I also had an Elna serger. Think it was model 744. It sewed well enough, but it used to change settings on its own!
I'd have it set up exactly for a project, turn it off, cover it. Go to resume work on same project the next day, and tensions were never right, even though I hadn't futzed with anything. That's when I gave up and got the Imagine.

Because of an arm injury it is a bit challenging for me to hold the thread with my right hand (I am right handed) so I try with my left hand - sometime it works and other times it doesn't. Tried tying the new thread to the old last night and that worked great.

When being demoed I have seen that which wasn't a good selling point to me and have seen that they can get clogged as well

I agree with Stevensgirl, use the tweasers, that's the easiest way.

I started with an inexpensive Singer serger, loved serging, but hated threading it, even by tying a knot in it. I upgraded to a Babylock Imagine, which burned up in our fifth wheel fire. So, after about a year without a serger, I bought the 8 thread Evolution, and I love it! It took a lot of soul searching and budget consideration to justify, but I got a great deal and 48 month interest free financing. (Can I rationalize or what?) Anyway, I'm thrilled with my serger, and hope all these suggestions help you thread yours easier.

I have a Baby Lock and LOVE the jet air threading. Yesterday I was having trouble threading, then realized I hadn't removed the thread from my previous project. Also, you need to pull thread down, so you have some slack, otherwise it won't go through the tubes. Hope this helps.

I am new to quilting board, just joined this fall, even tho it says I've been member for awhile.

It doesn't take that much. I was having the same problem last night and then the light came on. I had cut the thread away from the spool but hadn't ran it to get it unloaded from the machine. The loopers still had thread in them and wouldn't accept any more. I set it back to threading, ran it until all the thread went thru and it was fine. I do know of people who use tweezers to put the thread in. For the wooly nylon or dec threads mine came with a wire that has a loop on the end, I put the thread thru the loop and then insert it into the hole for the loopers until it comes out the other end.