My Allen Scythe (Model T) was purchased two years ago, and after renewing the ignition system and cleaning out the carb the machine ran reasonably well, though it put out a lot of smoke on uphill climbs and never seemed to have much power. So, biting the bullet, I took the head off the Villiers 25c two stroke engine, decarbonised it and fitted two new piston rings. Fortunately I had photographed every step of the dismantling, because when I came to refit the piston it had clearly been the wrong way round inside the cylinder when removed, i.e. the exhaust face of the head had been on the input side and vice versa.
What surprises me is that the machine had worked at all, surely the gas flow was all wrong and the timing should have been 180 degrees out.
Have any members come across this before? Always worth checking on an old machine, particularly if there are signs of “restoration”
The Allen Scythe now runs like a Sherman Tank and the smoke has reduced to breatheable levels, almost as good as new, and yes, my arms are getting longer!
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