Nils auger loss of power?

[Twins Guy]

Last year i picked up from a fellow forum member a used tanaka powerhead for a nils auger. I have the 8" blade and two cutting heads-one with and one without the "PowerPoint.". I have one blade boxed up a ready to go visit frank. I have used the auger on a half dozen outings this year and the last two times out I really noticed lacking power. The auger would essentially come to a halt a few inches into a hole even with full throttle-note engine does not kill. It is just as though progress stalls and the engine is unable to overcome the resistance required to cut the ice. Not pressing down at all. Lift up and she starts spinning fine again but the second it bites back into the ice it bogs down again. Tonight I thought maybe it was just cold and needed to warm up but idling for a couple minutes did not seem to improve performance. Perhaps coincidentally I did experience similar performance issues last winter up the gunflint trail in pretty cold conditions. But the first few times out this year (granted in warmer conditions?) no issue at all. And in the offseason I replaced cracking fuel line, fuel filter, spark plug and sticky throttle cable. Running amsoil saber about 80:1 with unoxygenated gas. I baby the blades-no cruel or unusual punishment.

Do you think the lack of power is exacerbated by the cold or is that a coincidence? And what might this be a sign of (dull blades, dirty carb, slipping clutch, other? I like to wrench on things but have little knowledge of small engine design/performance/repair.

Really appreciate any thoughts you might have!

Tg

[griff321]

Not 100% sure about exactly how the tanaka is set up. When you did the work did you also replace the carb gaskets? It kinda sounds like a pressure issue.

ETA: Fuel pump diaphragm would be the very first place I looked. It's always the stupid diaphragm.

[DTro]

My first thought is a blade issue.

[harvey lee]

+1 on the blades.

[Surface Tension]

Yes air temps/density can effect the engines performance.

In cold temps and engine runs leaner then it would in warmer temps.

If the carb is clean you'll notice good performance in cold temps but drop off

in frigid temps.

If the carb is dirty then it runs too lean and you'll lack the power.

So we use these things in temps that can swing -30 - 50 degrees so for sure you'll notice changes in performance.

I don't have the rebuild kit number for that carb but you should be able to find it on Tanaka's site.

If the auger is fairly new then you could get by with just the cleaning.

This carb has a fixed high speed jet. I recommend replacing that jet with Walbro part# 112-716.

A blade be the culprit but if you didn't have any issues with the blade hanging up when it was warmer then I don't think its the blade.

[Twins Guy]

really appreciate the thoughts grif, dtro, hav and frank! i am going to try running it again today or tomorrow in hopefully a little warmer temps. still not sure if i am imagining a correlation with the cold or not. But i am suspicious of the carb. This is my first power auger and never ran it side by side with another or newer nils but pretty sure there is something wrong in there. i was going to rebuild the carb this fall (did it once on a lawnmower and it was a piece of cake-one gasket and one sheet of rubber which apparently was the fuel pump) but when i tried to figure out which parts i would need on the web i couldn't and decided i'd leave well enough alone. now i wish i had figured it out. i'll take another look or i suppose i could just give wallbro a call during the week.

thanks again!

Rich