OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Walk Behind Lawn Mower Frames Reel Lawn Mowers, Atco & Villiers etc. Atco 1760/61 4 cycle Villiers fuel delivery issue

Hi everyone,

New here. I have this Atco that will only fire if I prime it with gas in the plug hole and it only runs for 5 seconds or so to burn that off. It doesn't seem to pull fuel into the head. I took the head off and the valves and valve seats are pitted. There was alot of carbon buildup there and I wire brushed it off. It went from no compression to a little compression after that. The carb is clean with all ports open. Since it does fire when primed am I looking at an intake valve seating issue here? There's slots on the top of the valves. I suppose this is for grinding them. Suggestions? Also, what size is the nut on the flywheel to spin this with a drill to start it? My 19mm is just a hair too big so it must be 18mm. Strange that I only have the odd numbered sized mm sockets. I bought this off of Craigslist Nashville TN for $40 this spring. The guy was a professor at Vanderbilt University and brought it with him from London several years earlier when he moved here and just had it stored in his garage. Lucky for me I suppose. I see there's not many of these here in the states.

Out of questions for now.
Kevin

Being an English machine you will need imperial spanners.

As to the fuel problem it would need the valves to be ground and then lapped back in but you will have to check the valve clearance once you have done the grind and lapping.

I would also be checking the cylinder as it could be glazed causing the compression issue as well the rings could be worn or seized up in the piston.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Hi Kevin, and a big warm welcome to the forum.
That is a great project you have there, easy to restore to it's former glory if you wish to go that way; and I do agree that it would be very rare machine in the US.
Best of luck sorting it's fuel prob.....
It's good to have you on board.

Update! Got it running pretty good. The screen that wraps the fuel jet/port still had fine crud in it and clogged it up. Soon to be on Ebay to make room for a big old Gravely 8162B.
Thanks from Tennesse.