[past-timer]

Rope in the bore enables locking of crank if you haven’t got the special flywheel holder and don’t want to risk breaking any fins off the flywheel. I rotated the engine so that the valves were closed, feed as much rope as I could into the bore and then turned the flywheel cw to feel it lock. I could then torque it to 60 ft lb.

None of the soft keys I bought on ebay were a good fit – they needed dressing with a file first, and I had made sure the slots in the flywheel and on the crank, were really clean.

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[past-timer]

The flywheel had spun slightly. So I have now taken apart and reassembled with a new key, lapping the flywheel well and torquing it down with the rope in the bore trick to lock the crank, and the special clutch drive tool which I bought for the job.

The mower was then running OK, but was difficult to start without pouring a little petrol into the carb – which pointed to the choke. With the air filter off, I sprayed some GT85 into the bowden cable and sprayed carb cleaner into the carb, and wiggled the control lever back and forward to make sure that the choke butterfly was flapping as it should do. It wasn’t at first, but was after a bit of attention. With that done and checking that the bowden cable was clamped in the right place, the mower starts, and I’ve been able to do some mowing. I’m really pleased – the machine is just what I need and I hope I can keep it going for a while now.

I need to make a few parts that are missing – might anyone be able to send me close up photos of them?
They are the wing nut that adjusts the height at the back, and the collar beneath it, and also the front wheel hub caps.

thanks
Matt

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[past-timer]

Just to add, I found I could get enough of the distortion out of the cutter plate using a G clamp and a bit of something straight – I had a short bit of box section to hand

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[past-timer]

Well I got the Hayter fettled this morning, blades swinging, wheels spinning, belts tightened and nipples greased. I did perhaps 15mins easy cutting and then hit a rock in some nettles and now the machine won’t fire – I think the flywheel must have spun on the crank. Hey ho – easy enough to fix, and I was pleased with the cut and the speed

[past-timer]

Thanks for this – I’ll give the plate a fettle at the weekend. I have now welded up the front frame tensioning plate, and I have also found some nos bearings for the front wheels which were in a right state/ missing. The rear height adjusting wing nut and collar are missing, so I’ve bored out a hex nut to slip over the 1/2 adjusting screw stud and intend to drill it for a Clevis pin to hold it in place.

All being well I’ll get some grass cut over Easter.

[past-timer]

Doh! thanks

[past-timer]

Thanks for your attention. Photos attached. All the blades swing from side to side, but they all foul on the plate because it is not flat, and so will not swing 360′. I wonder if I am overthinking this, and just a bit of deflection is all that is needed.

I checked the gearbox this morning, and it is good for oil.

I went to tension the drive belt, and realised I need to weld up one side of the tensioner as at the moment one side is not welded/broken, and therefore the tensioner is twisting the frame. This looks to have been a long time problem that was ignored in the past.

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[past-timer]

OK thanks will give it a go

[past-timer]

Can anyone advise on replacing the blades – I’ve got a new set. If I snug the bolt for each blade down, the knives will not rotate due to the aluminium plate not being flat. So I guess I need to fettle/flatten the dish locally so the knives do rotate when the bolts are tight – is that right?
Thanks

[past-timer]

So I fitted new points and condenser (I did eventually buy the funky little tool to compress the spring as I found that a bit of a fiddle without, and the wire from the coil is getting shorter where the spring cuts into it), I changed the carb diaphragm and put in a new plug, and bought a new air filter as the old one had disintegrated, and then this evening I put in fresh oil, and gave it a few pulls, and the engine started and ran smoothly. I’m delighted.
Next I need to replace the cutting knives, and tension the drive belt. The front wheels are very wobbly and I should be changing them, or hopefully just their bearings if I can do that.

[past-timer]

Thanks for response Andy. So with a squirt of some penetrating oil, a good torch and more perseverance, I’m very happy to say both valves are in fact moving. I put a compression gauge on the engine and after a few pulls can get to 80 psi. So a much better starting point.
I’ll try to get a spark, check the coil, and if necessary pull the fly wheel to check the points, service the carburettor and see how I go.
Matt

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