OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Two Stroke Lawn Mower Frames A Victa "something"

Ok Ok...I confess...I picked up another kerb side mower...I know..Bad Garry...but hey...I'm only human afterall.

What I am looking for is some identification of it.

It has a 160cc 2 Stroke engine with the following numbers stamped on the crankcase close to the base of the barrel. " 1 20760 416" and has a sticker stating it is a Series 70 MARK 4.

It has a sticker on the front of the cutting base that reads "Made for Waltons by Victa"

Any clues..anybody?

Cheers

Gazza

Aha, the addiction beginneth....

That'll be a 'storebrand' model from the 1970's, basically the same as a Mayfair, except for decals.

Full crank engine, points ignition, Mk 4 should have the G4 plastic carby IIRC. And Zip start, of course

Thanks for that Gadge...it also has a bright orange ( or was when new) decorative cowling )

Any clue as to which way the top nut that holds the 'starting bowl' on should turn as I need to take the top off it to replace the missing ignition HT lead and maybe the rest of the points etc?

Gazza

Standard RH thread. You'll find a 13/16" long spark plug socket is the easiest to use on that one.

If you don't have a rattle gun, the simple way to lock the crank while you undo the nut, is to pull the spark plug, and feed some soft cord into the barrel, with the piston down a bit from TDC, but not all the way - you want all the cylinder ports to be closed. Then turn the flywheel CCW until the piston crown compresses the rope against the head.

Ta muchly comrade...yes I have a nice selection of rattle guns in my man cave and I'm sure a 1/2" rattler with a 13/16th impact will do the trick.
"Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to my cave I go"

Mucho appreciato

Gazza

Okie dokey...the rattle gun saved the day again and that pesky bloody nut is off and sitting forlornly all on it's lonesome waiting for a thread to be 'friend' with.

Call me glib, a beginner or a numpty...but for the hell of me I can't quite figure out where the HT lead was supposed to be connected to the points etc.

It will probably bring tears of laughter and much shaking of heads when you see the pics I'm about to post...where does the HT lead connect????...or am I being nerdy for refusing to believe that the little black broken wire that is connected to the points and is being held by the pair of pointy nosed pliers is the actual HT lead?

Cheers all and may you grin with glee.

Gazza

That's the kill switch wire. The HT lead is gooone!

You will need to pull the coil off, to see where the HT lead fits. Straighten out that wee brass tab, and disconnect the coil LT wires from the points/stator plate.

Pull the coil outwards off the stator post. In the boss that's on the side of the coil, there's a deep hole - which should have the pointy end of a self-tapping screw visible down inside it.

Gazza, if you remove the points plate and turn it over you will see where the plug lead screws into the coil

Norm, I was avoiding removing the stator plate, so as to avoid having to re-set the timing!

Thank you both for that...I see my suspicions were correct...now is it ok to 'roll your own' HT lead out of Car type silicon lead material?

Cheers

Gazza

Hehehe...you watch...I'll gingerly straighten the wee brass tab and just as I get it straight...it'll snap off...bets anyone?

No. It needs to be stranded copper wire core, and thin enough to fit into that coil hole. Measure the hole ID for a size indication - the lead needs to be a neat fit.

See this page for some free downloads of Victa workshop manual excerpts - in the numbered sections at the top of the page.
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u..._Engine_Parts_List_and_Ma.html#Post54967

So, have you got any thin sheet brass/copper, and a pair of tinsnips, around?

Hmm...me is thinking that the roll of Aviation Stranded Silver plated copper wire might just come in handy at last. Thermal heat shielded and double insulated.

As for the copper/brass sheet...heaps of it in the old cardboard tins I picked up at an Op Shop...0005" to 0025' in 0005' increments.

That's 'flash as a rat with a gold tooth', for an undistinguished old Victa! The insulation does need to be able to handle ~15kV or so, though.
Goodo.

Ok then....mission accomplished, no broken tab and a nice clean hole with a shiny visible 'self tapper' threaded spike pointing back at me as I shine the MagLite down the hole.

For anyone who is prepared to lift their Sporan and jig on the spot...I'll send you a 2013 50th Anniversary Bathurst 1000 commemorative Pale Ale can...empty of course...hehe.

Off to the cave I go

Cheers
Gazza

Gazza, if you want to make sure that re-bending that tab after replacing the coil won't bust it, see if you can anneal it first.

A couple of points [pun intended] on magneto etc reassembly:

• When you're ready to replace the flywheel, fit the square key to the shaft keyway first, and make sure the end of it is fully seated in the points cam notch.
• The washer that should be under the starter cup nut is dished, and is fitted dished side down [i.e. convex side up].

Thank you Gadge...noted...except that there was no washer under the starter cup....just the nut.

I have honed the points on a Very Fine Arkansas Ezy Lap Diamond stone and both surfaces are square and flat now.

The 32 strand HT lead is fitted and screwed in tight on the 'self tapper' spike. The tab is now bent back up in it's original position and all looks to be ok.
I have given the inside surface of the flywheel a brief going over with 2000 grade wet and dry...just to clean up any nicks or burrs etc. And placed a small daub of Inox Grease on the Points Pole as well.
Whilst at it, I decided to pull the head and cylinder assy barrel off and have a gander. The cylinder walls have a bit of rust pitting ( the mower was on the kerb with no spark plug) so I think I'll get an O/S Piston and Ring set and give the bore a hone whilst I'm at it. The Gudgeon Pin was firmly in place with almost zero play...same as the Crank bearing in the Conrod Big End.

Any clues as to the best place to get a Piston and Ring set with Gudgeon pin and clips, Head Gasket and Barrel Gasket too?

Oh...before I forget...where does the spring steel 'Coil Wedge' clip go...I'm thinking it goes between the Coil Assy and the Stator plate to maintain tension on the coil assy so it stays at the adjusted distance from the inner surface of the flywheel????

Cheers
Gazza

G'day Gazza,
Yeah, that spring steel Belleville washer isn't shown in any of the workshop manual diagrams, so it often seems to go missing. It is important though, as it locks the nut to the starter cup, and prevents the cup from slipping against the flywheel.

This looks like the right one; https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/engines/victa-engines-parts/starters-parts/victa-flywheel-washer-st12497
All good stuff there.
You won't need oversize bits, unless it has already been rebored at some time in the past. Victa oversizes are in 0.020"/0.5mm steps, and a light/medium honing won't take out anywhere near that much metal. Standard bore is 2.421"/61.49mm, BTW.

The 160's tend to wear their bores to an oval shape [unlike the 125's], and that tends to determine when a rebore is needed. That said, I don't know it would really be worth the coin for a changeover rebored barrel these days, though they are still available [around $50, or $100 with piston kit].

If the piston cleans up OK, just fit new rings [same as the PowerTorque ones]. The ODK Shop can help with rings and gaskets, or you can buy them on Fleabay Oz.
It fits against the underside of the coil stator post IIRC - you can see the channel in the coil centre hole for it. Turned up end goes to the base of the post.

I should also mention that the engine number dates it to 1976 manufacture.