it backfired or something really loud one time when i hit the start button when we were on our way back out after lunch. i'm wondering if something happened to it then, and maybe it was sucking in a ton of air. it was running ok but tried to bog down sporadically after that, it would bog and be unresponsive, and then kick in and run good for a 30 seconds, then bog again. i was actually on my way to head back in and take a look when the rod broke.