Thought I’d share something I discovered which might help some one else. This fall I purchased a used Clam ice auger. This auger is exacty the same as the Strikemaster Solo auger. Both augers use the same German made Solo 142 engine.
The auger I purchased started right up and ran fine in November/early December before we had ice and cold temps. Then come late December I made a trip to northern Minnesota where I encountered below zero temps. I could NOT get this auger to start, without first giving it a short shot of either (starting fluid). Once started it ran fine and as long as the engine was still warm, would restart with one pull.
I knew the problem had to something super simple but I just could not figure it out in the field. Fast forward to today (been using my electric auger in the mean time), I started diagnosing and discovered that the air filter housing was cracked. Actually I already knew about the crack but did not see how this would affect anything as it was external and before the carburetor, or so I thought.
I suspected I had a fuel issue and maybe was sucking in air at a hose connection. Just enough air being sucked in to affect starting but not affect full throttle. Wrong, not hose or fitting problems. Only thing left was that crack in the housing for the air cleaner.
BINGO, the crack itself was not the problem. The issue was in the choke. The choke plate is mounted to the housing. The crack in the housing allowed the choke plate to flex AWAY from the face of the carb body. As designed, the choke plate must seal against the carb body to be effective. Because the housing is cracked and flexing, there is a big gap behind the choke plate, resulting in NO choking effect at all.
No wonder the engine does not want to start when cold.
I believe the cause of the cracked air filter housing is from rough handling by the previous owner. Probably got bounced around from not being transported properly. So treat your auger nice and if you have starting issues, check the “choke plate to housing” fit, for a gap which should not be there.
PS. I'll be ordering a new air filter housing ($13.00) and update this posting after it arrives.
