OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Modified Victa VC160 Scrap Yard Find

Hi Mowerfreak,

Thanks for that mate. This thing really needs a bit of work but as there is no rush I can get it running whenever I can.

I am not into restoring it back to original, it's a bit butchered here and there anyway. I am not too fussed with the height adjuster. I have it now at my usual cutting height and it won't ever budge! lol

As you see it I think that's how I will leave it once I get the engine running properly.

Now that you mentioned the wheels. I forgot to mention that I also replaced the axle clips that the previous owner had holding on these wheels, 2 wheels had rusted e-clips and the other 2 wheels just had some old wire that was bent to look like a clip! lol Anyway I chucked on a new set of e-clips on all 4 wheels so now they will never fall off while mowing! lol. These wheels are also a bit wobbly on the axles but they should work ok.

Another thing was I also had to straighten the front wheel axles a little bit, and I remember you mentioned a while ago to use some vice grips on the axles. I did that and managed to straighten both front wheel axles so now the mower rolls along nicely!

Another problem with these mowers is that rubber snorkel at this age they all crack and fall apart. Just when I thought it was ok I noticed after I had it running for a bit the rubber snorkel split open again near the carby where I clamped it. I am going to probably install a later style snorkel and possibly also replace the white filter housing as this is also crumbling and those white filter caps on both my VC-160 mowers are cracked and taped up. Nothing like the later style black snorkels and housings. I think that will be the next mod to this lawnmower! lol

Then I won't have to worry about that ancient rubber snorkel splitting open again or taping closed that crumbling top air filter cap...lol

I might also grab one of those electronic ignition modules and see how it goes on this mower...lol

Cheers!

G'day everyone,

Well I ended up using the good old rattle gun on the flywheel nut and it was off in a few seconds! Great things those old rattle guns..lol

Anyway the points do look quite old and pitted/corroded. I still haven't tried out the electronic ignition module yet but while the flywheel was off I thought now is a good time to check out the wiring and why the kill switch isn't working.

Using a multimeter I checked the switch on the carby and also the wire that connects it back to the points/condensor. The switch and wire is all fine and working. The problem with the kill switch is they have replaced the original throttle cable and control with one from a later model 4 stroke lawnmower, which isn't connecting the internal steel throttle cable to the body/handles of the mower. So I will have to somehow connect a wire somewhere so that the inner steel throttle cable connects to the handle/base of the mower so the original kill switch can work again.

Cheers!

Bearing in mind Converse that I still don't truely understand how that G3 cut out system works (All mine have worked so far so I haven't ripped it apart to see how), perhaps strip a bit of the plastic outer coating away under the anchoring point (where you adjust the cable on the carby). That way it would make contact with metal there

Regards
Tyler

Hi Tyler,

There isn't much to it really, basically that little brass fitting on the end of that lever where the throttle cable slots into on the carby. It is not connected or in an open state to the wire fitting that's connected behind it that runs up into the flywheel area. When you use enough pressure on the throttle cable in the fully closed position, it actually slightly pushes that little brass pin inwards slightly which shorts it out and connects that wire to the body of the lawnmower through the original metal throttle cable. Well when it's working and adjusted properly anyway..lol

I thought about stripping some of that plastic coating off the throttle cable near the carby, then I remembered these carbies also have that plastic inner sleeve where it sits on the intake. I think this also makes the metal carby electrically isolated from the engine. I might just have to run a wire from that steel bracket on the carby inlet to somewhere on the engine. Then I think when the throttle cable is fully closed it should complete the kill switch circuit to ground and stop the engine. I will first try to strip some plastic from the cable near the carby and test to see if in the closed position it connects to the carby housing, if that checks out then I will just run a wire to connect the carby housing to the engine.

Also I am amazed that these kill switches are original and still working almost 50 years later! lol. They made these things to last that's for sure!

Cheers!

Thanks Converse, I read in manuals where it says the contacts slide, but never understood exactly where that meant

You could add a bit of wire up in the throttle control (on handle) to allow current to flow into anchoring bolt and then into the handle.

Or (as you say) a piece of wire wrapped around somewhere on the carby to one of the cowl bolts.