[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks guys, Today there is NO spark……….I have tried another 2 plugs and still no spark so its an ignition problem somewhere……….Now i am stuck

[vhgmcbuddy]

Take the spark plug out,squirt some fuel into the cylinder,replace spark plug and try to start engine.If it fires up briefly but then stops you either have a compression related problem (usually valves not seating or a valve clearance issue) or a fueling / carburettor problem.Depending on how mechanically minded you are the fueling issue would be easier to rectify.Laser ride on mowers should have a Japanese engine fitted (a Honda or Kawasaki) so i doubt very much it would be an ignition related problem but they are getting old now so its still worth checking as well !!.If the spark plug is really wet with fuel (flooding) then recheck your carburettor and float.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Video………..Hopefully this one works

Attachments:

1. img-2391-v1qrniarmov.compressed.mov

[vhgmcbuddy]

Progress indeed. I like the suggestion of sharing the question of identification with the Stationary Engine brigade.
Off topic, but is that a Champion plug cleaner and pressure tester in the back ground?

[vhgmcbuddy]

It certainly has an over engineered look , the bottom end would be more at home as the casing of a right angle drive box. If it is a home made engine would the maker have gone to the trouble of manufacturing his own finned flywheel or did Villiers or some other contemporary engine maker unknowingly provide that? Any clues such as casting numbers inside the flywheel?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Not sure about any Villiers association as I can’t recollect ever seeing an engine from them that has a crankcase split horizontally along the crank line. It was the Japanese who introduced that design to motor cycle engines while British lumps were still vertically split and dripping oil.

[vhgmcbuddy]

That worked a treat, thank you. All back togeather and have had it running, however it will now not run without the excess fuel engaged, every time I try to reduce revs to an idle and the excess fuel clicks out the engine dies. Any ideas?

Josh

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks a lot guys, all great advice, i’ll try this all and will keep you updated…..with good or bad news!
Thanks
Brett

[vhgmcbuddy]

Have you tried using a hot air gun to heat up the pump? It may free off enough to get it out.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Oh and trusty2020 I forgot to say, the ultrasonic cleaning was not foolproof as you said, soft fuse wire was needed to clear a blockage. Thanks again.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hello again, thought I’d give you an update. I have the Gem back from the mechanics now. He had done a great job, it fired up first turn from cold, then we let it settle down (had to adjust the carb again) and tested it out in a nearby field, what a beast of a rotavator!

He did warn me that he was still not happy with the mixture, it’s either good at idle or good under load, there’s no real sweet spot that I can leave it at, so I should expect to have to play around with the mixture a bit whenever I use it to get the most out of it. Not ideal.

So I got it home and gave it a go again.
It wasn’t running so smoothly this time. I set the mixture so it ran a smoothly s possible and started turning over some ground and it started hunting and nearly stalling
, the choke was opening and closing on it’s own while this was happening, then it started backfiring quite badly and died on me.
It’s stuck in a field now and won’t start at all….it’s a very expensive gren ornament if I can’t get it started, the Joy’s of old machinery!!

Any further ideas?

Thanks

Brett.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Charlie, thanks very much for that. Here’s my email (I’m not a paid up club member so can’t pm you):

richard_wheat@hotmail.com

Thanks again

[vhgmcbuddy]

the only way I know to run machine without cutter running is to remove drive belt which is what Barford recommends if travelling any distance

[vhgmcbuddy]

Oh, I forgot!

Thirdly, has anyone got any manuals for either the scythe or the engine (Villiers Mk12) or both?

Thanks again

[vhgmcbuddy]

Almost finished!

[Author]

Posts