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Hi MF, if it is black that shows it hasn't been straight fueled, brown is a dead give away that it probably has been straight fueled As soon as you pull a brown plug I get very nervous

NK, I was referring to blue spark, white spark or yellow spark and what that indicates. The colour of the spark plug itself is helpful. Straight fueling is becoming more common so this info gives a quick indication whether to pull the exhaust off and examine further. Yesterday I pulled out a mower after a long time and there was thick fuel the bottom so I added a tiny bit of petrol before adding a fair quantity of 2 stroke mix. I'm not being foolhardy am I, as it could cause it to become 30:1.

Sapper, that plug looks distinctly Chinese - Torch, LD or Carlton.

Keep the plug (as you could always end up with a dud new one), run down to repco and get a NGK BM6a - will cost $5 if you are a autoclub member as 20% off

First thing I do (after plug) is pull the muffler off - saves time and money that way. If its at the tip, I just pop the top clip with the 10mm/CJ8/flat blade scrench I keep in my pocket

If its scored, I put all parts together and walk off whistling. Also means anyone else will know what they are getting when they look.

MF, so long as its quality oil, it would be fine. I drain all mine after use - nothing is wasted that way - unless I kick the old 1l kero bottle over

G'day Tyler,
Could you tell us more about what that tool you carry is?

Hi Taylor, btw you are spot on, the brand is Carlton on the plug, I'd never heard of it.

Just a question guys, one of the screws that holds on the engine cowling / fuel tabk cover is all corroded and the the screw stripped. How would you guys get this scree out? would you just drill it out or use a screw extractor or something to get it out?

Hi Ted, This I assume is on the PT? They can be a problem and sometimes I can get them drilled out, sometimes I can't . A couple of times I have had to resort to hacking the cowl up just leaving a bit of plastic around the screw and then getting in with the grinder and cutting the screw off flush with the top of the starter housing, then drill and re-tap the thread. As I have plenty of cowls it is not a problem to me. I would be a bit reluctant if it was one of the later cowls but in the end you have to get it off somehow

Hi Ted,

Is there any possibility of using something to cut a notch for a flathead screwdriver? If not, you can get sets of bits for removing these screws. I have a set I bought at aldi years ago that I have used with success a number of times. It is called, quite surprisingly, a 'damaged screw remover set'.

I think there are some of these at Bunnings too.

Yes on the PT, I was thinking about trying either the screw extractor Sapper is talking about or an impact screw driver, thanks It's a bit of a bad design in the sense that it's sits done low below the top of the cowling and the water collects and it has corridoded

I have tried soaking them in penetrene but never had much success once the steel screw corrodes in the aluminium it is an uphill battle trying to get them out

I gave the screws on my Tornado a spray of WD40 when I first got it new, and have topped it up now and again with a quick spray. They are still nice and new underneath the filth. If only every owner did that.

Youtube video showing the use of screw extractors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHs9VGEuhxI

Hi Guys I tried a screw extractor, I think the screw is wedged in there or corroded or cross threaded or something as the bottom part still stuck and won't turn In the end I had to drill the top of the screw head and mangaged to get the cowling off without damaging the cowling too much but screw still in there. I think probably least of my troubles As recommended above took off the muffler and had a look at the piston, looks pretty scored and I think might be shot ??? I'm going to get a compression tester but I think it's stuffed. Have a look at the photos Have you guys even seen a Victa start with a piston this marked? Thanks

Bugger - that's completely stuffed

Chalk it up to experience - go get another

At least you have a good deck and wheels, carby and decomp valve for troubleshooting/parts

Doesn't look good so pull the head off and have a look at the bore. More good parts there Tyler, coil, ignition module, blade carrier might have good blades, pull start, easy fix, cut the screws flat with the top, drill them out and retap them to 1/4 whit and it will be good for another 20 years. Then from what I can see a pair of the handelbar folding bolts, they cost about $4 to buy. Then there is the rear axle bushes I cut down and use for the front bushes, there is another $4. No matter how bad one looks like on the side of the road I can usually see/get $15/$20 of parts straight away

YUCK..Definitely looks to be toast from being straight fueled. On the screw since it is steel in aluminum you would better off taking down to surface square, drilling it out and re-tapping but just what I would do here. I have little to no luck with screw extractors; unless, it is a screw that I broke by over tightening it. Just my opinion.

+1 to AVB on screw extractors. The tapered left hand spiral flute 'ezy out' type belong in the bin, IMHO.

If they don't strip out the hole in the screw, they break off, and you then have a very hard piece of steel wedged in the screw. Which is just about impossible to drill out, even with a tungsten carbide bit.

The only screw extractor types I have had any success with, are those with a parallel splined business end. These are available from automotive trade suppliers, but hard to find.

It is possible to chemically remove busted off steel screws/bolts from aluminium components [without any damage to the internal thread], but it's just not worth going to such lengths on a Victa!

Simpler to drill out, and re-tap to a larger size, or install a stainless coil insert [Heli-coil, Re-coil etc].

Thanks guys for the info, I'll have to slowly look around for a new mower with a decent powertorque engine. I'll have a crack at re-tapping down the track as currently don't have that tool

Just an update I've been rebuilding the carby on this mower as could use on this base with a new engine even if I never get this one going. I did get a gauge and check the compression, it only got 30 PSI I checked on my good Victa commando and it has 80 PSI compression and starts first go. Do you think a mower can even start with 30 PSI or is that way too low? Thanks

If it has been straight fueled it can still have some compression but it will never run, I probably have 50 PT motors here like that. I'm waiting for them all to disappear then these might be worth rebuilding and I can make a fortune as I will have the only 2 stroke motors left in Australia, then I woke up.