Auger Stays Running Between Holes......

[student]

Should I even expect my Strikemaster to stay running between holes? I have had it tuned up professionally, I use clean gas, proper oil mixture, and for the life of me it always dies between holes. What gives? Anybody else give up on this? Is there idle adjustment that the manual doesn't refer to? It is a 2hp strikemaster.

[yamihoo]

There should be an idle adjust.... just look at the throttle linkage to the carb, should see an adjustment there. Do you have to give it throttle to start it?

"Professionally tuned" doesn't say much sometimes.

[CaptSpike]

My jiffy did the same thing. I think it is due to how your carrying it from hole to hole and the gravity fed of the fuel. If I carry my auger with the plug side of the motor down it stays running. If the plug side it up it stalls.

Spike

[student]

I guess when I say professional I mean a licensed strikemaster shop.

I always hold it upright between holes. The holes I'm referring to are less than ten feet apart.

[eyebjim]

Switch to amsoil saber pro oil and mix at 80:1 or 100:1 and use non oxygenated gas.

They set the mixture quite lean to meet EPA specs. This causes them to run lean and not idle as well as they could. There are many benefits from switching to amsoil. less oil in the mix means more gas in the jet thus a bit richer and better idle. Less smoke and fumes. starts easier and idles better. A bit more power to boot. I could drill 100 holes without restarting my lazer.

[pureinsanity]

If you put more oil in your gas then the auger will run leaner.

That's because the same amount of mix goes through the carb, but some of the gas is replaced with oil so the fuel to air mixture is leaner.

More oil causes more drag. This makes the engine work harder hence gets hotter.

Important thing is to check your jetting on the carb.

[Acemac]

seafoam

[jwhjr]

No issues running between holes with mine, so you must have another issue going on. I just carry it upright and have no issues.

[eyebjim]

If you put more oil in your gas then the auger will run leaner.

That's because the same amount of mix goes through the carb, but some of the gas is replaced with oil so the fuel to air mixture is leaner.

More oil causes more drag. This makes the engine work harder hence gets hotter.

Important thing is to check your jetting on the carb.

I believe that is what I said. I said less oil makes it run richer thus more oil = leaner.

[Surface Tension]

Strikemasters use a diaphragm(internal fuel pump) carb which means it can pump gas upside down and sideways. Jiffy's use a float type carb and that should be kept upright when running.

After its been tuned use the same type oil and at the same mixture. If you change the mixture you change the carberation and how the fuel is atomized. So get back to the ratio your engine was tuned to. You can set your idle speed stop screw if your rpms are too low to idle. That is a stop screw and not a mixture screw.

[IcePro]

You mention that it is a 2hp StrikeMaster.

To help with the situation is this a Tecumseh engine or Solo engine. This will make a difference on answering your question since they two complete different engines.

[student]

Tecumseh. I called the company that did the "tune up" last year and they are looking at it. I am also going to ask what mix they use when refilling the tank so I know what it is tuned at. Hopefully this fixes it.