Broken choke switch on auger?

I broke the plastic choke switch on my Strikemaster Laser Mag Express auger this weekend. It appears that if I go through Strikemaster to fix it, I’d need to buy a whole new gas tank.

I know people have had the same problem, so has anyone come up with a way to fix the switch without buying the gas tank. I have all of the pieces and was considering trying super glue.

Another idea was to use a small hose clamp around the plastic rivet that holds the switch to the valve. Then I would put a long screw in the hose clamp that would act as a switch.

Any ideas would be appreciated. I notice that Jiffy’s have the same switch, so this problem apparently is not unique to Strikemaster. Thanks,

Lars

I believe that they all use the same techumsen engines. You may be able to locate one via a local small engine shop.

Good luck.

I know of a place that sells strikemaster/tecumsuh engine parts, but I was hoping to get some ideas on how to fix it without purchasing replacement parts.

The switch is secured with a small plastic rivet, therefore the switch and gas tank is sold as one piece.

Lars

I’m going to StrikeMaster today and I will see if You can just get the switch. Will let you know in a couple hours.

I went to StrikeMaster and found that you have to get the whole set up. I talked to the service guy at Strike Master and he said it’s the way it comes from Tecumseh. The new set up includes hoses, tank/switch, cap and all is $25. The part number is 410284 and if interested you can contact Cy at Strike Master 763-263-8999 or email him at [email protected] Good Luck!

Thanks for the info. I’m going do a little Trial & Error fixing tonight, and if all esle fails, I’ll contact Cy at Strikemaster. The price is cheaper than I found yesterday, which should be expected. Where is Strikemaster located?

Thanks again,

Lars

just off hwy 10 big lake mn good luck

Just in case anyone has the problem of breaking off the choke switch on your auger, I thought I’d let you in on how I fixed it.

First I removed the gas tank, hose, etc. Then I bent a 3″ galvanized screw to a shape comparable to the original choke switch. The screw was then screwed into the original plastic rivet. Once tight, the screw acts as the choke switch. So far it seems to work great. I would imagine that over time the plastic rivet could strip, but it saved me $30 for a new gas tank up front.

Lars

How to fix a Strikemaster ice auger plastic choke lever. Takes about 1/2 hour. You need to be a little handy to do this.
First remove the gas tank and gas line. Either drain the tank or place a plug on the gas line exit on the tank so you can work on it. Remember, you are working on a gas tank with gas near by so be careful with your tools – no sparks! You can usually use the choke lever that broke. Many are a red plastic lever and they break off easy if you are not careful, or make a new one out of a piece of metal. All you would do is cut and bend a small piece of metal to make the choke lever. You will need to remove any red plastic around the D shaped peg that remains sticking out of the gas tank itself. Many of the pegs are blue in color and D shaped. I used a dremel tool with a small grinding bit to remove the remainder of the red plastic that was attached to it when the lever broke off. If there is a fiber washer remove it also. Be careful not to damage the D shaped peg that comes out of the tank. If you have the choke lever that broke off you likely can reuse it. Here’s how. Remove the small burr on the side of it (if it has one) making it flat on the side that will lay against the gas tank. Drill a hole in the center of the choke lever close to where it broke off, use a very small drill bit. Smaller than the D shaped peg that remains in the gas tank. I used the same dremel tool to make the D shape in the plastic. A very small drill bit would also work. Keep in mind you are carving in the D shape. Take your time and be careful not to make it to big as you want a snug fit. After you have it fitted place a very small screw or bolt with a very small washer on it in the center of the D shaped peg that the lever is now secured to. You want a very small screw or bolt that is snug but not one that will damage the D shaped peg. The peg was hollow in the center of the one I worked on, I just had to clean it out with a small pick and put a small screw in it with a small washer to make sure the choke lever would stay on. Now your ready to reinstall the gas tank and your good to go fishing.