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To update my previous post:

I was wrong on my previous post. On my 4th try, I was able to pull the filament from the nozzle easily. But I've noticed something else: Closer to the nozzle the filament was smooth and even. But between the extruder to about 6" from the nozzle I could feel the gears imprint on the filament. Since I was able to print for a good 10 minutes before the failure it tells me that the extruder is slowly heating and gets to the point where the PLA start getting weaker. I think I need to find a way to reduce the heat from the extruder/extruder gear by playing with the speeds.

Well the problem is definitely the extruder getting too warm. After 10-15 minutes of printing I can't keep my hand on it and the filament is backing up inside it.

Serge wrote:Well the problem is definitely the extruder getting too warm. After 10-15 minutes of printing I can't keep my hand on it and the filament is backing up inside it.

I run a 30mm fan blowing on extruder and motor, helps a lot with PLA prints.

my problem has nothing to do with motor heat. The EZ struder starts grinding pretty soon after the print starts and the motor is barely even warm

Thanks Brian,
I added a fan and now the extruder motor is not heating as before and the PLA is not melting.
I had several issues in fact. The extruder (resolved) and the retraction length was too much and the PLA was jamming inside the head in an area where it wasn't supposed to melt.
Everything resolved now as far as I am concerned. I did several prints without any issues.