OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions on Engines Questions On Victa Two Stroke Engines Check your snorkels

Hi all,

I recently did an engine swap on my tilt a cut edger as the original engine took an early retirement. I took the starter off and found a fair bit of grass and sand inside the crankcase. The upper snorkel adaptor was always a bit dodgy and would come off frequently so I put it down to that. With the new (old) powertorque on deck I wanted to give everything a bit of a once over to check all was in order. I thought I would clean out the carb, change the snorkel adaptor and hose out the dirt from the snorkel. With the hose in the snorkel, I saw some dribbles of water in a strange place, and found the snorkel tube had rubbed through in a couple of places down low, to quite a good size, about 100mm upstream of the lower snorkel bend. It had obviously been there a while and been the previous engines cause of death. It might be worth checking all snorkels out for this problem. No idea how it happened or if it is a common fault. My spare few snorkels were all about 100mm short of course (off mowers). Any idea where to find the correct length convoluted tubing?

Cheers,

John

Hi John, I've come across some incredibly dirty snorkels. Some can be as much as two-thirds coated with fine dirt on the inside. This can happen even if the filter is maintained, if people are mowing in extremely dry and dusty conditions. Just like the old Colgate ad once claimed "It gets in". Very fine dust eventually penetrates even the best air filter. If there are clay molecules in the soil these can solidify over time in the folds of the snorkel. Over many years they can form a solid mass. And as you suggest, many snorkels develop small cracks and leaks and start sucking air directly from the outside, which is very bad for the engine. Larger grit particles like sand can get sucked straight into the engine. Several months ago I restored an old Southern Cross engine that must have been used in very sandy conditions on the coast. The sand was in everything, right through the carby and into the sump. So it is important to inspect snorkels every so often. Your advice is spot on.

I found another mower with a snorkel with a few holes today, on the side closest to the handle where they fold. I tried a repair with some self amalgamating tape - seems like a nice fix, better looking than electrical tape. Will see how it holds up over time. Anyone else tried this?

I�ve also been thinking about getting some 60mm heatshrink for these purposes, and also to run up over the upper snorkel adaptor if the connection doesnt feel that great

You mean that silicone strip that melds itself after you stretch it over itself? Yes, have done two ripped snorkels with that stuff. It really hugs the ribbing well. I never knew you could get heat shrink large enough. I think it would work but would be vulnerable due to bing so thin.It would be the neatest looking repair method though.

Actually I can get through one of my suppliers up to 160 mm ID with a 4:1 shrink ratio. The main problem with heat shrink is flexability. Wall thickness varies depending the amount shrinkage involved. I use heat shrink in place of tape on many wiring repairs. For additional thickness you just shrink the first tube and then add an additional tube to build up the recovered thickness if needed. Works very well when space is very limited where splice connectors are too bulky or where can can't get in to crimp them such as very short wires.

You just buy based what the recovered ID needs to be that way you get the maximum thickness.

Wish you blokes were a bit closer, I have mountains of those snorkels here in various lengths. problem with the heat shrink of that size it would be expensive and you probably have to buy a meter of it, but it certainly would work

Yes it comes in 4 ft lengths @ 55 usd for the 180 mm ID version. It really depends what is available as a replacement. Costs goes down as the size does. I usually buy the wire sizes in 4 ft lengths as it is much lower cost than those short pieces in kits.

Norm I still think you guys are trying to mow under water. None our mowers have these snorkels.

Hi,

I think that self amalgamating tape would work well on a snorkel. At least you would not have to take the snorkel off the carby and filter which can be trying sometimes.

There are two types of this tape rubber and silicone like.I think the rubber is best for this job. I use "Rubberweld". Its available in boat shops like Whitworths. about $12.00 but a roll goes a very long way as you stretch it about 3 times while applying. The rubber is extremely durable better than heat shrink in a tough environment like a mower.. Its even recommended as an emergency repair for burst water hoses.

All the best
Jeff

AVB it is the lack of water as to why we use the snorkels, dry/dusty conditions. The Victa 2 strokes are the main ones that use the snorkel, it is part of the throttle assembly with the throttle cable running inside it. Many of the commercial Hondas use the standard filter with the filter cover having a snorkel out of it so it has a second filter up high out of the way of dust. The odd Rover with a Briggs has a snorkel , but the majority just have the standard low level filter, maybe this is partly why these motors fail compared to the 2 strokes

Hi,

AVB most us aussies mow in clouds of dust.

I think the snorkel and filter must do something even though people never change the element often enough etc.

Remember the old Rotomo style Victa which only had a wire mesh filter (a gravel strainer at best) on top of the snorkel. Those motors used to wear out pretty quick, so much so that you used to be able to buy exchange, rebored barrels with new pistons at our local Mitre 10 off the the shelf. They were good too I bought a couple.

But later Models of essentially the same engine with the paper element filter seem to go forever and only ever need rings, bore is usually OK.
Unless Victa improved the steel they used or something.

All the best
Jeff

Norm and Jeff right I could use a snorkel version right as I can't attempt to mow the yard for the standing water. I have threaten to make myself a pair snow shoes just to cross my yard without sinking above the ankles. One place in my that I didn't know until I found it the hard way I went halfway to my knees.

Would a Victa motor pass an immersion test? I don't have faith that the carburettor would keep it out, nor the exhaust end.
I remember a scene in the movie Leatherface : The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 where his saw was operating underwater with only the bar sticking out while the chain was still moving around!!

The prime issue MF (after shorting/earthing plug/coil, etc) would be the primer hole - water gets in and mixes with the fuel.

Now using a g4 primerless plate...

I think it would get in through the kill wire port as well, if the rubber plug is not up to scratch.

That is another good point MF. Has everyone seen Elvis the croc grabbing the Victa Tornado (Briggs 4 stroke)?

Speaking of snorkels and air filters, remember the good old original blue Australian made Victa air filters from some years ago?

I used to use them all the time and purchase them from the local Bunnings store. Anyway the good old Australian made Victa short air filter that had the blue ends used to fit on my mower perfectly. Then a few years ago now you guys may have also noticed this Victa (well Briggs and Stratton or whoever owns them now) decided to ditch the perfect exact fitting Australian made Victa air filter for some red ended dodgy imported air filter and sell it in the original "Victa Lawnkeeper" packet at Bunnings.

So I bought this new air filter as it was packaged in the exact same packet as the original blue ended Australian made ones were. Got it home went to chuck it on the mower and it's not the same! It was loose fitting and it would just let the dirt get in from the bottom where it sits on the snorkel!

I wasn't happy at all as this was shoved in the original Victa Lawnkeeper packet like the Aussie ones were!

I returned the air filter to Bunnings and told them they are rubbish! These don't fit the same as the original blue Australian made filters, I said tell the people you get them from to fix them up!

Well guess what, soon after that Bunnings removed the Victa short air filter from sale.

I even went to the trouble of writing a polite email to the head office of Victa (or B&S buggers who own them now) to tell them about the issue and if they could fix them up or something, well I got no reply back at all. Yes the current owners of Victa really care about the dinosaurs still running the good old Aussie 2 strokes out there!

Back to the story of air filters, I did end up buying what Masters Hardware was selling back around then, they sold a "Bynorm" brand of air filters for Victa's. I noticed that these filters also included a little foam ring that you place at the bottom of the air filter where it sits on the snorkel. I then used these for a while until Masters Hardware closed.

Now I just purchase the red air filters in a pack of 10 on ebay, and I also grab a pack of 10 foam rings on ebay also.

See now if the new owners of Victa (Briggs and Stratton) had of listened to their customers. They would probably still be making money on some of their service products for older Victa's.

Cheers!

Bunnings removed the short air filter because they weren't selling enough for them to take up shelf space, not because you complained, and if you think any manufacturers gives the thought of supplying spare parts anymore you are way off the mark. Spare parts now belong to ebay aftermarket suppliers

I really don't care if the paper element is made by Victa or Bert Spangles aftermarket parts co. as long as it fits ok.

Yes you are right NormK about them not giving a rats about supplying spare parts etc, they want you to throw away what you are using and go buy something new, they don't make any money from us dinosaurs still repairing and using ancient Victa 2 strokes..lol Maybe that was their plan with those loose fitting replacement Victa air filters? Let the buggers use them until it eventually kills their 2 strokes and then they can go and buy a new Victa with a B&S bugger engine on it? LOL!

But for the record, I did notice that Bunnings did remove the short air filter just weeks after I had returned the item and complained. I'm not sure but I think they still stock the Victa long air filter? Not too sure but I think I seen some hanging there somewhere. I didn't look to closely. I sometimes still just buy the Victa blades as they still sell them at Bunnings. I wonder why they still sell the blades for the old Victa's? Do the current new Victa mowers with 4 stroke engines on them still use the same blades?

Yes Mowerfreak I agree and these new aftermarket ones I now get on ebay actually fit about as good as the original blue ended Aussie made Victa ones used to, and I also get the foam rings to sit underneath the air filter for extra dust protection from getting in under the air filter. I guess it helps as I do mow in sometimes very dusty dry conditions around here.

Cheers!