OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines engine cutting out

I agree with Joe - if briefly choking it hard clears a lean mixture problem, it has sucked some crud out of somewhere, almost certainly the main jet.

Ahhhh the gremlins at work again; isn't it amazing how a minute piece of crap can stop a well engineered piece of machinery.
Great to see all is well with it now.

I used to put my hand over the air inlet to clear the old G3 type carbies as a quick fix years ago but what I would be doing is taking out the main jet and giving it a good clean as well.

Hi Guys,

I know that this thread is now a bit old but thought that I'd share my experience!

I've just got a 160cc engine and mower going, with help from Bruce and this forum. See "160cc engine-ring gap ?".

I used the mower on a very overgrown "lawn" (about 3 months overgrown-some of the weeds were 1.2met. high!!!).

What an incredible machine!!

The Victa chewed the grass and weeds up like they were not even there!!

Then, suddenly last night it "coughed, spluttered and died". This was after about 3 hours use-not continuous. (1 hour the first night and probably 2 more 1 hour sessions.")

The symptoms were identical to the first post in this thread. On high revs it died but I could keep it running by using the throttle cable moved to "idle".

This screamed "Fuel starvation".

Tonight I stripped the the tank off and took the "main jet" (that's the brass "screw" that holds the float chamber cover in place on a G4 carby) out and inspected it with a high powered magnifying glass - sure enough there was a small "bit" of dirt in it - so small that I would not have seen it "by eye" (but then my eyes are not that good :-)).

I cleaned the jet and re-assembled it (the "new" O-ring I had installed 3 days ago was "stretched" so I carefully re-fitted the original (old) O-ring and it fitted. (the petrol and other solvents had probably evaporated off and it had returned to it's original size).

I also used the opportunity to sort out a fuel leak where the "on-off" tap fits into the tank. (Fuel was dripping out there and landing on the mower body!

I also discovered that the "spring clip" (hose clamp)holding the rubber part of the "air inlet pipe" had slipped off (or maybe I had not put it on correctly in the first place) the carby body and that there was a gap there where the pipe met the carby body. This IS WHERE the dirt got in as it was "sucking" air (and grass cuttings & dirt) through this gap (the area of least resistance !

I then started the engine (on a bench) and it ran perfectly - first pull - I adjusted the idle speed with that grey button/wheel on the diaphragm cover.
(I know that the cable can also be adjusted by loosening the screw just after the air filter but mine is rusted solid into the plastic and I do not want to force anything!)

Thereafter I took it out onto the "lawn" and gave it a real "workout". (My neighbours probably confirmed their beliefs that I am MAD as it was well after 10:00 pm.)

The "Victa" 160cc proved it's worth - I pushed it relentlessly through some seriously overgrown grass & weeds and it never even gave so much as a "hiccup" - it just took all I could throw at it in it's stride. This engine/mower is a credit to it's Aussie designers.

Moral of the story:
1) Dirt (especially)in the Main jet is a definite "No No"!.
2) Check your air intake connections.
3) If it does not work "right" it is probably because because you did something wrong. It is a great engine and does a really good job of what it was designed for!