OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Other Walk-Behind Rotary Mowers Southern Cross KXA Two Stroke Restoration

I am wondering about my engine now as I see that SC used the Zenith carb same as on their KXD but my engine has an Amal unit and my other engine has a Villiers S12.

I can not find anywhere a photo of the KXA fitted with the Villiers 2 stroke except for the publicity pic, must be a rare beast.

Hi Paul and Jack,

I have a couple of Magister units on Villiers motors one mower is a 1965 Whirlwind
and the other is a Villager Pinnock (about 1965) and some images of a SupaSwift with one.

A few days ago I removed the flywheel from the Whirlwind so I can get some images tomorrow.

After Jack found the Champion kick start mower patent I have downloaded all the mower
patents I found interesting from the 1950's and 1960's and I have all the Magister
patents,I may be able to send them in a jpeg format if there is a interest to read them.

Not sure how long they lasted but the one on my Villager has spark and the SupaSwift
was a runner and I have not tried the Whirlwind for spark because it was
getting a service first,looks like it will still work.

Cheers Max.

Thanks Max, I see that one in the pic has the Zenith carb fitted. I would say that Qld mowers had snorkels due to the amount of dust in our dryer areas. That filter in front wouldn't stay clean for long in dry yard.

I have made a start on the engine as I have finished painting the frame, I thought it would be seized solid and indeed it would not move. After removing the fuel tank I found the flywheel packed solid with dirt and leaves etc, after cleaning it all out I have movement. The engine will need a lot of work but if it is original it will be worth it, I have another complete running engine and a spare parts one just in case.

Here are the engine numbers

I believe the top one is from factory but why is it not stamped on the flat, perhaps because the air filter would obscure it?

I suggest the bottom one was stamped by SC for warranty purposes, it looks like the date of December 1957 2C or the 11th of May 1972? Not sure about the C or 2C though?

I hope Villiers recorded these numbers.

Wow, I am amazed at the trouble you are going to with this restoration Paul. But your dedication will pay off in the end. I must admit on one of my KXD-2 restorations the wheel stubs were actually worse than the ones in your photos. I decided to simply grind mine down until they could be re-sleeved with brass pipe. This saved having to cut them off and re-weld.

Interesting comments above about the ignition systems and engine.

Hi Ian,
The brass pipe idea is a good one, I will keep that one filed away for future use :-). The engine is all good news, it seems to have had a set of rings fitted before it got parked for 30 years. Stripped the flywheel and electrics off and removed the top case, removed the cylinder to have a look.

Rings were good and there was a watermark in the bore where the piston had been sitting, it was nothing major so I honed the bore, cleaned out the crankcase, lubed up the bearings and refitted the cylinder.

This picture shows the governor linkage, the set up was all bent so I hope I got it right now

The top case that holds the ignition was fairly corroded inside but salvageable, the ignition coil plate was not. The whole of the ignition was buggered, nothing I could salvage at all. I have some spares so I will have to find a good one, the flywheel is pretty manky as well but it's the only one that I have. Luckily the magnets are nice and strong in the flywheel, it's a good feeling to bring an engine back to life.

Hi Paul,Ian ,Jack,
I had a look at the link Jack put in about the Magister ignition and I see Gadge has the Patents
up for downloading,all the Torque Major Deluxe motors with the front mount filter and Magister
ignition have all had Zenith carbs fitted,the ones I have seen.
Good to see the engine is repairable .
Cheers Max.

Hello Max, Paul and Ian
Well, that's interesting Max!
For the first time, I see the round CDU used on the Villiers.
I guess, then, that the SB201 had the same Magister unit?

I now see where the CDU (83) was placed ...
I guess it was mounted to the tin plate (71).

Hi Jack ,Paul,Ian,
Yes the voltage step up transformer is bolted on the side plate it has a kill switch too.

Reading the operation the points work in the opposite way that a conventional ignition system
works,when the points close on this system is when the spark occurs across the spark plug gap.

Cheers Max.

"The SB201 had the same Magister unit?"
I would say that is correct.

Hi Max
Many thanks for the excellent explanatory photos. Brilliant!

Great images from Paul too.
Many folk are following this one.

Cheers.
-----------------
Jack

Hi All,
I notice on Max's engine that it has screw on port covers, mine has a simple welsh plug to seal up the transfer ports. I wonder how long the Torquemajor Deluxe was made for?

Parts must be "fun" to obtain for these less common mowers.

Hi Mowerfreak,
Parts for the frame are non existent but you can usually get engine parts such as rings, bearings, gaskets and seals. I have most Villiers engine spares such as piston and barrels etc but sometimes you just have to wait until something obscure turns up on EBay or a swap meet.

G'day folks,
Just so that there's no confusion created, that bakelite CDI unit houses the step-up transformer, the capacitor and the rectifier diode components of the Magister ignition.

I have done a brief summary of how it actually works in that main Magister reference thread; https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/u..._Magister_Condenser_Disch.html#Post59840

The main Magister patent doesn't really show the use of this 'module' approach clearly.

Some more progress today fitting up the axles, height adjuster and handlebars

Had a trial fit of the engine as well

Tomorrows job will be turning up some new axles.

This one will look brand new when you are finished Paul. Well done! It already has little resemblance to the rusty pile of nuts and bolts that once sat on my trolley. I'm glad the engine looks like it's a goer too.

I am interested to see the Wico ignition plate. The little H. G. Palmer that I am currently restoring has a similar ignition system and is also Wico branded. Made in the good ol' US of A.

The same H. G. Palmer also has a Zenith carby, being AH914 (Mark B), fitted in parallel with the manifold and air filter.

I don't think I can help with your ignition system, as I only have a few Bosch ignition parts here for the Southern Cross KXD-2.

Coming along well and so fast! Where do you get aluminium paint? Or is that just what they call the silver paint?

Hi vint_mow and Mowerfreak,
I have sorted the electrics and now have spark, the Amal carb is soaking in cleaner at the moment but is looking good.

I buy the aluminium paint from Supercheap, it is just a cheap spray tin but the brand has served me well over the years. Export brand.

Today's project is to turn up some new stub axles to replace the rusted up ones

The first one is done but now I am set up to do the others, will post some pics later :-)