OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines VICTA ROTOMO TIN WHEELS NO SPARK

Hi I've got a Victa Rotomo tin wheel mower that I am trying to start up. It seems to have good compression but the mower definitely has no spark. I pulled the flywheel off with a puller which was nearly impossible and now am hoping to get some spark back into the Rotomo. I've got no idea on how to adjust the points and timing and would appreciate a little help on what to do. Also I see Two screws on the points. What is the little screw used for? Many thanks

To adjust the points

Rotate the crankshaft around until the cam opens the points

Feeler gauge - 0018" between the contacts that should be open

If not correct gap

Loosen the large screw just enough for the plate to move

The small screw is on an eccentric and turning this will adjust the gap

Clean the points with a small folded piece of nearly worn out sand paper if you don't have a points file or other. Lots of people have many ideas on what's best for cleaning contact points you can look into all of that once you get it running. I am not talking about using sand paper that will rip the guts out of the contacts, when it worn down quite a bit it is perfect.

Your feeler gauge should just have a bit of drag through the contacts, when happy tighten up the large screw and rotate the crank a few times and recheck the gap.

There is a felt pad there that you can put a drop or two of engine oil onto also, not too much as you don't want it flying around over the points etc.

Doesn't hurt to clean the surface rust off the magnets inside the flywheel and on the ends of the coil etc.

You will have to put it all back together to check if you have spark, good luck. I will put the timing procedure in my next post, have to go out for a minute.

Timing for Victas is 1/8" before top dead centre unless you pull the head off you have to do it by eye through the spark plug hole. With the contacts just beginning to open have a look where the piston is in the bore.

Now rotate the crank a little more and it should move up a fraction to be at the very top of the stroke or top dead centre. If yours does this then leave it alone.

See how you get on

Thanks Paul for your help. I've done everything you said apart from worrying about the timing and I still have no spark

When you spin the flywheel and hold the coil lead with your hand while against the motor do you feel anything at all ?

Looking at the lead from the coil it appears to be dodgy as it comes from the coil. Is it soldered there? If it is and it is a wire core rather than a carbon core you could unsolder it and replace it as it may be faulty. Where does the HT lead leave the plate? Is that a hole for it down beside the tip of the field pole? You could also try disconnecting the condensor lead to test for spark or if you have an ohm meter, the old dial type, digital ones don't work as well, you can put it on the highest ohm scale and place the leads across the condensor with the points open. If it is good the needle should flick up and then drop back. If it no good you will either get no flick or it will go up and stay up.

And spin the motor with the spark plug removed, timing has nothing to do with getting spark at this stage. Do you have a multimeter to check for continuity across the point when they are closed. Could also be a problem with the plug lead. Not sure if the later Victa coil would fit but it probably will, or with a bit of modification it might

Unfortunately, nope; this is the very early [used on Victa Models 1 and 2] 'Wico-Pacy FW' type magneto, and later coils won't fit. Not many of these original coils still work - after all, they are over 60 years old.

New manufacture coils are available ex-UK, and maybe ex-US, but are very exy.

But it's worth checking out all of the components, in case it's a simple problem.

Past thread on these, with parts list, is HERE - looks like that's where the image above is from.