HF Earth Auger Surprise

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Jul 30, 2015
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Pennsylvania
Last weekend my bride gifted me an earth auger, https://www.harborfreight.com/gas-powered-earth-auger-56257.html?_br_psugg_q=earth+auger

If you follow that link, you will see that it clearly states that 25:1 2-cycle oil is required. That being said, I mixed up a 1/2 gallon batch of 25:1 fuel and went out and drilled some holes. This tool works really well, but that's not the point of this post...

After using the machine I read the manual which stated that a 50:1 mix was required. WFT? Returning the the product link above, there are two links to a manual. One calls for 25:1 while the other calls for a 50:1 mix. There is no obvious reason for the difference.

Another interesting note is that the manual calls for an NGK spark plug. I haven't checked what is in there now, but ir is reassuring to know that it isn't a Torch POS.
 
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I have the same auger, works great, smokes like a freight train at 25:1 which I run. I believe the owners manual I specified 25:1 and I thought there was a hanger card on fuel tank with the 25:1 ratio mentioned.

I don't use it enough to matter that much. Im lucky to go thru a tank of fuel a year on it and I haven't fouled a plug yet. I dont dig many post holes but I was at the point I felt I had dug enough by hand and was over it.
 
Good to know that it works as advertised. Wife has been after me for a while now to do some chain link out back. It will take me long enough that renting really isn't an option and at a little over $200 I can justify picking it up just for that project.

I suspect that it would have a long life run on something thinner than 25:1, but if it works, why mess with it!
 
I have a Xtremepowerus Ice Auger I use for fishing and also have a dirt bit (looks close to a Predator).
It smoked more than my Grand-dad, so I run 40:1 and it's been fine for the last five years.
 
The only reason for 25/1 is skeeter control or to pisss of your greenie neighbor. Remember a post on BITOG a couple years ago where a landscaper used 100/1 in some equipment.
 
With any of the Chinese powered equipment the manuals are usually worthless. Most of the time they contain different information than the decals on the equipment itself. Your auger might actually have the Torch plug, and the NGK is just listed as a suitable replacement. 40:1 should work fine. A lot of the variations in the manuals are related to the different emissions requirements of the areas where the engines are shipped. I have a Craftsman leaf blower that says 40:1 on the fuel cap, yet the manual and the box it came in say to use 50:1.
 
You guys realize that any time you change the oil/fuel mix ratio, that you are also changing the FUEL/air mix ratio, right?

More oil = less gas = leaner mixture, and possible detonation, and for sure higher combustion temps.
 
You guys realize that any time you change the oil/fuel mix ratio, that you are also changing the FUEL/air mix ratio, right?

More oil = less gas = leaner mixture, and possible detonation, and for sure higher combustion temps.
Also, Less oil = More fuel

And I found this out when I used my Canned True fuel. Ran so rich the mufflers cat converter glowed red, and at full throttle, a 3 inch flame would be coming out the end like a jet engine. Was kinda cool, but I quickly realized it was too rich. Also, would not get up to full RPM. Bad thing is, the carb has no adjustment to lean it out. Its made for that unreal oil ratio.
 
I also have one. The thing has drilled a good number of holes at my acreage property, and fenced in 4 acres at my friends place. Despite using 25 to 1, the engine now rattles and pulls over like it has low compression. This thing is not the quality of an Echo engine. But for the price, I don't expect that kind of precision. But it's still going, and starts without trouble.
 
With any of the Chinese powered equipment the manuals are usually worthless. Most of the time they contain different information than the decals on the equipment itself. Your auger might actually have the Torch plug, and the NGK is just listed as a suitable replacement. 40:1 should work fine. A lot of the variations in the manuals are related to the different emissions requirements of the areas where the engines are shipped. I have a Craftsman leaf blower that says 40:1 on the fuel cap, yet the manual and the box it came in say to use 50:1.
Someday I will pull the factory plug and let you know what it is. I an curious to see what the 25:1 fuel to oil ratio is doing to the plug if the engine truly needs only 50:1. The engine runs and sounds fine, and it definitely drills holes.
 
I also have one. The thing has drilled a good number of holes at my acreage property, and fenced in 4 acres at my friends place. Despite using 25 to 1, the engine now rattles and pulls over like it has low compression. This thing is not the quality of an Echo engine. But for the price, I don't expect that kind of precision. But it's still going, and starts without trouble.
How old is yours? Did it call for 25:1 or 50:1 mix?

Thus far I have at most five minutes under load on this machine. The first project was a deep square hole. I drilled the four corners plus a central hole, then started excavating the rest with a shovel. A second round of drilling cleaned things up and took the hole as deep as the machine could go. I cannot imagine digging a hole like that by hand, and certainly not in twenty minutes.
 
How old is yours? Did it call for 25:1 or 50:1 mix?
Mine is probably near 10 years now. Not entirely sure. I will say that it's done more work than I indicated above. I forgot about who I've let use the thing. It's done plenty of work.

It calls for 25 to 1. Which is what I use in it. Smokes a good bit, but I don't care. I used it relatively recently and it was a bit glitchy with the choke. I noticed that I have 300 feet of fence that needs to be replaced. So it will do that job soon too. I'm sure it's up to the task.
 
Today I diluted my 2-cycle mix tank in a seat of the pants sort of of way; it may have gotten to 50:1 or not. I topped up the HF Earth Auger with that. What I ran today was somewhere between 32 and 40 to 1. The machine ran just fine with much less smoke. I cannot say that I noticed any difference in operation with the leaner oil mix.
 
Most modern gear is 50:1. Can't be for sure on a Chi-sneeze engine. There should be a number to call the manufacturer in the manual, maybe. Try that if you find one.
 
Given the higher load that engine will be under compared to a string trimmer or blower the 25:1 might be appropriate. But like someone earlier said, who knows - these Chinese user manuals are normally useless. Half the time they seem to copy and paste from totally different products.
 
Given the higher load that engine will be under compared to a string trimmer or blower the 25:1 might be appropriate. But like someone earlier said, who knows - these Chinese user manuals are normally useless. Half the time they seem to copy and paste from totally different products.
I had to run it quite a bit a few days ago after a township salt spreading truck backed into my mailbox and broke the post. It is running very well on a thinner mix. It certainly seems to smoke less.

All this being said, I am having a hard time imagining that I personally will ever need to run this machine ten hours unless I buy a retirement spread somewhere. This spring I plan to re-do the garden fence which is 45 x 45. After that I plan to build a new leaf pen, which is currently 8 x 45 but in need of a little down sizing. PM me next summer if you are in need of a low mileage earth auger.
 
Good to know that it works as advertised. Wife has been after me for a while now to do some chain link out back. It will take me long enough that renting really isn't an option and at a little over $200 I can justify picking it up just for that project.

I suspect that it would have a long life run on something thinner than 25:1, but if it works, why mess with it!
Did you ever buy one? I'm moving to TN in the near future and was curious how it did with clay?
 
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