from sticking. I have yet to try this, but have purchased some and I will be trying it out.
While on the silicon subject, I did spray the rubber around the doors on my van and it keeps them from freezing shut.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

Joe Carola said:


> I'm telling you right now that you don't do it with or without the engne running. I already met three people who had the same thing happen to me with the engine OFF.
> e.



Ok Joe. Honestly I'm not on your side but you are obviously very convinced you are right. Can you tell us how checking things with the motor off is dangerous? Bondo makes a good point; how do you check things without actually grabbing them and doing a shake down. Then, what if you have to fix something? Obviously you have to stick your hand in there at some time.

Maybe we are missing something and if so, it would benefit us and anybody we might advise to be aware of some danger we are not seeing.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Just do the sensible thing and disconnect the plug from the wire also for insurance so there can be no powdered kick-back when things let go.

Dick


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Some guy on LI just had a few fingers put back on after sticking his hand into a gas powered snowblower that was* not* running. According to the article, the engine had some residual torque in it and it "let go" when he tried unclogging it.
I alway use a broom handle to clear the chute. Too old for, "Stumpy" as a nickname.
Ron


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

Ron6519 said:


> Some guy on LI just had a few fingers put back on after sticking his hand into a gas powered snowblower that was* not* running. According to the article, the engine had some residual torque in it and it "let go" when he tried unclogging it.
> I alway use a broom handle to clear the chute. Too old for, "Stumpy" as a nickname.
> Ron


Weird.

I'm all for safety - a good share of which is simply not being stupid. Simple things go a long ways.

But a non-running snow-thrower, taking a guy's fingers off, seems very odd to me. First of all, the most a non-running engine is going to do is release compression. The engine turns one-half, to one rotation. Second, the paddles on those snow-throwers (unless it's a really old one) are rubber. Not exactly sharpened steel. Also, is there anybody who blows snow without gloves on his hands?


I'm certainly not saying a guy didn't lose his fingertips, or that it can't happen. But wow, that's an extreme case of a lot of little things going wrong all at the same time.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Ron6519 said:


> Some guy on LI just had a few fingers put back on after sticking his hand into a gas powered snowblower that was* not* running. According to the article, the engine had some residual torque in it and it "let go" when he tried unclogging it.
> I alway use a broom handle to clear the chute. Too old for, "Stumpy" as a nickname.
> Ron


Clogged chute is a different story. I could see the auger or chute being under pressure if it was clogged. We were not discussing clearing clogged chutes. We were discussing checking for broken shear pin.
Only small snow throwers have rubber paddles. The machines I was referring to are two stage with metal augers and a metal impeller to throw the snow.


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## loneframer (Mar 27, 2009)

Always assume a gun is loaded and always assume that a machine you don't fully understand can dismember you.

True, a machine that isn't clogged and not running is assumed to be harmless, but I'm not an authority, so I'll err on the side of caution and won't put my fingers where they don't belong.


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

loneframer said:


> Always assume a gun is loaded and always assume that a machine you don't fully understand can dismember you.
> 
> True, a machine that isn't clogged and not running is assumed to be harmless, but I'm not an authority, so I'll err on the side of caution and won't put my fingers where they don't belong.


Right.

I usually take a short stub of a 2x4 and tap it in between the auger & housing. That way, even if something was so inclined to spin, it can't.

So far I have all my fingers (and they're crossed!).


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

A handy tool for clearing ice from around the impeller is a the wheel wrench from your car.
Its flattened end can be used to chip away the ice. 
You can even tap the chute with the wrench end, to loosen any snow thats stuck there.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

joed said:


> Clogged chute is a different story. I could see the auger or chute being under pressure if it was clogged.* We were not discussing clearing clogged chutes. *


That's exactly what we're discussing. Read OP's first post.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

We were discussing why it was clogging, not how to unclog it.


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## Joe Carola (Apr 14, 2006)

Bottom line here. I was dumb enough to stick my hand in the chute whlie it was running and broke three fingers. I did that for six years never had a problem, never heard of anyone having a problem because I thought once you let go of the lever the impeller blades and auger blades stop spinning. I was wrong.


After that going through therapy for 3 months and meeting people there, talking to people everywhere, strangers all over the place. I found out three people did the same thing I did cleaning the chute BUT the engine was OFF. 99% of the people I talk to does the same thing using their hands to clean the chute.

For some reason when the snow clogs the chute even when the engine is off the impeller blades can turn. I don't care what any of you say about it not being possible because the people who it happened to with the engine off aren't lying.

So if there is anyone here with any sense that I could help, *DO NOT USE YOUR HAND TO CLEAN THE CHUTE OF A SNOW BLOWER ON OR OFF, PLEASE!! *


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## 95025 (Nov 14, 2010)

Joe Carola said:


> Bottom line here. I was dumb enough to stick my hand in the chute whlie it was running and broke three fingers. I did that for six years never had a problem, never heard of anyone having a problem because I thought once you let go of the lever the impeller blades and auger blades stop spinning. I was wrong.
> 
> After that going through therapy for 3 months and meeting people there, talking to people everywhere, strangers all over the place. I found out three people did the same thing I did cleaning the chute BUT the engine was OFF. 99% of the people I talk to does the same thing using their hands to clean the chute.


I can certainly understand how the blower assembly could engage with the engine running. But with the engine off just baffles me.

Of course, I'm thinking of 2-stage blowers. Maybe the single-stage are set up different.


Even so, I'm glad your hands are alright!


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## jmorrill2 (Jan 30, 2011)

I had my ring finger "pulled" off on December 21st and crushed my middle finger. I had a partial seizure and my hand went into the chute. There were able to reattach the ring finger and put the middle finger back together. However, I have nerve damage not only in the fingers, but the whole hand too. Be careful everyone.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

jmorrill2 said:


> I had my ring finger "pulled" off on December 21st and crushed my middle finger. I had a partial seizure and my hand went into the chute. There were able to reattach the ring finger and put the middle finger back together. However, I have nerve damage not only in the fingers, but the whole hand too. Be careful everyone.


Was the engine running or stopped?


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