Well, it's only a chipper/shredder motor, but it died while working! Can't believe this happend... My Dad bought this chipper 14 years ago and he used it quite a bit in it's early years. I borrowed it about 8 years ago and did a ton of chipping with it. Dad drained the gas and ran it dry and it's sat in the shop for maybe the last 7 years..

I borrowed it again and I changed the oil, replaced the air filter, the spark plug looked good, so left it alone... Put some gas in it and it fired on the FIRST PULL! I let it run for about 10 minutes. Shut it down. The next weekend I fired it up again and let it run for about 15 minutes. Shut it down.

Last weekend, I trimmed up one of the 4 trees I have and fired it up and ran it for about 1 hour and it chipped up that tree just as it always has... All is good...

Today, I haul it out for tree #2, check the oil level, and it fires on the first pull (as it's always done!), let it warm up and start chipping.. All's well, but about 1/2 hour into it's run, it slows down some and then bang!.. Just stops and there's smoke and oil dripping from the frame... Look in and this is what I see...



Here is what the chipper looks like itself..





I just ordered a replacement motor for it for $300, so I'll be chipping again in about a month (backordered!) Still cheaper then a new chipper.

I don't know if Dad is going to get it back now!

Mitch

 

If your Dad was the original owner, doesn't Craftsman have some sort of lifetime warranty on parts?

 

Just throw a V-8 on it and call it good.

 

Naw... That's only on the Craftsman tool line... You break a ratchet or a wrench or your screwdriver wears out, you can take it in and they will replace it, no questons asked... I've done it!

No, this was only a one year deal.... That was gone a loooong time ago!

The rest of the chipper is in great shape... I sharpened the chipper blade and all of the shedder tines were in good shape... Even the belt is in great shape...

Something happened to the motor that it didn't like! I put in Pennzoil 5w30 oil I have that I use in my 11 year old Craftsman mower, but I don't think that was the cause?? I'm pretty sure it thru the rod.. The crank actually still turns over when you pull the cord! Just nothing hooked to it!

 

For years I bought craftsman stuff because it was superior.
Don't know about the chipper...it still looks good and probably just wore out from use but their lawn mowers and service suck.
I switched to Toro but I still like craftsman tools...hardly ever return them for the warranty but the workmanship is usually top shelf.

 

I'm still a Craftsman fan...

Who knows what happened to the motor and why? 14 years old and hundreds of hours of use?? It might have just been it's time? Maybe I should have gotten the SAE 30w like manual said, but it ALSO did say that SAE 5w30 was ok too??

I now remember that I've been putting in the plain SAE 30w in the 11 year old lawn mower, so maybe there's something to it?

Dunno, but when I get the old motor off I'll pressure wash the chipper and get it looking 'new' again and put the new motor on and hope for another 14 years! Dad ain't getting it back, unless he wants to borrow, ha, ha!

Mitch

 

Im such a fan my family bought me the Collectors edition Gold socket set a few years back.
I want to use em but I just cant. They sit on top of the fireplace all pretty.
I would have rather had a gas blower at the time....

 

30W ONLY.