OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds My Victa And Some Hard Rubbish Finds

Always a pain in the butt when I weld up motorcycle petrol tanks, I have to test them with petrol then if there is still a weel or a leak I have to go back through the whole cleaning procedure again and on some tanks I might have to do this 2 or 3 times. Wish I could test them with water

G'day everyone,

Well I tried a little test on the 2 new fuel taps and filters that I have here tonight and it seems that they both flow the same. I just used 2 stroke mix and just let it flow and I couldn't really tell any difference between the 2 taps and filters. I filled the tank so the fuel was sitting a bit above the fuel filters for the test.

But what I did notice after I finished I removed the gold coloured filter off the new tap I spotted something a little different in their designs. The new tap and filters with "Made In Australia" on them with the gold coloured filter actually sit a little higher on the tap. So basically almost the bottom half of the gold filter is blocked by the plastic moulding on the tap. So when the fuel level gets to around the half way mark on the gold coloured filter, you can expect the fuel flow to start slowing down somewhat as the plastic underneath won't allow the fuel to flow through no longer.

Now on the older style tap with the long white fuel filter, it looks to be a much better design in terms of letting you use more fuel from your tank as it gets near empty. Because the lowest point of the long white fuel filter sits around 8mm lower than the new tap and filter. So the old taps with the long white filters will let you use up that little bit more fuel as it gets really low in the tank when compared to the new one's.

So there you go I guess I stumbled across something different between the older and the latest fuel taps and filters...lol

Cheers!

G'day everyone,

I got the good old Victa Commando full crank out of hibernation today for a run in the backyard. I think it's been sitting around for 6 months. The last time I used this mower I used Penrite 2 stroke mineral based oil in the mix and there was some still left near the bottom of the fuel tank. Problem was after sitting so long it actually looked more like a brown sludge mix. First thing I did was to empty the tank of that sludge and put some fresh 2 stroke mix in it. I am now back to running Castrol 2 stroke mineral based oil in the mix again.

It took probably 3 attempts and quite a few primer bulb presses to get it going, it ran then stopped. Tried again and it ran fast for a bit then it smoothed out and went back to normal running. It's a tough old beast this one!

I captured some video of it at a slow lumpy tick over idle, then fast revving before turning the fuel tap off to stop it.

Hello Converse,

motor has a healthy throaty rumble to it. You can tell it's been rebuilt just by hearing it, no undue noises and clear exhaust, even at tickover.
I never expected it to have the older type wheels. The later builds had wheels with the larger orange covers with the spokes on the edges, like the ball bearing wheels have, except they are still pure nylon bearings, which you can tell by the plain tyre tread without the moulded splines.
It's nice to know this has been in your family since 82, a year with some great film releases such as Blade Runner, ET The Extra Terrestrial, John Carpenter's The Thing and many others.

Nice Commando Converse. Sounds great with a smooth idle

MF, my 1983 (i think but might be late 1982) commando has the old style wheels as well

Here's the one I got going courtesy of a doner ignition module I got off a siezed PT engine sitting in the yard.
The guy who threw it out said it had sat for 20 years and the engine sounds like a low hours engine. It doesn't tickover like Converse's. I'm now inspired to try and get it to after seeing the video!!
Note the wheels on it.

G'day everyone,

Thanks for that Mowerfreak and Tyler, yes it's had a hard life it's a tough old mower that's for sure. Yes those wheels are original from factory on this mower, I have removed and re-greased the shafts on them quite a few times over the years...lol When I had the engine rebuilt I also changed every rubber seal on the engine and also the carby inlet seals and it also got a brand new genuine Victa decompressor years ago. Even after all that it still had a fast idle and after I added those 2 brass washers in the carby as was mentioned on here years ago it fixed the idle speed perfectly. The carby still has the original internal parts including rubber diaphragm from factory. All I have changed is the primer cap,float,needle and jet with new items. Even these I was changing them out years ago thinking that they were affecting the fast idle speed. In the end I probably didn't need to change all them out but it runs great now anyway.

I noticed those wheels on your Victa Charger there Mowerfreak, I looked at the catalogue in the link below and it seems the Charger in the brochure has the older style wheels on it like the one's on my Commando. But back then they were fitting these wheels to the powertorque mowers and also brochures could have been printed long before the production run of that mower and they would have probably just fitted what they had available on the production line at the time. Hey notice the picture of the new powertorque engine in the brochure it seems they had moulded a clear see through carby housing for the marketing of the new powertorque engine, and you can see they have mounted the primer cap on upside down as you can see the white float sitting at the top side of the carby and also the primer bulb is on the opposite side.

https://www.outdoorking-forum.com.au/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/70751

Also speaking about the great movie releases from back in 1982, what about all the great music from 1982 and also that era. One great song from 1982 that I remember would have to be "Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor", could be a song for old the Victa Commando I reckon..lol Also another great song from that year was "Eye In The Sky - The Alan Parsons Project", you know I always wonder why they never ever seem to play this song on the radio anymore, not on the oldies station or on the new hit stations...? lol

I would say yours is one of the last FC Chargers MF, as it has superstart EI. They initially had points as they were base model.

That being said, I have a 1984 MSAA craftsman standard (which is a straight fuelled completely stuffed curbside pick up parts machine) with points and the new style wheels.

Converse, I have looked at that brochure several times and never noticed the primer plate on upside down haha

Converse mower has EI as well and yours should too Tyler. Any machine with the round super start sticker should be EI.

Oh yes MF, mine does as well, its just the earlier (81,2,3) chargers (not commandos) had points. All the commandos had EI as you note

I read it in a brochure here somewhere 'zipstart with conventional points ignition'

G'day everyone,

Well I finally managed to get the old Victa VC160 up and running, this mower had been sitting for around 10 years. it still had some old fuel in the tank, when I emptied the old fuel it just looked like black liquid. I also had to patch up the lower snorkel and I used a hose clamp on the end. I ended up changing the points and condensor a few days ago but I think it ended up being a bit of corrosion in the end of the spark plug lead as to why it had no spark.

When I first got it started it took a while for it to settle down and run smoothly, I started to mow the backyard with it and after a few minutes it started to run more smoothly. Not bad for something that's been sitting for 10 years. I recorded some footage of the beast now that I got it up and running after so many years.

One mans rubbish is another mans treasure, if you could only get good catchers for those they would be still being able to be used in another 50 years, if we have fuel to run them then

Ahhh the lawn mowing machine I cut my teeth on mowing the family back and front garden with when I was at the beginning of my teens.

Yes as Norm suggested the catchers were the weakest link on these as the engines just keep on keeping on.

If only both you were here in SA I could get you an endless supply of Full Cranks, even a couple of Twins.

Cheers,
BB.

I was given a NOS catcher a couple of years back. Now to get a VC mower for it!

I could get you over a dozen of those as well.

South Australia is a hotbed for 1970s high arch models everybody wants. I have a decent collection all things considered, and many more I wish I never parted with.

My interest with the F/C's is only about the motors and what I can use them on. After using a 600 slasher with a PT on it I believe the F/C's on these are a better motor for some reason. I pull the G3 carby off and fit an LM and they are a great machine

A F/C has much better bearing support for the sideways tension they are put under. Even they are known to have issues with it, so imagine a half crank subjected to it.

G'day Bonnar_Bloke, Mowerfreak and NormK,

Thanks for that this is the first mower I ever found sitting on the kerb and it's what probably started me off to start collecting mowers. I have the original catcher in the shed it's in good condition but I know if I start using it for regular mowing it will crack and lose peices in the front lip area and these aren't easy to find like the later 80's black plastic catchers which are everywhere.

I do think this sort of mower probably needs the catcher on the back when mowing, I was getting a bit sprayed with grass clippings and debris coming out around the rear flap. Anyway it was just a little run to see how it goes and it's a great machine.

Cheers!

If there were a way of getting all of the following,

2 of Twins, 5 of VC Sports, 6 of Mustang (Green), 15 of VC160's and about 2 dozen other early Victa models that use Full Cranks if not more to the east coast cost effective then I'd ship them all over in one consignment as here in South Australia they are worth bugger all and are slowly lowering themselves back into the earth. There's even a Victa unused chassis prior to painting in this same place but inside with no corrosion whatsoever. Engines ? there would be around 3 container fulls there. I just can't believe this is all going to ruin with bugger all interest.

Cheers,
BB.

I have lots of interest here BB, it is just the logistics of moving it all as it sounds like I wouldn't get much in a 6x4 trailer and the cost of fuel for the return trip would be around $250

Hi Norm,

Yep I totally get it. That's why they are all still where they are. Sadly a 6x4 trailer just wouldn't cut it would it ?

Cheers,
BB.

Take a semi trailer then, and one on LPG!

I had to pick up 40 mowers a few years ago from Frankston, can't remember how many trips that took, must have been at least 4 trips because I was getting about 10 at a time on the 6x4.
MF I believe the rental on a semi would make a big dent in my cost neutral hobby

I guess if you knew someone that was taking a Semi loaded to Adelaide and coming back empty then that would be the opportunity of a lifetime !

BB,
the problem would be that everything would need to be on pallets and shrink wrapped and then you need a forklift and it all gets just too hard and very quickly you start asking yourself, why did I get involved in this because the cost will quickly outweigh the value

Hi Norm,

You got that right. That's why I've said to the bloke that's got all these that eventually when he passes that the beneficiary will just organise a few of those massively huge skips and it'll all just get tossed into scrap metal and crushed.

The cost of logistics in this country now is just ridiculously expensive.

Cheers,
BB.

PS. I'll probably end up cherry picking the best out of it and load it on my Hilux tray top and bring it home.

^ then you've got the logistics of the missus.

you got that bit right !!

Just gotta pick a day when she's out and I can get the load off the ute without being noticed, after that it's all good.

G'day everyone,

I spotted a couple of catchers on a nature strip down the road today and one was for a Victa which looked in good condition so I grabbed it straight away, there was also this other funny looking catcher next to it which I wasn't going to grab at first but I thought it looks in good condition and it also has the rear flap with it. I thought why not a catcher doesn't take up much space and who knows, one day I might find a mower that might use it.

The Victa catcher is in great condition with no cracks or bits missing along the front lip. Going by the date stamp it was made in 1997.

Now for the other funny looking catcher, I don't know what this thing is off but I am assuming it's from one of those cheaper sort of 4 stroke mowers. The only thing I can go by is the date stamp on the plastic which says it was made in 2003. I have added some photo's of this other catcher and the rear flap to see if anyone knows what mower it might be from.

Cheers!