So I was on vacation over the 4rth & playing catch up @ work last week. Today I did another compression check on a cold engine & installed new plugs. I squirted 3 shots of oil in each cylinder before testing. Most cylinders shot up at least 25psi higher than before except #8 which stayed the same @100PSI. After that I took the carb off & cranked the motor......the rotors aren't spinning? That's as far as I got since it was getting dark. Guess I'll pull the snout off next & see what it looks like?

Pulleys are turning but the rotors are not?? That doesn't sound good. #8 cyl compression not coming up after oil squirt sounds like a valve not sealing. Maybe #8 ingested some blower debris??

Removed the blower & the gear coupler bolts are sheared. The blower gears will have to be removed to remove the sheared bolts. Looks like the gears have grooves as well. This blower is going to have to be rebuilt. Bummer

see post #17

DMPE in MI has upgraded shafts for these blowers, is this a Merc blue 256?

Its not the merc version, I dropped it off @ a local shop the other day. The guy felt the overheat caused the rotors to swell making contact & shearing the bolts.