Next weekend I'll adjust the cutter belt and see if that fixes the surge and squeal. Under the air filter box there is an oil tray presumably to prevent dust and dirt etc. from being drawn in. Can you advise me what type of oil and how deep it should be please? I was thinking maybe chainsaw bar oil, thats what I used on the chain. At the moment its about got 2mm in it and is reddish in colour. Phil
Engine oil. The fill level is marked on the tray; IIRC the small bottom section should be level full. Wash the dirt out with kero or turps, and allow to dry, before you refill it.
As regards the drive belt tension, the spring-loaded tensioner for this is mounted beneath the seat. This thread has some good pics;
https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=40749&page=1It's designed to take up the slack automatically, and has a very simple non-return latch, but the shaft can get stuck once it gets rusty. As grumpy says, it likely just needs freeing up, or a bit of persuasion. 'Til it locks into the next notch.
Dunno that the G65 of that era would have been fitted with any 'lighting coil' or alternator. The HD8's didn't have any wiring diagram;
all of the electrics were on the engine, including the ignition cutout switch!
Electric start wasn't a Greenfield option in them days - that's quite an ingenious setup there.
When Honda vertical shaft engines came out, and Greenfield went to vertical shaft engines, the new electric start models became much easier to sell to cockies. Meant that the cockie's missus could start the mower and run it around, instead of having to get hubby to come in and start it up.
