Should I Buy a StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express with TECUMSEH engine ?

[TroutYammer]

I have chance to buy a 5-year old used (nice condition) StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express 8" auger with TECUMSEH engine with the yellow compression relief valve. Looking for input on whether this model is good or not. Sell price is $325.

Anybody have any issues with these augers?

Transmission?

Compression Releif Valve?

Motor?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

[forcedtowork]

I used to have that auger, but I had lots of issues with the recoil, the death of it was when the nut from inside the gas tank got sucked through the carb and into the engine. The engine itself is good, I personally think $325 is high and I would go to the Solo engine. I bought the Solo engine late last year and love it. Easier starting, and lots of power.

[dan z]

I have chance to buy a 5-year old used (nice condition) StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express 8" auger with TECUMSEH engine with the yellow compression relief valve. Looking for input on whether this model is good or not. Sell price is $325.

Anybody have any issues with these augers?

Transmission?

Compression Releif Valve?

Motor?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Have this engine, its great the only issue I have had was the rope stayed in my hand the other day. And thats after 5-6 years of use. Decomprsion valve works great also. transmission is fine.

[CJH]

I have chance to buy a 5-year old used (nice condition) StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express 8" auger with TECUMSEH engine with the yellow compression relief valve. Looking for input on whether this model is good or not. Sell price is $325.

That's what I have. Haven't had any issues. I think I paid about $400 during the end of season clearance, so $325 seems high for something that old. My

[dan z]

I will also say they are a little warm on the price.

[Jarrod32]

There are still a lot of those Tecumseh engines around...augers, snowblowers...and they are still running. Don't let that scare you. They are good engines...and they were used on both Strikemaster and Jiffy augers.

Others are right, though...that $325 sounds a bit high. You can get a new Jiffy Model 60i or an Eskimo Mako in that price range, or a new Eskimo Stingray for a few bucks less.

[OnAFly]

I've got the exact auger. The engine is great, the auger is great. It's a refurb we got at the Ice show three years ago for $275. Only problem was the rope broke once, which was entirely my fault.

[gonehunting]

Great auger. I agree with a $275 price tag. Good running motor. Make sure to start it and make sure there are no carb issues from gas sitting in it. Carb kits are cheap but why deal with the hassle when there are alot of these augers out there for sale.

[Vitreus]

I paid $250 for a one month old lazer mag solo. You can find a better price if you check listings consistently and be patient!

[hamms-scooter]

Good unit, mine has been dependable. Mine is an 05 or 06. I bought mine before the emissions crack down and it runs perfect. They changed the carb settings for the change and they didn't idle well after that year.

[NKLCOLT1911]

I have chance to buy a 5-year old used (nice condition) StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express 8" auger with TECUMSEH engine with the yellow compression relief valve. Looking for input on whether this model is good or not. Sell price is $325.

Anybody have any issues with these augers?

Transmission?

Compression Releif Valve?

Motor?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

[PoorWordUsage] fine product ecpecially one from that age range cause i think that would have been made before they went out of buisness and shipped stuff over seas but parts are still easy to find for them.

[Brad B]

For the $325 price I would not buy it. I know of a place where a person can get a Strike Master factory refurbed unit with the solo motor for $300 (2HP Magnum) & $350 (2.5HP Lazer Mag). a fair price for a 5 year old unit with the tecumseh is right in that $200 to $250 range depending on how it was taken care of.

[McGurk]

Too high, I bought one practically new at a pawn shop with that same powerhead with the chipper style auger for $150. I'd say $250 tops with an uninstalled package of brand new blades for it included, less without. The rope recoil issue can be a problem larger than the rope, and I had issues with the plastic recoil pulley and case but never the rope. The first ones with the decomp button and higher compression didn't beef up the recoil assembly until a year or so after they were in the market. Kickback woud shatter the recoil pulley shaft or the case that held it on.

Here's a post where I found a couple of my writeups for it:

auger recoil issues

[TroutYammer]

Wow! Thank all for the feedback! Awesome documentation right here on HotSpotOutdoors!

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you!

[Powerstroke]

I also have this auger. I love it. I also had a recoil failure but its only happened once in the 4years I've owned it. Had the new part installed and it works great.

Once again, that price is $100 too high.

[Feathers Rainin]

Eskimo!

If you do get a SM start doing thumb workouts if you want to be able to bust a ton of holes at once.

[dougger222]

I just had two of my Tech. Lazers worked on at d rock and they had to fix quite a few things on them. One needed the bottom part of the case and the other top part of the case, both had bolts strip out. The repair bills were around $100 each, they also got a full tune up. The guy there told me both had the compression release valve on the wrong side of the motor and NEVER to use it to start as it will wreck the parts in the recoil. He said to use it when killing the motor though. He said later Tech's put the botton on the write side of the motor.

Bought a Solo this Winter, gave one of the Tech's to my Dad and kept the other as a back up. As far as $325 the seller is nuts! Here's what I've paid for augers over the years,

$229 Tech Lazer 10 years ago at ice show with $50 in free stuff

$229 Electric lazer same as above

$299 GM clearance Tech Lazer 10in 5 years ago

$175 Tech Lazer barely used

$250 2.5hp Solo d rock demo unit

My engineer buddy seems to think the Tech Lazer is better than the Solor Lazer...

[DRH1175]

Good Auger bad price. I wouldn't pay more than $225 for it. A brand new Solo can be had right now for a few bucks more I think I just saw a sale that had the Magnums for $359 and the Lazer Mag for $429 At the store in Walker. The new augers are really being discounted right now there are great deals to be had.

[JoeTC]

I have chance to buy a 5-year old used (nice condition) StrikeMaster Lazer Mag Express 8" auger with TECUMSEH engine with the yellow compression relief valve. Looking for input on whether this model is good or not. Sell price is $325.

Anybody have any issues with these augers?

Transmission?

Compression Releif Valve?

Motor?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

I bought this auger this year and it was the last year they had tecumseh's on it and it hadn't even had a full tank of gas put through it and was in mint condition and I paid $250.

Now to the auger. This model with the tecumseh only weighs 24lbs and is about as light an auger as you'll find yet it rips through ice. It's faster than my old 3hp and drills just as fast with the lazer blades. The speed along with the weight will alow you to drill holes all day and still have energy to fish them. Offer them less and buy it!

Joe

[TroutYammer]

Thanks everyone! We went out on the ice to actually try the auger. Started and runs nice....but it seems like the clutch is slipping. Anybody have an idea on how much clutch rework might cost?

[FISHINGURU]

I'd never buy that auger for that price.

I sold my couple year old lazer with that engine on it a few years ago for $250 with an extension and 3 sets of blades, started in a few pulls and cut like a champ.

My buddy just bought the brand new 8" lazer on sale for $400.

[luckycrank]

check the hardware store in waterville last march he had a pile of new tecumseh lazers for 299

[PerchJerker]

Pretty much the same info here ....

I bought the same auger, I think 2 years ago?? It was the year that the Solos came out. I got my auger from one of the staff guys who had used it for a year but had to switch from the Tech to the Solo. Think I paid him $275 for a 1 year old Tech Lazer Mag Express.

I like it, no problems with mine so far other than new plugs and new blades. Seems like it is running a little rougher this year, might be time for its first tune-up.

I was out with some other guys last year, there were 2 or 3 Solo SMs in the group, and they all cut noticably faster than my auger. Could have been due partly to the blades on mine at the time.

I would NOT buy the auger you're looking at anywhere close to the $325 price though. Good luck.

[RumRiverRat]

I would pay 175 tops for that.