[vhgmcbuddy]

I think Andy ,s Rotors are the “Finger tines” that were a popular extra to produce a fine tilth for the seed bed , The merry tiller book describes them as giving excellent traction, and they are right, they do, my problem is trying to steer the thing in a straight line. you can also get for the merry tiller special “Narrow slasher tynes” that are designed to work between the rows, using the back wheels for stability.

[vhgmcbuddy]

it seems they left that bit out of the Howard Walkbehinds Service Manual, you gunna have to chase up info from the JAP guys. cheers Rod.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Charlie I’ve just upgraded my membership so I’ll pm you when it let’s me 👍

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks Charlie, I’m trying to get the missing parts but looks like I will have to fabricate them, that’s why I wanted some good pics of them to copy, I will pm you with my email address mate for a copy of the parts list cheers

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Andy,
I am the new owner and it didn’t run at all when bought at an auction.
The carb was the issue initially with the sticking needle piston and dirty.
Now I am where I am trying to get it running better.
It would rotavate as is but the engine is not picking up or seem stable enough to me and definitely the mixture or firing is not right looking at how rich the mixture is from the coked up spark plug.
Did you notice the governor coming in on the video even with very little throttle …is this normal?
One other thing I take the air filter gauze out to see if it runs any better and it didn’t really help but noticed the oil is full of small bubbles as it’s been trying to pull in the air…is this normal?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks Wristpin, regarding the valve gaps and spark plug I have checked and adjusted these already. The points didn’t seem to be visible through the flywheel in that there seemed to be a cover over them… I don’t recall seeing the actual points through the 3 gaps when rotating the flywheel.
If there is a cap or plate over the points…which is removable through the flywheels 3 gaps (see pic above from my first post) to get access and check and adjust the points without removing the flywheel.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Andy,
apologies for the late reply on your last comment.
I checked the fuel needle position and it was in the 2nd groove from the top.
I put it in the 4th groove from the top which would lift the needle and in my understanding let more fuel through on acceleration?
I started the engine and did not see a lot of difference on adjusting the throttle lever.
It picks up speed a bit but the governor seems to be cutting in too quickly?
It looks to be running to rich and the plug is getting coked up too implying too rich.
I have put two videos on You Tube showing the engine running, it may help you to see if there is a problem or not and maybe advise me to try something else
Links:


Thanks again for your help
Regards Steve

[vhgmcbuddy]

Looking through some old magazines of Agricultural shows at Warwick, I’m pretty certain that Charlie is right with the Farmers Boy thought. The pictures show it to be a Farmers Boy Major and of the 4 machines on show, two had different handles for different work. I thought at first that belt and chain guards were missing but I can’t see any attachment points on mine and there are none in the pictures of any on the 4 machines. Perhaps other owners may have details of attachments, plough, trailer etc and would care to share info, (perhaps a section already exists within the Club). Thanks for the replies.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks everyone, and thanks for the manual page scan Wristpin. I will have her up on the bench again and try again.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like it isn’t rare, but predates the Internet. It will probably spend another 20 years in the back of my shed.

[vhgmcbuddy]

In response to your question Wristpin, I had the head off and loosened the flywheel, got to TDC, rotated crankshaft back until the piston was 3/16″ down in vertical travel before TDC and then rotated the flywheel so that the mark on the flywheel matched the mark on the casing, then tightened the flywheel. Never done one before, is this correct?

It now won’t start at all.

I think the oil ring on the piston also needs replacing, has good compression but each stroke brings up quite a bit of oil and the head is fouling pretty quickly.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for the suggestion.

I’m tending towards adapting some wheelbarrow wheels for now. If it turns out well I could always change to something “better” at a later date.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Agreed. Not impossible to find, but definitely makes it more difficult and expensive.

[vhgmcbuddy]

More pics

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks Andy. I reckon it must be the coil, I’ve just taken it for a spin on the lawn and once the engine is hot it has lost power and died. Let it cool down and its okish for a while then died again.

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