[vhgmcbuddy]

Hello there,
Hoping that you now have a working mower I am posting this to ask if you can give me details of the drive belt on your machine? Mine has an Optibelt but the figures on the belt are worn away and the belt is so damaged it’s impossible to say what width/length it was!
Hope you can help,
J

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Thank you for that. Does anyone know how to remove the starter pulley, which seems to need to be removed before the cowl can be removed. I have undone the two bolts in the middle of it, but what do I need to do then? I don’t want to put too much force on it, or to hit it with a hammer, since judging by the number of machines that I have seen with the pulley broken, it must be pretty fragile.
Thank you – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi I’ve just bought this Ransomes Marquis. Is it possible to date it please ? Thank you.

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[vhgmcbuddy]

I have found a home for the 46DK – at a vintage tractor museum in country Victoria: at
Woods’ Farming & Heritage Museum, Rupanyup, Victoria.
There are quite a few web pages that speak to and show photo’s of the collection, it includes tractors to the early 1900’s. Michael Woods, the owner, has agreed to take the Simar into the museum collection. A 4 hour trip to get there, with the 46DK on a 6×4 trailer.

[vhgmcbuddy]

To do that, do I need to remove the wheels? Or can the guards be removed without removing the wheels in some way (without destroying them)?

Thanks – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

Yes, I get that, but can you please explain which bits are inside the gearbox and which outside? Presumably the operating rod must enter the gearbox via some kind of oil seal or gland? Part of my trouble is that my machine is fitted with the axle guards which means that I can’t see any of this.

Thanks – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for your reply. I have the manual too, but I find it difficult from the drawings provided to see exactly where the dog clutch is. I will attempt to take the top of the gearbox off, if this proves not too difficult. Does anyone know whether there should be a gasket between the top and bottom of the gearbox? What material should it be made from? Does anyone sell them? Or can I get one made for me? Does anyone have a CAD file for the gasket?

Thank you – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

Can I just remove all the bolts around the gearbox, and lift the top off to clean out any old oil/sludge, and inspect the gears for damage? To do this presumably I have to support the bottom of the gearbox on a pile of bricks or similar, because I think the top of the gearbox supports the whole weight of the machine. I guess one has to take all the weight off the wheels and axle before removing the top of the case.

Is there any reason that I should not drill a drain hole at the lowest point in the bottom of the gearbox case?

Thank you – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

That sounds a good plan. I will give it a go. By “bending the individual fingers” do you mean bending the actual finger (which I think is cast, and would break rather than bending), or bending the bar underneath each finger (which sounds a very difficult process, because each bend would affect the whole bar, not just the one finger). I would have thought that fitting shims under any fingers that need to be raised would be a better approach. But I’m not worrying about that until we find out whether it’s a problem on my machine.

Thanks – Rowan

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Charlie, I understand you are the man when it comes to dating Monro tillers. When I bought the tiller it came with the original receipt from 1954. I wonder if you can confirm that date from the ID plate for me. Thanks

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[vhgmcbuddy]

Ok thanks

[vhgmcbuddy]

Just looked at the chain and it looks very slack. There is no adjustment so should I remove one or two links and fit a connector link?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Getting entirely carried away I could fit a Tesla power pack or equivalent between the chassis rails and then a motor for each rear wheel, driven through the existing “portal” style gears

We already have an electric car charge point for the wife’s Renault thingy – so potentially a couple of hours charging for half a day’s usage

Biggest challenge would be adding enough weight on the nose to prevent a constant wheelie

[vhgmcbuddy]

he suspects it is the bore or crank that has worn.

“Suspects” worries me. At the best an educated?guess. As AF has suggested, lift the head and inspect the bore for obvious deep scoring or galling. If all appears to be well, there’s not much more to be discovered without serious dismantling and measuring. You don’t mention the make of engine fitted but if it’s a side valve Briggs and Stratton I’d have a look at the valves. A valve job / top end overhaul can be done without special tools but a couple do make life easier.
Take the valve chest cover off and before going any further check the valve gaps. Most BS side valve lumps need 5-7thou on the inlet and 7-11 on the exhaust for early ones and 7-9 on the later. Measured with the piston 1/4” down from Top Dead Centre on the power stroke. If the clearances are tight it’s an immediate pointer to go further and remove the valves. Inspect the valve faces and seats and also for any signs of a loose seat. Particularly a loose seat as they can come adrift when the engine warms up but sneakily drop back into place as it cools.
No point in me going any further until those “suspects” have been checked.
If you don’t feel up to doing this, either find a slightly more enthusiastic engine man or, as AF says, fit a new engine. Loncin happens to be a favourite of mine.

PS. When it cuts out, have you checked that there is still a spark ?? We may all be up the wrong tree!!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thank you all turned out to be a faulty coil and issue with the flywheel a small crack so it’s been welded up and I have ended up making some brackets up and fitted a standard 12v coil and battery system on it runs a treat . Now onto fixing the bulldog I believe to have

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