Mowing ..

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Trendseeker

My new Victa Mustang does an excellent job on the lawn. But it rarely starts on the first pull. This model doesn’t have a primer and one of the benefits they advertise is that no priming is required. Start and go they say. Well, that’s true, you do start and go, but only after the second pull.
My old Mustang starts first time, but only after pressing the primer a few times and it always fires up in a small cloud of smoke. .
I’m not complaining; the new mower is great.

Any of the Briggs & Stratton's with "Ready-Start" have an automatic choke. This uses a heat from the muffler to adjust the choke position, from memory it's a wax filled solenoid, exhaust heat melts the wax and opens the choke as the engine warms up. I'd much rather a primer myself.



Naturally there is going to be some leeway, I wonder if the heat of summer doesn't fully close the choke on a "cold" start. I've also found the latest version of the 850 with the plastic carb tends to run a little sluggish until the engine warms up, I wonder if that is related to the auto-choke setup, or from the new design carb.

[Citroënbender]

Annoyed with myself this evening for losing a needle valve; trying to fix a struggling Briggs powered mower on the go and I took the plastic carby base off, followed by the float/shaft/needle. Thereupon dropping the needle into another universe (apparently).

(Mower was weak and struggling to stay running, so I’d assumed fuel supply the problem.)

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Annoyed with myself this evening for losing a needle valve; trying to fix a struggling Briggs powered mower on the go and I took the plastic carby base off, followed by the float/shaft/needle. Thereupon dropping the needle into another universe (apparently).

(Mower was weak and struggling to stay running, so I’d assumed fuel supply the problem.)

Ouch!

[danzvtil]

Killed my huski pole saw 530iPT5, was up in the canopy on a EWP, jammed it and it stopped working.
https://www.husqvarna.com/au/pole-sa...y-and-charger/
Dropped it at the mower store, they tell me the motor is done at 3years old and best to buy a new one at $900.
Interestingly the internal smarts record lifetime data:
Total run time-80hrs
Lowest operating temp- 9 deg
Highest operating temp- 76 deg
Now, not having anything to compare it to, a point and shoot tool like a pole saw, 80hrs SOUNDS like a lot. Got talking, the guy priced up a new motor, only $250 from husqvarna, and 1 hr ($110) to install, yep champ, go ahead and order the new part.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Last week, my cleaner asked me about where in the area to buy a ride-on mower. In a former life, she was an arborist and knows the ins and outs of garden power equipment and therefore had done research on what she wanted.

My first response was where NOT to buy a mower from..............the business that ripped me off twice, treated me like a fool and was basically the catalyst for me doing my own repairs and buying parts online. Because of the machine she had shortlisted, it was actually that shop she had intended on visiting, but my advice put an end to that.

This week I got told a story that I'm not surprised by but certainly makes me angry. Out of interest, she went in to see if my assessment of this business, and the owner in particular, was true. Upon arrival, she explained what she was looking for and was promptly told by the owner that he was "sick of you women coming in here trying to act like you know something about mowers". She replied along the lines of "that's fine", then promptly walked out.

I'm appalled that someone would say such a thing to customer, male or female. I know there were times when I wanted to cut loose on a customer for being rude or unrealistically demanding, but at the end of the day, I knew that wouldn't lead to a favorable outcome for the business I represented. In fact, sometimes those very specific customers became VERY good customers as the relationship developed. One in particular would come in nearly every Friday, often I felt just to say hello. You see, there is a difference between an unrealistically demanding customer, and one that is informed and knowledgeable enough to know exactly what they want. I know this because I am that type of customer myself.

I can't say I'm surprised by this story because he treated me like a complete fool as well. I know first hand how angry he made me feel, actually, he made me look like a fool in front of other customers and his staff. This is the same bullsh.t that inflicts automotive related businesses, treating females like idiots, something you'd hope was a thing of the past but still very much happens.

In this case, this moron lost a sale worth several thousand dollars from his actions. Add that up over countless other people, it's a wonder he is still in business.

Send her over to Wang's Stihl / John Deere dealer, totally knowledgeable women staff where they don't treat everyone like an idiot.

I know I've asked some stupid questions when buying parts there.

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Annoyed with myself this evening for losing a needle valve; trying to fix a struggling Briggs powered mower on the go and I took the plastic carby base off, followed by the float/shaft/needle. Thereupon dropping the needle into another universe (apparently).

(Mower was weak and struggling to stay running, so I’d assumed fuel supply the problem.)

Did you find the needle?

[Citroënbender]

No, and not a parts breakdown either for the 625EXi or whatever it is. Looks like a Chinese carby will be the solution. For now, rocking the Baron 45!

[DFB FGXR6]

Had to replace the purge bulb on the MAGNUM!



Of course, to do this you have to tear down the whole front end of the machine.............





Once a purge bulb perforates, it's important to replace them as soon as possible to prevent the unfiltered air being drawn into the carb. This would apply to any sealed purge bulb, typically found on small two stroke engines. And for those that don't know, purge and primer bulbs are different. A primer is shooting fuel into the intake track to improve starting ease. A purge bulb is pumping fuel through the carburetor and back into the fuel tank.

This BR600 MAGNUM uses a 64.8cc 4-Mix engine that produces 3.8 bhp / 2.8 kW. The new MAGNUM is called the BR800 and has an even larger 79.9cc 4-Mix with 4.4 bhp / 3.3 kW. I have to say, the 4-Mix concept is needlessly complicated, as in they have valves and run like a 4-cycle but are lubricated like a 2-cycle. You also need to do semi-regular valve clearance adjustments. However, I've always loved the throttle response from these 4-Mix engines, they don't have that slight delay when opening the throttle.

https://e.video-cdn.net/video?video-...1GXFJV5-Tqxofq

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

No, and not a parts breakdown either for the 625EXi or whatever it is. Looks like a Chinese carby will be the solution. For now, rocking the Baron 45!

If its the float needle, it can be ordered separately -

Part No. 594581

https://www.thepowerportal.com/ipls/..._IPLURL_LO.pdf

https://www.amazon.com.au/Eopzol-Rep.../dp/B0BJJWGGVJ

At $30 for a small float needle, for an extra $20 you can get a whole (aftermarket) carburetor.

https://www.amazon.com.au/799584-Car.../dp/B0BHWJLF19

If it were me, I'd probably order the new carb and then pinch the needle to use in the old carb. Aftermarket carbs are a bit of a lottery, so this way you would keep the OE carb. I'd also throw away that spark plug that comes with the carb kit.

[Citroënbender]

The lost needle was plastic, which was odd in itself. I find myself wondering if the metal needles (likely being heavier) use a different float.

But - either way - at risk of losing it again , my thought was to make a Frankencarb, also.

[swamp]

hi
FYI
Turtle back sthil blowers were riddled with major issues ,so be carefull if considering buying used .

Long live the original magnum 420 model . Very reliable

[DFB FGXR6]

I've been using Diamond Edge trimmer line since 2017. Prior to that, I had been just grabbing anything on the shelf at Bunning's or the mower shop. Some were ok, some were terrible. The main thing I noticed when I switched to Diamond Edge was how hard and brittle those other lines were. The Diamond Edge offered a little more flexibility to it, meaning it doesn't just fracture and chip away, and in turn I was going through less line. Of course, Bunning's wouldn't want that, they need you to keep buying more and more and more.

https://www.greenacresmowers.com.au/...diamond%20edge



I've had no reason to change from Diamond Edge, but I've decided to give Stihl's latest CF3 Carbon Pro line a try. This stuff is supposed to be the first carbon fiber trimmer line to hit the market, although the well-seasoned man behind the desk at the Stihl dealer had no idea of that. Price wise, its actually cheaper than the Diamond Edge.

https://bwmachinery.com.au/product/s...S-Z-sjRC0L2-d3





The CF3 Carbon Pro line is made using a three-layer extrusion technique and has a pronounced twist to it, which the Diamond Edge lacks. This construction is supposed to offer superior durability, with Stihl claiming it can last three times longer than conventional nylon line. I would think that claim is in reference to the basic round Stihl trimmer line, so it will be interesting to see how it compares to the similar cross-section Diamond Edge. Both have similar flexibility, although the Stihl line has a much smoother/slicker jacket.



I used the CF3 on a job this morning. Initial impressions suggest that this line is a quieter spinning, durability remains to be seen.

[CFOUR]

green diamond edge here. the DeWalt string (2.5mm twisted x pattern) i got with my flex volt power head trimmer feeds great in my Hondas bump feed head but the dewalt head hates it.

[mad2]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

I’ve been reading and researching early Victa’s quite a lot over the last few weeks. The research and parts hunting element is probably what I enjoy most about this hobby. I haven’t managed to put an exact date or year that my Model 5 Special was made, but it’s somewhere between 1957 and 1960.

In my travels, I came across images of the original Victa prototype. In 1951, Mervyn Victor Richardson built a prototype lawn mower in his Sydney home garage. This rudimentary machine had a hand-built frame, a Villers 2-stroke engine and famously used an old peach tin for the petrol tank. If you thought a Victa 18 had sketchy looking blades, they have nothing on this arrangement………………….

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That prototype is part of the Powerhouse Collection in Castle Hill, along with the first production Victa. The original Victa 18 “Billy Cart” went on sale in 1953 using a steel base and a Villiers engine. The first of Victa’s own 125cc 2-stroke engine went on sale in 1955 as the Model 1 Rotomo. By 1957, Victa introduced an alloy chassis for the Model 4 and 5.

https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/158738
https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/263540

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I liken these early Victa’s as the Holden or Model T of lawn mowers. The Victa became the byword for lawn mower as Australians sidelined their manual reel mowers for the convenience of a “motor-mower”. Unlike those old reel mowers, the Victa could cut longer grass and vegetation. The 2-stroke engine was also suitable for cutting on sloping lawns that would leave a 4-stroke starved of oil. By 1965, the Victa made Mervyn Richardson a millionaire.

"With the Hill's hoist clothes line, the Victa lawnmower is considered an Australian icon as almost every household would have owned both at one time. The development of the Victa rotary mower, an Australian innovation, coincided with the country's post-War housing boom as demand for homes on quarter-acre blocks in the suburbs escalated."

She starts on one pull, something my Krohler powered Rover would often struggle to do.



Having a vintage lawn mower in my collection was never really on my radar. Spending the last few weeks recommissioning this piece of Australian history has been super satisfying. It simultaneously shows far we've come and how far we haven't come. And to think we once made things like this from the ground up. These days, Victa is owned by the greedy Americans, Briggs and Stratton. And while the mowers are assembled in Australia, most if not all of the parts come from China. Even the cast iron 2-stroke blocks and heads were made in China from the late 1990's, then Briggs bought them out in the late 2000's. Victa is now just another faceless American corporation focused purely on making as much profit as possible, no matter the price.

i'm seeing so many of these Victa's now on marketplace

[DFB FGXR6]

Figured out how to get Victa's attention, cute puppy pictures.................

[Trendseeker]

I have one of those supervisors. Sometimes I get down to the last 4 square metres before she moves on.

[DFB FGXR6]

Just watch and listen to that little 125 smash through tall grass!

[DFB FGXR6]

Originally Posted by DFB FGXR6

Last week, my cleaner asked me about where in the area to buy a ride-on mower. In a former life, she was an arborist and knows the ins and outs of garden power equipment and therefore had done research on what she wanted.

My first response was where NOT to buy a mower from..............the business that ripped me off twice, treated me like a fool and was basically the catalyst for me doing my own repairs and buying parts online. Because of the machine she had shortlisted, it was actually that shop she had intended on visiting, but my advice put an end to that.

This week I got told a story that I'm not surprised by but certainly makes me angry. Out of interest, she went in to see if my assessment of this business, and the owner in particular, was true. Upon arrival, she explained what she was looking for and was promptly told by the owner that he was "sick of you women coming in here trying to act like you know something about mowers". She replied along the lines of "that's fine", then promptly walked out.

I'm appalled that someone would say such a thing to customer, male or female. I know there were times when I wanted to cut loose on a customer for being rude or unrealistically demanding, but at the end of the day, I knew that wouldn't lead to a favorable outcome for the business I represented. In fact, sometimes those very specific customers became VERY good customers as the relationship developed. One in particular would come in nearly every Friday, often I felt just to say hello. You see, there is a difference between an unrealistically demanding customer, and one that is informed and knowledgeable enough to know exactly what they want. I know this because I am that type of customer myself.

I can't say I'm surprised by this story because he treated me like a complete fool as well. I know first hand how angry he made me feel, actually, he made me look like a fool in front of other customers and his staff. This is the same bullsh.t that inflicts automotive related businesses, treating females like idiots, something you'd hope was a thing of the past but still very much happens.

In this case, this moron lost a sale worth several thousand dollars from his actions. Add that up over countless other people, it's a wonder he is still in business.

Was speaking to the previous owner of this shop today, who happens to work for Total Tools right next door. Told him this story, he didn't sound surprised. I'm guessing a lot of his old customers are telling him similar stories.

The problem is, unless you are willing to fix things for yourself or buy out of town, people have no choice but give him their business.

[DFB FGXR6]

Hmmm, yeah that'll work......................

[DFB FGXR6]

A common problem on these Stihl BG blowers that have a little age on them is to suddenly lock up. This issue is well known and is caused by the bolts hiding behind the flywheel backing out over time and preventing the flywheel from turning. I've had this happen on several of these BG blowers, if you catch it early the engine will still turn but will sound awful, as if its about to throw a rod. However, if let go it will eventually come across as if the engine has locked up. I actually sidelined a very good unit for several years because of this.

Now, this BG 55 wasn't showing signs of this issue, but while I had it apart, I thought I may as well inspect them. To do this, you need to remove the flywheel. After removing the 13mm nut, you need to shock the flywheel off the crankshaft. I have done this in the past with a centre punch, and you can use a flywheel puller as well. But today, I put this knock-off tool to good use.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/183838815196





This tool is threaded onto the end of the crank, then backed off a few threads. You then put some pressure under the flywheel with a pry bar and give the end of the tool a few sharp blows with a hammer, the flywheel then pops loose, the tool removed, and the flywheel lifted off the crankshaft.







This little project also means I get to use my new tools, a win-win situation!



I also have a threaded flywheel popper, this is for larger 2-stroke engines and uses thread pressure rather than striking with a hammer. This one can be configured a few ways depending on the thread size.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182938114204





In both cases, these two are much safer for the crankshaft and provide more accuracy than a center punch.

With the flywheel removed, you now have access to the T27 bolts in question.





These ones were nice and tight, but I'd come this far and decided to zip them out and apply some thread locker. Love this ratcheting Wera T-handle!

https://www.amazon.com.au/Wera-416-R...1&gad_source=1





Considering how much work this unit has done, I'm surprised at how tight these were compared to others I've had to repair. I'm wondering if the later models with the anti-vibration system are causing vibration to be diverted into these mounting screws and not into the surrounding plastics of the machine.

For those that want to see this in action, Citroenbender's girlfriend did a video on this a few years ago.......................

[DFB FGXR6]

Soaking trimmer line, not something I have ever bothered to do. Now this was because at one point I was powering through line so quickly that I never felt the need. Even though I was using it quickly, that didn't account for the line sitting in a warehouse for extended periods. Considering Stihl put a logo on their trimmer lines suggesting to soak trimmer line, I thought I may as well give it a go...................





A quick video from the horses mouth..................



That video suggests you won't necessarily make the line perform better than new, but rather restoring it back to spec. Will be interesting to see how these two lines perform after soaking.

[DFB FGXR6]

Interesting video attempting to make the lightest Stihl straight shaft trimmer by mixing and matching parts from the FS94R (engine and outer shaft) and FS111R (inner shaft, handle, gearbox and guard). The end result being 10.31 lbs / 4.68 kg. The biggest weight saving here was swapping out the heavy 4-Mix engine.



And yet, that 4.68kg weight of the theoretical Frankenstein Stihl is already available within the Husqvarna range, the 525LST. It's also 0.5 kg more than the Husqvarna 522L, which is the lightest straight shaft trimmer on the market.

https://www.husqvarna.com/au/grass-trimmers/525lst/
https://www.husqvarna.com/au/grass-trimmers/522l/

You might think the weight differences presented here to be miniscule, but trust me, it's certainly noticeable and adds ups the longer you use the machine. Despite being a Stihl boy, I just couldn't get past the added weight of their line trimmers, which meant the Husqvarna 522L was the first time I strayed from the brand.

[Citroënbender]

Whose girlfriend?

Going to try soaking my trimmer line as the reel’s usually in hot sun, worst case it makes no difference.