OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Victa Monaro on the curb

Evening all

Figured I�d go to the tip shop while the West Coast v Melbourne AFL game was on (thought it would be quiet).
Only got half way down the street and found this one on the curb marked free. With the original side throw on top of it.

The deck has a nice hole in it, motor needs new rings. Will make a good project. Has spark, which is the first thing (points need adjusting of course).
Look at the blades (or lack thereof) and the blade plate. Seems this Monaro was made for NATRA (The National Associated Retail Traders of Australia) in around 1973.

Mowerfreak � when I did eventually go to the tip shop, this old Ryobi was being put out. I pulled the cord to check for compression, and it actually started and ran (had to shut it off pretty quick).
I think it's late 80�s (RLH1100 Lawn Hornet mk 2).

I�ll give it a clean, do the carby (metering diaphragm), check the clutch condition and put it in my collection.
Always wanted one of the older green ones (this ones Walbro carby not Tillotson unfortunately, though still good). Somewhat hard to find good ones. Great compression.

I�ve been pretty lucky with tip finds so far this season � had a few other good ones.

When people pull the mower out of the shed after winter, and stale fuel means no go, most of them just throw it and go buy an Aldi or Sanli, or Yardking, etc that wont last 1/10 the time. The waste is pretty sad, but good for tip shop bargains

Regards
Tyler

Nice find(s). I think it's pot luck whether you get a Tillotson or Walbro carbies in that era of Ryobis but a mate who dug a green lawn hornet out of his pile of junk also had a Tillotson. We bought the slightly higher spec Weed Hornet back in 89 with the larger green cover and it had a Walbro. It gave sterling service and impressed everyone who saw it perform it's duties!!
I love my Mitsubishi TU26 straight shaft number these days, but enjoy the nostalgia of using the comparatively torquey Ryobi for leaf blowing duties with the blower attachment.
Nice metal covered Monaro there. Pity you are in Perth v as I could let you have the chassis of an old store brand I have with that same chassis in the same Mayfair gold hammered finish without the hole, but everything else to do with the chassis has failed such as height adjustment.

Thanks Mowerfreak.
Shame about the distance. 2 months ago there was an identical Monaro (cowling broken, seized engine) but very good base at the tip shop. Bugger. Well, bound to find another one sometime; not like its a one off.

With regards to the current chassis, I am thinking something along the lines of either a fiberglass patch, or perhaps Selleys Knead it steel putty. Have you used any of these in the past?

Thanks
regards
Tyler

Mowerfreak, I had a look at the walbro on the Ryobi line trimmer

Spot the issue.

At least its had a carby kit through it

And at least the bloke had a go at fixing it himself - too many things are just thrown out without checking the spark plug, let alone doing a carby kit.

Regards
Tyler

Hi Tyler, with the mower base if you give it a good clean on the inside and then put 3/4 layers of fiberglass matting and resin over the area, then you can use body filler on the outside and once painted you will not be able to see it from the outside.

I used a square of tin glued inside a Mustang GTS with liquid nails to use as a bridge, then Selleys knead it on top. I think NormK's suggestion with the fibre glass backing is better with the intricate moulding around the hole on your base. I would hunt down another base myself an dice that one. Victa would have made literally thousands and they can still be obtained on the cheap. I was given two in the last year!!

Thanks NormK and Mowerfreak

I might give the fiberglass a go, as I don't think I could bend the tin properly.

Exactly Mowerfreak - just getting another base is probably the best alternative. I've quite a few low arch storebrand mowers at the tip shop, some with good bases.
I might just use this base as a learning exercise and give the fiberglass a go.

Regards
Tyler

The Monaro runs...just

The rings are shot, among other issues with the g3 carby. but it ran for a minute until I earthed the plug. Cold started it later, went first pull (strange given the rings).

All the Ryobi needed was the metering diaphragm installed properly, metering lever height reset, new air filter foam and carby tune. It has a almost brand new clutch in it (definitely not the original).
I feel a bit bad for the person who obviously put some money into this and couldn't get it to run (due to the metering diaphragm). Runs nicely and has plenty of torque. .

Hi tyler, some of them will run with very little compression, I remember the one I used for years had so little compression I had to put my finger on the pulley to hold it while I wound the rope on but it started easily and did the job with no problems. New set of rings are only $10, quick hone and then years left in it.

My thoughts exactly NormK

I'll order the rings, head gasket and the block gasket, and then I will install in November or December when I have more time.

I was quite amazed it ran like it was.

Here is the mower I have. As you can see, it has some chipping on the front and wear on the left hand edge, but this thing does a sterling job on our front lawn with the fixed height it has. It has a 125 on it.
The other one was given to me recently. It has a busted zip starter with no return spring, so I'm borrowing the cowl off the other one to test it out tomorrow.
They both have the exact same label on the rear flap.

MF, I have found if the bolt on the dress cowl won't budge then the impact driver won't move it either. I have to drill the head off and then you have to deal with the remnants of the thread

After you said that I thought up the idea of trying a Phillips socket with sliding t bar handle from my trusty 1/4 dr Workzone set I got from Aldi a few years ago. I found the Phillips 3 gave the most secure fit when I tested on a removed bolt and after pushing down and twisting with both hands, it started to move until success. Lucky it didn't break, such was the corrosion.
Thanks for that.

I have had the same issue with a full crank early 80's model - like the FC commando. Its my parts one. The screws were so rusted, I will have to drill it out.

I do the same thing as you Mowerfreak, except with a ratchet and an adapter to take the little hex bits - Phillips 3 sounds right - I never look at the numbers

I'm not versed in the number codes of different Phillips out Pozi heads, but this is what it says on the socket concerned and it was a perfectly snug fit on these particular Victa starter/ dress cowl retaining bolts and that is important as you don't want to damage the head from slippage trying to get these off!

A little bit of grease on the threads at the factory would have prevented this but that is not in the best interest of the factory/manufacturer