When you get ready to drill your first hole for the day what is your typical routine you go through with your Power Auger?
Are you a guy who starts it and lets it warm up for 1-2 minutes or are you a guy who starts it, gives it a couple shots to the throttle and begins drilling?
Curious??
I start my Lazer Mag Express and let it idle for about a minute before I drill my first hole…I typically shovel off my hole spots while it’s warming up..
First holes of the day always get a 2 minute warm up. First thing I do is start the auger and let it run while I prepare the rest of the gear. The other startups don’t get a warm up.
Start it, pull out the Marcum, grab the scoop, start drilling.
20ยบ or below, its the first thing I pull out and fire up to give it a minute or two to warm up while pulling the shack out and getting it situated. Warmer than that I usually don’t use a shack unless its windy and just bump the throttle a few times and drill the first couple holes with 1/4 choke and give it heck after that. Rarely do I drill less than 10 holes at a time!
I warm up every engine I own before getting into the throttle. No matter the season but especially in the winter.
With the auger I go about a minute when its ice cold then take it easy on the first hole or two.
Depends on the auger…
Nils: First thing I do is start the auger and lay it down to idle while I get everything else ready. Usually takes a couple minutes to unpack everything else and when I start drilling it’s good to go.
Strikemaster 2 HP Tecumseh: Start it and hit the throttle a couple times, drill 2 holes right away at half choke and usually by the 4th hole it’s warmed up and drilling well.
OLD Jiffy Model 30: Start it with WOT and never let off haha. Have to stop half way through the first hole and hit the primer bulb a couple times and then it’s running like it should.
About 30 sec max. Runs on 1/4-1/2 choke while drilling for first 30 seconds then no choke. Jiffy 2hp. Its probly the only engine I have that does not get warm up time and sometimes my trk.
I let ’em warm up 
eskimo auger had 8 years fire it up shut the choke off drill right away never had a problem.
Quote:
When you get ready to drill your first hole for the day what is your typical routine you go through with your Power Auger?
Are you a guy who starts it and lets it warm up for 1-2 minutes or are you a guy who starts it, gives it a couple shots to the throttle and begins drilling?Curious??
1-2 Min warm up for me. Of course I usually do that while I am loading the wheeler. Once I get on location. It is ready.
Warm up…
Warm Up……
Warm Up………
Warm it up 
start on full choke, give it a couple throttle revs then no choke and start punching holes. trying to kill the old strikemaster but I dont think it will ever stop running.
Thanks for the replies. I have been seeing a lot this winter of guys who just pull until it starts and right away full throttle and lean into the auger, drill several holes shut it down and repeat throught the day….
Reason I ask is I think these newer augers need a little warm up before they run at optimal performance. I think this will also increase the life of the auger as well. I know the Honda is running very well right now, maybe its proper warming up or maybe its broke in? Either way that auger is sweet.
I let my SM warm up a bit before drilling.
I would guess a warmup would be more important with a 4-stroke auger than 2.
Pull out the auger. Start it and let it warm up. Get the rest of the gear out. Then drill holes.
Quote:
I would guess a warmup would be more important with a 4-stroke auger than 2.
YES! Oil is more viscous at low temp so when you warm up an engine you are literally warming up the oil so it flows easier (how it is designed to run). Run a 2 stroke snowmobile WOT from a cold start and you will burn a piston because not enough oil is mixing with the gas to lube the cylinders.
With 2 stroke augers it’s different because the oil is already mixed in the gas. That my reason for NOT WAITING for my auger to warm up before drilling.
I use a Nils. Three pushes of the fuel bulb and three short pulls on full choke to prime. Generally it will start at this point if not below 0. Move choke to 1/2 and let the auger idle for a minute or two while I do something else. Go to zero choke and start drilling. If it’s really cold, after moving the choke to 1/2, a single pull is all it takes. Everything else is the same.
Quote:
When you get ready to drill your first hole for the day what is your typical routine you go through with your Power Auger?
Are you a guy who starts it and lets it warm up for 1-2 minutes or are you a guy who starts it, gives it a couple shots to the throttle and begins drilling?Curious??
For me it depends on how cold it is. I usually let it warm up for about a minute though. If its late ice and really warm out I will rev it up and start drilling.
Start then drill when I feel full RPMs are possible.
No 2 cycle has failed not warming the motor or caused less longevity for me.
Choke, push the primer a few times, start. Go to half choke about 10 seconds. Move choke off, lift and gun it a couple times to make sure it’s ready, then drill.
Jiffy 2500 STX
Quote:
No 2 cycle has failed not warming the motor or caused less longevity for me.
Are you talking just augers here or 2 stokes in general? Maybe just 2 strokes with mixed gas? I wouldn’t say that about 2 strokes with an oil reservoir.
Stand it up, push the button and hang on. Oh, it’s an Ice Gator. 
Duke
When you guys are doing others things as the engine warms up, do you just set the auger down on its side? Does this effect gas flow or anything else?
Quote:
When you guys are doing others things as the engine warms up, do you just set the auger down on its side? Does this effect gas flow or anything else?
Depends on the auger… Nils, solo, honda should all run just fine when sent down. Older strikemaster and jiffy’s with the Techumseh motors will die when you set them down.
Quote:
Quote:
When you guys are doing others things as the engine warms up, do you just set the auger down on its side? Does this effect gas flow or anything else?
Depends on the auger… Nils, solo, honda should all run just fine when sent down. Older strikemaster and jiffy’s with the Techumseh motors will die when you set them down.
The Honda will actually run upside down. Which comes in handy if you ever want to blend up a batch of drinks with your auger.
Meet the Augerita Maker!
Thats great! I saw video of the demo of Honda and the guy held it blade straight above his head and blasted the throttle. This honda looks pretty nice. I start my jiffy stealth 2 hp tecumseh when fires put choke to half let it run about 30 seconds and drill with choke almost off. When the hole is finished shut off choke and drill a bunch of holes. I did the same thing to the strikemaster I had for 7 yrs, tecumseh engine as well. My buddy will start his SM with robin and as soon as it starts he is drilling makes me cringe every time… 
My routine is as follows:
Prime, prime, prime, prime, prime
Pull, pull, pull
Adjust choke
Curse
Prime, prime
Pull, pull
Adjust choke
Warm up
Drill
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
