all new auger problems

[swalleyi]

Is it just me or what but it seems that all of the augers lately seemed to have problems lately. Just wondering if it's the gas or the teacomsin motors. Oh im sure this and that guys auger runs great, but i was out fishing yesterday and we had four augers on the ice and they all ran like crap.

[Trevor]

darn Teacomsins...

[roverowner]

What oil mix are you using?  I've got a new strikemaster and they recommend 24:1.  That seems like WAAAY too much oil to me.  I run the Amsoil at 100:1 and have no problems, runs really sweet.  I;ve gone through about 3 tanksful this winter and no problems with the 100:1 so far.  I gummed up a chain saw running it at the recommended 32:1 a few years ago.  I switched to 100:1 and it's run perfect ever since, probably about 100 hours on her by now.
  When I was a kid we used to run 2 stroke dirt bikes up in the hills.  When we ran out of oil we'd run straight gas in 'em.  If they got real hot they'd sieze up, but once they cooled they'd run perfect again.  Yes, we were stupid back then, but I learned that oil ratios are more for product liability than performance and I take then with a grain of salt.  Experiment.  These things can be rebuilt for about $25 using a socket set and a hand drill.  Don't be afraid of go 100:1.  It'll run much better

[nuke1neil]

I don't even drain the gas out of mine over the off season,and use the old stuff in the can.Change the sparkplug every other year.Been doing this with the same jiffy for 23 yrs.Runs great every year.

[swalleyi]

I agree nuke, i have a strike master i bought in 85 it runs better than my buddies brand new jiffy and cousins strike master. I think a 5 year old could pull mine it has hardly any compression. But it still runs.

[2 dogs]

I agree with slipbob and always carry the hand auger just in case but have to admit my 20 year old 3 hp Jiffy runs great. I do change the plug every 10 years of so and mix the oil about 50 to 1 instead of 24 to 1. Winter maintaince is toss it in the corner of the garage after last trip of the season and fire it up the next winter after topping off the tank with fresh gas.

[ChenBassHead]

Guys, they're Techumsah motors, not Teacomsins. But anyway, they are generally pieces of crap. Briggs is definatly the way to go if you have a choice, but they are more expensive for the manufacturers to buy. My dad got certified for small engine repair in Wisconsin, at the Techumsah plant. The technicians there said that they even thought that the motors were crap, and that they all owned Brigg's engines. I used Bussman's Strikemaster power auger today, and I liked it, even though it had a Techumsah. I just know that they aren't very good engines in general.

I think that if Honda came out with a power auger, it would blow everything else away.

-Zach

[nuke1neil]

Yeah my tecumseh is a piece of crap,23 yrs and never had a problem.I know several other people who've never had problems.Sounds the same as the chevy/ford debate that has and will go on til the end of time.

[slider]

ive heard rumor that DOdge might come out with a HEMI auger next year
 

[billditrite]

sweeeeeet

[Hardguy]

I have a one year old Strikemaster. They recommend 24:1. I was having oil come out of the exhaust and going all over the handle. Got sick of it. Finally called Strikemaster and their tech said they tell you to mix at 24:1 for warranty purposes. He said to run one tank through it at 24:1 then if you use regular oil, go to 40:1. After the one tank it is broken in. He uses a synthetic and mixed 100:1. He claims it runs much better and his auger is 8 years old. With the 24:1 it seems like the auger is always loading up and not reaching full rpm. He also never has plug problems. I am going to synthetic!

[missfishylicious]

well strikemaster should put that in there manual,because mine says 32-1 for the first tank and 24-1 after that runs great thou 

[Ice Dog 67]

Just plain synthetic motor oil or is there a two cylce synthetic?

[Da_Roc]

Hi Gang,
  First  if you have a new auger engine do not run synthetic. Synthetic will not let the piston rings seat and it wont let the engine break in.  Let your engine run thru about 3 tanks of 24:1 of regular two cycle oil.   Then you can switch to the synthetic.  If you take your auger drill off you can break it in at home. Put it across a small garbage can.  Run the tar out of it at least 1/4 to 3/4 throttle for a half hour or three tank fulls. Vary the throttle every five minutes and you will have an engine that will last you a long long time.  This is how I always break in engines especially two cycle tiny ones like the augers have.  I have never blown an engine up doing it this way.  Tecumseh engines are really great.  They are just small and totally aluminum.  If you had a briggs on an auger you would not be able to lift the darn thing.  Just like the 4 cycle boat engines add about 100 to 150 more pounds than a same horse two cycle.  two cycles develop power four cycles have torque and low rpm. A four cycle engine wouldn not run fast enough to drill ice easily is what I am saying. Briggs doesnt make a two stroke anyway worth mentioning.
  I think the biggest problem with two cycle owners is they dont mix the gas correctly and exacty enough and then talk bad about there engines when they don't start.  Two cycles are real darn picky when it comes to gas oil mixture too!
Plus most of you dont even know how to adjust your carbs,  tune your engines,  or even have a clue on basic maintance. (AS per example of swalleyi)  So dont complain if it dont work right! Go look in the mirror thats whos to blame 99% of the time. Guys you have to run the things at home before you run it out on the ice.  Then you can fix problems and not ruin a days fishing!    So run those engines at home  get rid of old gas and mix those things exactly!  Then try running  amsoil two cycle at 100:1.  Synthetic wont cure engine problems either.  Those have to be fixed! 
Da-Roc

[swalleyi]

Hold on there Da rock, if you would read the thread slowly. i wrote i have a strike master that i bought in 85 that still runs great. I said there was 4 new or brand new augers that were running like crap. I was just wondering if it had something to do with the ethonol in the gas nowa days or the new engines or what.

[Hardguy]

Ice Dog, they make a synthetic 2 cycle oil. I think I will take Da roc's advice and run 3 full tanks through before I go to synthetic. I do run mine at home just to make sure it is OK before I leave the hand auger at home!

[billditrite]

in 17 years my 2 hp techumsah has NEVER let me down ,im not kidding not once has it not started amccept once i put it away with old gas and had to get the booger out the next year but it always starts,hardly any maintenance at all,new plug now and then , little stabil when you put it away...17 yrs.

[Cook078]

Hey Swalleyi, is it possible that these 4 new augers were using the same gas??  I mean, to have 4 new or brand new motors of anything running like crap is unusual...Maybe they have water in the gas at the local convience store...just a thought...I really have not had a problem with Tecumseh...on the auger or the 20 year old snowblower that in reality should be DEAD!!!!  and it never fails....just imagine if I took care of it!!!...LOL
Good Fishing
Mike

[fishersofmen]

Guys, they're Techumsah motors, not Teacomsins. But anyway, they are generally pieces of crap. Briggs is definatly the way to go if you have a choice, but they are more expensive for the manufacturers to buy. My dad got certified for small engine repair in Wisconsin, at the Techumsah plant. The technicians there said that they even thought that the motors were crap, and that they all owned Brigg's engines. I used Bussman's Strikemaster power auger today, and I liked it, even though it had a Techumsah. I just know that they aren't very good engines in general.

I think that if Honda came out with a power auger, it would blow everything else away.
sorry guy...its tecumseh....better check your spelling next time you correct others...steve heckler

[bushbunny]

Icedog, Opti2 is better quality mix oil than Amsoil, through personal experience, not with just augers, but with high output Wajax three stage firefighting pumps.  It mixes at 100:1, same a Amsoil, but does not kill the $800.00 engine, at their recommended mix!!!

[fishersofmen]

Guys, they're Techumsah motors, not Teacomsins. But anyway, they are generally pieces of crap. Briggs is definatly the way to go if you have a choice, but they are more expensive for the manufacturers to buy. My dad got certified for small engine repair in Wisconsin, at the Techumsah plant. The technicians there said that they even thought that the motors were crap, and that they all owned Brigg's engines. I used Bussman's Strikemaster power auger today, and I liked it, even though it had a Techumsah. I just know that they aren't very good engines in general.

I think that if Honda came out with a power auger, it would blow everything else away.
sorry guy...its tecumseh....better check your spelling next time you correct others...steve heckler

oh...also definitely

[toothfish]

it is TECUMSEH. it is an indian name. STIHL makes a high quality powerhead but no ice bit.

[trapperjon]

 :)early to late 80's auger owners should be running 91 or better octane fuel (cuz that's what they were designed for) you can also drop in ratio from 24 or 32:1 to 40 or 50:1 because of the better oils available. Can you go synthetic, sure up to 100:1 that's your choice for the syn.
I like the tried and true newer oils with stabilizer.
Just a note, if you go syn. buy high octane fuel the stuff burns quicker, but with that creates less heat and will be less likely to damage your equipment.
trapperjon

[CrappieBuster]

Wonder when theyre gonna come out with an E85 compatible auger?

[ice dawg]

I think one of the big problems with the new gas augers is that the EPA has standards that make the engines meet California emissions standards and they come from the factory set too lean. Like someone on here said, you have to work on them to get them running right. I know of guys that have new 3 hp augers that found a carburetor off of an old Tecumseh 3 hp engine, rebuilt it and it runs great. I had a Jiffy 3 hp for 10 years that ran like a champ and I now have a Jiffy 2 hp stealth that runs great. There was a great thread on here last year where someone explained how to do it pictures and all. You may find this thread with a search.

[IceholeFisherman]

Just plain synthetic motor oil or is there a two cylce synthetic?

Two cycle synthetic. Not the synthetic oil you put in your car or truck!!!!!!

[IceholeFisherman]

Just a note, if you go syn. buy high octane fuel the stuff burns quicker, but with that creates less heat and will be less likely to damage your equipment.
trapperjon

Sorry Trap, that not quite right. The very nature of octane that is added to gas is to raise the detonation point
so it can be run in high compression engines. 93 octane will actually burn cooler and less completely then
87 in a low compression engine. High octane is only beneficial if the compression is high enough to "explode" the low octane fuel mixture before the spark plug actually fires. If your compression ratio is lower then 8.5 to 1,
then 87 will run just fine. If you have a 8 to 1 ratio, and you are getting detonation (pinging) then it is more likely an ignition timing problem(over advanced timing), to which the flywheel will have to be removed and the ignition coil re-adjusted.