Strikemaster Question

[ds]

A guy I know bought a strikemaster last year and it ran fine. This year after numerous tries it will not start. I noticed that there is no gas in the Fuel line. We dumped a little gas in the piston and it started right up. Not sure why it won't bring gas into the line. Anyone know how to fix this?

[Lights]

I bet the carb is gummed up. It's best if you run them dry for storage.

[Gus]

Same problem with mine. Here is what I've done.

I have always run the thing completely dry of gas in the spring, and then pulled the plug and put some fogging oil in the piston. (I don't think my carb is getting gummed up as it's done this since new). On my last tank of gas I put staibill it it as well before I run it dry.

Ok, now on to how I get it started in the Fall

Gas it up in the fall with fresh gas, and it's a bear to get gas start flowing from the tank into the carb. (9 years and counting it's done it every year) So I just take the one or two screws off of the air cleaner so I can get to the carb. Put a little gas into the carb and fire it up. It'll run a bit then kill. Do this 2-4 times and she starts sucking gas and I have no problems all winter. 2-3 pulls the rest of the winter.

Good luck.

[ds]

He told me he drained the gas, and ran it dry last year. I will have to try your idea, what a pain if you have to do that every year, sounds like a bad design.

[Nutty Fisherman]

I have had mine for 4 years now and all I have done is drain the gas in the summer, and run it dry. When I am ready to use it, I put fresh gas in it and pull it about 5 or 6 times and it starts, let it warm up and I am ready to go. From reading all the forums I might have got a good one. I was thinking of getting a new one but now I think I will keep it. New is not always better.

[Sergeant Slabber]

I have had mine for about 7 years now and have never had a problem starting it after storage. That's a bummer to have to go through all that dump to get it started!

[GudeMN]

Mine does the same thing when I go to start it in the winter. No gas in the line. All I do is spray some starter fluid on the air intake filter and fire it up. It doesn't take too many pulls and she fires and gas is running through the line.

This year I'm going to try something different. A small engine repair friend of mine suggested instead of running it dry keep some gas in it treated with Stabil all summer. If I make sure I run it for a few minutes once or twice a month that will actually keep it cleaner then running it dry and possibly letting deposits form in the absence of the gas/Stabil mix. Makes sense.

[tomfromblaine]

Thats exactly what I do besides having a little seafoam in the gas , prior to getting ready for a new season I just shake up whats in the tank, drain for use in the snowblower, and add fresh fuel to the auger 2 pulls later she's warming up and good to go, well at least for the last 4 years, hope I didn't jinx myself,

[hanson]

Well, I've followed the, "This looks like a good corner of the garage to leave the auger in this summer policy," up until now. The story has nothing to do with my auger but I'm going to start taking care of my equipment.

Parked my sled last fall in the garage and did nothing to it. Went to start it a month ago. The motor seized. Rusty crank bearings!!! The sled is an '02!!! Never again will I do that.

My Strikemaster I've followed the same maintenance procedure on and have never had a problem. Not anymore. I'm changing my maintenance on everything I own after this latest episode.

I strongly advise fogging oil in everything now. Just wish I would have taken everyones advice earlier.