Lazer Mag 2000 Problem

[ray]

Looking for some help on what I can do to cure my Mag 2000. Starts fine, idles fine, and runs at full throttle fine when not drilling a hole. Problem is when I start to drill it conks out almost immediately. I have seen posts on this in the past and didn't pay attention cause it wasn't my problem at the time but now it has me in a panic. No big deal hand cranking holes with 4-7"of ice but now would like to have the power auger going. I have put fresh gas in with the strikemaster smokeless oil. Auger is 3 years old and haven't replaced plug or blade yet. Live about 3 hours from Twin Cities so would like a solution other than running down to Strikemaster headquarters and definitely not ready to buy a new one yet.

[Guest]

High Speed Jet in the carb is probably plugged.

Time to take her apart and squirt some carb juice through all the holes and crannys.

Not a bad idea to replace the plug either.

PCG

[crappie todd]

If you have not replaced your spark plug. it's the 1st thing to do. They go bad sitting over the summer. might have enough spark to allow to run and idle, but fail under heavy load.
replace it and let us know how it does.

[deadeye]

I have had my Lazer mag 2000 going on three years and haven't had any problems yet. Every fall I replace the spark plug, even if it looks good the heat and cold can mess them up. I also run a couple capfulls of Sea Foam through the first tank of gas and when I run the gas out in the spring. The other thing I noticed is that every fishing trip I have been on so far this year the first time I start it up I have to let it run for a couple minutes before drilling, after that I have no problems at all. Good Luck!
><>Deadeye

[Jarrod32]

Yeah, I go with a new spark plug every year, too. It's only a few bucks, and makes a big difference. I've also found that it runs better on the premium gas....as little as you use, the extra few cents per gallon is worth it.

[Guest]

I have the lazer mag with the same 2hp engine.

I also have the same problem as you.

What I do is fire it up, let it run for 30 seconds while pumping the throttle with the blades off the ice.

Then I run it at half choke while I drill the first dozen holes.

After that I can close the choke and run it normally. Youcan run it with the choke closed as long as the engine remains warm.
I can tell when I need to close the choke because the rpm's decrease. Once i flip the choke off, which is all the way up, she runs fine.

If I let it sit for 15 mins or more, I have to go thru the start-up procedure again.

The key is to drill your first holes at half choke.

Try this method if you continue to have problems.

By the way, i bought it used, and have purged the gas, put new high octane gas in, added stabilizer, but have not changed the plug. Maybe I should do that.

Happy drillin'

[Guest]

Hey PCG,
My Strike master is doing the same darn thing. Can I do this jet cleaning myself? Any references on the web for this or is it not that complicated?

Thanks

[Steve Foss]

I have the 3 hp XL-3000, but the principle is the same. Don't worry about servicing the motor or cleaning out the jets until you make sure you're letting the motor warm up.

Tecumsehs need that, and so does any motor.

I drill my first hole on full or half choke after letting the motor run at least 60 seconds (that takes more patience than you'd imagine -- try counting to 60 slowly with the auger idling, and you'll realize just how long it really is), then I drill my next bunch of holes at half choke, and don't go to no choke until I've drilled a dozen holes or so. My auger never punks out unless I try to lessen the choke before the auger is ready. If it punks out, increase the choke one notch. If you turn it off and it cools off before you drill holes again, start it and leave it on half choke unless you're drilling another big batch of holes.

I have had this auger four years or so, and it was a couple years old when it came to me, and I have drilled hundreds of holes and believe I have this figured out.

Of course, if this doesn't work for you, then get it serviced.

Also, I never burn anything but premium gas. The higher octane makes motors run stronger, and the detergents keep carbs clean and tend to eliminate or at least greatly decrease things like clogged jets. The few gallons of gas I burn each year in the auger amount to at most 50 cents more by using premium instead of regular.

Also, if my Strikemaster spins too fast, it doesn't cut very well. It cuts better at slow revolutions. So when I drill a hole (I have the center powerpoint option) I push the center point down into the ice and put my weight on the auger BEFORE thumbing the throttle. The auger immediately binds in the hole, but when the governor kicks in and increases the power after I add throttle, the motor unlocks those blades and it starts cutting. That way, the blades never spin too fast (maybe Strikemaster gears are geared a little too fast, dunno), and I keep pressure on the blades, but not my whole weight or anything like that, until it starts shaking and telling me I'm at the bottom of the ice. Then I ease up and let the blades pull themselves down to finish the hole.

Hope this works for you. I'd say it's just my 2c worth, but looking back, I'd reckon I've talked at least a dollar's worth. Darn Irish!

Good luck.

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 12-23-2002).]

[Guest]

Yes, I forgot to mention, if the auger is fully warmed up and still won't drill, try a partial choke...If it runs then, it is a carb prob. If not, then look to the plug if you didn't already change it.

As far as servicing the carb yourself...It's pretty simple and self explanatory if you have any amount of small engines knowledge.

PCG

[crappie todd]

I have a 2 year old lazer mag 8 inch.
from a cold start, I have found it starts good for me this way..... set the choke on full.... depress the throttle , pull and starts in 2 pulls. choke on half. wait about 30 seconds........ drill 2 holes..... begin pulling crappies up hole. other hole is for transducer... no crappies entangled in transducer. life is great.
Oh and the new spark plug thing..it makes a world of difference. after all, it's what ignites the gas.
fishing then is fun...
crappie todd says so.

[Guest]

I am not trying to piss anyone off who has written about a process that is needed when running the auger, I swear I really am not! However, my feeling is that if I spent that much money on the **** thing I shouldn't have to play games and perform voodoo chants before drilling a freaking hole. I should be able to start it, let it warm up a little and drill away for that price. I will change the plug, clean the jets and give it a whirl. Thanks for all the help guys and Merry Christmas!

[ray]

Glad to see that it should be as simple as putting in a new plug and maybe some juice in the CARB. Will be out quite a bit this weekend and hope to be able to use my MAG rather than hand cranking. Getting LAZY in my old age. Thanks for the replys.

[Guest]

I have that issue sometimes too. I have to let it idle and warm up for a bit. Then after the engine is warmed up there is no problems at all. You can't just start these things in cold weather and expect them to go hell bound. You could fry the motor without warming it properly.

[Gissert]

D-Man -

How high is the compression ratio in those little two strokes? I would think 90 octane would be a little tougher to get the unit to run well, as the higher the octane, the more resistant the fuel is to detonate.

I have run mostly 87 octane in my lazer with no problems.

[Guest]

Make sure you are also burning 90 octane or better.

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[Ferny]

Is it me or did the old ones run better?
I had a Strikemaster I bought in 1984 barring the 1 mesh filter that varnished up (it was optional in my mind since it had a tank filter so I left it out :-) Always started 2nd or 3rd pull. It never failed to run with cheap gas with stable in it all summer. Since then I've had a Jiffy 3HP (bah...bah...bah...kill...repeat twice) say it out loud. I never got it to run right and sold it for a Lazer which can be tempermental also but works.

Ferny.

[Guest]

Thanks for all the help guys. I blew out the jets with some compressed air and she is runnin' like a champ now!!!

[Michael8129]

Well here is my Lazer mag problem.. started it up this year new gas new pug started on the second pull. Ran it for about 10 minutes it ran great. Took it out to the lake wouldn't start gaveit full throttle and started with gas just spitting out of it. Took it pack in took the carb apart cleaned it reassembled ant vroom ran like a top again... got out tho the lake punched twenty holes over the course of about a half hour jsut fine .... went to drill a hole about 2 hours later ...same crap as before.... sheesh I hat 2 cylce engines!

Michael