OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines Secret to installing full crank starter?

Hi guys,
i have pulled apart a full crank series 7 2stroke 125cc victa and am having trouble getting the starter mechanism (which is attached to the top cover in this model) to engage the motor.

It was working fine before i pulled it apart and all i have done is gave the starter mechanism a dose of wd40 to loosen up some parts (have not taken it apart).

I thought the installation was as simple as bolting down the cover with the 4 bolts, am i missing something here or has the starter mechanism gone in some way?

The starter sometimes engages and sometimes it does not and it sounds like metal rattling (like its looking for grip), it retracts fine but it just does not engage regularly.

Johno123,

You should never use WD40 on the starter mechanism because it has two fibre washers that grab and push out the pawls to grab the starter cup.

When you put WD40 on the starter it makes contact with the cup and of course it will slip, so clean the starter and the cup and if you are lucky it will work again.

doh, ok, looks like im taking apart the starter mechanism, bugga, i thought i was doing the starter some good.

Any tricks to taking wd40 off? (hot water etc) or do i just need to use good ol elbow grease and a rag?

also,what Chris stated, the cup itsself, is it meant to have some sort of catching mechanism on the inside or is it meant to be smooth? (mine is smooth as a babys bum).

The main ingredient of WD40 is naptha (Stoddard solvent), and in total it is 75 to 85% mineral oil products, so you can remove it with the same solvents as mineral oil - usually petrol or kerosene. See http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/wd-40.asp
(Personally I seldom trust statements that can't be referenced to a source).
You might get lucky if you wash the starter in clean petrol or kerosene without dismantling it (I doubt it has any components that can't tolerate hydrocarbons, when it is part of a petrol-powered lawnmower.)

Johno, get some carby cleaner, that should get rid of the WD40.

have soaked the washers and the starter in some petrol and it seems to be 90% restored back as of now,ie: after a long mow session. (initially it lost grip quite a bit still but now it happens for a split sec now and then, hopefully it continues to improve)!

Johno123,

It sounds like you might have to replace the starter pawls before you damage the starter cup. Just click HERE for cost of the pawls.

looks like ill be buying some parts of you for both the mower and the edger!

1 question though, do i need to change the cup as well for the full stroke or should that be fine with the new pawls only?

also, do you guys have a diagram of what a new starter cup should look like? (just so i can compare and see if its worn)

Look HERE for the starter cups for both 4/stroke & 2/stroke.