Loading down my engine

[miro]

I have a B5100 ( 2 cylinder 12HP) with a front mounted snow blower.
Last week, I was blowing out deep snow drifts( 2-3 ft deep) .
The machine couldn't take it in LOW 1st gear and would start to bog down. I would engage the clutch to get the RPM's back up and then go at the drift again.

My question is this - will I hurt the engine by allowing it to slow down to about 1000-1200 RPM , before letting it wind up. I have the throttle at FULL

With very little load , the engine really winds up.

I'm probably not doing the clutch any good, but its' the only way to deal with those dang snow drifts

Once I made it through with the first pass, the second, third etc passes were done eating about 1/3 of the blower width - I could do those passes in LOW 2nd gear.

miro

 

[Tooljunkie]

Seems to me you are proceeding with caution. Not much more to add. Front blower may not have enough gear/belt reduction to give engine enough torque for the job at hand. Im guessing not light fluffy snow,as you mentioned drift.
So on that note, drift busting is tough on many machines, 12 horses may just be seeing their limit. As you can go a little better once its broke through.

 

[ShaunRH]

Can you take smaller bites? (Skim the top or sides then cut down lower/in?) I don't know the configuration so I can't tell if this is an option.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

First run some Stanadyne or similar fuel treatment through it to help clean up fuel system components.
It might also need the valves adjusted.
Your really not going to hurt it by loading it down as long as it's not too much.
Is it smoking real heavy when it's loaded?

 

[brews79]

That two cylinder should be able to power through even if it is losing some rpm. The skimming suggestion would be the way to go and stay off that clutch...slip clutching is never a good idea. If you have not changed the fuel filter in a while that could cause a loss of power.

 

[miro]

I did a fuel system checkout before the winter - new filter, replacement hoses etc etc., also changed the crankcase oil and filter.
Skimming is going to be a bit difficult - I have 4-5 ft high sides of snow on either side of the 1/2 mile driveway which also has 2 deep gulleys and is not flat. The first stretch of about 300 ft is where the drifts really get bad.

Maybe the technique will be to do about 10 - 15 - 20 ft with the blower lifted ( I have a hydraulic lift) , reverse and then take a second pass closer to ground.
That way I won't be using the clutch as much.
I have set up the blower to leave 2-3 inches of snow, so that when we get freezing rain, I don't have a glazed over driveway that's like a skating rink.

When heavily loaded the smoke is dark - but not black, black.

I have a Gravely snow cannon (12 HP Commercial) - but it just does not have the traction when hitting those high drifts - pretty good otherwise.

I'm not clear about what the fuel treatment does?

Thanks.
miro

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm not clear about what the fuel treatment does?

It will clean the injection pump and the injectors, and raise the heat level of the fuel.
All of this will mean more power and a better running engine.

 

[Dave_eng]

I did a fuel system checkout before the winter - new filter, replacement hoses etc etc., also changed the crankcase oil and filter.
Skimming is going to be a bit difficult - I have 4-5 ft high sides of snow on either side of the 1/2 mile driveway which also has 2 deep gulleys and is not flat. The first stretch of about 300 ft is where the drifts really get bad.

Maybe the technique will be to do about 10 - 15 - 20 ft with the blower lifted ( I have a hydraulic lift) , reverse and then take a second pass closer to ground.
That way I won't be using the clutch as much.
I have set up the blower to leave 2-3 inches of snow, so that when we get freezing rain, I don't have a glazed over driveway that's like a skating rink.

When heavily loaded the smoke is dark - but not black, black.

I have a Gravely snow cannon (12 HP Commercial) - but it just does not have the traction when hitting those high drifts - pretty good otherwise.

I'm not clear about what the fuel treatment does?

Thanks.
miro

Miro
Some thoughts.
I am now old and have a M7040 but in my younger days had a 12 HP Gravely the same as yours. They are an amazing machine regarding throwing snow a long way. I did my farm lane which is 1oo meters long with it for quite a number of years
I regularly let the blower slow my 7040 engine way down. It is actually quite good for a diesel. Lightly working a diesel leads to a condition call "diesel slobber." Google it and you will have peace of mind as far as working your engine.
How wide is the Gravely blower relative to the width of your tractor?
I am imagining an arrangement wherein the Kubota would push the Gravely into the snow.
Dave M7040

 

[OldeEnglish]

Deep drifted snow is very heavy and compact. If it's a fresh 2' of fluffy snow, your tractor should be able to chug through it slowly. My 7100 will bog down a bit if I take a big bite of 2 ft packed snow and even puff a little black smoke when it's really bogged down. I get quick on the clutch and shift it to neutral to let the blower clean out and then take a smaller bite. Most of the time I plow up big rows of snow and take a half bite at it, little orange motors right through it and doesn't smoke. Sometimes I take less so I don't get any spillage over to the side. I always run the tractor wide open when snow blowing, it loves it .

I would try what Wolfman suggested, it's worth a shot to see if you gain any power.

 

[miro]

Well, the snow in those drifts sure as heck ain't the light fluffy stuff - I only wish it were.

The Kobota blower is 42 in. The Gravely snow cannon is 26 inch.
I love the theoretical arrangement of the Kubota tractor somehow pushing the Gravely blower, but I think the 26 in bite is too narrow for the B5100.

It's the challenge of getting though that first pass in that packed and blown snow.
I only use the Kubota in the winter for blowing and so for the rest of the year it more or less sits there with occasional use for spreading the gravel with a tow-behind rake - much lighter duty than the snow duty.
Maybe I should reconfigure the PTO log splitter which presently uses the old Massey 30, to let the Kubota do more work. I suspect I'd use less fuel
Miro.

 

[Dave_eng]

Miro
While not a solution for this year, perhaps snow fencing would be a solution for the drifting.
There will be a lot of information on the web about where to place it.
Usually it is a long way back from where the drift forms with the concept to have the snow drift close to and behind the fence so that there is no snow to drift in your lane.
In the good old days, the wind tunnel people at the University of Gueph would even model your home/farm layout and make suggestions. Now they are involved in high rise design and no longer help the ordinary folk.
This publication,although intended for highway maintenance people, is very informative and will give you a good idea of what is possible and they discussing "Living Snow Fences," as well.
https://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/publications/PDF_files/SHRP-H-320.pdf

Dave M7040

 

[miro]

That is a most excellent suggestion and quite possibly a major step to reducing the effects of the snow drifts.And you're right - I'll have to wait till next winter to do it.But maybe there is still enough winter left to do some experiments.

Dang - now I'm hoping for more snow instead of mild warm weather.

miro

 

[miro]

Here are a couple of pictures of the work the Kubota and blower have done.
You can see the cut that the snow blower was taking. I used the technique of raising the blower for the first pass, then taking a second pass.
Still, that lil ol' 12 HP Kubota was working hard.
miro