Wire feed issue with Lincoln 175 mig

[scootr]

The Lincoln 175 is a 15 yr old welder having seen moderate use. Issue is slow or no wire feed. Things I've checked:
tensioner, spool tension, tip.
I'm untrained but it seems like a feed motor issue as after just a short bit it seems to strain and slow down or even stop. But I could be completely wrong

 

[YanmarFever]

Scootr,
Remove the liner from the gun and see if it still feeds slow. If it does it could be the tension, or feed motor.
Also see if you can pull the trigger and stop the wire by holding back the spool of wire, if so increase your tension.
I have always used wire lubricant which makes things go smooth.
Good luck

 

[JPRambo]

Did you replace the spool of wire? Is the wire tangled on the spool. BTDT.

 

[YanmarFever]

Check that your wire drive wheel is the correct size for the wire your using.
If its to large the wire will slip.

 

[WranglerX]

IF all the above items fail to show the trouble, you could pull drive motor assembly and test it with a 12V battery, most MIG welders use a drive motor the can range from 9 to 18 volts dc....

 

[zzvyb6]

Ensure that the wire is being pulled from the correct spool direction.

 

[rangerfredbob]

If you can watch the drive wheels while it's happening and see what is slowing down that would be helpful... If you've never changed the liner I would lean to that, chances are there's some buildup in there that might be binding that is assuming the wheels on the drive are spinning when the wire stops or slows... Feed motors should be available for that I would imagine but liners are cheap and available.

 

[chim]

We had some trouble with smaller wire feed machines where I worked. It ended when the drive rollers were changed with the wire type. The manufacturer recommended grooved V rollers for flux core and non-grooved V rollers for solid.

 

[super55]

I have the same welder and if running core flux it's a little finicky on the brand. Lincoln/Hobart I have never had any issues. HF I've had issues with it lodge up in the nozzle. The thickness was so variable I ended up just throwing the whole spool away..

 

[California]

I have the same welder and if running core flux it's a little finicky on the brand. Lincoln/Hobart I have never had any issues. HF I've had issues with it lodge up in the nozzle. The thickness was so variable I ended up just throwing the whole spool away..

I paid $25 for a HF MIG-180 where the guy gave up trying to make it feed properly. After he tried every mod he could think of, to make it feed smoothly. I put a brand new grooved feed wheel in it for my flux core use and now it feeds fine.

I suspect tightening the feed wheel tension excessively, trying to improve traction, crushes FC wire out of round (or makes burrs) so then the wire gets stuck in the nozzle.