Repairing and Maintaining Victa 2 Stroke Mowers, Random Stuff, and More

- a while back someone gave me a free Victa 2 stroke mower (he gave it away because he couldn't really start it during a possible sale. In fact, he even called it a "piece of sh*t"!). It didn't work great and actually required me to get "new used" parts the first time I used it (because the handle broke off due to rust) but it was better then nothing. I used it for a while but it recently stopped working completely. I've dabbled in this previously but never really went "all the way" to doing a complete restoration. This time was different because I had some spare time and I just wanted to know whether it was viable to repair it cheaply and easily. The mower industry has consolidated a lot. Not many different manufacturers and a lot of very similar designs.
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2019/08/servicingfixing-my-briggs-and-stratton.html
Victa is an Australian manufacturer of outdoor garden equipment, including petrol and electric lawn mowers, edgers, trimmers, and chainsaws. They manufacture these in petrol and battery-powered variants. However, Victa is best known as a manufacturer of rotary lawn mowers.[1]
The Victa brand is currently owned by the American engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton; while being American owned, some assembly is retained in Australia with much occurring at various sites overseas. Manufacturing also primarily occurs overseas.
In Australia and New Zealand, Victa products are sold through major hardware chains and specialist dealers. Victa is also sold in limited quantities through specialist dealers internationally.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briggs_%26_Stratton
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_mower
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lawn_mower_manufacturers
A small engine is the general term for a wide range of small-displacement, low-powered internal combustion engines used to power lawn mowers, generators, concrete mixers and many other machines that require independent power sources.[1] These engines often have simple designs, for example an air-cooled single-cylinder petrol engine with a pull-cord starter, capacitor discharge ignition and a gravity-fed carburettor.
Engines of similar design and displacement are also used in smaller vehicles such as motorcycles, motor scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and go-karts.
...
The four largest manufacturers of small engines for power equipment in 2019 were Briggs & Stratton, Honda, Kawasaki and Kohler. Other major players include: Kubota, Yamaha and Liquid Combustion Technology.[16]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_engine
- I got quotes from anywhere between $25 - $150 to get it repaired. The irony is that the cost of repair often is more then cost to get a used mower that is working. I've had a few mowers go bust on me so I decided to try fix it myself as a learning exercise this time even if it did cost me more then simply purchasing a used or new mower. The other irony is that if you get a brand new mower they often only honor the warranty if you do regular servicing from authorised service centres (similar to cars, electronics, computers, many consumer goods, etc...) which is more expensive then if you get a used mower and do semi-regular repairs/servicing on it yourself in the long term
warranty toro lawn mower
https://www.toro.com.au/warranty
The Toro Warranty Landscape
A Limited Warranty (see warranty periods below) Contractor
Equipment (LCE)
WPM Product
Summary Description
The Toro Company promises to repair the Toro Product below if defective in
materials or workmanship for the period listed below.
The warranty applies only if you perform the routine maintenance specified
in the Operator's Manual.
Toro makes no other express warranty. The engine manufacturer may
provide its own engine warranty and special emission system warra
https://www.toro.com/getpub/177852
warranty victa mower
Under Express Warranty the Lawnmower is warranted from the date of purchase against mechanical defects and faulty workmanship or material. Express Warranty covers only the replacement, repair or adjustment of parts which fail due to a fault in manufacture.
Defective parts will be replaced or serviced by an Authorised Service Centre without charge for labour or materials, subject to conditions. Repairs or adjustments required by normal use or by failure to follow the manufacturer's instructions are chargeable to the owner.
Authorised Service Centre are authorised to determine whether a claim will be covered under warranty, or payable by the owner on completion.
You should seek independent legal advice to determine whether a claim not covered by the Express Warranty is covered by any warranties implied by law.
Express Warranty applies to the original purchaser only. Proof of purchase date must be provided prior to Express Warranty work.
Use of parts other than genuine Spare Parts cancels the Express Warranty.
Repairs other than by an Authorised Service Centre cancels the Express Warranty.
Altering the product (including governed speed) cancels the Express Warranty..
A lawnmower run with incorrect fuel, oil or oil level, is not covered by the Express Warranty.
Failure to properly service cooling or air filtration systems cancels the Express Warranty.
Failure to follow the instruction manual or labels attached cancels the Express Warranty.
Fair and reasonable wear is not covered by the Express Warranty.
Damage from an accident, misuse or neglect is not covered by the Express Warranty.
Costs of transportation of the lawnmower are to be paid by the owner.
Blades and spark plugs are not covered by the Express Warranty.
https://www.victa.com/au/en_au/service-repairs/warranty.html
https://www.victa.com/content/dam/briggsandstratton/na/en_us/Files/PDFs/Warranty%20Archive/ENGINE%20WARRANTY%20JAN-2017.pdf
honda mowers warranty
Limited Warranty
In order to take advantage of the HONDA limited warranty, you must have maintenance performed according to the schedule (contained in the relevant owners manual supplied with this product), by an authorised HONDA dealer.
You are free to have your HONDA product serviced by any suitably qualified mechanic and this will not affect your statutory warranties, however, failure by the owner to have the recommended servicing carried out by an authorised HONDA dealer means that you cannot take advantage of the Honda limited warranty.
In order to ensure your safety, we strongly recommend that you only use an authorised HONDA dealer for servicing. Only authorised HONDA Dealers have access to all of the special tools and training required to maintain your HONDA product in peak operating condition.
HONDA warrants each new HONDA Motorcycle, All Terrain Vehicle, Power Product and Marine Engine to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal domestic* use and service for the period specified below, conditional to the limitations and exclusions printed on this page. This warranty applies only to new HONDA products distributed in Australia by *HONDA MPE.
The owner must keep a record of all services and maintenance; proof of service history may be required.
https://powerequipment.honda.com.au/owners/warranty
https://powerequipment.honda.com.au/termsandconditions
- the nice thing about 2 stroke engines is that they are simpler but they are noisy. Being simpler helps because you can MacGyver a lot of things. Even if you can't find the original part you can create your own workaround as opposed to modern engines which have a lot of fiddly bits which are intricate, fragile, often hard to find and/or manufacture after they go out of manufacture, etc... If you didn't know, lawn mowers and go karts share similar (and sometimes even the same) engine designs which means you'll see/experience the same flaws/differences when jumping between 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines. Funnily enough, you get to hear the this heritage sometimes in some modern Formula 1 cars?
https://www.varietech.com.au/tutorials/
https://pushmowerrepair.com.au/fix-leaky-victa-faceplate/
https://pushmowerrepair.com.au/category/victa-tutorials/
https://pushmowerrepair.com.au/category/briggs-stratton-tutorials/
2 Stroke VS 4 Stroke LAWN MOWERS which is better?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0f59AuO4ng
https://www.youtube.com/@pollywaffle1458/videos
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=formula+1+car+sound+evolution
F1 Sound Evolution (1986-2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhK0seC-vmc
Incredible F1 Engines Sound Evolution (1950-Current) (V12 V10 V8 V6)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3nUKvuf6W4
https://www.youtube.com/@F1Gamer
Formula 1 Sound Comparison - V8, V10, V12, V6 Turbo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul8ZUBdHCPA
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=go+kart+2+stroke+vs+4+stroke
Kart 4 stroke vs 2 stroke: how they compare!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_v1X-aj568
Rotax Senior Max 125cc two stroke vs Honda 390cc 4 stroke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGmR82wjiHM
230HP Super Kart vs. 1300HP Porsche 9ff vs. 1088HP AUDI S4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkiuuMfoGvM
What's the Difference Between 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Engines?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rza6B5mDQ4
https://www.youtube.com/@ConcerningReality
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tractor+racing
Tractor Pulling 2023: Pro Stock Tractors pulling on Friday at the Southern IL Showdown-Nashville, IL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI9oXXgZ8Kk
https://www.youtube.com/@JPPullingProductions
Inside the Indy 500 of Lawnmower Races
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brgep8R73u8
https://www.youtube.com/@GreatBigStory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver_(2016_TV_series)
- right from the beginning, this mower has had various issues. The handle broke off, the starter rope broke, then it wouldn't start, the carburettor needed a refurbishment (I opened it up and realised the float and pin mechanism which are used to regulate fuel flow weren't working properly (the pin just stayed stuck in one position which meant that the wrong amount of fuel was flowing to the engine. The O-ring was really old as well), and the decompressor was malfunctioning as well which didn't enable me to start my mower.
- parts for Victa 2 Stroke mowers aren't easy to come generally but they are available for mower specialists who work on used mowers both online and retail as well
- they seem to be a favourite of some people as they have a reputation for running a long time and without requiring regular servicing? They're an "honest piece of machinery"
Free Curbside Victa 2 Stroke Commando Lawnmower Restoration - Will it run?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA74BO5Mllc
Will it Start? VICTA Silver Streak Dug out of someones backyard! Can we Fix it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ85Ymu3OnY
VICTA 2 Stroke Lawn Mower Under Revving - How to FIX!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xARDzg8kLw
Trash Picked VICTA 2 Stroke Lawnmower - Will it Run?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSfZ60qnJW4
https://www.youtube.com/@DrewFixIt
Victa 2-Stroke Lawn Mower 101 - Repair Tips And Tricks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTth0ss9JKc
https://www.youtube.com/@nevsgarage
2-stroke lawn mower Victa power torque cold start first in 2 years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCq5DdpRYog
https://www.youtube.com/@reddogsaws
RARE Aussie lawnmower repair!!! VICTA PRO 505
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDJOh2pZyaY
https://www.youtube.com/@theaustralianrestorer6211
Can we fix it? Victa corvette vsx 160 2 stroke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIVXxctVbrI
Will it run after 20+ years? Victa utility 160cc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvy30CzunOA
Will this 65 year old Victa mow again??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2G5JKmC5FY
https://www.youtube.com/@junkyarddog87/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@Garage54ENG/videos
- there are some 2 stroke specialists out there. Like the electronics and recycling and repair world though cheap a lot of old repairable mowers/goods are hoovered up by small number of people though so there aren't really many that go out for a reasonable price. A lot of people demand crazy prices for old non-working gear as well.
PushMowerRepair.com - Victa G4 Carburetor Service
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERYy3X1mx0c
https://www.youtube.com/@Pushmowerrepair
https://www.youtube.com/@victa2strokeworkshop944/videos
- I actually only came by a video on the decompressor by accident recently which was fortuitous. I haven't replaced my compressor as yet and have basically plugged up the hole for the time being where it usually goes into. Ironically, the decompressor is non-critical part which you can operate without but it can stop your mower engine from working.
PushMowerRepair.com - Decompressor Repair Kit Installation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxvWb_hVjrM
https://www.youtube.com/@Pushmowerrepair
Victa Lawnmower Decompression Valve - diagnosis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tjX07G_MZg
https://www.youtube.com/@Greeves
- there are some interesting third parties who make parts for Victa 2 stroke mowers. Apparently, there were concerns with flooding with the original carburettor design so some companies have made alternative plastic and metal pins for it. Round bit goes towards float, pointy bit goes towards feeder nozzle.
VTECH 47 - Varietech First Victa LM G4 Needle Lever Prototype
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo-auXsu0_M
https://www.youtube.com/@Varietech-AU
- there are a lot of tutorials online but most of them are too general. You need to learn about how small engines/motors work generally to be able to do proper repairs. Many of the scenarios that I have to face aren't documented online so I have to half guess what's going on and how to fix it
How to Start a 2 Stroke Mower (Won't Start Tutorial)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4_J1OIpVIg
https://www.youtube.com/@howtowithkel3352
I turn 4 stroke into 2 stroke engine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7cwAe5mLig
https://www.youtube.com/@letslearnsomething30
briggs and stratton start surging up and down
Briggs and Stratton, Lawn Mower Engine Surges, Troubleshooting Surging, Low Idle RPM No Power Fixed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlA_rEpUxT8
https://www.youtube.com/@BenHuttash
FIX Engine Surging on any small engine QUICKLY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ22j4FsF6g
https://www.youtube.com/@sixtyfiveford
FORGOTTEN 35 YEAR OLD MINI BRUSH MOWER RESTORATION
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a41lg3BiIFY
https://www.youtube.com/@MachineryRestorer
- if you were interested in this post you'll probably be interested in my other repair blog posts:
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2019/08/servicingfixing-my-briggs-and-stratton.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/10/vacuum-filter-troublesplanned.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/09/conversion-from-physical-to-virtual_10.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/07/international-manufacturing-youtube.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/06/youtube-car-repair-channels-random.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2021/11/recyclingunlockinghacking-devices-for.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2019/11/a-sea-of-fakery-random-stuff-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2018/04/hp-4520s-laptop-teardown-random-stuff.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2011/04/apple-ibook-g4-logicboard-fixes.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2010/10/asus-1005p-disassembly.html
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http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2012/05/fujitsu-stylistic-st4120-recovery.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2011/10/nvidia-laptop-graphics-chip-repair.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2013/03/laptop-hacking-and-hardware-workarounds.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/08/apple-icloud-device-locking-and-general.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2013/03/repairing-laptop-power-bricks.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2011/08/unlocking-your-phonemodem.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/08/apple-icloud-device-locking-and-general.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/07/ableton-and-ableton-push-hacking.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2012/09/windows-and-android-arent-that_5901.html
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http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/06/repairing-musical-instrumentselectrical.html
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http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2012/12/network-traffic-analysis-laptop-power.html
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http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2012/10/more-security-oscilloscope-and-wireless_6750.html
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- as usual thanks to all of the individuals and groups who purchase and use my goods and services
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Random Quotes:
- "It doesn't matter whether [they're Aboriginal] or not, any person exceeding those sustainable limits set for both the recreational or the cultural fishing sector, it's illegal and they should face court," he said.
Mr Smythe argued that quotas were necessary to ensure sustainable fishing practices but, he said, he would be open to increasing bag limits for Aboriginal people for feeding their families.
"Our understanding has always been that [Aboriginal people] do have a native title right, however, it's not for sale," Mr Smythe said.
The abalone industry takes 100 tonnes a year in New South Wales, according to Mr Smythe.
Mr Stewart said his people had been fishing for thousands of years before the Fisheries Management Act was established and before the arrival of the commercial abalone industry.
"This is my country and they're telling me they can just come here, take my resources away and tell me that I can't do this and I can't do that," he said.  
"They put a bag limit on us to feed our whole families.
"Our mob would be lucky to take three or four tonnes between the whole lot of us.
"I've always had that right by my people [to hunt] and to gather."
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- We could have highly educated, critical and thoughtful societies and education could be the basis for these – but we have to see our education systems as resources for the greater good of humanity and not as merely functional spaces to cement the status quo. Our education system needs to be based around far more diverse good local arts and community spaces that can be places of learning and debate and change, and which challenge the behemoths of an unsustainable university system, where millions of young people and their parents fork out thousands to access and then leave with mountains of debt.
This model of education has had its day.
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/530397-british-education-system-broken/
- "We were warned by the prophets that we would be expelled from the land and that happened with the destruction of the temple [in Jerusalem] 2,000 years ago. We were not to return in mass – it's a godly decreed exile – and we're also not to rebel against any nation we reside in. We are to be loyal citizens and pray for the well-being of the land that is our hosts. We also should never make any attempt to end exile."
...
Rabbi Weiss said, "They mooched the Star of David from us and claim to the world they are doing God's will, that is to intimidate so that anybody who dares to speak up against them is an anti-Semite. It's ludicrous, and a tragedy, as they don't represent our Torah. "
...
Some critics refuse to offer Neutrei Karta a platform due to the accusations around its conduct and relationships. But the group is adamant it will continue to do its work, as, for them, it's a God-given mandate.
Rabbi Weiss admitted, "We're jaded a little; we have seen so many atrocities… in Gaza and the West Bank. There are always people who are pleasantly surprised and some who are shocked. Of course, the ones who are Zionists are aghast; they say we're anti-Semitic and what we are doing will cause Jewish bloodshed.
"They attack Gaza with drones, people are murdered day in, day out – and every person has a family. Every member is affected and all those in the refugee camps living in squalor, do you think they grow up loving Jews?
"We tell them we hurt with you, and tell them the Jewish people don't accept what Zionists are doing. It totally defies logic on every level, but the world buys into the Zionist propaganda and their PR machine. We want to stop the bloodshed and build bridges."
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/524455-neturei-karta-rabbi-weiss-israel/
- Every time Young saved enough money to pay off the balance and re-enroll in classes, "something would come up, my kids needed stuff. I put my education on hold to take care of my family," she said.
...
In Young's case, the financial assistance was deeply appreciated.
"The funding helped me get through the hardships," Young said, adding that it was often difficult to manage being a single mother while working two jobs and keeping up with her classes.
Her experience is not uncommon, said Nancy Kropf, the dean of Perimeter College.
She said Young's story of going to college later in life "put into focus that we have to take very seriously who our students are, and the responsibility that we have to nurture them to stay in school. Reentering higher education is not easy."
Despite the challenges, though, Young graduated with her bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Georgia State's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies on May 6. Of course, alongside her family, Esch was in the stands once again — beaming with joy.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/05/14/college-graduation-uber-passenger/
- Meanwhile, Crown is the subject of a takeover offer by US private equity giant Blackstone, which already has a 9.99 per cent stake in the company.
Mr Packer is reportedly open to selling his stake, which isn't surprising given he has long been retreating from public business life, quitting the Crown board in 2018.
Nevertheless, Ms Bergin found his enduring influence over Crown had "disastrous consequences for the company" after hearing he had been the driving force behind the push to secure more of the Asian high-roller market at the centre of the scandal, with one of the most dire consequences of that push being the arrest of Crown staffers in China in 2016.
He also got special treatment, with briefings on an almost daily basis under a "controlling shareholder protocol".
That arrangement has since been torn up, while the reclusive billionaire recently told The Australian he would sadly step back to being a passive investor.
Crown has a unique position in WA, as it is the state's sole casino operator, with pokie machines not allowed outside the Perth complex, where it employs about 5500 people.
WA Premier Mark McGowan previously said the state government obviously had "no tolerance for criminality or any sort of inappropriate conduct going on in the casino", but Crown Perth's staff were a critical consideration.
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/other-industries/another-royal-commission-into-crown-resorts-kicks-off-this-time-in-wa-in-wake-of-damning-nsw-inquiry-findings/news-story/9964930ce64e1afbe2daaca849ffe913
- That speech, which also included the rather provocative description of China's financial system as "adolescent" – he said China had no systemic risks because it "basically has no financial system" – has been cited as one of the reasons why the planned $US37 billion ($48.6 billion) initial public offering of Ant Group was called off last November, only two days before it would have been the largest IPO in history.
The speech may have been a contributing factor but it is more likely that, when the Chinese authorities saw the massive valuation attributed to Ant by the IPO, and read the detail of the nature and scale of its operations in the offer document, they were taken aback and probably alarmed.
Ant Group started as a peer-to-peer payments system within Ma's Alibaba group but rapidly – in the space of five or six years - evolved into one of China's largest, and its fastest-growing, financial institutions. It has online lending, investment and insurance businesses that have about $US635 billion of assets under management.
Its consumer and small business loan book, however, had only about $US2.5 billion of capital supporting $US333 billion of assets.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/jack-ma-s-ant-group-is-becoming-a-member-of-a-club-he-despises-20210413-p57irp.html