New guy from Indiana with a new smoker

[ashmode]

Hi! Auger noise definitely isn't normal, and if it wasn't feeding pellets consistently that could explain why the shoulder stalled for so long. Before tearing it apart, check for pellet dust partial jam, or a loose auger motor. I'd also verify the actual cooking temperature with a separate thermometer, because if the smoker was running cooler than the display showed, that would also explain only reaching 170°F after 18hours.