Solo ice auger - I'm having trouble start.ing - Help

[holmsvc]

Are u talking about the guys running amsoil?

[fowldreams]

I have a brand new solo 2.5 and it wont start if below 30 above. Never did start two weeks ago at red. Now I keep it inside my actual house at night and put in the back seat of my truck to keep it warm on the way to the lake. I am ready to switch to another brand already. Or try the honda motor.

[ND4LIFE]

I have a brand new solo 2.5 and it wont start if below 30 above. Never did start two weeks ago at red. Now I keep it inside my actual house at night and put in the back seat of my truck to keep it warm on the way to the lake. I am ready to switch to another brand already. Or try the honda motor.

Are you using fresh gas? I know you said the auger is new but you don't want to use 2 cycle gas mix from the summer.

[Esox_Magnum]

Back to the original issue. You may need to get the carb adjusted. It may be a trial and error process getting the carb setting right to start and run well at -20 and 20 but it can be done. I also have a question regarding why anyone would run a different fuel mix than is recommended by the manufacture. If you have ever taken apart 2 strokes it doesn't matter if its running at 24:1 or 50:1 they are both clean (very little carbon). Where the cylinders, rings, crankcase, get gummed up if from bad fuel.

2 different kind of oils, the 40:1 is regular old dyno oil and needs to be mixed this rich to lubricate while Synthetic oils like Amsoil Saber Pro is designed to keep the engine lubed at a leaner mix that also translates into a cleaner burn, less build up no oily gunk on the muffler, little to no smoke/2 cycly smell, easier starting

[holmsvc]

Deleted

[20lbSloughShark]

All this talk of running leaner on oil will not help here. At best it will turn a 3 pull motor into a 2 pull. Ice augers are pretty much the easiest starting motors. When it was -10 degrees out last week, my auger took 3 pulls on full choke, and it was running. Its a strikemaster 2 stroke, and its about 25 years old. There is something wrong with your solo. Compression test should be the first thing.

[Luke_M]

I don't care what kind of oil your running. Personally I run Lucas Oil Land and Sea, its a synthetic blend as are most commercially available 2 stroke oils. A carb is designed to meter a certain volume of mixed fuel and oil when you run less oil you are putting more gas in than the engine was necessarily designed to burn efficiently so you are then running a rich mix. Amsoil is great oil I'm not disputing that but why change something like a fuel mix for a slight decrease in exhaust smoke or smell.

[Esox_Magnum]

Carb on an auger dont meter oil and gas just the gas/oil mix you put in the tank, a full synthetic can be run leaner. My auger I was instructed Amsoil Saber at 50:1 breakin then up to 100:1 by the company....Dyno oil no leaner than 50:1

[harvey lee]

My Solo starts as well as any auger I have ever owned in the last 35 years.

I do believe the performance of this auger is better with the Amsoil in the gas.

As far as starting, 3 pulls and she goes, I do let it warm up for 45 seconds or so before I start to drill holes.

Good plug and fresh gas and that thing should start very easy.

I had a little carb work done on my auger and the service guy put some gas and oil in it. When I got the auger back, it started very hard. I thought I need to get the Sabre oil back in it and now, like always, it is running like a charm with no oil residue around the motor at all.

[harvey lee]

I have a brand new solo 2.5 and it wont start if below 30 above. Never did start two weeks ago at red. Now I keep it inside my actual house at night and put in the back seat of my truck to keep it warm on the way to the lake. I am ready to switch to another brand already. Or try the honda motor.

If possible, I would take this to a Strikemaster service shop as that motor should start no matter what the temp is outside. I can fire mine up no matter how cold, it may just take more time to warm up before usage.

[Luke_M]

Back to the original topic as far as not starting well in the cold. Any strikemaster authorized service center should be able to help you out and varify that what you are doing is correct. That would be the best place to start. Everyone has there own anecdotal evidance of the best way to operate an auger but I would start with how the product was originally designed to operate and have any needed adjustments done by an autherized knowledgeable mechanic.

[DooWap]

My 2.5HP Solo starts on the 3rd pull every time as well with the same starting procedure everyone else seems to be using. It's like clockwork.

Given that these guys are having issues starting the motor in colder weather, I was wondering if any of them are using a summer blend fuel in their auger that they had laying around in the garage. That fuel won't vaporize enough in the cold weather to get a really cold engine started.

[CaptainMusky]

Doo, that could be a lot of it. I use the same fuel I normally burn in my Stihl chainsaw mixed with the synthetic Stihl (with fuel stabilizer) at 40:1. Normally I do not have a problem. Flooded it a few times because I was too crazy on the primer and one other time it got iced up from a trip on the back of a snowmobile 20 miles across LOW. I am going to pick up some of that TruFuel and give it a try.

[Juan Grande]

I sold my LazerMag because it seemed like a "warm weather auger." The thing took so many pulls to start that I could have drilled 4 holes by hand in the same amount of time. Brought it in to Strikemaster to have the carb adjusted and it still never worked right.

[NoWiser]

Compared to my 25 year old trusty Mag III the Solo is a complete bear to start. My dad and I each have a 3 hp Solo and we've each had trips to Canada ruined when they wouldn't start at all. It's sad that we have to carry a carb kit and all the tools to install it with us fishing on every single trip we take. I run fresh non-ox gas with Amsoil Saber and it still seems like it's a minimum of 4-5 pulls to get it started even when it's warm. 15-20 pulls when it's -30. I love the auger when it's running, but it seems like they've taken a big step backwards from 3 decades ago when it comes to reliability.

[fowldreams]

I will swap fuel out to give it a try. Where do you guys get the AMS oil Sabre at? Also, I did call H20 a service center for SM and he said they were very busy at the time and expect a week turn around. I shouldn't have to bring in a new product to be looked at in the first place. Thats my frustration.

[Juan Grande]

I agree NoWiser. Thing cut great when it was running, but I got sick of 30+ plus when it sat in the cold for any period of time.

[broman]

Same here. PIA to start.

[harvey lee]

For the people having stating issues, try and hit the primer bulb 5-6 times. put on half choke and then pull the rope.

I know if I prime it more than 4-5 times, it does start alot easier than the 2 times many suggest.

Give it a try, I believe you will be pleasantly suprised how well it starts for you.

I run Sabre oil at 100-1 and the thing starts and runs like a champ with no oil reside on the side of the motor by the carb area as it use to be much worse when I did not use the Sabre oil at 100-2 or 80-1.

[broman]

I was wondering is the way I store it has any effect? I lay mine down. Maybe storing it upright would be better?

[fishingstar]

some of the napa part stores are amsoil dealer at least around here.

Dan

[Kyle]

Laying it down shouldn't matter. I would highly recommend running the gas out of it after dumping some seafoam through it.

[no bait nate]

Harvey has good advice, I follow the same process, and fuel ratio choice, and have virtually no problems. Prime 5-6 times, then choke for two pulls, turn choke off and it goes on number three. I'm still young so pulling 3-4 times to start the motor is no big deal....great auger fishing into it's 3rd season, for me

[FISHINGURU]

You guys had me noid so I went out to the shed, primed her 6-8 times until I seen fuel run through the lines, gave it full choke didn't sound right, went 3/4 choke almost fired, 3rd pull she popped off and died, I gave it about half choke next pull fired up and idled great.

I'm doing Sabre 80-1 at the moment because its a newer auger I haven't even ran my first couple gallons I mixed up for the break in. After this I will probably switch to 100-1 like I ran on the Nils.

I think every auger has it's own tricks for easier starts, some are picky but if you do it right your good to go. Just mess around with how many times you prime it and what you set the choke at.

[Eric_Kruger]

I think every auger has it's own tricks for easier starts, some are picky but if you do it right your good to go. Just mess around with how many times you prime it and what you set the choke at.

I agree, my brother cant start mine for nothin! I cringe every time he tries to start it lol