strikemaster lazer not running well

[andrew chadwick]

My strike master lazer has been having a few issues this season.

It turns over fine, but when I push the throttle to make it drill, it dies. Eventualy I am able to get it to go, but it can take several minutes before it will.

Any ideas. Im sort of mechanicaly innept.

also, the drill shaft wiggles around a bit. It has always done this. I have heard that this is a common problem. Has anyone found a quick fix for this yet. I was thinking about bringing it to big lake but I leave for duluth in a few days and I dont want to have it not be done before I leave.

-thanks

[LakeDocktor]

Mine does the same thing. I let it warm up for a couple minutes, hitting the gas and adjusting the choke a little until it stays idle and responds to the gas. I also switched to Amsoil and that made a huge difference. Once it is warm, it will idle until the tank is empty no matter how cold it is.

It sounds like your flighting may be bent or your shaft collar isn't completely tight on the auger. Your best bet would be to bring it to Big Lake and have them look at it. Also, if they give you any tips on how to get it to warm it up quicker, please post them.

[Tankjd]

If it is where the bit is connected to the shaft, you could take some cardboard (pop box cardboard) and make a bushing or shim, that would be a quick fix or have one made out of brass. Otherwise customer service is top notch at strikmaster

[Goosepride]

A little wobble is normal. Mine as well as my father's both do the same thing and they cut fine.

[fbluvr27]

Last year I bought a used strikemaster lazer. It did the same thing you are describing but i just fought through the frustration. This year, I put a new carb kit into it prior to using it. It still did the same thing that you describe. Now, I have finally figured it out. It just simply has to warm up. If you can bring it to the lake inside the cab of your truck or inside your car that always seems to help. They are just simply cold blooded, IMO.

[Just Me]

Change the spark plug.

Just Me

[Fredd]

when cold, you might have to work the choke up and down a couple of times to let her warm up, but this should only take 10-15 secs. If you are talking minutes, I would call Strikemaster.

[curt quesnell]

There is a small sign on my Lazer Mag that says "let engine

run for a minute or two before cutting". I let it idle and

warm up good and have no problems. I have only a slight

wobble as I drill. I thought the auger was maybe bent a bit.

We are not very careful with our important equipment.

[FISHINGURU]

was there some sort of change with the strikmasters in the last couple years or something? my strikemaster i sold to a friend from 5 yrs ago or so starts like a champ...put it on choke and pull it a couple times..it starts then dies then u just flip the switch to run and give it another pull...let it idle a minute or two and cut away.

i have one buddy that bought one last year and a buddy that bought one this year and they both are hard starters...its tough to let them idle when they don't want to idle....is there an easy way to adjust the idles without messing them up?

[CJH]

I bought my Lazer Mag 2 years ago and encountered the same issue. I just turned my idle speed up a little and that seems to have done the trick.

CH

[Corey Bohn]

There's a screw head located under the gas tank that I believe is for the idle setting. Try that or give StikeMaster a call. They have a repair shop on site and are pretty good about helping people out with their augers.

[McGurk]

Warm up! Warm up! Warm up! Give your auger a minute to warm up before drilling, and most people's problems go away. Start the auger, and find something to do for a minute like hooking up the heater, getting out your flasher, or something else. Then, go to it.

Don't bother with adjusting the idle speed, it should be OK factory set. As to the 2 newer augers, are they broken in? By that I mean; have they had a couple of tanks of gas run through them? That in itself will make them run and idle a lot better.

Another thing to try it to use Amsoil Sabre Professional 2-stroke synthetic oil, mixed at 50-1 for breakin and 80-1 or 100-1 for regular use. I have swithched to that, and my auger (and everything else 2-stroke that I own) has never run better.

[Fredd]

I put mine to full choke until it fires and then back to the off position. After it starts on the next pull, I will have to idle it at half choke for a few seconds and maybe cut my first hole in this position. I think that we all get to know our own equipment and what makes it work. Turning up the idle might have it too high once it's warmed up.

[iFishStu]

My experiences with my mid-80's Mag III are similar to Fredd's. I start pulling with the full choke on until it fires and bogs down, then on 1/2 choke until it fires and bogs down, and then flip it over to no choke, idle for about a minute, then start cutting ice. I've notice that sometimes there is an air gap in the fuel line up by the carb that has to be drawn out before it starts consistently, and the colder it is outside the longer the process takes. I use Sabre Professional and non-oxy premium mixed about 80-90:1, a good spray down of marine carb cleaner at the start of the season, a new spark plug ever few years, and she runs as good as she ever has.

[snoozebutton]

Now, I have finally figured it out. It just simply has to warm up. If you can bring it to the lake inside the cab of your truck or inside your car that always seems to help. They are just simply cold blooded, IMO.

I think it has a lot to do with the new emission controls. I have 2 Jiffys, one is 20 years old and one was new last spring. The new one seems to take a lot longer to warm up and run like it's suppose to.

[FISHINGURU]

did u do that by using that little screw by the gas tank?

[FISHINGURU]

the 2 augers i'm talking about have both been broken in and run amsoil...they don't idle plain and simple... its nothing to do about warming them up....u can't even let them warm up when they don't stay running.

[McGurk]

Well, I wish I had the answer, FISHINGGURU. It might be worth a trip to SM in Big Lake or DRock in New Brighton for some warranty work. Mine is about 3 years old (yellow button) and I have done some minor mods to it to get it to be a screamer, but I didn't have a warranty as I bought it at a pawnshop. If you want to try it I can post the tweaks, but I'm sure it will void any warranty you might have.

[iFishStu]

FISHINGGURU,

Here's the web address for the Techumseh TC engine manual;

www.cpdonline.com/694782.pdf

It has plenty of information about carbs and troubleshooting carb-related problems. It covers both the older TC engines and the newer ones. Maybe something in there will help your buddies get them, keep them running.

[CJH]

I believe there are two adjustment screws, although I could be mistaken. Look at your manual and figure out which one of them is the idle speed, then while its running, turn it a quarter turn until you get the speed up a bit. I turned mine just enough to keep her running while its cold. It definitely helped me.

Also remember to use good oil (which it sounds like you are doing) and fresh gas. Definitely let it warm up before drilling holes. I usually fire it up when I get to the spot and get all of my other stuff ready and the portable setup before I cut.

Hope this helps. If you continue to have problems contact Strikemaster. (Legal Disclaimer: You are responsible for any adjustments you make on your machine.)

Good Luck!

CJH

[andrew chadwick]

haha, I took it out on the back yard lake today just for giggles, and first start it started up, and was instantly cutting. I think I will try the amsoil stuff. I have had the auger for six years and this is the first year it has realy done this.

thanks for all the replies

[RainyEye]

I've had my Strikemaster for 7 yrs. now, I always mix in 1 oz. of Seafoam into 1 gal. of gas and have never had any problems.

[hanson]

Was there some sort of change with the strikmasters in the last couple years or something?

Yes. Lots of changes mainly due to emissions regulations.

All the newer Strikemasters have the compression release button on them.

I've also heard that the augers are factory tuned to meet emissions testing that occurs at much warmer temps than what we use the augers at. This is resulting in a lean (fuel/air) mixture when the temperatures drop causing hard starting and rough running. They just aren't getting enough fuel. If you've got an auger that always bogs out at the bottom of the hole or takes forever to start, you'll probably need a trip to SM to get it tuned up right.