OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines Sick Victa :(

Gday learned people. My wife bought me a brand new 50th Anniversary 2 stroke back in 2003. It has served me well but now is starting to play up. I must admit that I have limited experience with 2 stroke mower engines and have pretty much neglected the mower with only the original plug being cleaned and the blades replaced once and the air filter cleaned with a air compressor.

The mower is getting harder to start with the usual way of late being to press the primer 3 times, setting the throttle to flat out and pulling on the starter about a dozen times. Anything else will not work.

Once the engine starts, it blows smoke and heaps of it! In fact, I reckon it now blows heaps of smoke all the time. This happens despite me mixing Caltex 2 stroke oil(200ml to 5 Lites petrol).

On occasions, the engine struggles to get up to maximum revs. Sometimes when it does, it makes a pinging sound like it is detonating.

I will admit that I have used ethanol blended petrol in this but I've been using standard unleaded for the last 5 or so months.

With these things in mind, what would be the most likely problem/s?

zedman,

It could be a few things that are causing you problems with starting.

1. Fuel filter in tank blocked.

2. Main jet blocked.

3. Old fuel.

4. Fuel mix incorrect as can has not been shaken.

5. As the air filter is old it should be replaced.

6. Replace spark plug.

7. When starting mower it should be in the start position.

I hope that this will be of some assistance.

We do have a workshop manual in the parts list and manuals area of the forum.

Thanks Bruce. Starting at the top of your list, the fuel filter you mention, I found a plastic wick above the fuel shut-off. Is this the filter?

As for the rest, I'll buy a new air filter and spark plug today and we'll see how it runs. Thanks.

zedman,

That is correct and the way to check to see if its ok is to remove the fuel line from the carby and check that the flow is ok i.e that it is not dripping but has a continual flow.

Ok for what it is worth, I replaced the air filter, rubber spark plug lead cap as mine was badly ripped and of course the fuel tap with attached fuel filter.

Turned the fuel tap on, 3 presses of the primer and adjusted the throttle to cold start and guess what:

it started first time!!

Many thanks

zedman,

on fixing your problem with your mower.