OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Victa Corvette Kerb Side Find

Converse, can't say I have heard of a coil failing to spark under compression, it is always the spark plug, but I could be wrong

That base is actually the second tier hi arch moulding, released about 1977 to be positioned below the premium Mustang hi arch base, mainly as a store brand hi arch as well as some lower positioned Victa hi arch models. Mustang thumb latch catchers were slightly different at the meeting point with the base and actually won't attach properly to the second tier hi arch base, but the catchers off these bases will go on the Mustangs!
You will notice though, that the stepped profiles where they meet, don't match properly.
The funny thing is that later Mustang catchers from Powertorque series models are a perfect match with these second tier alloy bases, so go figure.
These bases gave the stores a chance to market a high arch model of their own and for Victa to offer a budget hi arch with less premium features such as nylon bearing wheels, plain shape non comfort grip handles and screw in handle knobs (instead of quick release levers to fold the handles) or any combination of these features -or non features!
Victa was just as marketing focused as engineering.

That explains the difficulties I have attaching a catcher (bought singly so don't know if mustang) onto a Briggs engines alloy high arch with non comfort grip handles and plain wheels. Must try the other 2 catchers I have here and see if they are any different.

MF, were the mustang catchers black or green?

Mostly green with a few red and purple ones. The VC sports, both purple base and red, had the same base and catchers as the VC Mustangs as well as the rare VC-125 mk III from 1973 -74 (green base and catcher + plain wheels but comfort grip handles!). I believe there were replacement catchers in black, so some of them may be in circulation, but I've never seen one myself. I can tell which base a catcher fits on just by the shape. There are at least six different shapes of thumb latch catchers, including the small one for the 85cc Victa Compact/electric models.

G'day everyone,

I am trying to find out what year this lawnmower model is as it's missing the original model code sticker on the air filter cover.

Thanks again Maxwestern for mentioning this to help out with this mower. I took a photo of the stamped numbers on the side of the engine today, so hopefully it can be tracked down now to when it was manufactured or released.

It looks like the stampings read : 31 78 0 7746

Please any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers!

G'day Converse ,

I would say from that number the mower is a 1978 model ,usually I check the cylinder
head number as well.

Some info on the cylinder head number in the link below.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/91462/2.html

Cheers
Max.

G'day Maxwestern,

Thanks again for all the help mate. I went outside and got a photo of the side of the cylinder head with the stamped numbers on this mower as you mentioned. Looking at the rusted on nuts on the head I don't think it's ever been removed at all.

The stampings read: 398

That other thread was also a good read, I noticed this Corvette was also featured on the other 2 newspaper ads from 1978.

What was making me think it was a bit before 1980 was that sticker on the top of the metal cowl which says "Victa Hi Torque 2 Stroke Engine" on my mower. In the 1980 Victa brochure you can see the larger sticker in the same spot on the Corvette which probably says "Series 80 Engine" or something like that.

Cheers and thanks for all the help with this it's great!

G'day Converse ,

The 398 stamping shows a build date of 1978 so the engine looks original .

Your mower originally had a blue catcher ,I haven't seen many blue Corvette catchers around these days.

I think your Corvette is worth saving ,getting difficult to find.

Pic of the blue catcher in link.
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/80969/victa-corvette-high-arch-4-stroke.html

Cheers
Max.

There was also a green base with green catcher version of this blue 1978 Corvette.

I see a lot of VC sports mowers but not many 1978 to 1980 Corvette mowers.

Here is the green version .

Looks like finding the right green catcher might be a problem also.

Here is one of mine that is a little similar to the Corvette. (Pace)

My late grandmother had that exact Pace mower and she offered it to me in the 1990s and I turned it down!!
She told me she sold it for a song to some Asian fellow who haggled it right down. He probably, like myself, didn't appreciate what a great mower it really was.

G'day everyone,

Thanks Maxwestern for all the help with this lawnmower it's great!

I have found another original style complete carby with the idle screw to put back on this mower.

It's cool with the blue and white colours on this mower from 1978, it reminds me of the blue and white Ford Falcon XC Cobra Hardtops from 1978.

Maybe when I get it going I could try to upload a video of it onto youtube and post a link here.

Thanks everyone for all the help it's awesome!

Converse here is a free one out your side of town sort of, bit far for me
ttps://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/moonee-ponds/lawn-mowers/lawn-mower/1214297638

G'day everyone,

Thanks for that NormK it looks like an older model than mine, but I think I have enough Victa's to get going here at the moment mate..lol.

It would be great to get as I don't have one that looks like that model, but at the moment I am starting to run out of space to store (and hide) the mowers..lol

I hope someone gets it and saves it from going to scrap though.

Cheers!

G'day everyone,

Well I have started to work on this mower and the first thing I noticed when I removed the carby was how loose the vacuum line was that goes to the decompressor, it wouldn't have been sealing all that well on the carby end. it was just spinning around and was very loose.

Also after taking the cap of the carby, it looks like that large metal round plate that sits on the end of the poppet valve was not clipped onto the valve. It also looks like the centre part of this metal disc has been hammered and straightened or something in the middle.

Well the good thing is I am hoping that these are the problems this mower had with not starting. This carby is also threaded where the main jet screws into so I will be replacing it with another carby and this one will just go in the spare parts box.

I will just focus on getting another good working carby on this mower first to see if it will start. I have already changed the decompressor with a unit which I know works the last time I worked on this mower.

As a test I won't touch the points ignition at all as it did have some sort of spark when I tried it a while ago. To see if it will start with a good working carby first.

Cheers!

G'day everyone,

Well I still can't get this thing to kick over, i'm pretty sure the carby I have put on it now should work. It has a new primer cap, float and needle. I can even see the fuel inside the cap moving around so I know it's getting in there past the needle at least. The jet is also clean.

I also checked the spark by placing the screw on the lead about 3mm away from the metal on the head and it seems to spark across this. This is mentioned somewhere in the Victa service manual so i'm assuming the spark should be strong enough?

I even tried putting some fuel straight into the spark plug hole and nope it doesn't seem to show any signs of firing at all. I have a good decompressor unit on this engine also. Now I am starting to think the engine is tired or it's been straight fueled or something.

I haven't changed the rubber seals on the carby inlet or the top and bottom seals on the engine. I am starting to think this might end up needing an engine rebuild.

Cheers!

Hi Converse

Try ripping off the exhaust and seeing what it looks like in there. There could be a timing issue, but there is normally some sign of life.

did the old plug have any bright spots of metal on it?

Hi Tyler,

Thanks for that mate I might try taking the muffler off later and having a look inside to see how it looks. It seems to have a strong spark but maybe someone has tried to adjust the timing on this thing. Can the timing be moved that much on these things that it will be impossible to start?

It does look like alot of things on this mower have been mucked around with and buggered when I found it. The points do look really old and are a little burned/pitted, but because it still has a spark I left them alone. I think I still have a spare set of points and condensor here somewhere from years ago when I worked on the VC160. Maybe I should just replace these and adjust everything up to at least make sure the timing is right.

This mower didn't have a spark plug in it when I found it so I can't check the original plug. I am just using a Champion CJ8 for now to see if it fires.

Cheers mate i'll try to take the muffler off later and maybe get a photo of the inside and get back here with the results.

To adjust the timing, they would have to remove the flywheel. I was going to say more likely the flywheel key sheared after hitting something (although still unlikely with swing back blades).
I remember hearing that blade carrier is more prone to causing sheared keys. But then I saw that you checked the points, so would have seen a sheared key.

I don't even work on a Victa till I pull the muffler off to see what the bore/piston is like. Hopefully it isn't scored, just a muffler clogged with soot.

Could just be something little

I picked up a 1999 Victa Pace for $15 with catcher yesterday from the tip. Its one of the ones that doesn't have a decompressor (may I just say long live the zip start decompressor haha).

Any way, looks like the poor guy who owned it before just had many little problems. Clogged fuel cap breather (actually malformed from factory and a bit of dirt),
he put a CJ8Y in and the piston knocked the electrode down to a 0.10 inch gap, the kill wires were touching due to him putting them together wrong,
the throttle cable was disconnected in the stop position, and to top it off, his brand new primer cap and metal needle was sticking closed.

With all that fixed (I actually put a orange genuine Victa needle so I can have a look at the metal one). Went first pull. All it needed was a axle clip

By the way, have a look at this plug that came out of a Victa

Apparently (mate bought it over to show me) the guy was running really rich (around 10:1 or less) fuel oil, and would 'top up' the oil every time he went to start it.

One day, it stopped mid mow.

The second is from a ryobi line trimmer - running on petrol from Puma. I have had issues with their additives before. I dropped the plug while i was taking the photo, so thats why there is dirt on the threads.