OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Honda Engines Victa V40 Chonda stalls

Hello,
I think this is the right forum even though the mower is not a true Honda. It is a Victa V40 OHV engine that I bought from the recycle centre. I thought it would be an easy fix but a problem still persists.
It will start first go when cold and seems to idle and rev up fine. However, after a few minutes you can hear the odd "chug", if that makes sense, and soon after it starts to puff out lots of blue smoke. Eventually it grumbles to a stop and then won't start. I have cleaned the carburettor, set the valve gap, changed the magneto and spark plug but it's not fixed. Any ideas where I should look now? Is that adjustment screw 1.5 turns out?

Have you checked the oil level? Chonda's often will start okay with low oil but once it is thrown around a bit in the engine the level drops enough for the cutout float to start switching in and out. That's assuming this version has a low oil cutout that is. Otherwise, no idea, sorry.

That adjustment screw only affects the idle mixture, and since your problem is happening when the engine is running at speed, I doubt that's it.

There are two things I suggest you look at. First, check the rubber crankcase ventilation hose that feeds into the air cleaner and see if there is oil in it, and/or oil in the inner part of the air cleaner housing. If there is, the chances are you have a blocked positive crankcase ventilation valve or the tiny oil return hole from the ventilation compartment. I can tell you how to deal with those issues if there is oil in the hose.

Second, put a cup under the float bowl drain screw and then remove the screw, with the fuel turned on, and see if you get a steady stream of fuel, or alternatively you get a stream until it has emptied the float bowl, then it slows down. If it slows down, that would mean you have a partial blockage in the fuel hose, fuel filter, or fuel tap.

Thanks for the tip aussietrev, I didn't know about oil level cut-outs. I went and checked and the oil level seems ok. I don't know if this has the cut-out feature either.

Hi Sparker, that model doesn't have an oil cut out switch. Try Grumpy's suggestions and see how you go.

Hi Grumpy, You might be on to something with the pcv. There was a bit of oil around the carb intake. Not a great deal but enough to make your hands dirty and enough to make the intake glisten with oil. I'm not sure if the photos do it justice.

Because you are getting oil smoke, the PCV problem sounds more likely than fuel starvation - it would explain everything with just one fault (though on ex-tip mowers, multiple faults are not unlikely). If the PCV port or drain is blocked there should be oil in the breather tube - otherwise there shouldn't. You should also be able to see it in the air cleaner below where the breather tube connects. Both types of blockage are fairly common on chondas. I think part of the reason is that nobody seems to ever change the oil on them, so things sludge up. Also, some of them have flap-valve PCV instead of disk valve, and I suspect the flaps are unreliable, but I haven't looked into it.

I've outlined how to check the PCV system here:
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=63423#Post63423

If you have any questions, please post them in this thread.

Thanks Grumpy; I'll have a closer look at the breather tube and underneath the air filter. Much appreciated and I will get back with results.

Some shots of the PCV valve.


Doesn't look too bad. That carburettor repair video is very comprehensive. There's stuff to do there on my one that I haven't done.

So I went back to the carburettor and, with the help of that video in the thread you referred to, this jet appears to be blocked. I don't have the right jet drill or whatever they're called so I tried some very thin stripped tie-wire and it seems to be well blocked. I also tried a pin and same result. I wonder what size it is?
I'm glad I found out where the PCV valve lives as that will help with future repairs.

The blockage is at the small hole in the end. It's not visible in the photo.

That is the idle jet, Sparker. The tiny hole in the end, which is the calibrated part, is larger than 0.30 mm but smaller than 0.35 mm. On a genuine Honda it is 0.33 mm if I remember correctly, but on all the chondas I know of, it is in that 0.30-0.35 mm range. What you needed to do, was to clean it with carburetor cleaner. Now that you've hard-packed it, I can only see two choices. You can work gently on it with something the correct diameter (in other words, a 0.30 mm jet drill bit) or buy a new idle jet. If you decide to replace it, finish your carburetor overhaul first in case you find you need other bits as well. To get the parts you could go to ebay, or contact roebuck by PM.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fits-law...DefaultDomain_15&hash=item43da0df891

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fits-law...DefaultDomain_15&hash=item43da7dc960

don't know if its any help but I use a strand out of a wire brush and plenty carby cleaner

It's soaking in carb cleaner now. I did get a very thin piece of nylon fishing line through it. I think the pin I was using was just too thick. I also found my cleaners but they were too thick too. Thanks for the links. I got everything else out of the carby and cleaned them up. Tomorrow I'll put it back together. Here's hoping.

That is a plastic jet, sparker, it can't stand sustained exposure to carburetor cleaner. I suggest you take it out right away and wash it in petrol or kerosene.

If you've been able to get something through it, you can clean it mechanically if you persevere. Incidentally, be glad you have a chonda not a Honda. Honda does not have the brass sleeve in their jets, while chondas do. I like the brass sleeve: it is more likely to still be the same size after you clean it.

Too late, Grumpy. (Sigh)....O-rings don't like carb cleaner do they. I don't have that small size. I'll have to get some, what size is it?

Neither does the plastic jet itself, sparker - it just takes longer to destroy it. I suggest you wash off the jet, let it dry thoroughly, and see if it is still OK. FWIW, to clean that jet I remove the O ring and spray carb cleaner through the orifice only, then wash in petrol. If it's actually blocked, I just put a 0.30 mm jet drill bit through the orifice.

I don't know if you can get a replacement for that tiny O ring, or you have to resort to buying another jet. You might try a PM to roebuck and ask him the question.

Ok. Thanks. Will do.

Gentlemen, If you do several carburetors yearly and especially 2 cycle carbs it might be well worth it to buy a 2.5 liter or larger Ultrasonic cleaner. They use sound along with soap and water to clean. This you don't have the worry of carburetor cleaners damaging the fragile plastics or rubber parts.

Now they do have some problem just like regular carburetor cleaner do as some thing are just hard to remove. I switch over 2 years ago and have only use the soak cleaner once or twice since. I am planning buying a larger more powerful unit before the year is out so I can clean more carburetors at a time.

Thanks AVB, I have a question. Does a typical el cheapo 30 Watt ultrasonic cleaner deal with the interior of carburetors satisfactorily? There are a few carburetors with emulsifiers that are not removable, and seem to be cleanable only by repeated long soaks in carb cleaner, with compressed air blow-throughs in between soaks. This is very inconvenient, and not good for non-removable plastic seals.

I think the 30 watt unit will very under powered to due a good job and most will have tanks too small for most small engine carbs anyway. The one I am using is 160 watt version by Kendall and it usually take about 30 minutes to clean most carbs; which is four long cycles. Longer cleaning cycles can be used if necessary without the damaging effects that the soak carburetor cleaner has. Plus it don't take an overnight soak.

I originally got it to clean 2 cycle carburetors due their delicate construction with non-replaceable check valves but I now clean all my 4 cycle carburetors for engines up to 30 hp. Most time I use just about 2 tablespoons of household liquid dish cleaning soap in one tank of water. Using the heat greatly improve cleanings.

I do pre-clean the carburetor exteriors to get rid lose grime; although not necessary, but it does makes cleaning easier.

In the last two years I have had only one carburetor I couldn't clean using it and was cause an extreme case of rust in the passages caused by a metal gas tank on a 1966 Briggs engine.

As for the cost the unit here it was about 100 usd but that can easily offset the cost 4 buckets of the soak cleaner and the time wasted waiting on the soak to do it job. On top of that our EPA is beginning crack down on our disposal of the hazard carburetor cleaner.

Thanks AVB, that is clear. Can you clean successfully with the emulsifier tube still in the carburetor?

Grumpy, Had look up the emulsifier tube description here as we call it a nozzle but yes most times the plastic version are just left in place when cleaning. I still remove them later if I think replacement of the o-rings is needed.

On carburetors with the removable brass nozzles I usually leave them in place too except I do remove them later just for inspection but that is just the way I learned how clean carburetors over the years. This is just the same way I adjust OHV valves which is different than what is in the service manual.

For those that don't normally work on carburetors these removable brass nozzles are usually damage by previous techs using the improper tools to attempt to removal of these. Regular flat blade screwdrivers don't work on these. The flat screwdrivers must have straight sides just a little narrower than threaded part, be hollowed ground, and be of the correct thickness.

As for cleaning carburetors in my cleaner I have even left stuck on gaskets made of gasket materials with little ill effects. I do however recommend using normal carburetor breakdowns as it is just common sense to do so as it both makes cleaning faster as it eliminate air pockets and the replaceable parts should be inspected anyway. Normally you simply leave the welch plugs in place too. In my opinion why remove them when you don't need to.

The main thing using an ultrasonic is to not over load the cleaning tank with parts or let your cleaning get too dirty before changing. On the dirty solution I use this rule. If you can't see parts near bottom of the tank the solution need changing. It sorta like washing your socks in muddy water. It removes some the dirt but it can also it behind.

With the introduction the Chinese carburetors and the lack of replacement parts you simply can't risk damaging parts that are still in good condition; unless you willing to buy a new carburetor.

Hopefully I am not too long on this as I do sometimes tend ramble about things.

Thanks for the information on ultrasonic, great to hear from some one who uses one all the time.
I will eventually get one or make one.
Still doing my research.
Parts are available, just need a suitable container.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NEW-50W-...efaultDomain_15&hash=item4626aac614.

Yes, ultrasound would have saved my bacon in this instance. Thanks for the info AVB.

Thanks for that AVB. It certainly wasn't rambling, it was exactly to the point.

I normally recommend removing the main jet, emulsifier, idle jet if detachable, and idle air bleed (mixture adjustment screw) when cleaning carburetors, and do it that way myself. However there are two issues that arise with the emulsifier in particular. The first is that hard gum formation may make it difficult to it get out without damage. The Keihin, Ruixing and so forth carburetors used on Honda and chonda engines frequently have this problem. The second issue is that a few carburetors, including one that was used by Tecumseh, simply have pressed-in non-detachable emulsifiers, which foul up after a time and are quite difficult to deal with. It would be nice to find a simple, non-polluting, non-damaging way to deal with those problems.

Incidentally there are Chinese-sourced overhaul kits available for the Honda-type carburetors. Here is an example of one:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fits-law...DefaultDomain_15&hash=item43da7dc960

Nice link Grumpy. I had a further look and there were whole GX140 carburettors for pressure washers for about $20. Not sure if the attachments for the control arms are the same though.
Honda GX140 carb
and also here is a 120 watt ultrasonic cleaner all stainless steel and 1.3L container for $80. You can select larger container sizes but the price goes up. Ultrasonic cleaner

Gosh! There's a replacement GX120 carb here for $12. Honda GX120 Carb

That seems a good price for the carburetor sparker, but remember it is GX120, not GXV120. The GX120 and GX140 are horizontal crankshaft engines, so the linkages are different, and in the case of the GX120, which has a built-in fuel tap, there is a sediment bowl, which the GXV120 doesn't have. Essentially, buying one of those would mean you had to do a cobbling job with unknown outcome.

I'm pretty sure the 1.3 litre ultrasonic cleaner with heating is only 50 Watts. Look way down at the bottom of the page.

Yes. Lucky you're on to it Grumpy. 50 watts it is.