Jiffy ice auger starting problem

[bluegrass146]

I just bought a 2011 Jiffy STX Pro II 3500 Series ice auger Model 34-08-ALL-PRO 3HP-52cc.
It's always a wonder how is it going to start, 2 or 3 pulls, 5 or 6 pulls or 25 or 30 pulls?
Is it going to keep running or stall after each hole?
The engine is made by SHANDONG HUASHENG ZHONGTIAN MACHINERY GROUP CO.,LTD
Not very pleased with this auger & Jiffy service won't answer any emails.
Seems like it's not getting enough fuel.There is No carb adjustments.
I use the primer to get all the bubbles out of the return line then full choke & hole throttle open full.
Paid way too much for a piece of junk like this, could have gotten an Eskimo for less than half price and it starts & runs good.
Anyone  have any suggestions?

[Drifter_016]

Call Jiffy and they will tell you who to take it to in your area.
Sounds like there is some kind of issue. Either that or you just haven't figured out it's quirks yet and you are flooding it at times.

[wyo700]

I have the same auger and follow same starting procedure as you do and mine starts in 5-6 pulls every time. I let it warm up for about a minute before I start drilling otherwise it wants to bog.  After that it runs like a champ, rips through ice super fast.  Definately sounds like you have some problem. Keep trying to get a hold of jiffy I really think you will love the auger when it runs right.

[harry]

The ethanol in fuel does it. Try high test fuel it will start better and if ya got abuddy with race fuel like blue goose itll fire on 1 or 2a pulls. One of the masons i deliver to uses it in his screed machine fires right up and smells good running to. Lol

[bluegrass146]

Thanks for all the info,
I did finally get an email back from Jiffy.
They don't know where I could take to for service in my area, but they did give me some phone numbers to call so we'll see.
I'm thinking it might be freezing up.I keep the auger in a heated shed & it starts up on 2nd or 3rd pull. I took it out side for an hour or so at -17 degree & it just would not start.I took it back inside & after priming & choking & pulling, it did start but would not keep running as it did before out on the ice.Kept the choke on & then it was ok.
So I dumped all the fuel out & getting new fuel & will use, Saber Synthetic 100:1 Pre-Mix 2-Cycle Amsoil.With fuel Stabilizer & (GUMOUT Professional)complete fuel system cleaner & water remover.Hope this works.I'm off Friday so I'll give it a try out on the ice.

[bluegrass146]

I keep the auger in a non heated shed now & I would start it through out the week at home & it started & ran good.Started on 2nd or 3rd pull.
Didn't have it running for a few days & I took the auger out on the ice this morning, it was -16 & that auger had a hard time to start.
I had a very hard time to get the air bubbles out of the return line.
I primed slow & paused at each prime 15 to 20 times & still bubbles so I would pull & it offered after about 10 pulls, primed more & after about 10 pulls it would start & stall & prime more & start & stall & it finally started & kept the choke on for a good while & then it ran good.
Started on first or 3rd pull through out the rest of the day when it sat for a good while out on the ice & ran good.
I don't know what's going on, seems like an air lock maybe?
Anyone might know?

[hoppy]

sounds like its not getting enough fuel after the prime. you prime it, it starts, then dies. you prime it, it starts, then dies. I bet if you continued to spray gas in through the gas it would continue to run.

try turning your high speed needle out 1/4 to 1/2 turn out and see if that helps. wouldnt be the first time a guy has had to adjust a new auger. i woudnt be to concerned with a few bubbles. when you prime is it sucking gas well enough? i would think so if it will start after prime.

dam just read your first post again and saw you said it had no adjustmants? really? no needles or nothing? the fact it will run with the choke on really shows that your air/fuel ratios arent right. there has to be a way to adjust them. not sure ive ever come across a carb that couldnt be adjusted some how. can you get some pictures of the carb up here? is there an idle adjustmant screw around where the the throttle cable hooks up the carb?

[bluegrass146]

There is an idle screw but that is all, There is no other screws or plugs where screws could be hidden.
The throttle opens & closes fully, the choke opens & closes fully.
This morning when I was priming, it seemed like it wasn't priming right, like it was sucking air.But after I got it going you could feel pressure on the primer that it was working right.
Do you have to prime so the fuel tank has pressure in it?
Because, a couple times through the day I loosened of the fuel cap & there was pressure released.
Or could that be the problem?Not venting properly?
But it started & ran good for the rest of the day even when I loosened the cap & air released.
I'm going fishing again tomorrow for the whole day so I'll see what happens & I'll post it on here.
It is new & under warranty but I don't want to bring it in yet.Still have 3 weeks left for fishing.
Could be something very simple & hoping I could find it.

[surflizard]

A pinhole in the diaphram can create a leak and not allow the fuel in the carb to stay pressurized and maintain the vacuum needed to draw more fuel into the carb ! it will start and stall once the fuel from the primer bulb is used up !

[hoppy]

does your gas cap have a pressure release on it or a pin hole in the middle. if there is a pin hole try blowing through it from both sides of the cap. if your building up pressure in the tank then its not venting properly and could be your problem. needs to vent to draw fuel properly.

surflizard has a good thought to but id hope that to not be the issue on a new machine. check your gas cap first. try leaving the cap off and see if she goes.

to answer your question about the primer......your creating a vacumm when you push the primer to draw the fuel into the carb. once the auger starte off the primer it creates its own vaccumm to draw fuel from the tank through the feed line.

Tank should be venting........so not holding pressure.

[surflizard]

My buddy is a Authorized Jiffy repair dealer and you would be shocked to see what he finds on some of jiffys Brand new augers. He is seriously considering giving up his jiffy dealership, 2 out of every 3 jiffy augers he sells, come back for repairs or returns !

[hoppy]

no kidding. Jiffy has been around for years so I guess im suprised to hear that. I will admit my Eskimo didnt run right new out of the box. nothing a quick carb adjustmant couldnt take care of though. that was in 2004 and its been flawless since. If i buy another it will be a Nils. Wonder why jiffy is having all these issues? cheaper outsourced parts?

[Drifter_016]

no kidding. Jiffy has been around for years so I guess im suprised to hear that. I will admit my Eskimo didnt run right new out of the box. nothing a quick carb adjustmant couldnt take care of though. that was in 2004 and its been flawless since. If i buy another it will be a Nils. Wonder why jiffy is having all these issues? cheaper outsourced parts?

Not just Jiffy.
Eskimo's quality is no where near what it was before they decided to have their's manufactured in China as well.
Seems you can't buy anything now that isn't full of off shore parts.   

[surflizard]

Drifter is right, all the brands have suffered since they stopped using the Tecumseh motors ! I can't justify paying good money for Plastic Fantastic augers built by Ching Chong Fenderhead ! I'll stick with my Old, All American made augers ! Good luck with the new Jiffy bluegrass146, hope you get it straightened out !

[mealworm]

There is an idle screw but that is all, There is no other screws or plugs where screws could be hidden.
The throttle opens & closes fully, the choke opens & closes fully.
This morning when I was priming, it seemed like it wasn't priming right, like it was sucking air.But after I got it going you could feel pressure on the primer that it was working right.
Do you have to prime so the fuel tank has pressure in it?
Because, a couple times through the day I loosened of the fuel cap & there was pressure released.
Or could that be the problem?Not venting properly?
But it started & ran good for the rest of the day even when I loosened the cap & air released.
I'm going fishing again tomorrow for the whole day so I'll see what happens & I'll post it on here.
It is new & under warranty but I don't want to bring it in yet.Still have 3 weeks left for fishing.
Could be something very simple & hoping I could find it.

sounds like your cap isn't venting right,there deff shouldn't be any pressure releasing from the tank,did it release pressure or was the tank air bound and drawing air in the tank when you loosened the cap.when i shut off my eskimo and close the vent on the cap then go drill only a few mins later you can hear the air rush into the tank when i reopen the vent

[bluegrass146]

I had my auger out this morning, it was only -10 & started on 3rd pull but it would bog.
Start drilling & bog but idle, this was new thing happening. I had to let it idle for a good while before it would actually work right. didn't matter if I kept choke full, half or off.
Every time I started it through out the day, it seemed to be starving for fuel on start up (bog) but ran good after a bit of time idling & it didn't idle good until I ran it a bit.
This wasn't happening before.
The fuel tank is holding pressure.
The fuel cap has a pin hole & I blew through the fuel cap on both sides & it does seem blocked.
After next weekend I'll bring it in for the service tech to look at it.
I'm thinking it needs a fuel cap for one thing & maybe some other issues with the carb.
For a brand new auger & the price i paid, it's really not worth the money, only thing I like is the auger with the stx blades, The power head is crap.
 

[bluegrass146]

I talked to the service tech today & he said that he will replace the carb & fuel cap.
He has another new Jiffy in his shop & he also replaced the carb, a brand new jiffy that a guy bought & never had it out on the ice yet.

[surflizard]

That is the same problem at my buddies shop, right out of the box, some just won't run ?? An now with the epa restrictions, they have removed the hi and low speed screws, so now there is no way to even tune them ??

[hoppy]

glad your getting it taken care of bluegrass

[bob123]

try priming with choke all the way off, and then put it on once ur done

[bluegrass146]

I did prime with the choke all the way off, and then choked it.
It's in the shop right now & the tech said he will replace the carb & fuel cap.
Should have it back next week,

[surflizard]

Hopefully that will take care of the trouble Bluegrass, good luck with it !

[Rabidweezle]

Jiffy has failed to tell you that there is a main needle that can be adjusted on the newer style of carburetors.  I found out because I had problems with it starting in the very cold weather.  It would start when it was warm but not in the cold.  The jet is located under a rubber cap that is right in the middle of the pivot area where the throttle moves.  You will need a small screw driver.  I use a eye glass screw driver.  Turn the screw counter clockwise to richen.  This is for the newer style of carburetor.  I believe the reason why they don't say anything is because it messes with the EPA standards.  But be careful because if you fatten it to much, it will kick back if the throttle is not pressed in.  I turned mine out until the it didn't sound like it was running clean at full throttle and then screwed it in until it runs smooth.

[Fisherman 1]

I can't justify paying good money for Plastic Fantastic augers built by Ching Chong Fenderhead ! I'll stick with my Old, All American made augers ! Good luck with the new Jiffy bluegrass146, hope you get it straightened out !

You sure know how to make a mess of my keyboard.  You're definitely right about the inferior products from there.

[JimQ]

Jiffy has failed to tell you that there is a main needle that can be adjusted on the newer style of carburetors.  I found out because I had problems with it starting in the very cold weather.  It would start when it was warm but not in the cold.  The jet is located under a rubber cap that is right in the middle of the pivot area where the throttle moves.  You will need a small screw driver.  I use a eye glass screw driver.  Turn the screw counter clockwise to richen.  This is for the newer style of carburetor.  I believe the reason why they don't say anything is because it messes with the EPA standards.  But be careful because if you fatten it to much, it will kick back if the throttle is not pressed in.  I turned mine out until the it didn't sound like it was running clean at full throttle and then screwed it in until it runs smooth.

Old thread but solid advise.  Very common problem with these. 

Welcome to the site!

Q