[wristpin]

Well, you are obviously younger and more energetic than me . While we are about it, and before we get into the Robin Reliant syndrome, it’s an Allen Scythe that happened to be made in Oxford. A dear departed friend of mine used to describe the Allen Scythe and one or two other machines as ones that you worked with your flies undone; as if one was going to work like a cart horse one might as well look like one.
Anyway there’s someone on the other old mower site that’s got an Allen for sale.
That’s me done!

[wristpin]

If it’s the two piece alloy bodied starter – Definitely a pia !
You could try making a double sided emery paper washer ( paper, cloth too thick) to go under the external nut on the centre spindle to discourage it from turning. It’s all about inertia to make the pawls move out.

[wristpin]

10 acres, that’s an awful lot of walking! Asking a lot of a vintage machine and inviting mechanical issues just when the sun shines. A more modern version of an Allen Scythe will be a BCS or one of it’s clones that all stem from Italy or Austria where they are used for mowing Alpine pastures .
I would seriously consider getting a contractor to mow and turn it.
Once you’ve made the hay – what then , bale it? Cart it in loose? With what?
Excuse me saying so but I think that the whole job needs a re-think.
Perhaps consider trading hay for assistance from someone who has the kit.

[wristpin]

Quote. “The machine above had a total loss system, the oil went via a pipe to a cup box feeding the bearings on the rear roller”.

I think that we are at crossed purposes ; I was referring to the engine. Your initial post refers to a JAP engine with an oil pump and it was my assumption that this looked after the internal engine lubrication. So was the oil in the handle bar mounted tank supplying engine lubrication, roller bearing lubrication, or both? I would venture to suggest that the oil pump on the JAP engine with its motorcycle ancestry was likely to be primarily, if not solely, to look after the engine’s internal lubrication.

Cutting cylinder width. I had heard it said that for practicable purposes 36” is the maximum length, and that any thing wider might require to be of an impracticable diameter to maintain rigidity. You will remind me that Ransomes did make a ride on machine with a 40 or 48” cylinder, but not for long; and that Allett did, or still do offer a 42” machine; so presumably they got around the “over 36” flexing issue.

[wristpin]

The original part number was 204050320 but I don’t have a cross reference to a belt size. However there is an eBay seller listing it.

[wristpin]

Probably due to age and possibly a lack of maintenance at some time in its life. Worm gear drives have a fairly hard life and are often neglected and subject to the wrong specification of lubricant.

[wristpin]

Qualcast Electric Panther, often referred to as a Qualcast EP.

[wristpin]

The engine is an Atco-Jap 4 stroke 600 cc.Which had a mechanical oil pump

Interesting to see 4-stroke with an oil compartment in the fuel tank, but no sign of a return pipe, so was it a total loss system requiring regular replenishment?
Also interesting that the later post war wide cut machines were 28 and 34” . I wonder what the thinking was to drop the 36” machine when all the opposition still offered one of that width?

[wristpin]

Try George at Villiers Parts. Most Amal carbs have a small ID number stamped into the body somewhere, often where the body clamps to the manifold. If you are emailing him send him a decent image of your carb.

[wristpin]

Yes it appears you are struggling, then lets try another way, which mower did your grass box come from? What material is it made from where the dents are?

In addition to the above, why not post the name of your post town, as there may be someone in your area who can offer hands on help.

[wristpin]

The blocks are the bearing carriers and can be levered off with a couple of pry bars or tyre levers. Take care as they are made of a relatively soft alloy. The carriers may come off leaving the bearings behind, which can then either be levered off or pulled off with a two or three leg puller.

[wristpin]

A quick search found this

https://www.thn.nl/en/product-line/piston-rings?gclid=CjwKCAiAx8KQBhAGEiwAD3EiP5KPk_0W3oeWESspuC6TK99PL875QfluDGia–A8BPXWboO_aLaqtBoCOEcQAvD_BwE

Also I believe that Cox and Turner in Somerset will make to order.

May also be worth an enquiry to Jon Cruse at the Hailsham Mower Centre – he specialises in obsolete stock etc.

[wristpin]

I hope that Trusty220 is right but I suspect that you will end up having to split the ‘box where you may find that the gear selector keys are rounded off and that the corresponding internal dogs on the individual gears are slightly rounded off. If this is the case you may get away with just changing the selector keys ( two on early ‘boxes and four on later ones), but if any of the gears shows signs of distress, change it.
The cause of the issue is “ impatient shifting” – not being totally stationary .

[wristpin]

That’s answered the OP’s original question but as one of his images appears to show an Albion gearbox and clutch ; so what’s it from, not an Atco cylinder mower !

[wristpin]

I was holding back with a query in the hope that someone with more knowledge would ask the same question or supply the answer.
The OP describes the machine as an L28. I assume that the 28 refers to the width of cut but all my parts books, albeit for Mk25 engined machines, use the L for 34” machines and a J for 28” machines. The Brooks (with no E) saddle was not the sole preserve of motor cycles; the early belt driven Webb 24s with the Villiers 150cc Lightweight engine were fitted with them as original equipment – my father-in-law had one – and I believe that the Anzani Powermow also used a Brooks.

[Author]

Posts