[davidbliss]

Are there any electronically minded wizards out there, as would just like to know why this happened when replacing a single cylinder engine with a twin cylinder that uses two ignition units, as most people know to stop an engine with magneto ignition it is just grounded to earth. Now doing my engine swap all the original wiring for alternator and ignition were the same fittings as same make of engine, I was very pleased with how easy my conversion went, connected every thing up turned the key and engine started and so pleased just how silent and smooth, must fit the deck and give it a go, and went to stop it, funny it kept running but sort of lumpy at idle, opened the throttle and ran rougher than ever, so easy to short the ignition with a screwdriver, there are few wires to trace on the ignition switch, live feed, one to deck clutch switch, one to alternator and one to starter solenoid, no earth so what happens, ignition off and it was connected to the starter solenoid how very odd, so had to fit a relay that was simple, Its a good job I did as friend was trying to find what had gone wrong with his ignition switch and fed live down the stop wire that blew both ignition units, very expensive and had to take the engine out to remove the cowling to gain access, Photos A must fit is a 15 amp fuse unit top left,the by-metal overload is not fail safe, if fuse blows with relay engine stops, as had a voltage control fail dead short, note lifted so air is blown under, new ignition switch centre, relays bottom right.

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[davidbliss]

looks like the type used on the early Verdistat? seed drills, even if worn and had let go, welded new ears on, new pins and away, the uj’s on the cars steering column are more durable if theres room to fit them.

[davidbliss]

I now have mowed my grass twice (nearly two acres) although was dry the grass is still very mushy and turns into a sticky green mess, however scrapped the thick lumps off and left the thin coating on to dry, this I gave another coating of rust preventive as if left long enough will dry to a very sticky coating and as it wicks into the grass coated parts adds to the protection.and mostly when cleaned before winter the less high impacted area’s still show they were still protected like you can see on the first deck had galvanised.

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[davidbliss]

Might be a chance with these guys, Panks for pumps Norwich Norfolk might still have info, until I retired used them, they sank a bore for the farm in the early 1940’s and serviced it 50 odd years, also had other things done by them, back then used to cut key ways, had odd other pumps and always had info on them, however they may have ditched the stuff like allot of firms, my farther bought 2 Jap engined Alcons from a sale, AM-WD surplus? as were in crates, one was unused and is still running today albeit rather tatty as used to stand out summer times for years to supply water for cows and washing down, the other was seized and as I grew up got inquisitive and pulled it apart, well it never went back together but did give me some idea how they worked, then the working one done a hissy fit and the bits gave life to the other, this is where Panks came in again, they supplied seals for those old Alcons said those Alcons were different and made most likely made specially for AM, when we retired and clearing out from the farm found still rapped parts for the Alcons evidently as were Air Ministry and came with spares, well after 60 plus years the spare parts one now runs with new bits, and is sort of like new on the outside and odd bits inside but corrosion of the alloy internally was rather bad, the one thats not been touched had masked ignition, both found out had high compression cylinder heads that caused problems, wouldn’t stop running and ran lumpy, both will climb up the pull start aggressively and fall over, so best to be held down while someone pulled.

[davidbliss]

Like every thing thought it was ok, however the side shoot with my mod to hold it up out of the way, now being under tension for a while it warped so has had a bit of tensile stainless put across, so now its fixed?. photo of the early alloy that I modified 40 years ago and the later poor plastic spent more time flapping now works.

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[davidbliss]

This shows after getting on for thirty years the condition of the deck but still needs looking after as even the one thats just been galvanised I have just spayed with rust preventive as it clings on where it doesn’t get much impact from the grass.

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[davidbliss]

Finally finished for this year, modified the horrible plastic deck side shoot of the Eliminator thats now fitted to the original deck of the 11HP, all new bearings and belts so if its like the 14 HXL I did the same too will do twenty+ years without problems.

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[davidbliss]

IS it one of the very early total loss oil systems (plunger and sight glass for the dripper) if its been apart and cleaned they will run ok on any oil as so lightly stressed, I have been about a long time and use a high detergent oil in 100 plus year old early cars, the only thing with early type of cam followers they need help and only the high detergent oils still had the additive that supposedly works.

[davidbliss]

Too much line out will only pull the revs down, however if then its been run at low revs the clutch will slip, if the die-cast shoes are ok have a word with the brake re-line guys as got some small moped shoes done, just make sure they don’t melt them as are baked after bonding, my brother used to borrow it once or twice a year to clear boat portage place along the river Waveney, he would use over a half gallon of petrol, I have a job to use a tank full in an hour working flat out. I expect most of the strimmers I get brought are not repairable, even the good makes are not what they used to be as made down to a price.

[davidbliss]

I have three, now over 40 years old and out perform others of larger size, the one I bought new is untouched and never been apart, the only parts needed were carburettor diaphragms, and the rubber fuel pickup from the tank, the diaphragms a very slightly smaller than the other two. the other one I have just incase the clutch parts company, its not uncommon when people run them slowly so the clutches chatter, so being made of die-cast the pivot bushes come loose, my spare part one was given to me, its not even run in but been pulled apart by? as ever part has been forced, had a phone call one day to say they had broken a blade off the flywheel getting the flywheel off and now vibrated badly, I said if its only one take same amount of the other side, years later was given it and decided to strip it and get it to run, well taking the cover off couldn’t believe there were only three were left one side, well got it to run but it was badly out of balance, also they had butchered the end of the crankshaft, looking at its clutch it had hardly been used. I know ones fitted with the electronic ignition did fail, but never known ones with points to give trouble.

[davidbliss]

Its a why on earth did they alter things, they made three front pulley carriages the fist one is easy fit and doesn’t rattle and last one is a bit awkward if a spring breaks, now find there are thee axle widths going up by 2inch steps the second one they fitted longer half shafts and the third they fitted wider axle casting along with longer shafts but wheel centres are the same as they used differing wheel offsets, all use same chassis and decks.

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[davidbliss]

I am in South Norfolk, I used Metal Coatings GT Yarmouth about 30 miles, years ago used a place Witham? as one firm I used for getting metal only a few miles away had that company collect and deliver weekly. and at that time could handle larger stuff than the Yarmouth platers.
With any of these firms small parts get lost, you need to ask, I can say the Yarmouth boys are helpful.

[davidbliss]

Cost effective? If you don’t look after them NOT, they still need looking after as wet grass causes the galvanise to get the dreaded white mildew, but looking at the two decks the one I never done was very pitted, the other remains smooth, paint isn’t cheap, that deck cost just over £110, put that into trying to bodge up a rotted deck?, one of my pet hates is powder coatings, metal is cleaned, sprayed and baked, trouble is if there are angles the coating shrinks so pulls away, this leaves gaps and moisture corrodes lifting the coating faster, can remember one firms selling point that decks were powder coated.

[davidbliss]

Hydro charge pump now sorted, coupling and new oil filter, the JD boys found cross reference from the old Bolens number so all sorted and fitted back in the frame, got the deck back from being galvanised so now needs all the parts fitting back on, this old 11HXL deck I strengthened as the side discharge leaves it weak and where the rollers attach crack so need help, must be getting on for thirty years back and done the same to the 14 HXL and that was galvanised back then. Photos of strengthened thirty years plus ago and galvanised 11 HXL a few days ago.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by davidbliss.

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[davidbliss]

They got it right with the long working life with the old Cats, they just made them very simple and strong, if you have one apart and throw all parts in a heap theres not that many parts, yes they got worn and loose but kept going, the first time got into the bowls of an International TD 18 thought how nice they were built like a Swiss watch with supper well supported shafts, lovely smooth six cylinder engine, but they took many more hours to do same job and were back in with same failures, Cat D 7s ran double reduction back ends so steering clutches and gears forward of them were lightly stressed.
We haven’t moved forward, friends lawn mower wouldn’t start, got a circuit control board with LEDs so voltage controls and all that goes to work other parts WHY? with a bit of corrosion its dead, when just an ignition, deck and two safety switches that it had anyway that will last and work without the made to fail parts added.

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