Got a new (old) VICTA something (2024)

Got a new (old) VICTA something

NSW Hawkesbury

Hey guys,

picked this up today, though not quite sure what VICTA it is.

Also, when I picked it up, he showed me it isn't seized.. pulled the cord and (no spark plug) woosh.. a bit of a geyser .. guess he left it out in the rain...

Q: How do you go about dealing with a mower with water in cylinder? I guess I'll have to strip it right down?

I pulled the cord a few more times when i got home to clear more out then turned it upside down to try get even more out.. but yeh, i dunno.. thoughts ?

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8011117/12/16 04:14 AM

Gippsland, Vic

Well, that's what I'd have to term a 'butchered bitsa', especially with the weird mods to the muffler.

It's basically a 1950's engine and blade disc, on a 1970's Utility chassis.

If the engine still turns over, it may be salvageable - water in the cylinder is not necessarily a major problem; water in the crankcase usually is, due to the rolling element bearings in there. Best thing to do, is to strip the engine down pronto, and give the big end and main bearings a good shot of something like WD-40. I'm not an admirer of WD-40 as a lubricant, but it does do a good job of displacing water.

The teardown will be a good exercise in getting to know these engines, anyway.
You'll need Whitworth [BSW/BSF] spanners for the barrel, head and crankcase nuts though, and either a 13/16" or 1" AF ring spanner [or that size socket and an air rattle gun] for the blade disc nut.

There's a bit of a trick to getting the crankshaft boss under the blade disc off - see THIS past thread.

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Gadge#8011617/12/16 06:05 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Ahhhh Bugger .. was hoping it was a complete original mower (though the red painted engine on orange base did make me a lil suspicious) .. any idea or pictures of what the original base is suppose to be for that particular engine ? As with the muffler .. is that not an original victa muffler ?

Managed to get the cylinder head off and had a peak into the crank-case .. didn't see any water, seemed mostly dry... so hopefully when I get it completely dismantled I can have a better look.

Just my luck.. 90% of tools (sockets at least) I have are Metric lol and the imperial are 12 sided .. managed to find a socket and spanner with correct size though.. everything came apart pretty easy.. nothing seized (except blade boss still stuck)

i followed that link, but I'm not 100% sure Im doing it right. I layed the engine on its side with the boss/shaft sticking out the side. I stuck a club-hammer under the boss and gave it a few light taps with another metal hammer.. no budge.. not sure if this is a slip on type or threaded (if you can get threaded). im a little hesitant to hit harder in-case I damage the boss

I've got a butane torch here.. dont think it'll be hot enough to heat the boss up though..

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8011817/12/16 06:43 AM

Woy Woy

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8013017/12/16 07:28 PM

Gippsland, Vic

It's a straight un-keyed taper fit - matching 15� tapers on the shaft and in the bore of the boss.
Don't be afraid to give it a really good smack - it's solid steel, so it isn't easily damaged. Pullers don't work on these, and I doubt heat would help much.

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8013617/12/16 08:58 PM

Brisbane QLD Australia

What I do to get the boss off is lay it on a hard metal surface (I use my vice) put the nut back on the (Just in case I miss) and then pound it with a hammer.Try not to hit the bottom of the crankcase as it will damage it.

As for that post up the engine number as that will give me a better idea as to what it's off,and I should be able to work out what it's off.

It is but it has been very very modified. That base should have had a series 70 engine with a box muffler that fit's in the rectangular slot in the base.

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8013817/12/16 10:34 PM

Tasmania

I would think most experienced members would use that technique.

I would like to make this observation from personal experience.
Being part of a large engineering shop as a young lad made me
observe the techniques used by tradies.

We avoided the laying of the Victa bosses on fixed hard surfaces.
Instead, we used the BIG hammer / small hammer approach.

Gadge has said pullers are not a good solution here, and this must
be related to what I experienced.

By using a BIG hammer as support, and using a smaller hammer (regular size)
as the hitter, I noticed tapers would be 'released' in about two strikes.
The 'shock' was transferred through both hammers.

When hitting against a fixed object, like a vice, I noticed this would take
longer! I think this means the shock (wave) 'broke the taper' more readily,
and the BIG hammer / small hammer method supplied this more effectively.

I understand most folk will have a vice and an engineering hammer.
Most will not have what we had - a large selection of equipment.

It's just an observation.

All very stubborn boss.
----------------------------------
Jack

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

CyberJack#8014818/12/16 02:18 AM

victoria australia

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8015418/12/16 09:20 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Update: Got the boss off.. took severl hard wacks.. few dents in the boss.. dont think its serious.. but.. seems I made a slight bend in the end of the crank shaft (where the blade-plate + nut screw onto .. I'd like to think that a minor bend is ok.. but spinning in circle at high rpm would likely cause a bad wobble/vibration

One of the shaft bearings was seized/rusted ,,, the other spins but may as-well replace both...

Which brings me to the last Question.. how the flip do I get the other half of the enging-case separated from the crank shaft

I;v tried bashing the end with the back-side of the hammer handle (wood), but just damages the handle

Thanks again

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

CyberJack#8017719/12/16 12:57 AM

Brisbane QLD Australia

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8017819/12/16 01:05 AM

Tasmania

Hello Blumby
If it works for you, that' great mate.
I've used both and I reported what works best for me.

My discussion was about the most effective method.
I hope you appreciate my simple point - a solid but not rigid
large hammer seemed to cause a greater shock to break the taper.
Perhaps there is a scientific explanation for that.

It could be similar to how tower bell strikers work.
The bell is solidly mounted but not rigid. They pivot.
The Sound produced is a shock wave.

------------------------
Jack

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8018519/12/16 03:14 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Update: Got the crankshaft separate from the rest of the engine body, cleaned the parts if some diesel and used a drill+wire wheel to carefully clean the flywheel.. but couldnt reach sections of it.. tips (besides sand blasting)?

Same with the inside of the crankshaft.. cleaned around it, but cant reach into the middle of the crankshaft.. tips ?

Will also need to replace the bearings and seals

One thing I noticed, there's only 1x gasket on it.. between the crankcase and cylinder head .. is there not suppose to be a gasket between the crankcase halves ?

More pics:

Looks like a IB AA 1745

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8018619/12/16 03:19 AM

Brisbane QLD Australia

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Blumbly#8018719/12/16 03:27 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Fun when things work out.. not so fun when they break lol.. still bummed about the slight bend in the crankshaft.. will have to apply some heat and try bend back about a millimeter.

With the engine number, I edited post above with a pic.. looks like it reads IB AA 1745

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8019319/12/16 05:47 AM

Brisbane QLD Australia

OK well due to the engine number I'd say (unless it's been pieced together from more than one engine) that it is from a model 8 standard.As it has the muffler on the side it does and the engines back then did contain letters in the numbers.The later series of the model 5 did,but they didn't have the exhaust port that would take that muffler. The Sheerline did to but the muffler and carby where on the opposite sides to yours and they had a different style head.So that only leaves the model 8 as by the model 12 the engine numbers didn't contain any letters.
So since your doing all this fine work it might pay to find a model 8 base.They shouldn't be hard to find as they used that same base on quite a few models.
A model 8 looks like this.

No there was no gasket between the two halves.I guess they were such a awesome fit they didn't need it.I usually put some gasket paste between them just to make sure,but it may not need it there,but I'd suggest to anyway you don't really want to have to pull it apart if it had a small air leak from it.

Wow if the crankshaft is bent I suggest getting another one,as if it's not spot on it could cause all sorts of problems.Some things like extra vibration,damage to seals & bearings and other things like that.Could do quite a bit of damage to itself.

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Blumbly#8019919/12/16 06:45 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Thanks heaps Blumbly, much appreciated.. now to find a model 8 base...

oh, true.. might grab some silicon gasket maker just in-case

Will deffinitely be on the lookout for one.. though Im gonna give it a shot to see if i can correct it.. just in-case, are these crankshaft used in all the older 2stroke victas ? or is each different ?

On another note, the bearings look exposed (no rubber seals on them) .. when I replace them, do I need to get the same deep groove radial bearings? Does the oil in the 2 stroke lubricate them or will sealed bearings be ok ?

There's this kit on ebay, not for another 8days.. its a bit pricy, but not sure what ill be looking at in terms of cost..

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/172448022590?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8023420/12/16 03:01 PM

Woy Woy

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Mowerfreak#8027521/12/16 07:13 AM

NSW Hawkesbury

Thanks Mowerfreak, I might give that a shot .. should I try heating the bent section 1st? Ive only got butane, not sure if that'll help, but heat would soften the steel, yes ?

Thanks again

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8027821/12/16 07:25 AM

Woy Woy

Re: Got a new (old) VICTA something

Widget#8028021/12/16 07:29 AM

Melbourne