[vhgmcbuddy]

Ahh I thought it might be something along those lines, I’ll have a look into it. Thanks.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hello I have sent you a pm

[vhgmcbuddy]

that was totally expected as majority is inside

[vhgmcbuddy]

That post was mine and referred to a conversion that my late business partner and I did in the early 80s. Having done a straight forward conversion we found the revs somewhat difficult to control. After a bit of head scratching we repurposed the existing points to act as a switch in the feed from the electronic module. The passage of time doesn’t help with remembering exactly What we did but as far as I can remember we considered it to be successful.

[vhgmcbuddy]

My father had a Clifford Mk1 in the 1960’s with a villiers Engine. It was a difficult starter especially when warm

[vhgmcbuddy]

Sorry the points opened at 7/32 BTDC not 7/16 BTDC…that would be a long way out!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Andy,
I have got round to doing some more checks on the Villiers 15HS engine.
I removed the cylinder Head – Valves ok – normal build up of carbon on the valves.
Top of the piston had a sticky tarry looking layer it – it wiped off with some white spirits.
The bore looked ok although as you manually turned the engine over there seemed to be a trace of oil being wiped above the piston so possibly the rings need replacing? It did smoke a bit but could be unburned fuel and carbon mix due to the timing issue?

Got the points visible and rotated the flywheel.
Points where just opening with the piston about 7/16″ BTDC so timing does seem to be out.

I have removed the flywheel rotor.
Couple of questions:
The sprung tin lube pad was missing – broken off – should I replace?
The points had a typical small peak and crater but not excessive and can stone off to make more flush.
The crank oil seal E.9718 on the parts list in the armature plate has been leaking.(picture added already cleaned oil off back plate) Is this easy to replace as the bearing needs pulling out first?
While I have the rotor off and armature plate off:
Can you advise where to get the following:
New Condensor
Sprung tin lube pad replacement
Shall I change the points?
New oil seals both mag and drive side?
Spark plug recommended – what equivalent to the Parts list – Lodge C.14?

Thanks again for your comments and advice.
Steve

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Eventually found some numbers, The JAP engine has what appears to be 2AV 85976 pressed into the cowling, although the V could be a U. According to a JAP dating list I found this makes it 1956 or 1943. I’m not sure when they began making 2A engines but since this one had a recoil starter I am guessing it is probably 1956.
Taking a closer look at all the JP mower pictures I can find I now think this could be an early style Maxees push mower which someone has put an engine on. All I have found so far on it are three letters G V E inscriber on the sideplate near the back roller.

[vhgmcbuddy]

@alan
did the photos i’d sent come through?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for that observation, the extension appears to be necessary to enable the user to lift the idler pulley in and out of gear effectively and the red catch higher up holds the lever out.
There are no controls on the handlebars you would expect on most motormowers and the JAP engine appears to be a fixed speed.
However the engine is painted the same colour as the mower and there are no signs of any other colour underneath. If it is a conversion of a push mower a lot of thought must have gone into it.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Many thanks. I would have happily accepted your offer but I have SORNed my car. I have bought a second hand silencer for very little, if I can adapt it I will be OK, if not I may well have to come back to you. Many thanks again David

[vhgmcbuddy]

I thought this was a pretty unusual model of JP mower and I guess the silence confirms this. I wonder if it was a prototype, and what is the V pulley doing on the outside of the roller as the roller drive is already driven internally from the engine?

[vhgmcbuddy]

The F15 having been stripped of anything that may be of use it was now the turn of several part stripped JLO L97s and and an electronic ignition RM100 with a rather bent crank. Fortunately JLO used an easily dismantled three piece crank and the lower section was common to a lot of their smaller rotary mower engines, so after a bit of cannibalisation we have a potentially usable short + engine – just need a carb!
The offending lower crank section.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

I have 2 m/c’s that are going for scrap, the older type and the last type. one has a good silencer. I am in Sheffield
The machines are free for collection if anyone is interested

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Many thanks for that. I did try it about three years ago and it fired, it always did, but the noise was deafening and I have a funny feeling that the neighbours wouldn’t be impressed. I’ll dismantle it and clean everything out then, knowing the oil/petrol mix, I can check it out and look online for a silencer. If it goes I’ll give it a coat of paint. I have a car in bits at the moment, but it will give me a variation! Many thanks again David

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