Recently picked up this Victa super 600 and chasing some general information.
I take it to be a 70s series super 600? It was said to have been stored for 8 years or so and not run at all during that time.
I havnt had a crack at trying to start it yet. Need to sort the spark plug cap and get an air filter and cap for the snorkel.
Assuming any generic spark plug cap will suit? Ill raid the local tip shop and metal shop for a snorkel cap and filter and Im sure Ill find something. Looks the same as both the other mowers I have.
As can be seen in the photos The side discharge flap is gone. The lever on the heigh adjust is missing its cover. I've also generally hit some of the bolts with some innox aswell which can be seen in some of the photos. Usual oil gunk at the base of the motor.
Generally how do these models rate compared to the 80s series power torques?
Side crank is new to me entirely. Cant say I've seen it on a mower before. any tips for getting it running again?
If it cant be started, how easy is it to transition to a honda 4 stroke 5 horse like the photo of the attached 80 series
I'm a bit of a fan of these old 2 strokes. I have a victa commando and old victa 160 utility mower and currently run the new mulchmaster commercially.
Hi Lindsay welcome here. These are my favourite slasher, nothing else made like these anymore. As for a plug cap I think that is the least of your problems at this stage, only problem is it is hard to find a plug these days where you can screw the end off. Plug cap off any PT motor will do the job for testing purposes. Get this motor running and you will have an amazing slasher. I have plates here to fit Honda/Briggs motors to them but I haven't had much joy using 4 strokes to them. Just looking at the blade carrier with the oil on it could indicate the bottom seal on the motor needs to be replaced. Where to start on getting it running is difficult to explain, sometimes I can spend countless hours working on them and still end up with a non starter for some reason, even after giving the bore a hone, new rings and seals and using one of my modified carbies that I know is working. And that has its own problems with float needles that I can spend countless hours getting a cap and needle to work. As a rule I will spend a week repairing one of these slashers getting it ready to sell ( always the front axle and wheels are flogged out and need extensive work to get them right, plus other general things that need repairs, these machines work hard and are pushing 50 years old) My advice is work on getting a full crank motor working on it, you can fit a PT motor to them but the hours spent in making and adapter plate and then you have the issue of having to make up a weight to fit on the crank to prevent them kicking back and breaking your fingers. They are fixable but they take a lot of work Sorry I just noticed you had sprayed inox on the blade carrier, so bottom seal may be ok. these bolts never give me a problem getting them undone with the rattle gun
Yep, the staining on the blade carrier is just innox. No signs of oil there prior. Good to know the bolts probably arnt rust welded together.
I've had a HRU196 and currently have a W821SC and both run the honda gxv160 motor which I've found to be a pretty solid motor. If I cant get this motor running Id rather invest the time in transitioning over to a honda 4 stroke for the hassle free motoring it normally affords. Powertorques seem reasonably common but I had read the posts about the kick back issues and them now being as prevalent which the 4 strokes.
Do you sell the carriers for the Honda or briggs (I assume 850?) motors?
I will have a shot starting this one maybe today or tomorrow and come back to the page.
I have had similar kickback issues with the 4 strokes on these 24's for some reason, I get very nervous just thinking about trying to start them. I can solve the PT kickback but it takes me hours making up a weight to fit to the bottom of the crank. Once setup, beautiful to pull. I have tried adding extra weight to the crank on a Honda and not a lot of joy and wasted hours doing it. Give it a try starting it but I don't like your chances without doing work on the carby My step by step on seeing if there will run, first check you have spark If you have spark then I give a quick squirt of starter fluid in the plug hole and if it gives an attempt to start then you are half way there. This roughly tells me it hasn't been straight fueled. Then the next step is to see if it will start on the carby and that is where it can be very difficult and this is where you start to struggle with float needles. This is another whole ballpark of problems you have to deal with and I still fight with these everytime I try getting a carby to work. Good luck and let us know you get on
Hi Max, I put the Honda motor on a Sanli base and no problems starting it. I still have a 24 with a Briggs Qantam on it and I have started it a couple of times but it kicks back as well.
Yes but we haven't compared the ignition timing on a standard mower compared to an engine with a V belt drive on the PTO.
It's got to be a simple fix after checking out what the problem is caused by.
When using an engine with an edger, it is often beneficial to retard the ignition timing to help prevent kickback during starting. This is particularly important in devices like edgers, which typically have an engine that may be used in a different orientation than a lawn mower.
Retarding the ignition timing means that the spark plug fires later in the compression stroke, which reduces the likelihood of the engine trying to "kick back" against the starter mechanism. Kickback occurs when the engine's compression forces the starter rope and handle backward, making it difficult and potentially dangerous to start the machine.
On a lawn mower, the engine is generally designed to minimize kickback due to a different starting mechanism and configuration, so it may not need the same ignition timing adjustments.
As we know spark timing and a weak spark can cause kickback.
A weak spark from a mower's ignition system can potentially contribute to starter kickback during the starting process. Kickback typically occurs when the engine does not start smoothly and ignites the air-fuel mixture at the wrong time, causing the engine to kick backward rather than rotate forward.
Here are some factors related to a weak spark that can lead to this situation:
Incomplete Combustion: A weak spark may result in incomplete combustion or misfiring, which can lead to backfiring or delayed ignition. This can create a pressure wave that causes the starter to kick back.
Timing Issues: If ignition timing is off, a weak spark can exacerbate the problem, leading to premature ignition of the fuel mixture. This can increase the likelihood of kickback since the engine is trying to rotate in the wrong direction.
Fuel Accumulation: A weak spark might not ignite the fuel-air mixture effectively, leading to fuel accumulation in the combustion chamber. When the spark does ignite, the sudden release of energy can cause the engine to lurch backward.
Did what you'd do in that order. I have spark. Only clicked after reading your response earlier how the spark lead wire attaches to the plug and hooked it up no issues.
Added fresh fuel (tank was dry - mixed at 25 to 1 as I was unsure of the correct ratio), primed and pulled and it tried to go but didnt run.
Had a look then at the carb and it leaked when the bulb was depressed and I assume it wouldnt run as it was perhaps starved of fuel if the carb isnt sealed properly?
On the attached image, when the bulb was depressed I'd get a decent squirt of fuel out the left, Then as the bulb reinflated there would be a second decent squirt out the bottom.
Could I grab the model of the carb and if there is a teardown guide / rebuild guide? I will begin searching the internet for the answers in the mean time.
I didnt do much tearing down, I just hit it with some degreaser to try and remove what I assume is decades of crud build up before I remove to much.
Looks like the carby needs a new o ring for the primer cap, sometimes just soaking the old o ring in fuel will expand the the o ring enough to stop it leaking fuel. 25 to 1 is the correct fuel mix ratio.
Thanks for the videos Max, Exactly what I was chasing.
I removed the needle and face and like in the videos, it was pretty dirty. Cleaned up the seal and the o-ring and replaced just hoping that would do the trick. Put it back together and no active leak on pumping the bulb. There was fuel on the bottom so it might weep a fraction somewhere but ill tackle that when I order new parts.
Went to crank it and less response than before.
Double checked for spark. Got it no worries at all.
Jumped onto pushmowerrepair to browse the parts list and before I committed I thought it best to do the job properly and fully investigate the carb.
Pulled it off the motor and popped the cap to check out the diaphram etc.
First I noticed the diaphram was different than the carbs in the videos. Instead of the diaphram was held on by a very small clip and has a solid rubber centre to assist it holding shape. Attached a picture. Is this an earlier model before they changed it slightly?
After it was removed the carb could clearly be seen to be full of dirt. No filter and no cap on the intake line so obviously while stored mud wasps had decided to make a next in the centre of the tube. It was to far down to see but a solid lump blocking the whole tube.
So, I've cleaned it out. Cleaned out the carb and now I am waiting for it all to dry before I refit and try again.
Also, on pulling the carb apart, the rubber nipple thing (Called a cut out plug on the webstie) was split. It appeared to still function but I might look at replacing it.
They are a forgiving carby I often find them in that condition internally and still run, it is the primer caps and needles that drive me insane. I modify the carbies and I don't use those kill switch wires, they cause too much trouble, I plug the hole with a 6mm screw. the green diaphragm rubber and the small clip are from the early G4 carbies
Hi Lindsay, You have to keep the wires apart these are the kill switch wires. Carbs are the same and I have never bought a new diaphragm. That is part of the governor and I don't use that, I modify the carbies so they have full throttle control. I have detailed the modifications I do on this site. It is a bit of a read and I did add other modifications as I went along. I have done hundreds of these over the years, I know from the number of needles and caps I have bought. As I said it is the float needles and primer caps that kill me. The wire coming from the coil is the one I run up the inside of the snorkel to use as the kill switch wire
I always find with the flat diaphragms like the green one ,if I put the throttle on full and hold the poppet valve out with the carby off the engine and using long nose pliers to hold the poppet valve out then when I clip on the plastic diaphragm cover with the spring , the engine will only get to full rpm this way.
I think it's the flat black one that is the worst as they can shrink over time and don't allow much movement of the poppet , occasionally I have to replace them because I get full rpm but then there's not enough movement for it to idle.
I had the role of the kill switch backwards. Thankfully I'd seen your post about removal because the internal rubber cover was damaged (prior to me) and wouldnt reinsert so Ive plugged it briefly with a bolt.
Popped it all back together. First pull and the thing screams back to life in what I assume is the first time in many years and idling comfortably. I wasnt near any work
In respect to carb modification and RPM control. I have an RPM and hour metre that wraps on the ignition wire. Whats an optimal figure? Ive never actually bothered to check any of my older 2 strokes. Theyre all just ..Loud.
What is the benefit of the modification? Removal of the diaphram and poppet and manual control of the rev limit?
What is the purpose of the trimming of the fins/ridges on the Cam? Is the steady ramp just to allow for more moderate applied control of the throttle on?
The reason I modify them is as you say to get rid of the lumps on the cam because they cause so many problems with sticking. Because I have removed the lumps I have to put washers under the cam to compensate for the reduced height of the cam. This in turn creates a problem refitting the cable so I cut a slot in the carb body so I don't end up bending the cable. I put a bolt in where the kill switch goes to prevent the cam turning too far and allowing the cable to pop out of the cam. The kill switch setup is a complete abomination and that is why I remove it and put it up inside the snorkel. It is a pain but the only way I can get them to work reliably Well done in getting it going
In respect to carb modification and RPM control. I have an RPM and hour metre that wraps on the ignition wire. Whats an optimal figure? Ive never actually bothered to check any of my older 2 strokes. Theyre all just ..Loud.
I have heard 2500 rpm is the optimal cutting speed but it may just depend on the type of motor and at what RPM the torque figure peaks and the cutting width of the blades will effect blade speed.
The HP peaks on a 160 cc Victa 2 stroke at about 2700 rpm so cutting under load the rpm will drop a little.
Unless there is a problem with your Victa 2 stroke you shouldn't need a tacho / RPM meter as when the popet is fully open the motor will probably still be under 4000 rpm.
My 4 stroke mower I set to 3200 rpm and when cutting long grass the speed drops to 2500 rpm.