New Jiffy engines: Why no reviews?

[Mudslide]

I have been looking for info or a review of the new Jiffy engines but have not found a single review. Why all the secrecy?  Can anyone point me to a review of this new engine?

[FISHFORPIKE]

I's like to see/read one or two or three myself.  Seems like Jiffy is not making anything of the engine switcheroo.  I have to take that to mean the "new" engines are not anything to "crow" about. 

[greenbackhunter]

in my mind, jiffy has taken a lot of pride in the fact that their product has been pretty much the same for the last 30 years now, and suddenly they change to a new, unproven motor made in china.... I think they are afraid of upsetting the mass of loyal customers myself...

[ice dawg]

I don't remember where I read some information about the new engines on Jiffy augers and they are supposed to perform very well. I guess I was doing some fesearch on the net when I came across the information.

[lake snake]

  That's because the engines are Chinese made junk. I would imagine the people with older model Jiffy's will be holding on to their augers. In my opinion, Jiffy just dug their own grave. Strikemaster and Nils Master are probably laughing their butts off right now.

[Mudslide]

It certainly makes one nervous about purchasing a new auger when there is no information about it and no reviews. It reminds me of studios that don't let critics see their movie before release so that they can't tell everyone just how bad it is. I hope I'm wrong but something definitely smells bad. I bought the top of the line Jiffy STX 2 years ago and it needed carb work right out of the box. Very disappointing. Hope this isn't the ice fishing equivalent of "Glitter"

[lostfishy]

Yeah, The model 79 stx pro 2hp was supposed to be a great new break through product. Why did it only last a year or two? I was just going to order one, now they are up to three hp and weigh in at 41 pounds!! I love my old model 30 that lasted about 23 years and weighed about 38 pounds. I'm no younger now. I wanted a new replacement by jiffy but sure won't be buying a much more expensive HEAVIER auger. What do you guys think? strikemaster with a solo engine? keep fixing the old 30?

[dkfry]

The model 79 stx pro 2hp was supposed to be a great new break through product. Why did it only last a year or two?

Tecumseh went down the toilet and stopped making motors.

I bought the top of the line Jiffy STX 2 years ago and it needed carb work right out of the box.

Its the junk compensating carbs they put on and they were the same for strikemaster or jiffy. Pretty much everything is going to needleless carburetors which are junk.(I'm shure the SM Solo has them too) You can spend $1800 on a Stihl professional chainsaw and it will have a compensating carb on it. My 2hp Tecumseh runs good for now but when I start having problems with it I'm putting on a std twin needle walbro carb metered for the engine size.

It always seemed to me like Jiffy never really did a lot of advertising and doesn't have the massive "Pro Staff" like strikemaster does.

[lake snake]

Yeah, The model 79 stx pro 2hp was supposed to be a great new break through product. Why did it only last a year or two? I was just going to order one, now they are up to three hp and weigh in at 41 pounds!! I love my old model 30 that lasted about 23 years and weighed about 38 pounds. I'm no younger now. I wanted a new replacement by jiffy but sure won't be buying a much more expensive HEAVIER auger. What do you guys think? strikemaster with a solo engine? keep fixing the old 30?

  I have a Nils Master and it is money well spent. Weighs only 22 pounds and has a reliable Tanaka motor.

[Skipper]

No one want to give any details on these new engines. I looked pretty hard for durability ratings on the new SM and Jiffy augers and I cant find it anywhere. At least Strikemaster is letting everyone know they had a major change, Jiffy seems to be trying to just glaze over it. I just went to Jiffy's website and if you didnt know by looking at them, you would never know anything happened.

I just want to know the engine durability ratings! The older Techumseh engines were around 250 hrs, the Tanaka head is 600 hrs, What the heck are the Solo and "Jiffy" engines?! Some of the super cheap power equiptment out there now is only 40 hrs, it makes me nervous when they dont advertise it.

[ice 45]

i don't know about jiffy but one thing that i like about the solo no matter what size engine the 2, 2.5 and 3 horse matched with the same size auger all way the same.

[lostfishy]

  I have a Nils Master and it is money well spent. Weighs only 22 pounds and has a reliable Tanaka motor.

I hear you Lake Snake. It would be an easy choice for me if they made a 10".  I just want to get the best and lightest 10" auger on the market this year.

[Caseman]

Yeah, The model 79 stx pro 2hp was supposed to be a great new break through product. Why did it only last a year or two? I was just going to order one, now they are up to three hp and weigh in at 41 pounds!! I love my old model 30 that lasted about 23 years and weighed about 38 pounds. I'm no younger now. I wanted a new replacement by jiffy but sure won't be buying a much more expensive HEAVIER auger. What do you guys think? strikemaster with a solo engine? keep fixing the old 30?

I was just about to buy the Model 79 PRO on Monday.  Thats when I noticed they got heavier!   

ICEGATOR HERE I COME.

[dkfry]

I hear you Lake Snake. It would be an easy choice for me if they made a 10".  I just want to get the best and lightest 10" auger on the market this year.

If you want a 10" auger you will want a 3hp motor.

[Caseman]

I just got off of the phone with JIFFY.  They are getting the motors from China. 

Also I notice that on jiffy just removed the Weight of each unit. So now we cant compare them.     They had them posted on monday.  Now they do not.

Thats sad. 

[FISHFORPIKE]

I hear you Lake Snake. It would be an easy choice for me if they made a 10".  I just want to get the best and lightest 10" auger on the market this year.

"Best" and "lightest"?  -  I don't think those two words will be found, together, in an ice-auger.  Maybe they will come together in the StrikeMaster with new german engine(s)?

[lake snake]

"Best" and "lightest"?  -  I don't think those two words will be found, together, in an ice-auger.  Maybe they will come together in the StrikeMaster with new german engine(s)?

             Yes they can be found together in an ice auger, it's called Nils Master.

[dkfry]

             Yes they can be found together in an ice auger, it's called Nils Master.

Not in my experience. Nils falls short in several departments in my experience.

[holehopper]

I talked to a local mechanic (auger repair shop) and he swears by the new solo engine.  He tested Strikemaster engines for them.  Each year this shop gets all the demo strikemaster augers that are used on local ice fishing contests and has been doing it for years.  All last winter he checked out the German engine, a Japanese engine and some Chinese stuff.  He said the Chinese engines were junk.  The Japanese and German engines were of equal quality (very good) but the Japanese engine wouldn't start in the cold.  He said the Solo engine is rock solid. 

[FISHFORPIKE]

             Yes they can be found together in an ice auger, it's called Nils Master.

10" Auger???
I want to see a Tanaka head, Jiffy 30 and StrikeMaster, all with identical 10" augers going at it head to head, then I'll decide on the "best", but I doubt it'll be "lightest".   

[lostfishy]

If you want a 10" auger you will want a 3hp motor.

That was supposed to be the beauty of the model 79 by Jiffy and some others by using a new transmission unit, you could get improved performance w/less horse power.....

[Curley]

I was just talking to my local bait shop. was told he was getting one of the new Jiffy's to demo against his Nils which replaced a model 30. They've been working on this engine for a few years now, and it's there own design. He said any problems with the engine , and they will replace it. I know it's all second hand info. I wish Jiffy would come out and say what's going on. Strike Master is killing them in the PR.

[TIBS]

I did notice that Jiffy is going to offer the new powerhead as a stand-alone product.  I seriously doubt they're going to sell many of those, unless someone has an old Tecumseh that can't be fixed, and even then, it's not much more money to get a whole new auger.  $324 for the stand-alone power head.

[Nor Easter]

10" Auger???
I want to see a Tanaka head, Jiffy 30 and StrikeMaster, all with identical 10" augers going at it head to head, then I'll decide on the "best", but I doubt it'll be "lightest".   

Once you`re over 50 I`ll check back and see if you feel the same.....

[FISHFORPIKE]

Once you`re over 50 I`ll check back and see if you feel the same.....

59 here and very close to 60.  I doubt a few pounds, of good 10" ice auger, will change my mind on what I want to use to put holes in the ice.
When I get so I can't manage a few lbs. of auger, I'll find someone to go with.  I been taking people along with me for years - it'll be pay-back time when I'm 90.
Until a 10" auger comes along that out-performs my 20 year-old Jiffy 30, I'm sticking with it.      I'm sure the 2-cycle engines will be "outlawed", "illegal", or a "technical dinosaur" before my Jiffy 30 dies.
Eat yer wheaties guys 

[ice dawg]

I read somewhere a while back that Jiffy is having their engine blocks made in China and assembling them with their own parts in the USA. I have no idea who is making their parts. My buddy owns a baitshop and he said he won't be ordering any new Jiffys until he hears more about the new engines. I don't think my stealth is going to wear out any time soon though.

[IcePro]

Last fall when Tecumseh announced that they are going out of business it sent Strike Master on the search for a new engine.

Jiffy did not have to search because they already have been looking at new engines and designing their own engine starting 4 years ago.

Jiffy’s engineers have designed their own engine to meet their requirements to match the right amount of power and torque for the transmissions.   Yes it is out sourced but do you really think that Tecumseh was really USA made?

These new engines have more power than the Tecumseh and are much easier to start.

Jiffy has two engines that you will find; on the 2500 series it is a 45cc engine with a 12:1 transmission and on the 3500 series it is a 52cc engine with a 15:1.

The 3500 series with a 15:1 has more power and more torque, great for 10” holes.

The new engine was introduced last year on the model 60sdi.  It received great reviews by actual fisherman.

If you compare the two auger manufactures Strike Master and Jiffy.  Strike Master is more of a marketing company.  They outsource their entire product line and have the time to flood the market with their advertising and hoopla.  Jiffy is a small town manufacture that manufactures many of the components in house and spends more time manufacturing than promoting.

Yes the engines maybe made over seas however with Jiffy manufacturing their own ice auger components and buying their raw materials in the United States they keep more Americans employed; Germany and Sweden do not employee Americans.

[ice dawg]

I looked at the new Jiffys in a store today. The 2 hp 2500 was about $350 and the larger 3500 was about $100 more. They looked like a nice auger, but I didn't have much time to spend looking them over. When my 2 hp stealth dies on me I will have to get more serious about looking. Anyone else seen them??

[Byron/PA]

Last fall when Tecumseh announced that they are going out of business it sent Strike Master on the search for a new engine.

Jiffy did not have to search because they already have been looking at new engines and designing their own engine starting 4 years ago.

Jiffy’s engineers have designed their own engine to meet their requirements to match the right amount of power and torque for the transmissions.   Yes it is out sourced but do you really think that Tecumseh was really USA made?

These new engines have more power than the Tecumseh and are much easier to start.

Jiffy has two engines that you will find; on the 2500 series it is a 45cc engine with a 12:1 transmission and on the 3500 series it is a 52cc engine with a 15:1.

The 3500 series with a 15:1 has more power and more torque, great for 10” holes.

The new engine was introduced last year on the model 60sdi.  It received great reviews by actual fisherman.

If you compare the two auger manufactures Strike Master and Jiffy.  Strike Master is more of a marketing company.  They outsource their entire product line and have the time to flood the market with their advertising and hoopla.  Jiffy is a small town manufacture that manufactures many of the components in house and spends more time manufacturing than promoting.

What he said. I got a new STX PROII, still in the box so I can't leave an honest review, BUT I know that in the unlikely event of a problem, Jiffy will take care of it.

[Trophy Hunter]

I'm like fishforpike my older model 30 jiffy is awesome and will most likely outlive me.  Another thing i noticed on Strikemasters website it looks like a royal pain in the arse to start!! It looks like a toy sounds like a toy and watch out your not too hard on it...     

http://www.strikemaster.com/video_new/starting.html