FRUSTRATED!!!!!

[JustinG]

I brought my 10" Eskimo power auger into one of the local shops today for repair. It starts good, idles ok, and runs ok until you put it under load. A good example of this is when I am starting to auger a hole, the machine runs good until you get about half way down where it starts working hard and needs power and then it just wants to die at that point.

Well, I explained all that to the guy fixing it and he said it was a carb problem. He calls me back less than an hour later and said it was fixed and he put a carb kit into it. $58.00. I take it out to the lake and now it won't cut through the ice at all. I looked at the blades and they were chipped, nicked, dull, and the centering point was rounded right off (he later admitted to running the blades on the cement floor in his shop without the protector on). What really steams me is I just put those blades on brand new and haven't even drilled 10 holes with it. Those blades were cutting like a hot knife through butter before he got it. Why would somebody do something like that?!?!?

Whats steams me even more is I bring the auger home, sharpen the centering point and put the old blades that I saved on instead, go back to the lake, and have the same original problem...still won't run right and now it won't even idle!!!!!! I NEED HELP...What should I do????

Thanks,

Justin

[Steve Foss]

Justin, first off, get him to buy you replacement center and main blades. If he won't, then threaten to write a letter to the editor and send it in to the Echo and Timberjay.

My auger does the same thing now and then, and invariably when it does that it means it's not quite warmed up enough after I've taken the choke all the way off, so if it wants to bog down or kill when the load gets heavy I either give it another minute to warm up or put the choke back on half way.

I'm not an auger mechanic, but it looks like your guy just took the easy way out without really understanding what the problem was. Since he spun your blades on concrete without the cover on (I won't spin them on concrete even with the cover on, but only on snow), it's clear he doesn't know ice augers from lawn mowers.

You should post your dilemma in the equipment/expert info board right here on FM. Surface Tension is one of the all-time champs with augers and he'll see this because it's on his home board, but put the post over there, too. Some real small-engine assassins hang out there, and what your auger is doing is a pretty common issue.

As for the mechanic, thank you for not naming the business here on the forum. Word will get around town, you can bet on that.

[Casaloma]

I hate to tell you this but I left that exact model at the Rice Lk Small engine shop after the 3rd trip there in 1.5 years... My Freind told me to buy a Jiffy & I have been burning through ice ever since...

Rice Lk told me that they had to replace the Carb ( for the 2nd time ) and I chose to put the $130 tword a different auger as I was stupid enough to trust in the company to replace the engine with only the shop's word & not the GM recepit...

On a much better note I was fishing yesterday & noticed my auger has a fraying pull at the base. I hope to get it fixed & am offering a 6pak to the person with a correct size tool, that will help me at the Bash!

See you then! -CLoma

[JustinG]

Thanks there old buddy!!! I'm afraid warming it up more isn't the problem in this case. I have let it sit and run for 20 minutes idleing and it does the same thing when it's hot. There is something definately wrong with it. I am going to go in and talk to the guy tomorrow. I just feel like I got totally ripped off and I hope the guy will make it right.

Thanks again,

Justin

[Surface Tension]

Justin, I'd say you need the carb cleaning, new kit, and adjusted. Lets assume the carb was cleaned right and new carb kit.

Hold on there, lets back up and not assume the carb is clean but we'll come back to that if the other stuff doesn't pan out.

Unless you can put a load on the engine, it tough to adjust the carb. Also the bog with load could also point to the governor not working properly. As the engine load increases the governor is there to keep the RPMs at a constant. It'll open or close the carbs butterfly via linkage to a vane activated by the cooling fins on the flywheel.

So I would bring it out on the ice and try the carb adjustment first. You can have a look at the governor linkage but if you don't know what your looking for that won't help much. At least look to see that its hooked up.

Then again maybe you should take the good blades off, take the auger back to the shop and have them fix it..again.

[Steve Foss]

Justin, you DID get totally ripped off. When someone charges you a bunch of money but does not fix the problem, and then causes MORE problems, then that is the definition of rip-off.

OK, not a warmup issue, so I'm with Frank. The governor is generally spring-loaded with an exposed spring, so check to make sure the spring isn't dangling loose or hasn't broken. That's for starters.

Normally, I would assume the mechanic also sprayed jets of carb cleaner all around the linkages to make sure they were all free, but in this case we'd better not assume anything. It could be something as simple as gummed-up linkages that need spraying off. On my Strikemaster (3 Hp Tecumseh motor), the governor spring is pretty fine, and if the linkages are gummy it won't kick all the way down.

Could also be some type of partial fuel blockage that only crops up when the motor needs a gas boost because there's a load on it. And even though it's not a warmup problem, you might also try putting the choke half way on when it happens. If that solves the problem, then you can run it that way, but it also tells you the fuel mixture probably is set too lean.

[Surface Tension]

Casaloma, what was going on with your auger? A frayed rope?

Bring it by and we'll get it done before the Bash.

[Northlander]

1st off I would have gotten my money back for the job the guy did and I would have charged him for the things he ruined. If he wasnt going for it (Not that I would give him a choice) I would get a hold of the paper and all my friends and let them all know the scoop. That will surely hurt his profit margin. If you payed by check or credit card stop payment on it.

Sounds like this guy was clueless about augers. Its funny how its always a carb kit needing to be put in when you have a problem.

[JustinG]

I don't know there Casaloma, those older 3 hp Tecumseh engines were pretty bullet-proof. Most of friends have that same exact engine in their old Jiffy's or Eskimos and they are punching holes before I can get my new 2 h.p Jiffy started. I have an 8" Jiffy Stealth also, but I like using the old 10" Eskimo for Laker fishing. In any case, he certainly shouldn't have run the blades on a concrete floor and he shouldn't have gouged me like that without fixing it. Like I said, I just hate getting ripped off...hopefully he will do the right thing tomorrow.

Thanks,

Justin

[Steve Foss]

N'lander, that intimidating approach works REALLY well when you're 6-7 and go about 270. Less well when you're Justin's and my size.

But you're exactly right all the way around. As I said in my original post, work will pass from person to person here in Ely, as it does in any small town.

Justin, you're right. Those old 3 Hp Tecumsehs are great. That's what I've got on my Strikemaster and it's been a total champ. Way better than the ones that came out after the new efficiency standards a few years back.

I'd settle for getting your money back. Forget about letting him touch the auger again. Someone who did that with his first chance shouldn't be getting a second chance. Since it's a backup auger, I'd even hang onto it and sniff around and find the right kind of mechanic.

[JustinG]

Thanks alot for the help so far guys! Anyways...The auger governor does make the shift when its under load. You can definately hear it make the shift and kick into higher RPM when it starts working harder, then whammo-it dies right at that point. Its like it is starving for fuel when it makes the shift to higher RPM. Any clues from that info??? Thanks again for all your advice!

Justin

[Steve Foss]

Hmmm, if I had to guess, I'd say it's starving for fuel! Sorry, couldn't resist, bubba.

That was one of the possibilities raised earlier.

Check the fuel line and see if it's totally clear. Also, I know you bought it used and it is older, so it's possible that there are gummy deposits built up over time that are compromising its performance. I'm not one to try to fix a bigger problem with a can of product, but if it's gum and you've already gotten a carb kit installed, you may correct it by getting a can of Seafoam at Napa and just adding it to the gas and running it through for awhile.

Again, I'm not the auger mechanic expert here, but my approach in any type of mechanical problem is to take the easiest, most obvious fix first and work my way up from there.

As an example (not likely to be on point in your case), I just replaced a leaking fuel tank on my 11-year-old Strikemaster XL-3000 10-inch, and no matter how many times I pumped the primer bulb, no matter for how long, I couldn't get the auger to run for more than a couple seconds, and only then when I'd pour fresh gas right into the carb intake.

I figured I had a gum problem or a carb kit problem, and consulted with Surface Tension, who gave me a bunch of options. But I'd left the breather valve on the gas cap open overnight, hoping that it was just a big air pocket in the fuel line/system and it would work its way out overnight, and sure enough it did. When I pulled it the next morning, it fired off and idled and worked like a champ on the first pull.

Like I said, just an example, but sometimes the simplest things are what are needed so those are the things I look for first.

You also might try what I suggested a bit earlier and take it on the ice, warm it up and try drilling a hole on half choke to see if that takes care of things.

[Surface Tension]

Yes that is a clue.

If its running good under load then dies all a sudden your not getting fuel. Either the internal fuel level is off, plugged filter, plugged or partial blockage of fuel shut off(if yours model has one) air leak/bad fuel line connection are a few things.

[FishermanHart]

I have a strickemaster Lazer and I and pleanty of trouble strating it this late fall/wainter. I took the air cleaner cover off and there is a foam inside and there is a little flat fitler. I toke the flat filter out cuz it looked very dirty.

I have not had a problem sense, plus my gas and carb probally came around to me.

[Casaloma]

Hey nothin' like a Tecumspha... in the same way that Sheattle won the west...

They are easy engines & I'm sure, finny beasts of all types will goto their graves with that engine. As far as a 10" Eskomo- not for me. Problem is I haven't been able to trust one on its own... ( Give SK a pliers, lightsaber & Smoke I'm sure that bugger will sink like a champ! )

I'll take a lil' help with the Jiffy's frayed pull start though Frank. I dont own tools for the Hex Cover & a Re-tie (yet) ought to head off any problems...

[Wanderer]

Man, Fishmaster, that sucks!

Frank and Steve have you on the right track though.

I mentioned to you in Dec. that my 10-inch wasn't firing. I went ahead and started spraying the [snot] out of everything inside and outside the carb with cleaner. Things were definitely gummed up. (why can't we say "[PoorWordUsage]" anymore? )

I took apart the carb probably 3 times, finding varnish deposits, plugged jets (ports ?), and the last time was a stuck needle. Once I snapped that loose, probed all the jets with a stiff wire, and resprayed, everything started working fine again.

So, I'm wondering if the "mechanic" even tried cleaning anything or if he just threw a new kit at it assuming that would do it. Plus, on mine anyway, the gaskets/spacers had small holes through them that need to match with the carb. Maybe he put one on backward?

Just some ideas based on my experience. Maybe you've already gone through that stuff.

At any rate, if we are going to fish together for the Bash, mine is working and will cut as many holes as you need.

[JustinG]

Thanks, Tracy.

With as much time spent on the ice as I do in a season, I have learned one important lesson. Have 2 of everything. My 8" Jiffy is running and cutting like a champ. I just like the 10" for Lakers and that is all I use it for. The 8" will work fine for that also. I brought the Eskimo back to the guy and told him to make it run and cut right and I don't want it back until then. Period. Hopefully everything will work out fine.

Justin

[Great Outdoors]

Justin,

On the way home I noticed that an engine repair shop had a bunch of new fence posts along side the driveway.

Just wondering how he got all those holes drilled when the ground is full of frost???

[caseymcq]

 Originally Posted By: JustinG

(he later admitted to running the blades on the cement floor in his shop without the protector on)...

WOW!

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. I hope you were still able to fish.

[JustinG]

 Originally Posted By: Great Outdoors

Justin,

On the way home I noticed that an engine repair shop had a bunch of new fence posts along side the driveway.

Just wondering how he got all those holes drilled when the ground is full of frost???

Well, that doesn't surprise me!!!

Casey, I just ventured out to my fish shack on Shagawa with the auger yesterday. I didn't need it to fish, I just wanted to test it. I don't know what would have happened if I just threw it in the back of my truck and drove up to Snowbank and noticed the problem at that point!!!!