Auger power head frozen

[Guest]

I had a situation last weekend. I fished all day Saturday pulling my portable from place to place behind a snowmobile with the auger strapped on top. There was alot of fresh snow and the auger was covered with it each time I stopped. I was able to cut holes all day with no problem. Overnight, I brought the auger in to let it thaw. By morning, it was only partially thawed out. The room was not warm enough. I was going to fish another lake (by truck) and when I got to my spot and got the auger ready to drill, I couldn't pull the start cord-it was frozen I figured since the partially unthawed powerhead parts re-froze on the way to the lake. I cranked up the heat in the truck to full blast and set the powerhead end of the auger on the floor in the passenger side floor and covered it with a jacket. In ten minutes or so, I was able to start the thing once the recoil starter was free. Then the throttle was inop. So I put the auger back in the truck for another ten minutes and thawed that. Then all was ok.....Long story short-if these things get full of ice and snow-get them inside where it's warm enough to completely thaw and dry them overnight. I think alot of these recoils break because they're frozen and then get forced out of disgust and break. The part that engages the flywheel is plastic and won't take much force to break. My auger is a Lazer Mag but I think this would be true with any machine.....T

[iffwalleyes]

Yep the recoils are plastic. They have a metal dog that kicks out and grabs the flywheel when you pull the cord but then the wheel that the metal dog sits in is plastic on pretty much everything today. Good advice try to keep the auger warm nothing worse than getting to a lake grabbing your auger and something is froze. After all you auger in your most important tool. You can get by without a house and a few rods and tackle but if you can get the hole in the lake it really doesn't do you much good.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
iffwalleyes@yahoo.com

[kwkfsh]

A good way to prevent this is to put a cover over the powerhead of the auger.
I use to do alot of travel to lakes in Alaska where we would have travel 10-20 miles in. Without a cover the engine would get totally packed from the snow thrown by paddle tracks.
I solved the problem by covering it with the bag that comes with new snowmobile helmets. They cinch down with drawstring and will keep almost all of the snow out of and off the engine.

[Eric Wettschreck]

TBone, I have a Lazermag also. It freezes up on me too. When I'm done for the day I always bring it inside and let it thaw in my basement.

[rockhardinmn]

I had the throttle frezze on my jiffy this past week also ,, just let it run longer and it warmed up enough to thaw out

[ELUSIVE FISH]

Tbone.i had the same problem happen to me last weak-end.sort of.sun.morn.pulled the rope once.and bang all over locked up tight.found out the fly wheel is busted along with other plastic parts.will cost me over 90.00 to fix.2yrs.old mag.2000 express

[iffwalleyes]

Right on T I think at least 80% of all ice auger problem are the fault of the operator. To many people are trying to run something that they have no clue how it works. The carbs need periodic adjustment the rattle and move a little it isn't the augers fault just part of owning one. My auger floods all the time well then don't choke and prime it some much. My auger flight bent well maybe you should have drilled that partial hole and used your auger for a anchor for your portable. I have heard that one on here this year. The list goes on and on. Like I said take care of your most important piece of equipment without it it is pretty tough to fish.

------------------
Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
iffwalleyes@yahoo.com

[CNY Tim]

I never had the pull start cord freeze up but my throttle cable did. Put a generous amount of WD-40 through the throttle cable assembly with the red wand and no problems.
Sounds like your in need of some kind of head cover T for those long portages. It's impossible around here to even lay your auger down with all the freaking snow we have.

[Guest]

Sounds like a common problem. I just wanted to bring it up because alot of people cuss the auger as being junk because of things that are not really the fault of the auger itself. A pound of prevention..............T