Auger tune-up?

[HeIsLegend]

yeha yeah yeah I know tell me to search for it. I tried all I came up with was winterising and summerising the mighty ice drill!

I was just how you guys would properly do a "real" tune up for a two stroke and four?(such as new plugs, gastkets, etc)

Thanks tons,

Timmmaa

[mattkimk]

Better yet, I do not have time to do the tune up. Anybody know a place on the northeast side to get it done?

Sorry for the piggy back on your post I just didn't want to topics titled Auger tune up.

[Surface Tension]

First change the spark plug and have fresh gas w/correct oil ratio.

The most common carb used on augers are the Walbro.

They all have a fuel pump which consists or a body and diaphragm. Theres a port goes from the carb through the gasket and into the crank. As the engine is turned over it sucks and blows though that port, in turn moves the diaphragm. That diaphragm can get stretched out or breakdown, in either case it can't pump the fuel like it should.

Theres also a gasket in the carb stack that has little flaps, those flaps allow gas movement in one direction. Those can go bad too.

Next is the fuel inlet valve, It opens and closes the flow of gas going into the carb determined by the fuel level.

Its held inplace and hinged on a fulcrum with an adjustable tang. That tang adjusts the fuel level in the carb.

With a float/bowl carb you adjust by the float drop but we're talking about a carb without a float & bowl right now.

In our case the tang should be level with the carb body.

If you look, the center of the pumps diaphragm will come in contact with the that inlet needles tang. In both cases, float & bowl or bowless carbs, The tip of the inlet needle can become damaged and either stick in place or become damaged enough to where gas will seep by when it should be closed.

So say your auger isn't running right and you take the carb off and clean it. You should buy a carb kit and replace the gaskets, diaphragm and inlet valve and seat too.

Not all Walbro carbs are the same. Some use both Low speed and High Speed mixture adjustment screw. Most times you can adjust the mixture to get the auger to run at its best but not if the diaphragm or valve/gaskets are bad.

Some, and most new engines have internal jets. You'll have to take that carb apart to clean and replace the diaphragms and clean the jets. The jet is made of brass, its inside dia is tiny so it dosen't take much restriction to effect how the auger runs. Brass is also soft so don't enlarge the hole when you clean it.

Some augers with the fixed main jet will benefit from replacing that jet with a larger jet. I did just that with my Nils. Your auger might benefit from that too. Modern small engines have to conform to EPA standards. Its impossible to get peak performance out an engine that has to met those standards in cold weather conditions.

Normal operation was a good warm up till the auger would cut. Now you should warm any engine up before putting a load on it but the warm time up required for the Nils seemed extreme. Once warm though it cut like no other auger.

I went from a .37 to a .38 main jet. End result, no long warm up times and more power when under load. I'll get into that mod with pictures at a later date.

Back to the tune up.

This will be for the Walbro carbs with the High and Low Speed mixture. Your carb will have a L and H stamped into the carb body. Theres also a Idle speed set screw.

Let the engine warm up. Start with the Low speed mixture. Turn it in(clockwise) till the engine starts to run high and or slow down. Now turn it out till the engine runs at its highest RPM. You can go in and out to get it at that point.

Once you get Low speed adjusted so the engine run at its highest/smoothest point you turn the screw out till it starts to just slow down. Why wouldn't you leave it where it runs at its highest point? Because its running lean there and will be hard to get started. Turning out will richen the mixture so you won't have to pull on the rope more then a couple times to start it.

Now you have to adjust the High Speed. This should be done under load/cutting ice. Adjust till you get to the point of max RPMs and then again turn the screw out till it you notice the engine slowing down. Do that and you won't be running lean, Running lean will burn an engine out. Thats especially important if you like drilling a series of holes one after another.

[MN]

D-Rock

They do landscaping supplies and Strikemaster repair - good service center.

New Brighton I believe...

MN

[stpauliguy]

I 2nd D-Rock. Great service and great prices!!!

[kunk]

New Brighton is correct for D-Rock. If it's an older model as mine is and the parts aren't available, he'll improvise to get it right.

[JOHN T jr.]

Just where in Newbrighton is this "D ROCK" located.. I can really use thier services. I'd better get it done now before I HAVE TO. Thanks a lot ....><(((>

[Scott M]

D Rock

175 Old Highway 8

New Brighton, MN 55112

Or if you're headed towards Big Lake:

Strikemaster

17217 198th Ave

Big Lake, MN 55309

[harleyharry]

Surface Tension

Good job on explaining the workings of the carb on the auger. I have been repairing engines for 37 years, have my own shop now since 1983. I don't know of 10 people who can explain the working of the carb like you did.

Are you a small engine tech, or someone who tinkers with this equipment?

[Surface Tension]

harleyharry, thanks very much and welcome to HSO/FM. You know we could use a guy like you around here so don't be bashful.

I'm just a guy that didn't do good in school and hates Rubic's Cubes. If I needed something fixed, I did it out of necessity. Wasn't shy about taking stuff apart to figure them out. Of coarse in the beginning I rendered some projects useless but kept tearing stuff apart. My latest and proudest stint has been a primary care provider since birth(at home dad)to my son and daughter which are both wonderful, confident, well mannered, well rounded young individuals. Straight A students too. That wouldn't have been possible without my wife working and I can't say how lucky I am to be able to do that. Before that I've done many different jobs, but a heck of a carpenter I am.

I'm not needed at home as much now and just started a job search. Nights & weekends are out.

[The Yeti]

Any suggestions for where to bring an Auger for tune up in the Richfield area?

[pathogen]

Yeti:

Johnson Hardware

7936 Portland Ave S

Bloomington, MN

Phone: 952-881-7224

Near Portland and 494, they know their small engines, did great work on mine.

[mnhunter2]

Did the older strikemaster lazer mag augers use the walbro carbs, my auger has been okay but for the last few years it sometimes and won't stay running at low idle you have to start it for almost every hole. Is there a clutch of some type on the drive gears as sometimes it seems that I need more rpms to get the auger to spin?

[Squirtis]

Not sure about what type of carb it is, but am pretty sure there is a clutch. If at idle the auger doesn't spin, then there is either a clutch, or you sheared a key or some sort. If the clutch is sticking, then you should be able to take the GB apart as well as the clutch and lubricate the pawls, which are the centrifugal weights that grab the driven side of the clutch. I would assume a good spray silicone lube should be sufficient, because there are not too many wear surfaces there. I would make sure there is no "grease" in there that would get thicker as the temperature drops. (Note: this pertains to the inside of the clutch, not the Gearbox, which I assume is lubrcated with either heavy gear oil or some sort of grease). It may be a good idea to call the tech support line at Strikemaster, they may be able to give you some good maintenance info.

[BIG DS]

Yes there is a clutch on your auger. The carb just needs a simple adjustment to keep it running at an idle. It probably wouldn't hurt to have the carb gone through by someone that knows what they are doing and ask them if they can adjust the governor so that the engine runs a bit faster. The governor springs fatigue after time and you loose rpms without even realizing it. I have done it to almost everyone of the older augers that I have serviced over the years and I always get the same comment "it hasn't had this much power since it was new!" Just a few tips to keep it fun.

[Surface Tension]

Thanks for the input BigDS.

A carb adjustment will probalby get you idling better. It could be a matter of turning the idle speed up or low speed adjustment. If the auger starts good then I'd turn the idle speed up.

If its hard to start then you'll need to adjust the low speed.

All augers have a clutch, but not like the clutch in a car. On rotation the clutch either locks up or it doesn't, there should be no in between. If your slipping then your not getting the power and RPMs that it should be getting. Normally the high speed will need to be tweaked.

As DS said the governor could be out of adjustment too.

At full throttle with no load the engine is governed at a max RPM. There is more throttle but it won't kick in till the engine RPMs drop below at a set point. When you increase the load on the engine the governor will open the throttle more to keep the RPMs up. You will hear that happen as the engine changes its pitch, what your hearing is the carbs butterfly opening.

If the carb or governor are out of adjustment or even a dirty spark plug the engine can't keep that set max RPM up under load and the clutch slips.

So having said all that a slipping clutch on an auger doesn't mean the clutch is bad.