Strikemaster pull start won't engage

[mojocatt]

I have a Strikemaster Lazermag Xpress, two years old. Very satisfied with it's operation, but I need a little advice.

Upon returning from a trip this weekend I was preparing to run out the remaining gas in the line. I gave the starter rope a pull once, the second pull it would not engage the engine, no resistance at all.

I suspect a issue with the recoil, I also suspect it is fairly minor and hope that someone here will have some handy tips.

I'd take it in for repair, but I want to try to have it running soon, since I have a five day weekend on tap.

Either / or a repair shop on the North side that can work PDQ.

Thanks.

[JimBuck]

My recoil went bad last week...I popped the 4 screws off and put the spring back into place and she runs fine. Of the 4 augers we brought with us this weekend, 3 of them ended up having recoil issues (all different manufacturers) . All too common apparently.

[walleyewild]

Could be ice in the dog that engages to the flywheel. Or a broken dog, Strikemaster in big lake would probably be the quickest place for repair, Have only used them once many years ago but they are the best.

[troutkingmaster]

Same thing happened to my Eskimo auger this weekend. Pretty sure I broke the "teeth" that reach out and grab the mechanism on the motor. I wouldn't think it is a spring issue if the recoil rope retracts like it should. Could be wrong though.

[siberian]

If at all possible, take it up to Strikemaster in Big Lake. Their service department in maybe the best in the world. Done right and done fast. Otherwise, find any Tecumseh AUTHORIZED repair shop and they'll probably have the parts,too. Yellow Pages or Tecumseh.com. "Recoil Starter Kit" is probably what you need. Had it done in Brainerd last week and it cost me a total of $85 because of time limitations. Again, GO TO BIG LAKE. Siberian

[Shack]

Quote:

Could be ice in the dog that engages to the flywheel. Or a broken dog,

That or just hard moving from lack of use during the off season. My Strike Master Mag2000 will do this every year on the first couple trips, until I get some use back in them. That or after a long snowmobile pull out on the lake in very cold temps.

I have to bang on the head (with hand above the recoil) a couple times and it works. After the machine warms up, it goes away. Later in the season, I do not notice it at all.

I always say I should remove the cover and check it out, but like I said after the first couple trips and I get out and use it, it works fine.

[eyebjim]

If you pull it very fast sometimes the dogs will come out from more centrifugal force when they are stuck like that.

[deadeye]

The teeth on there are plastic and tend to break. I have replaced that part probably 3 times. I keep one on hand now cause the last time it happened I was out on the lake. Its not a hard repair, just takes a little time.

[mojocatt]

Thanks for the input. Now the bizzare part. I went home to bring it to our machine shop at work and take a look under the cover. I decided to give it a try and it engaged and started on the second pull. Wierd....

[JimBuck]

Thanks for the input. Now the bizzare part. I went home to bring it to our machine shop at work and take a look under the cover. I decided to give it a try and it engaged and started on the second pull. Wierd....

EVERY auger is different, even within the same manufacturer. They each seem to have there own individual quirks to proper running, maintenance etc. I have a buddy that swears that the only way his will turn-over is by pushing the choke in/out twice and not punching the throttle until 45 sec. of warming up. It starts every time so I roll with it. Glad it all worked out.

[deadeye]

It might have just gotten iced up. The warm/cold cycles have lots of condensation that will mess stuff up.

[ARNE]

I bet it got wet and froze up I had it happen to me once

[Gissert]

Mojo ---- What Shack said.

My Strikemaster will do the same thing. I shoot the pawls with a little WD40 and that helps quite a bit, but cold, wet, and freeze cycles will cause it to happen again. If you can slip a small screwdriver into the pawl (hemastat also works) you can get it to engage.