OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Victa Lawn Mower Frames Victa 18 Project

Working on the Victa 18 yesterday was a mixture of pleasure and pain. Getting the carburetor refitted and fueled up, then getting the engine to fire off for the first time in decades was very satisfying. But then the frustration of it getting more and more erratic to the point where it wouldn't refire. Very deflating. Rather than pulling it all to bits right then and there, I decided to put it aside and let things cool, both me and the machine.

Initially, I assumed it was a fueling problem. The engine would rev up, then break down, rev up and choke............rinse and repeat. Thinking about it, the fact I could get it to rev right up indicated it was getting enough fuel to do so. Changing tact, I removed the spark plug and immediately noticed what the problem was................................



"There's your problem......." a spark plug well out of spec. I'm normally onto this sort of thing, but for some reason neglected to check the plug.

With the plug lead still connected and the turned over, I was getting an erratic blue and orange spark. I then removed the wire and connected it to another plug, this delivered nice blue spark. So yeah, it just wasn't getting enough or consistent spark.

As luck would have it, the brand-new plug I ordered showed up this morning.



Included in that order was a new spark plug boot, the original crumbled in my fingers when I needed to remove the plug wire to access the fuel tank.



With the fuel turned on, throttle halfway, the rope pulled once, then twice..................off she went, settling into a nice stable idle. Once it was warmed up, I cracked the throttle open and ziiiiiiiiiiinnnng, that classic 2-stoke scream! After several restarts spread over a few hours, it seems like I have the engine running well. So, a simple spark plug solved the problem.



Reinvigorated, I therefore decided to keep fettling.....................

The original owner had used electrical tape to secure the throttle cable to the handle.............yeah, that's not DFB-Spec! So, I went and tracked down some vintage cable clips.



In preparation, I actually stripped the remains of the fabric sheath surrounding the cable for a cleaner look. These clips really tidy up the look of the mower, as well as solving the issue I was having with the throttle lever popping the retainer out of place, thus preventing the cable from functioning properly. A double win here!



I also had a play around with the choke selector on the original pod filter housing. For this, I cut the leg off the choke, drilled out the circular piece then inserted an 80mm M4 bolt, locking it in place with a nut and washers. I then double-nutted the bolt about halfway down to set the correct height and installed the refurbished choke into the housing. Next, I installed another nut to help lock a small doorknob in place for the selector. I then orientated the choke into the lower housing and marked the knob for direction. I'm just waiting for the correct size tube and I'll give it a whirl. The reality is, the engine is starting pretty easy without a choke.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/pinnacle...B&gclsrc=aw.ds
https://www.bunnings.com.au/taskmast...-knob_p0132795



The tidied up cables and temporary cable ties for the intake tube have really smartened up the look..................



Still to come, some blade bolts so that I can actually cut some grass. And the above-mentioned correct intake tube so that I can make it look right. I also need to put an inline fuel filter on it. From there, I'll have to figure out the height adjusters. But.........................I'm super happy to have revived this piece of Australian history.