Strikemaster Lazer Mag Auger (hard starting and break-in)

[LCC0709]

I have a new Strikemast Lazer Mag Auger and it seems like a very hard starter. I have been trying to break it in by letting it run in the garage but to go through a tank of gas seems like will take a long time to do. As for the starting it seems like I have to give it 7 to 8 pulls before it runs then dies. After a couple of more times I can get it running and let it set there for awhile. Is this good to do or should I stop?

Thanks,

LCC

[hill7410]

I have same problem. I was wondering the same thing. Any input would be great!

[charliepete2]

Mine is a year old and starts the same way. It takes about 5 pulls to get it started. If its extremely cold it's more like 20 pulls. It runs fine once I let it warm up, but it is not a good starter.

[fisherman7]

I bought this auger this year and I dont have that problem whatsoever. Mine starts on the 2nd or the third pull and doesnt stop running. Make sure the gas cap is open, or else there is a carb adjustment im pretty sure. I think you should be able to tweek the carb and make it run better. It most likely is set on the factory carb setting.

[hanson]

Once you run that 1st tank of gas through your auger with the Strikemaster oil which I'm sure you are using, switch the oil to Amsoil Saber.

I'm running my Lazer Xpress with nearly a 100:1 premix right now which is what Amsoil suggests.

My auger is typically starting 1 or 2 pulls with full choke on, even at -20 below. It may stop running on that initial start, but flip the choke off, 1 pull and she is running again.

Its absolutely incredible what that oil has done to the starting of this engine. It used to take 5 pulls, maybe 6 with the choke on. The engine would then die. Flip the choke off, pull it once more and she was running fine. Now its the same routine with way less pulls.

[McGurk]

Mine has been a slow starter too even with Amsoil Sabre. While I was at DRock he suggested that I pull start the motor with full throttle, full choke, without the yellow de-comp button pushed in. Make sure you have a TIGHT grip on that handle, though, or it will fly back in there and that is when you have problems (broken stuff). He says that is how he starts them and how he recommends others start theirs too. I have always been under the impression that you never want to gun any motor without letting it warm up a bit, and I am not telling anyone to do this but go ahead and try it. Hanson, are you starting it with any throttle?

[hanson]

Quote:

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Hanson, are you starting it with any throttle?

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No. The only time I ever use the throttle is if I suspected the auger flooded.

My Lazer Xpress was pre-compression release so I don't have the yellow button on mine either. Not sure if that matters.

[hartner62]

One more with the same issue here. I'm on my 2nd tank of gas with amsoil and it is getting a little better. Once I get it started I usually let it run for a couple of minutes before I start drilling holes otherwise it will kill or bind up on me half way down the hole.

[Bobb-o]

is the amsoil mix available in any stores or do you have to order it online? just bough my first new (new to me) auger and am looking to have it last awhile.

[eurolarva]

amsoil link is above on this page. I had the same problems from the auger I bought last year. I switched to amsoil about a month ago and will never go back to strikemaster oil. I still have to give a little throttle with full choke to get it to cough but this usually happens on the second or third pull even when 10 below outside. With strikemaster oil I could not get it to cough at 5 below after a couple hundred pulls and a couple hundred cuss words

[anyfishwilldo]

One more vote for the Amsoil sabre. I use it in all my 2 stroke things. My lazer mag starts 3-4 pulls, except in the sub 0 weather, it is more like 8-10(big deal). The best part about it, no smoke in the hard house!!!

[anyfishaldo]

My Mako went bad less that 6 months in so I traded it in for a Strike master. Had a heck of a time starting it the first time. New neighbor probobly thought I was a loon. Any way.. I have found that if I open the air on the tank squeeze the throttle two quick times it starts on the second or third pull. Love the auger!

[fisherman7]

I have never had an issue starting this auger. I bought a month ago and it starts everytime in 3 or less pulls. I dont do anything special, and just use the strikemaster oil. I have a friend that has the stealth which has the same exact engine as this auger and it starts the same way. We both have trouble getting it from choke to run to keep it running.

[Juan Grande]

Thanks for the tip on the Amsoil, I'll have to try that on my next tank. I have the same problems with my Lazer Mag. My last trip out to Red last year I coudn't get it started at all so I brought it to Strikemaster and they adjusted the carb. It was starting on the first pull at the shop.

I've had it out twice this winter and I have to pull it 10-15 times to start it and then it keeps killing.

Hopefully, I'm still going through a "break in" period here because that thing cost me $370 and it runs/starts like a POS.

[mjhowe]

The quickest way to flood a small 2 stroke motor is to use throttle when starting. As soon as that plug gets wet...expect many pulls till it dries out.

Open the vent, use full choke, once it starts go to 1/2 choke, let it idle that way for at LEAST a minute if not 2...then shut the choke all the way off and give it the gun. If you follow that procedure exactly and your auger balks...you have a bad plug or a poorly adjusted or dirty carb.

And lastly, the oil you choose definately affects starting...go with the Amsoil....

I worked on small mx motors for years, and larger street 2 strokes...trust me. NO throttle, all choke

[united jigsticker]

Sorry to say, but this starting issue is NOT normal, and if you bring it to Strikemaster, they will fix it for you by most likely putting in a new carb.

It is a problem, and they are aware of it.

Be careful to the folks with the de-comp models: Yanking it over under full compression has a good reputation of breaking your recoil.

Other notes:.....

*Choking an engine AND holding the throttle wide open while attempting to start is counter productive.

*After six pulls at WOC ("Wide Open Choke") your engine SHOULD be flooded. Close the choke, hold WOT, and pull start.

*Warm-ups shouldn't take more then a minute, even if it is 20 below. In cold conditions, alternating the choke lever between 1/2 function and closed will help keep your engine running until the idle smoothes out and is warm enough to operate properly.

*Check your coupler bolts on your auger! (I like to wrap a little electrical tape around the bolt holes to ensure the bolt can't slide out) These babies like to loosen up, and have fallen out at the wrong times!

*Look before you drill! Sounds silly, but popular lakes that draw groups of houses tend to have road sand, salt, other debris, in areas where vehicles have parked or traveled. This can ruin a $38 pair of blades as fast as you can say "fish on!"

*Fresh Gas. This stuff these days goes bad fast, especially if you alternate your auger from the heated garage and the back of your truck often (condensation = water)

*Don't forget the oil! Whether you are an Amsoil person, or are still fogging for mosquitoes in February, without oil you have turmoil.

*Keep a spare plug! Fouling, insulators cracking, or just plain old worn out, a one cylinder engine doesn't do so well when one spark plug goes bad!

*Catch fish! There is no point in drilling the hole if you don't catch anything anyways.

Have fun and be safe!

[iceteamdreamer]

Yeah i just bought a 10" Lazer on the 29 of january. Honestly it sux to start. I have to pull it 8-10 times and then it continually dies after i get it started. I have adjusted the idle on th carb but for some reason it just wont stay running. I will try the amsoil and see if that helps. Anyone else have any cutting problems? I called strikemaster and they are gonna send me new blades. I cant cut more than 1 hole. It seems like it wont dig. just sits and spins.

[jltimm]

I'm starting to think that Strikemaster's quality has gone downhill in the last few years. I have owned three different augers in the last 15 yrs, and have not had troubles with the older ones, which started excellent (1-2 pulls everytime). My newer one, has had a couple of issues.It has never started great, and had a recoil issue.I'm gonna see how it does today, and if it starts terribly, I'll have to make the trip down to Big lake!

[hanson]

Sure sounds like a lot of the problems are being experienced by guys with the newer Strikemasters.

Mine is probably 5 years old and it is as solid as a rock.

When we had -20 a couple weeks ago, I left the auger in the back of my truck overnight. I pulled it the first morning to make sure I could start it and it popped off on the 1st pull.

UJ has some very good tips for you Strikemaster owners!

My starting procedure has always been this:

- Loosen screw on gas cap

- Slide choke lever to full

- Pull 3-5 times

- Engine fires and kills

- Slide choke lever to off

- Pull 1 more time and it starts & keeps running

I also believe that if your auger is taking awhile to start, switching the oil to Amsoil isn't going to be a cure all. It has definitely helped mine run better and start easier, but mine also started well before the switch.

[theoilman]

AMEN.

AMSOIL Saber Professional will not fix something else that is broken. It will let a lot of marginal things 'get by'.

But is sounds like you need a pro to take a look at it.

[eurolarva]

Mine is one year old and I have the same problems. Amsoil is the only reason I am able to use it at all. It still takes about 10 pulls cold to get it to start. I read earlier in this post that you should never throttle on full choke. Well that is the only way mine will start below zero. I always have to wait 2 full minutes of idle or reving with no ice cutting before it will warm up to the point where it will not bog down. After cutting that first hole it will run all day. 20 Plust degrees and it starts on the first pull.

[jltimm]

Well, I put some seafoam in my Strikemaster and it has done the trick so far.I drilled about 40 holes today with it, and it ran flawlessly.Still a little cold blooded, but playing with the choke on 1/2 to 3/4 it ran and then warmed up after a little revving.

[otterman2]

Hi,

Heres my 2 cents worth, I have one of the older ones (6 years old) without the decompression release and they run and start alot better than the ones with the decompression release, a guy at work just got one with the release on it, it started very hard and would barely come up to speed, he brought it to small engine shop. Turns out the muffler resricted it way to much, on my lazer there are some rows of holes in the muffler for the exhaust to come out. On this new one the guy got at work here there were no holes in the muffler to let the exhaust come out at all. The repair shopped drilled an 1/2 inch hole in the muffler and now she just screams and starts great everytime now.

I was wondering if some of you checked to see if yours has the proper holes in the muffler?

Another two buddy's of mine also have the one's with the decompression on it and it they start terrible and take forever to warm up. Nothing like the one's I know without it and I know a bunch of guys with the pre-decompression style that have never had any complaints at all.

Theres got to be something wrong with some of the new style 2hsp motors with the carbs or something.

-Otterman2

Another friend of mine just got one

[Caesarfishinguytoo]

Quote:

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Anyone else have any cutting problems? I called strikemaster and they are gonna send me new blades. I cant cut more than 1 hole. It seems like it wont dig. just sits and spins.

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I used to have cutting problems with mine, but it is an older 3 blade drill bit that Stikemaster had determined were not working properly. It would cut sometimes and other times just sit and spin. Since you just bought yours though I doubt it is the 3 blade auger????

Strikemaster replaced the lower unit for me and she is working like a top now!!

[cotfish]

ok heres my story,bought my mag 2000 jan.05.last yr 05-06 season.took it into local shop because it wasnt starting.they adjusted carb.ran fine.this yr i had it at strikemaster 3x for carb adjust.finally 4th time cy put new carb in.ran great for next few outings,now im back to hard starting,wont stay running.my oil to gas ratio is correct.im just very frustrated.and ideas?