[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for that. I had a look a bit further into it this evening. The dipstick didn’t show any oil at all in the gearbox so it must have escaped over the last 10 years at some point. The engine in a Villiers Mark 40 and runs pretty well. I filled it up with some new oil and cleaned all the moss and crap away from the clutch fulcrum. The clutch freed up after I worked it back and forward a few mm at a time and seems to be working fine.
I walked it up to my allotment about 3/4 mile away this evening with a plan to collect the rotor box, which is too heavy for me to manually get home.
Good news is the rotor box was free running and fitted on a charm. It has some almost new looking tines which would have been expensive to find. However I found out that I’m only driving one wheel and when the rotors engage its not easy to keep up with it even in low range and low drive. The rotors dig in to the surface and propel it along at almost running speed. And I don’t run so fast these days. As the clutch activates when depressed that means if it did get away, it would eat its way through the allotment until it hit a ditch. I don’t think there would be any way to stop it .So I decided to shut it down and go have a think

Now my old mate in his 80’s also has a Howard Yoeman that I’ve used and I’m sure his clutch worked like a dead-mans switch, like the reverse interlock seems it should. Now here’s a thought. If I move the clutch fulcrum around a bit, (guessing it is splined) so its always free running. Will the reverse interlock work to push it into gear like it does when you reverse, or is there some other way to make it operate like a dead-mans clutch, engaged when depressed, if that makes sense.

Normally I’d just take it round to my mate and have a look at how he has his set up. But at the moment its not really an option. How is it supposed to work, and do people usually have it set up the way mine seems to be right now?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Got to say that I’m amazed/shocked/disgusted at the number of people still listing large items like mowers, garden tractors, etc, on auction sites. I’m always on the look out for some classic garden machinery, but I think the boys in blue would not consider collecting a Howard Gem from the other side of the country as an essential journey!!
I would have thought the auction sites would remove the option of listing items as collection only.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thankyou so much. It wasn’t exactly a cheap machine when new then.

I’ve been working on one that had been left outside for about 10 years. No spark, no fuel, carb had about 1/2″ of rust in the float bowl. Cleaned up carb fuel tank tap and set points and new condenser new condenser. I have a spark, it started first pull! It runs and will move under its own steam, but the clutch isn’t working (I’ve had the cables off and greased them) Looks like clutch is seized on. Any ideas short of getting oily?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Its dropped out or I’d measure the bugger…

[vhgmcbuddy]

Some more.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

After a bit of work.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

My 1966 4 stroke machine, retrieved from a ditch under a hedge, been there for about 30 years.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

My 1956 machine, as I found it, needed new coil and a tyre. Run like a dream now.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Sorted now with resizing.

[vhgmcbuddy]

I have here a picture of hopefully the right condenser, it did come out of a 4 stroke engine though, maybe someone will confirm.

Graham.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks Charlie,

Is it possible to reduce file size of pics on mobile phone or I have do it on computer?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Ahh thank you for getting back to me, much appreciated . It may ha e seemed a daft question how to take the cowl off , however from experience undoing the wrong bit could be holding internal items instead !! Didn’t want to risk it . That said I removed the three bolts On the rear and this did indeed hold the cowling on !
I then notice I had a fan with quite a few fins missing ? Not sure if this is an issue but fortunately found engine on eBay for £16.77 inc postage which had a decent fan !! And maybe condenser and coil but I doubt it !!
I then was worried about removing the camshaft / centre but to get to condense r / coil

But it can go that wrong can it !!

Fortunately it all came apart nice and easily and I did a test on the condenser which showed no figures at all on the meter ??

So I’ve ordered a

New plug
New plug lead as was melted
New condensor ( correct one)
Point

I didn’t order Coll’s as it’s only a few years since it had a new one .

Waiting for arrival today and new fan Thursday.

Hopefully it’s not the coil !!

I did mark before I removed so hopefully timing will be correct when I but it back together . Carb cleaned and looks okay / primes
You tube has been very helpful !

Thanks again for your response it is much appreciated .

Will let you know if it has a spark and runs !

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Everyone,
I see the mention of new tyres for the monro tiller, having a nightmare trying to source these, does anybody have a link please, I’m based in the U.K.?
Thanks
Thom

[vhgmcbuddy]

Cheapest option would be wristpins suggestion.

A bespoke worm drive would be eye-wateringly expense.

There are many off-the-shelf worm drives available online (e.g. https://www.bearingsrus.co.uk/gears-racks/worm-wheel). May be possible to select a similar size/ratio gear combination and then have it modified to fit your machine, but would still be pricey.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Mark,
Looks very similar to the engine cowl on my old machine, which is a Model F scythe, have you got it sorted yet?
I had no spark on mine when I bought it, so Ebay came to the rescue and I got the correct coil.
I used my Milwaukee impact gun with 21mm socket to remove the magneto and fan as 1 unit,later I used 11mm socket to remove the 3 nuts to split the fan from magneto for access to set the points.
Later when done I lined up the mark on magneto and end of shaft and tightened it up with impact again, using short pulls on the trigger of 1 or 2 seconds, once happy that running ok I gave it extended burst to lock off fully.

Graham.

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