Unfortunately I have seen a fair few of V40 Victa�s with these problems. Unless they are in exceptionally good condition with very little use I won�t pick them up from the local recycle yard. The Sanli mowers also fall into this boat unless they are close to brand new.
I have however found the Rover Chonda�s and the Pope Chonda�s to be quite reliable. They also come on more robust bases.
Last summer I had 2 Chonda�s poke legs out the block which frustrated me considerably as they didn�t have rod knocks and all run considerably well after being serviced. Everything on these engines was set to GXV140 specifications.
Key items to check on these chondas before refurbishment
1) Make sure they have not been over-revving. Easy checked via the linkages.
2) Check condition of the bottom seal (they seem to chew out easily and loose oil quickly)
3) Make sure the oil has no metal flakes � sign of engine damage (excessive wear).
4) Make sure the oil is full before you take on the refurbishment. These engines don�t seem to tolerate low oil levels unlike the trusty old Briggs engines.
5) Check the blade boss � I have found quite a few with cracks.
6) Check compression
I�d be curious how others assess chonda�s to minimize the chance of this type of issue. For me if the mower passes these initial tests I�ll get to work on them otherwise they are parts only.
This problem has never happened to me with a Briggs, Tecumseh or Genuine Honda Engine before!
Cheers
Jaffa
