OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Active Threads

Thanks Max,
If I pull the carby down I would give evrything a good clean so that should fix it. I always give the tube a good clean with carby cleaner. I was trying to avoid it because I couldn't be bothered

Hi Lawncutter , yes Norm is right if you have the gx120 engine already then buying the clutch with a 3/4 hole would be the easiest
solution , but if you first need to buy an engine get one with the 20mm 5/8 shaft like Loncin or Lifan or Honda etc.

Cheers
Max.

Yes it can't be the Diaphragm Norm,Why it's not the diaphragm:If the diaphragm valve is open or closed the primer bulb
should still return after being pushed , it must be a blockage on the pickup screen or blockage in the circuit to primer.

From memory that plastic fuel pickup tube in some of these has a check valve ball but most don't ,I usually remove the
plastic tube under the carby and blow the tube and carby out with compressed air.

I used this drawing below to show the red fuel flow to primer on left side.

Cheers
Max.

Hi Lawncutter 45 welcome here, but I don't think you should get any help from us poor Victorians seeing we gave you $600,000 so you can run the Commonwealth Games at our expense. Only joking. I think you can buy a clutch half to suit the 3/4 shaft. I'm not really up on the SB but I think I have heard talk about that

Thanks Max,
Yes I wasn't going to bother too much with it, it is obviously a sticky diaghragm , so I will stick a kit in it and see how that goes. It belongs to a mate of mine, I wouldn't bother with it normally but I will get it sorted for him

Hi, im currently restoring my rover 45 mower. It has a B&S engine with the 5/8 output and corresponding clutch.

I want to fit the gx120 engine however that output shaft is 3/4. Would it be possible to ream out my current cluch by 3mm to bring it out to the 19.05mm to fit the honda shaft. Iv measured it and looks possible however not a massive amount of metal would be left.

I would obviously just buy the correct clutch half but I'm from Scotland so scott bonnar parts are non existing here.

The only other option I see is to use the loncin 87cc engine or a rather expensive gx100.

Thanks.

Hi Norm, usually its quicker to grab another used carby but if its just a degraded rubber bulb you can get them working again .

If its a sprint motor then its usually a stiff, aged rubber bulb that has lost its natural spring-back tension or
If a check valve is stuck, gummed up with old fuel varnish, or deformed, it fails to vent or seal properly.


As we know because it delivered that initial squirt, the core fuel delivery is doing its job, pointing right back to a stiff bulb, a sticky internal check valve, or a bit of varnish in the primer passages.

Most people may just buy a new primer bulb but I've always found you can easily get them working again to
bring the flexibility back to them if that's the problem.

How to Restore a Stiff Briggs & Stratton Primer Bulb
1. What You Need
Motor oil (standard engine oil)

A small brush, rag, or an oil can

The primer bulb still attached to the engine (or removed if you prefer working on the bench)

2. Step-by-Step Instructions
Clean the Area: Wipe away any dirt, old fuel residue, or debris from the outside of the rubber primer bulb.

Apply the Oil: Use an oil can or a brush to thoroughly coat the outside of the rubber bulb with motor oil. Make sure it is completely covered.

Work It In: Keep pushing the primer bulb in and letting it pop back out (or manually pulling it back if it's stuck) while ensuring the rubber stays soaked in oil. This forces the oil into the pores of the dried rubber.

Let It Soak: Leave the engine sitting for a few hours (or up to a couple of days) with the oil pooled or coating the bulb so it can fully soften the material.

Repeat if Needed: Give it a few extra pumps while coated in oil during the soak period to help flex the rubber back into shape.

Put Back in Service: Once the rubber is fully flexible and springy again, wipe off the excess oil. Fill the gas tank with fresh fuel and run the mower; the constant contact with gasoline will keep the rubber conditioned and pliable for years.


For a classic flathead Briggs, spending time trying to surgically clean, free up, or rebuild the tiny internal check valves hidden behind the primer port is rarely worth the headache.

Between cheap replacement carburetors widely available online and the fact that you can often harvest a good used one off a donor engine, swapping the carb entirely is the most efficient and practical route if the internal check valve is shot. Why waste time chasing micro-passages when you can just bolt on a fresh unit and get right back to mowing?


Cheers
Max.

Does anybody know what causes the primer bulb on a flat head Briggs to stick in after it has squirted in one shot of fuel. I assume it is the flap on the diaphragm that must be sticking but I have never really bothered looking into it, I just put a new kit through them

Hi Ken
Welcome here.
Firstly you need to fix the choke, very important, they won't start cold without it and until warmed up you still need full choke to restart it again. Once running you can turn the choke off but until it is warm you need full choke and I mean full choke

Hi from Hervey Bay,
New to forum of any sort.
Not sure about protocol etc.
I’m the adventurer who owns a Cox Kingcat.
I have some starting issues and choke problems
Briggs and Stratton motor works fine once going
Trouble to get it swinging initially, then choke sticks , lift bum off seat, it stops.
Unstick choke, won’t start.
Any ideas?

Seeing that this Greenfield has a 8.5 Hp motor John ,I had thought it looked a bigger motor ,I'd say now this
was originally a 8 Hp Briggs motor .

The front of the bonnet being lower shows it being the 8 Hp model and not the 10 / 11 HP model

There is a manual here, but you may need to copy and paste the following into address bar https://greenfield.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Tractor-Complete.pdf#:~:text=MODEL%20DESCRIPTION%208%20VR%20or%208%20VE,recoil%20start.%20Page%202.%20GREENFIELD%20TRACTOR%20MOWER.

Ah, I see Hudson has a classic hardware limitation (lack of thumbs). My database suggests
upgrading his treats to see if it fixes the tool-delivery latency .



Cheers
Max.

Thanks, Maxwestern.

It certainly looks like it has a cast deck. This one has an 8.5hp Honda motor with pull start, so I’m guessing it may not be the original engine.

It’s had its fair share of interesting repairs over the years and, while it works well enough for my current standards, it does need a fair bit of work and a few parts replaced.

The ginger cat, Hudson, was meant to be handing me tools, but he is easily distracted.

Cheers,
John

Cheers NormK

G'day Richo and Norm,

If it's 28-inch die-cast alloy deck then I would say it's a Greenfield Tractor 11 VE or 11 VR

1977 – 1980 (The 11 VE / 11 VR Era

The Deck: 28-inch cast alloy deck.

The Look: This is the exact era that matches your steel tractor pan seat and the metal steering wheel with the 3 holes in each spoke.

the Fuel Tank Support (The Big Giveaway)

Because the 11 HP engine block was physically taller and wider than the 8 HP engine, Greenfield had to change how they mounted the fuel tank.

On the 8 HP: The fuel tank sits low and quite snugly over the top of the smaller engine.

On the 11 HP: If you lift the bonnet, you will notice a distinct, dedicated metal fuel tank support bracket designed to elevate and position the fuel tank specifically to clear the taller 11 HP engine shroud.


V = Vertical (This confirms the engine has a vertical crankshaft, meaning the shaft sticks straight out of the bottom of the engine to spin the blades).R = Recoil Start (The classic manual pull-start cord). E = Electric Start (It came with an ignition key and a battery so you didn't have to pull a cord).

My advanced image recognition software detects one lawnmower and exactly one male ginger cat.

Cheers
Max.

Hi Bumps,
That will do it no problems, I thought you had split the wheels apart. It is not too difficult to make up a jig so you can press them back together but this idea saves the messing around

Yeah Max, your absolutely spot on (apologies for the pun ... Ha!)
I've probably done three or four engine re-builds over the last 20 or 30 years and tack welding the spacer plate to the crankshaft lobes (I think Norm K referred to them as flywheels) to lock the crankshaft in position before removing the crankpin and conrod has worked well for me and I've never had any adverse consequences from the procedure. Of course the procedure relies on crankshaft alignment being correct in the first place but I think this a relatively solid assumption.
And of course, you're absolutely correct, the tacks don't put sufficient heat into to crankshaft to rise its temperature sufficiently to cause distortion. Any localised stress of minor strain at the point of the tacks is ellimated as soon as the tacks are cut out with the angle grinder wheel.
Norm - I've never checked the alignment after this procedure because I don't possess the necessary equipment and tooling to do the check.

The attached photo shows the now very "weathered" spacer bar that I've used over the last 30-years but its still sufficiently serviceable to do a few more jobs if I feel the need in my "wind-down" years which is most unlikely, I may add.

Hi Richo, welcome here where we try to help
I'm not really sure on what they called the early ones but I often see them called tractors. This one is one of those, pre Anniversary models. There is the very early horizontal shaft motors and then you have the first of the vertical shaft ones. Yours is one of these

Hi everyone,

I recently got an older Greenfield ride-on mower, but I’m having trouble identifying the exact model and year.

I’m hoping someone here may be able to help me work out:

what model it is
approximate year of manufacture
what engine it originally came with
whether the current engine/parts look original
where to find manuals, parts diagrams, or serial number information

I’ve had a look for model plates or serial numbers but haven’t been able to confidently identify it yet. I’ll attach some photos of the mower, engine, chassis, controls, cutter deck, and any tags or stamped numbers I can find.

The mower appears to be a Greenfield, (which some godless heathen painted red) but I’m not sure whether it is an Evolution, Anniversary, Tractor model, or something earlier.

Any advice on what to look for, where the ID plates are usually located, or how to tell the models apart would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

I’m not trying to restore it to concours condition. I mainly want to identify it properly so I can order the correct belts, blades, cables, and service parts without playing parts roulette.

with the full round older cranks I've use a 6 inch metal ruler to line the 2 halves up at home.

The Jig Holes are Reference Points


. The Ruler Acts as a Parallel Gauge

you are checking for two things simultaneously:

Twist (Clocking): Making sure one half wasn't rotated further forward than the other.

Parallellism: Making sure the two halves weren't "pinched" or "flared" relative to each other.

Just have to be careful when welding parts together to hold them in place, as a little heat can make metal distort easily.

but A quick tack or spot weld doesn't inject enough total thermal energy into a piece of steel that thick to cause warp or distortion. The surrounding massive volume of cold steel acts as a "heat sink," absorbing and dissipating the localized heat from the spot weld almost instantly.

So looks like a good way to align the 2 halves for this project.

Cheers Max.

Hi MM,

It sounds like it could be The 1E44F-5 is a common 52cc, Engine Specifications Displacement: 51.6cc to 52ccPower Output: Typically ranges between 1.4 kW and 1.8 kWOperating Speed: Max engine speeds of 6,500 to 8,500 RPM, with an idle of around 3,000 RPMFuel Ratio: Requires a 2-cycle oil to gasoline mixture, commonly at 25:1

I usually keep them as they use them in a ton of equipment and are a handy motor for a lot of projects.



Lawn & Garden Equipment

Heavy-Duty Brush Cutters / Whipper Snippers: This is the absolute "sweet spot" for this engine. It is the default motor for almost every unbranded, budget straight-shaft brush cutter on the market.

5-in-1 Multi-Tools: The exact same power head paired with quick-release split-shafts to switch between a line trimmer, pole chainsaw, hedge trimmer, and brush blade.

Mini Garden Tillers / Cultivators: Because the 51cc motor is lighter than the 61cc, it’s the most popular choice for those small, lightweight tillers used to churn up garden soil and flower beds.

Lawn Edgers: Dedicated wheeled or stick edgers used to cut clean lines along sidewalks.

2. Recreation & Gas Toys (The "G-Scooter" Engine)

Stand-Up Gas Scooters: If you see a generic Chinese gas scooter (often called a "Stand-Up Extreme" or "Mach 1"), it almost certainly has this 51cc/52cc engine bolted to a small chain-drive gearbox.

Gas Skateboards / Motoboards: Off-road skateboards with hand-held throttle cables and a 51cc engine mounted over the rear trucks.

Pocket Bikes & Mini Dirt Bikes: Small "pocket rockets" (like the generic MTA2 or X1/X2 styles) and 50cc-class kids' dirt bikes.

Drift Trikes: Custom or factory-built three-wheelers with slick PVC rear tires for drifting on asphalt.

3. Farm & Construction Tools

One-Man Earth Augers (Post Hole Diggers): While the 61cc is used for heavy, two-man augers, this 51cc engine is the go-to for lightweight, one-man post hole diggers.

1-Inch Water Transfer Pumps: Lightweight, portable pumps used by farmers and homeowners to move water out of flooded areas or trenches.

Gas-Powered Fence Post Drivers: Handheld pounding tools used to drive T-posts into the ground using a heavy internal piston slammed by this motor.

Portable Winches: Small, gas-powered capstan winches used by hunters to drag game or loggers to pull small trees.

4. Marine & Special Applications

Kayak & Dinghy Outboards: Extremely popular for budget, air-cooled 2.5 HP to 3 HP outboard motors used on small fishing boats and inflatables.

Gas-Powered Concrete Vibrators: Used on construction sites to settle wet concrete and remove air bubbles.

The Secret to this Motor

Whether the sticker on the plastic shroud says 51.2cc, 52cc, 517, or has a brand name like Demon, Texas, Viron, or Timbertech, if it has a 44mm cylinder bore, it is the exact same engine. Parts are universally interchangeable, dirt cheap, and available everywhere.


Cheers
Max.

sorry Bumps I meant the flywheels

Hey Norm,
I don't understand your query .......... "Just curious as to how you trued the wheels up?"
- Mower wheels or engine terminolgy that I haven't yet come across?

Hi Bumps,
All good, happy to be able to help and as you say it will hopefully outsee both of us. I just hope whoever gets it next appreciates what it is. Just curious as to how you trued the wheels up?

Just and quick note and update on my attempt to fit a Victa Power Torque Conrod to a single piece crankshaft that was used in Victa 160 2-stroke mowers from 1974 to 1982.
With help from the Forum members and ESPECIALLY Norm K who kindly donated the Conrod and provided excellent friendly advise when I picked it up from his home address, I have successfully rebuilt the old engine and the mower is effortlessly chewing up the grass on our 1/3rd acre block.

The was an earlier thread on this subject but I am unable to find it and add to it hence this thread.

I can unequivocally confirm that the Die cast aluminium Power Torque conrod fits perfectly between the lobes of the old 70's style full crankshaft and that its Big End bearing is s perfect match to the old 0.775" dia crank pin. Additionally, for those who are unsure, the PowerTorque piston, gudgeon and small end bearing is identical between the 70's series Victa and the Power Torque engine.

The brains trust at Victa did a terrific job on these engines with parts interchangibility ..... Just a pity that they didn't ditch the plastic G4 / LM Carbie, swallow their pride and opt for the up-market Amal Carbie.

The attached photos show some important stages in the re-build.

I'm 74-years young and I expect that the ole Victa 160 will see me out.

FINALLY, A MASSIVE THANKS TO NORM K (Forum Specialist and close neighbour) for supplying the conrod, magneto and grass catcher to help me out during the re-build.
It was nice speaking with you mate. Pity your health issues did not allow us to choke down a couple of Lagers.

Thanks for all that helpful information Max.

Over the years I have either wrecked or given away various 2 stroke brushcutters which came my way, My current brushcutter fleet are three Hondas and a BBT 4stroke. Hate the noise, the smell and the need to constantly pfaff around with the throttle of two strokers.

This clone is now running perfectly.

Judging by the force needed to pull on the rope it is likely to be a 50cc job. When it is being given away to someone in need of a brushcutter your info will be included.