Strike-Lite Owners - How did you store your auger this summer??

[hanson]

OK you Strike-Lite owners and future Strike-Lite owners, my dad and I learned a very important lesson about his auger yesterday.

When the label and instructions say to keep "This Side Up!", do it! That applies to storing your auger in the summer as well. The auger has to remain piston up, crankcase down, or guess what? You have an oil problem!

Dad went to start his Strike-Lite yesterday and it was standing on end in the corner of the garage. He couldn't pull the recoil at all. My first thought was the motor seized but that didn't make much sense. I pulled the spark plug out and the combustion chamber was full of oil. The oil leaked past the piston rings and loaded the combustion chamber with oil effectively hydrolocking the motor up. Grrrr....

So after a quick assessment of the situation, I decided to dump the rest of the oil out of the crankcase, and then I CAREFULLY swabbed up the residual oil on top of the piston with Q-tips. I must have went through 20-25 Q-tips soaking up the oil in the combustion chamber. Once I felt I had removed enough of the oil, we refilled the case with a new bottle of Strikemaster 4 stroke oil and attempted to start the auger. I depressed the primer bulb 4-5 times, and proceeded to pull the rope and the auger started on the 5th pull. What a relief! She smoked pretty bad for about 1 1/2 minutes as the auger was burning off the oil and then the exhaust cleared up and it ran like new.

So a word of caution to Strike-Lite owners, you absolutely can NOT leave your auger standing upright for any length of time. It must be laid down on its side, with the piston up. It specifically says this on the auger but they definitely mean it!

[Borch]

I had the exact same thing happen with my 4 stroke weed wacker(except over the winter). Luckily I had the same results when I figured it out.

[MNice]

That's why I love 2 strokes for small engines!! 100/1 amsoil and my chainsaw, weed wacker,auger, blower are all set to go.

[cold one sd]

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That's why I love 2 strokes for small engines!! 100/1 amsoil and my chainsaw, weed wacker,auger, blower are all set to go.

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Yup, same for me. Amsoil Saber and all is fine.

[HarryG]

Makes perfect sense to me. I once tipped a lawn mower on the side. The oil ran out and I had to replace a lot of it. Great info. Maybe I wil buy the 4 stroke? And 2 stroke. And nes flip over. and drop down. Oh where does it end??? I think it is the ice fishing toys that I like so much. LOL

[Northlander]

No way I will run anything I have to worry about how I lay it down or stand it up. Thats crazy.

[hanson]

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No way I will run anything I have to worry about how I lay it down or stand it up. Thats crazy.

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We'll all have to some day. Its only a matter of time until 2 strokes have gone the way of the spoon auger.