For sure MF getting 14 running is easy, when they are in your own hands, if one gives a little problem you can easily fix it, but when they are out of your control and people leave the fuel on and the needle doesn't seat properly and you end up with a tank of fuel going into the motor, or the motor revs up and down because the needle is not flowing properly or it is getting stuck in the seat, all easy problems to fix if it is one of your mowers but the majority of people just want a reliable mower they can walk out and start whenever they want to. I can't achieve this with the garbage float needles and primer caps that are available. Every so often I get one that works perfectly every time but the percentage of failures is way too high for me to be bothered with them anymore
I have a tonne of the old orange genuine victa needles and have found the filing to have done more for reliability than anything else. It helps the plastic ones markedly and I am only rarely having problems.
The overrevving is more annoying, but easy to do Norms mod
Hi Tyler. I file the seat, then polish with Autosol but I still have problems. Once I get one settled down and seemingly working well I still need to prove to myself that it will continue working before I sell it and that involves mowing a number of lawns which I don't have. It is a catch 22, not worth selling if I haven't tested them fully. Getting them running is no guarantee they will continue to work
My repair guy has said he has seen a diaphragm washer between the return spring and the diaphragm. My carb hasn't got one? is it a mod and do i need one. Anyone know the part number or where I can get one, if needed.
Hi Tsuk, as has been said the critical components are the float needle and the primer cap and the difficulty is getting a pair that will work. When they work they are excellent but buying new stuff of the shelf is just so hit and miss
Depends on the carby model ,some have a small brass washer on the plastic spigot to make the carby idle ,when the cam wears the engine over revs and the washer brings the revs down.
Some early carbs have a c clip on the diaphragm but others have a much larger clip that looks like a washer.
Wish I could be more positive about these Tusk but I am concerned about the cost of these float needles and primer caps being sent at great postage costs and then they may not work
Update! Carb fully rebuilt and looking good however, we now have a intermittent spark, so looking at the points. Next problem.....we can not shift the nut on the flywheel to get to the points. We have tried using penetrating fluid, air impact guy, but its seized solid!
A more powerful impact gun. It should zip off unless some prankster stuck a bead of weld there. Then you have the fan to remove. I suggest a three arm puller. I've broken a stubborn one using a two arm job.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
First thing i would ask is which penetrating oil - if its just wd40 it wont do the job. something like RP90 or loctite freeze and release would give better luck. it is also a shoulder nut so soak around the nut as well as the thread.
I'm totally with NormK there. It just requires one wire cut IIRC. Could you refresh our memory NK?
In a 1981 Victa catalogue they were actually featuring electronic ignition models as slightly more expensive than the points version of the 160 two stroke.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Me, I just get one off a trashed Victa Powertorque engine as they outputted millions of the things. That's how I got a side pull full crank going as it's module died.
Ahh, if only victa had kept producing the thumblatch catcher series, they would be in better shape today!
Hi Tusk, Problem is postage to the UK is cost prohibitive but you can try this bloke if you really want one. Thing is out here we get these 2 stroke mowers off the side of the road all the time. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/234632190585?
