[charlie]

As I remember someone saying, every 5 minute job is only a sheared bolt away from been an all day job. I have seen the weld a nut on method of extracting tight or sheared bolts/studs used by my son with good results.

[charlie]

Copy of literature sent via email

[charlie]

An interesting find. Looking forward to seeing the next instalment, maybe something to send to Alan for The Cultivator?

[charlie]

It looks like a Starky duster.

Attachments:

1. 

[charlie]

I remember talking to Ian Cox at Cox & Turner Engineering many years ago about sourcing a similar piston. One option he suggested was to find a piston for a diesel engine with the right diameter etc then machine the top to the required profile. A diesel engine piston apparently has a much thicker crown. No idea if this would work for the SIMAR engine. A more certain source would be a scrap machine.

[charlie]

Good news, a request placed on Facebook has come up trumps with someone who is willing to do the work.

[charlie]

I am fortunate, so far, not to have had to rebuild an engine to that extent.
Looking at the parts list diagram the pin will only come out one way. If it was me I would heat the piston to see if that helps.
I am not aware of anyone having spares, but there is a drawing held at MERL, drawing number 5269 MERL ref TR/DX/1607/8/5269

[charlie]

Sounds like con rod is broken or big end. The only way to find out is to strip the engine. If the piston is not moving that would explain why no compression.

[charlie]

John, you will need to contact the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) at Reading, I only have a list of the drawings. The drawing you require is drawing number RD.310 the MERL reference is TR DX 493/1.

[charlie]

The only information, (taken from Brain Bell’s book 70 Years of Garden Machinery), I can find is Wrigley motor truck was invented in the early 1930’s and Geest made their motor trucks from the early 1950’s.

[charlie]

As far as I know the springs are not available off the shelf. There are two types of spring depending which style of tines you have. If they are the type that are round cross section and hook onto the spring it is part number 634. If they are flat bar in cross section and attach to the spring using a pin that locates in a casting held in the spring it is RD310. I have had a quick look at my list of drawings held at MERL and they have the drawing for RD310 but I could not see one for 610.

[charlie]

That rocker cover looks like new. I don’t suppose Allett have any old spares lying around?

[charlie]

No they are not the same machine, two totally different companies.
Are they any good? It depends what you want the machine to do, I am guessing you want to cut long grass. The Allen scythe was primarily a grass cutting machine, although other attachments were available. The Barford Atom was a multi purpose machine with cultivating implements and a cutter bar amongst the range of attachments. Barford also made the Councillor Power Scythe, which was very much like the Allen Scythe.
I have no experience of using either for cutting long grass so cannot comment on their performance.

[charlie]

Have you checked all the wiring for continuity and good earth where there should be one? Any contact to earth where there should not be one will prevent spark.

[charlie]

Its amazing what a good degreasing does, as I have fund cleaning up Land Rover gearboxes. As well as brake cleaner I also use Screwfix own brand degreaser which can be washed off, I use a pump up garden sprayer for that.

[Author]

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