Help! Auger not running right!

[tisch008]

I have an old Strikemaster Mag III 49cc auger and it runs like garbage!

When I give it gas is bogs down or dies. I can't get it up to full power. I called and talked to a mechanic at FRATTALLONE'S in circle pines and asked him if it would be easy to just buy a rebuild kit and give it a tune up my self. He told me that it's difficult cause you have to "dial-in" the carb.

What do you guys think? With decent instrucions I can fix just about anything and have worked on plenty of car engines. Is it really THAT difficult?

[Borch]

I'm guessing your varnished up or in need of a new carb kit. Just take it in to Stikemaster in Big Lake and they'll take care of you. They have awsome customer service there. A new carb kit installed will run you around $50 if I recall correctly. But give them a call to find out. They are in the book.

[hanson]

Tisch-

I don't think it would be that difficult if you are a tinkerer. Chances are, you'll just have to disassemble the carb, and rebuild it with a rebuild kit in the reverse order of disassembly. Unless someone was monkeying with some of the adjustments, my guess is it won't need "dialing in".

If your auger has sat for awhile, drain the old gas out and replace with a fresh gas/oil mix. Putting a new sparkplug in after that is also a good idea.

Most likely, some of the old gas left in the carb is whats causing your problem unless there is something wrong with one of the diaphragms in the carb.

[PierBridge]

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unless there is something wrong with one of the diaphragms in the carb.

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I would replace the diaphragms, there cheap and easy to do is it leaking any gas or does it run better while pushing the primer?

[Surface Tension]

No primer on that auger. A carb cleaning and rebuild kit will get you going again. You might want to try adjusting the carb first. Replace the gas/oil, check the fuel line for leaks and replace the spark plug. Its an easy carb to rebuild, the hardest part would be getting linkage and governor put back correctly. I'd suggest taking pictures for reference.

[Valv]

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the hardest part would be getting linkage and governor put back correctly. I'd suggest taking pictures for reference.

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....that's exactly my problem, I tried twice before...ended up at the shop every time, now I just let them have it.

I can take apart a larger carb, but I don't know why these "inky-winky" little carbs are a pain for me....(it is just me, I know..)

[Crusty old Swede]

Definitly try new gas with the proper amount of seafoam in it first, after it starts let it idle enough to get the new gas into the carb. Turn it off and let the seafoam work for awhile, if it still won't work right, then it's time for the 10$ carb kit for the Walbro (brand name of the carb) Use an empty egg carton to keep the parts in order as you take them off. In the old days Walbro carb kits were packaged for each individual carb model, now they have several kits that cover lots of different carbs so don't worry that you have way more parts than you took off. Just replace the old parts with new parts that look the same and reassemble. If you're really interested, the AMA american modelers association (I think) is a national umbrella group for radio control aircraft, in one of their magazines back issues was an artical written by an employee of Walbro. The artical had everything you could ever want to know about the "mystery cube" carbs that were/are found on the biggest R/C models and lots of other small gas engines.

[tisch008]

I called Strikemaster since I've heard so many good things about them. They are open Monday through Friday 8:00 to 4:30. Well that doesn't work for me so I might give it a go my self.

I sure would like to bring it somewhere though because I bought it used last year and would like a trained professional to give it the once over!

[PierBridge]

D-Rock in New Brighten can help you, they are a Strikemaster repair shop and a darn good one.

[tisch008]

Took it to D Rock. Real helpful shop. Even gave me lessons on the proper care of my auger. The thing runs like a top now!

Thanks for the advice!

[PierBridge]

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Took it to D Rock. Real helpful shop. Even gave me lessons on the proper care of my auger. The thing runs like a top now!

Thanks for the advice!

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[Surface Tension]

Great Guys at D-Rock

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[92python]

My Strikemaster Lazer mag 2 hrs. has fallen out of tune from time to time. Similar bogging down that you described. It is at least 10 years old at this point.

I have been able to get it working after talking with the techs at Strikemaster.

2 different tips they gave me to get it working properly:

1) Adjust the idle screw located on the underside of the engine in 1/4 turn increments.

2) They told me to take a can of carb cleaner and spray it into the gas tank for a 5 count while the engine was idling.

[Fisherman For a Lifetime]

I side note reminder to everyone...

When you're all bulked up with a big jacket and pushing down on the auger. Remember not to block the Air Intake as that'll bog 'er down when you least want it !!

Yep, I'm guilty, I accidentally covered 'er up and she bogged right out !!

[tisch008]

...and keep that muffler away from your jacket! It's funny when you get together with a bunch of other ice fishermen to see how many have a big burns in the front of their jackets! I'm one of them!

[walldoggie]

This sounds like exactly what happened to me this year. A little gas got left over from last year and cloged up the carb. So what i did is changed spark plug. Emptied the old gas. bought new gas put a decent amount of seafoam in with the mixed gas. poured seafoam directly into the carb pulled it over and let it run, till it ran out. did this a couple of times till the engine got a little warm then poured seafoam into the carb again but a lot this time let sit for about 5 min pulled the recoil and she started right up. The new gas worked its way in with the seafoam and unclogged the whole thing now she runs as good as new.

[fishhook8]

I agree the old gas is the culprit. What I have found on my 1990? jiffy and my chain saw is that if I screw in the jets count the turns as it goes in then remove them and squirt carb cleaner using the plastic nozzle, then screw the jets back in to there original location it usually solves the problem. I also believe in putting a small amount of seafoam in each tank of 2 cycle mix which stabalize the gas and helps clean the carb. Recently my chainsaw was in the same condition I went thru the proceedure described, couldnt start it that night. The next morning I tried again and it started right up.