I have an old Victa Monaro walk behind mower. It maintained my small patch of grass without fuss---until the start of this summer. Engine is Series 70, 2 stroke, Mk4. Current problem---no spark. Does this sound like a repair prospect for a handyman? I have a photo but cannot grasp how to upload it.
How have you attempted to test for spark? A new plug or at least a used one from a mower you know that works? It's possible the stopper plugs in the G4 black plastic carby have jammed in the off position but not likely. If the test determines no spark forthcoming, you are probably looking at having to take the engine covers off and the cooling fan at the top, to access the magneto and condenser underneath, which sit near the top crankshaft bearing in a round hollow under the fan. The points may just need a clean or you may have to replace the magneto and/ or condenser.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Thanks aussietrev, got it. To other responders, what do you make of this? Looks like a bodgy assembly as the priming bulb is on the inside. I like NormK's idea, not quite sure about the wires, there are two at the front of the carby, one incoming and one to earth. If not this Mowerfreak's idea looks promising.
G'day itforsenior, As a 1974 season model, that one was of the first model year to have the plastic G4 carby fitted. These didn't have a primer bulb fitted ex-factory at all, so the one that's on it is a retrofit. The later versions on this chassis used a 'remote primer' setup, so that it could be used!
When a mower fitted with this carby suddenly loses spark, the crude cutout switch is always the first suspect.
Cheers, Gadge
"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."
"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
Hi Gadge, when I first came across this setup I couldn't believe what I was looking at, I was sure somebody had had a complete brain fade and they had put the carb on back the front, what delusional person could do that, but then I realized the snorkel had been made that way. Not one of the better ways of displaying of Australian ingenuity. Easy fix is turn the carb around the way it should be and run the later snorkel out the other side as all the later ones did. Back to the kill switch wires itforsenior, with the throttle in the run position, pull the wire that runs through the carby housing at right angles first, then see if you have spark, if not you will have to investigate under the flywheel AVB you are right, I was driving along the freeway a couple of days ago and the grass on the side of the road is all green, unheard of in Australia this late in January, it is usually brown or burnt
I'm very cursors as to how we came up with a 1974 model as that looks more like the series 80 model Monaro to me. Like this one of mine. I'd like to know what the engine number is to get the date of it.That would be good to know.
It has a series "late 80s" red throttle t -bar!! Nice Monaro Blumbly. I never would have guessed a series 80 version came out. They really strike me as a 70s mower through and through. I sold one on Ebay over a decade ago. Now wish I had held onto it.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
That's true, but its LHS mounting is obviously original - there would be a tell-tale punched hole in the RHS of the handle if it had been mounted there. As it is with the 80 series.
Cheers, Gadge
"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."
"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
4th character would be A - 'SH 267 A5' corresponds to a 1985-86 'Tiger High Arch' model. Which isn't consistent with the LHS snorkel fitment.
For a definitive answer, we need the actual engine number. Which is stamped on the side of the crankcase, on the carby side. So you'll likely need to squirt a bit of degreaser around to see it.
Cheers, Gadge
"ODK Mods can explain it to you, but they can't understand it for you..."
"Crazy can be medicated, ignorance can be educated - but there is no cure for stupid..."
Does 04854 ring a bell as engine number? 1985-86 sounds like the right vintage. If my machine does not match any standard model it may have been cobbled together from parts by the repair shop I bought it from obviously second hand. I cannot believe the priming bulb on the inside on a production model!
Yep, it begins to look like you have a bitsa there.
Anyway, unless it has been retrofitted with a solid state module, it will have points and condenser under the flywheel. If disconnecting the cutout switch doesn't restore the spark, the points are the next thing to look at.
This one was the same with the primer bulb on the inside and the snorkel out the left hand side. I just turned the carby over and ran a later snorkel out the right hand side as they should have been done in the first place. I'm tipping these snorkels must have been left over stock from a previous model that Victa wanted to get rid of so they used them up on these. I had to cut out the cowl to put the snorkel through