Well here goes, hopefully somebody is able to help! I have inherited a Villiers Qualcast, I believe it to be a Royal De-Luxe based upon what info I can find. What is different to everything I've found, apart from the (what I assume is) home made fuel tank and mounting is it has a Villiers carburettor. Can anybody confirm if it is indeed a Royal De-Luxe, but with a Villiers carby? It hadn't turned a wheel for over thirty years, a bit of a clean up and some determination and a lot of perspiration and it eventually started! The original 'automatic' starter fell into a million pieces, well not quite but totally beyond salvation and a temporary arrangement has been created which (had) worked quite well. Now the frustration is starting to set in and trying to find info I've stumbled upon this most wonderful and helpful website. The frustration has arisen because the beautiful thing will not start. Spark in free air is evident but whether it is working well under pressure I don't (yet) know. Accessing the magneto is proving to be troublesome with the housing thus far not wanting to come off. Of course this may not be the problem but getting it started and working on it from there is probably the best way. Hopefully (maybe) the markings and ID plate may be of some help. Unfortunately the ID plate was covered in paint and the only safe way of uncovering what was underneath was fingernails! Anyway, enjoy the pictures (hopefully they come through) and if anyone can be of assistance I will be very appreciative.
Last edited by CyberJack; 07/04/1801:11 PM. Reason: Change topic heading.
Hi Bullucked one quick thing to check is never trust a spark plug that sparks in free air, it is the first test but the real test is a second plug, I still get caught out occasionally with this.
The spark plug issue is an interesting one. Originally, with the plug it came to me with it started and ran. There was issues with a leaking head gasket and eventually the automatic starter pooed itself. When I eventually got back around to having another go at it again it wouldn't start, grrr. Anyway, I went to the spares box and found a plug, any old plug, something from a much newer rotary mower. This plug had a much shorter thread length and thus protruded less distance into the cylinder, couldn't be a bad thing I thought, at least it wasn't going to be hitting the piston! Anyway, first pull and it started, woohoo! I've been told that reducing or increasing the spark distance can retard or advance the ignition, this information is well beyond the bounds of my knowledge or understanding, what it has left me wondering is, what is the correct spark plug? As it was working I didn't let it bother me one iota. As time has passed it now won't start again, who knows why, yet... We'll get there, eventually. Now to the point of this long ramble, apart from no doubt some people rolling their eyes and others going, yeah, I've had the same problems and others being mildly amused, what is the correct plug? Is it strictly trial and error? Are there data sheets that anybody has secreted away?
Also, the carby on my machine is a Villiers S12, is that likely to be standard or a retrofit? It appears to be different to the carbies I've seen in every other photo of a Royal Blade.
So I've pulled the flywheel off and lo and behold, something else non standard, a Victa magneto! The cover behind the magneto has been somewhat butchered to suit and the mountings to the crankcase assembly have been mutilated, amazingly it had been working, but still not at the moment! Due to the mutilations I'm reluctant to undo the bolts, won't gain anything by doing so anyway. If I was able to score a Wico magneto then it would be considered. Question about the spark plug lead, can it be removed from the magneto and a replacement fitted? It looks as if it may be possible with a special paste(?) insulating the connection at the magneto. The reason I ask this is because the spark plug lead where it has rested upon the cylinder block has melted through to the wire.
I've got to say I'm equal parts amazed at the use of other parts to keep the machine running and the resourcefulness of people in times past. Villiers Carby, Victa Magneto, what next... Enjoy the pics.
"Grandfathers Axe", aka Royal Blade Deluxe I've managed to find some time to have a bit more of a fiddle with the"grandfathers axe" and with all due thanks to everybody I've managed to get it going again. I went into the local mower shop asking for a spark plug for a Jap 80, predictably it drew a blank response, I then asked for a Champion L 10, or Champion L86C and I was given an NGK 4510 or B6HS. Installed said plug, a bit of extra insulation around the spark plug lead, and some heat shield, application of battery drill with socket and away it went. Went up to the local park and cut half of it for the council for free! It's a rocket ship, set it in motion and hang on! Of course the speed can be adjusted but it's such a fun little unit to use. I'm now in two minds what to do with it. I very much like the idea of pulling it down and repainting it but for what purpose? With so many modifications it'll never be a show piece, just a work horse. I think its true calling might be at my local sports club where I paint the lines, always mowing beforehand. Wheels on the normal mower bog down in the soft ground and this might be an answer to that (but then it might also make an ever bigger mess!) Anyway, long straight lines is this machines forte'. If I could figure how to upload a video I will. Thanks everybody.
I realise this is a very old thread but you have the earlier two stroke version of what became the Qualcast Commodore at least in the UK. A two stroke one is rare here.
The four stroke was a very good machine with a decent cut. It used the Suffolk 75 cc engine with a special shallow sump as the JAP had a low crank height
We'll get there, eventually.
