Vintage Horticultural and Garden Machinery Club

Put a picture of it on here just so I can ID it and I will see if I have one.

Was the reason it was put away for all that time because of its ignition “problem” ?.If so then a new coil is required.Before you buy one though just remove the thin cut out / ground wire on the coil terminal and try again.If still no spark (and you are sure that the spark plug,HT cap and HT cable are all ok) then a new or replacement coil is the answer.

Yes 1966.

If the engine is a Briggs and Stratton and its the original one then the first two numbers of the CODE number stamped on the cowling will give you the engines year of manufacture.Generally speaking the machine will also date to the same year (or the following year).

Maybe a case of having to make one Tim as I guess an original new old stock one would be very hard to find ?.

I thought Emery made there own engines Charlie but I could be wrong.

The Howard Gem rotavator as seen on the The Good Life was a series V machine with a Kohler K341T petrol engine.I would guess that particular Gem was a very late 1960,s / early 1970,s model as it looked a bit beat up even when The Good Life was first aired in 1975.
Definitely worth keeping and using unless its totally worn out in which case it will…[Read more]

Have you another small Villiers “Junior” type carburettor to try on it ?.If not you could try the larger “Lightweight” carb from your Clifford rotavator and see if the problem persists.

If the coil laminations are not slotted then there is no adjustment required.If they are slotted then it would be a case of using the “factory service tools” to set it up.

Before buying more parts check your valve clearances as they tend to close up !.The GS130 engine is a side valve engine so remove the valve chest cover at the rear of the engine.Set the piston just past TDC on the power stroke and check the clearances and adjust if required (by either recutting the valve seats or grinding the valve stems)

Looks like you done a great resto job on the 300.My dad still has a 350 which he bought new in 1967.He really wanted a 400 but it was too big to go in the back of his Ford Anglia van.

I have a Howard 400 with the same engine (J.A.P 4/3).Just half a turn on the handle and the engine fires up :).

They use a single dry plate clutch.If it was all ok before the engine was removed then you must have reassembled it incorrectly.Take the engine of again and reinvestigate.

Clean the contact breakers behind the flywheel (and if you don’t have the proper test equipment to test the condenser fit a new one for piece of mind) and all should be ok.I like the Italian Aspera engine(s) very much and in my mind were a better engine than the USA built Briggs and Stratton.I still have a few horizontal crankshaft Aspera,s…[Read more]

If its a 3hp engine then the five digit model number will start with an 8.At a guess the full model number may be 80303.The engine,s type number is not really required as the carburettor is a common “pulsa-jet” type and any parts you need are easily obtainable from either your local B&S / garden machinery dealer or on-line.

Are the blades correctly fitted so that only one enters the ground at a time ???

The part number for the original TOOTHED forward drive belt on a 5hp Spartan is W25496 (or EC.1352.A1).Its the same belt just under a different superceded part number.Im presuming yours still has its original Briggs and Stratton IC 5HP engine fitted and also the correct pulley ?.Note there should be a plastic cooling fan fitted on the end of the…[Read more]

According to my service bulletins the very first Bantams used a Villiers MK25C 2 stroke engine and “drum” type wheel centre.You have an early model there !

I have a identical machine :).

Cant beat the sound of a 2 stroke diesel :).