DFB's Garage

Setec Astronomy said:
Every tire coating I've used takes on that blue hue after you apply it, presumably part of the acrylic curing process, so I presumed Ghost was the same, but you're calling it a tracer, and it does look bluish on your sponge--is it not actually white out of the bottle? I also presumed it was called "ghost" because of the white color.
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Yeah it's white coming out of the bottle but now I'm wondering if there's a light blue tint to the white

I'll tell you guts this too, that tip can and will clog, might wanna run some hot water over the top or better through the whole sprayer

I will say that Mr. Cartoon is another sleeper tire coating as well, not sure how long it will stick around since the way it's marketed

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25 day old ADS Ghost applied 2x's with proper cure time between apps and applied inside at about 65-70 degrees. Since then there's been snow/rain/salt and 3 touch-free washes in the past week, plus a couple RW's where I just sprayed and wiped the tire dry. What you see here is after the touch-free wash, no pre-wash or dry, just drove it straight to the grocery store
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What a blissful few hours in the garage, music on and completely lost in my own little world. Thankfully, a cool change that blew through on Wednesday evening and a cool breeze makes outdoor activity a very enjoyable.

After messing about with the Victa Combat on Wednesday morning, I placed an order with Push Mower Repair later that afternoon for a stock of G4 carburetor parts. A less than two day turnaround is impressive!

Victa Parts | Push Mower Repair
Push Mower Repair | eBay Stores
(14) PushMowerRepair.com - YouTube



It's all very well having parts on hand, but they are completely useless if you don't know what they are. So, a little bit of sorting and labeling for organizational bliss!



Stored in the Milwaukee Parts Department, or the MPD..................



Those parts got put to use straight away, my MasterCut had been flooding out and leaking from the primer bulk if the fuel tap was left on between lawns. See, I told you they are high maintenance these things. So, I replaced the primer cap and o-ring, re-using the OE needle. Fuel tap on, and no flooding out. I then nipped up the cylinder head bolts and cleaned the OE-fit NGK BM6A spark plug.

 
Setec Astronomy said:
What is that tach picking up on?
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That type of tachometer can be used in a contact or contactless manner. Without contact, it measures electrical pulses from the sparkplug and converts them into a digital RPM readout. For contact measuring, you connect the supplied alligator clip wire directly to the spark plug, again where it detects electrical pulses and converts to RPM.

My Tacho is from Archer, which is used for single cylinder engines and can be switched to read either 2-stoke or 4-stoke combustion cycles. The one shown in the below video can be used on up to 8-cylinder engines.

 
Work continued on the Victa 18 today.

Last night I spent hours trawling for parts, I'm like a dog with a bone with this sort of thing. I also spent time watching how to rebuild these Victa 3F carburetors. Some may know him for his Ford content, but Peter Anderson also has plenty of Victa content on his channel, this one in particular is the clearest video I could find on this topic.


My carburetor was in much worse condition than his. I had partially dissembled it yesterday and submerged everything in kerosene overnight. This morning, I went about cleaning it up piece by piece. The brass components cleaned up fine, finished off with a light scrub with a scotch pad, then rinsed with carb spray. I needed to use a wire brush to remove the aluminum corrosion present on the carb body and bowl. That corrosion had also set up around the float needle and the classic "tickler" (primer), both frozen in place. A blast of carb spray and some light pick work got both free. I then used a torch tip wire to unplug the emulsion tube orifice, then gave the body a good flush with carb spray.



The throttle slide tube that was frozen in place is now moving freely in the barrel, some light scuffing with a scotch pad sorted it easily. All clean and ready for full assembly once the gasket set arrives.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3527548...SfUJV2EvnJyWwEEkFSaeQ2qjkr3Na7V8aAhCSEALw_wcB

From here, I decided to remove the blade carrier. A little penetrant and a few zips with the rattle gun had it off hassle free. This gave me access to scrape away the dirt and grass cocktail that had been there for 30-years, then a quick blast with the pressure washer. The blades on it are as thin as a piece of paper and in no way safe. So, I have ordered a replacement disk, NOS blades and a new disk nut. Which disk I use will depend on what I find on closer inspection of the original.



Behind the blade disk is the muffler outlet, just above the lower right engine nut. The gorgeously designed spiral muffler takes exhaust gas from the engine and directs it down through the deck and into the lower muffler plate. This type of arrangement was used on those 2-stroke Lawn Boy's in the USA.



Not all of them had that muffler arrangement, I think it was specific to the Special, others had a basic round muffler pot.



I then decided to do some "detailing". I didn't want to be blasting this with a pressure washer, or use aggressive alkaline chemicals. So, I mixed up some DIY Detail Rinse-less wash at the 128:1 water-less ratio. Why this product? Because it would offer a gentle but effective clean, reducing the risk of damaging the 70-year-old paint. Being surfactant based, this particular rinse-less also lathers up under agitation.



Next, I decided to tackle the fuel tank and fuel tap. To start, I disconnected the spark plug and removed the three bolts holding the cowl/blower shroud to the engine. The shroud is then lifted off the engine and a small nut loosened to release the metal tank strap. The tank can then slide off the shroud. I then loosely re-installed the shroud to keep the parts in tact.

The brass fuel tap was the removed from the tank, disassembled and placed in the kerosene bath. The two o-rings are replaceable and included in the carb kit above. I then installed a plastic fuel tap to facilitate the next step.



To clean, I added a handful of stones and some white vinegar into the tank. The stones help agitate loose rust flakes and the vinegar is supposed to help neutralize the rust. I'll let it soak and see what I get.



How she is sitting at the moment after a light clean and a little hyper dressing.



At this point, I'm now waiting for parts to reassemble the carb and fuel tank, then fit new blades. I have also ordered some vintage cable clips to remove the electrical tape holding the throttle cable in place. At the moment, I can't find a replacement dome air filter/choke assembly. It seems Victa reverted to a tube style intake and filter, so I've ordered one of those until the correct item pops up. Hopefully, it will then be time to fire it up, fire it up, fire it up.
 
Big Dave said:
Love the style of that old Victa, I know it would look good re-sprayed, but that patina is very cool.
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I want to be able to use it, so I'm not going to paint it. I'm thinking about giving it a coat of clear to lock in the patina. Apparently, they used enamel paint on these so I would need a specific clear for it to work, but I have to look into that.
 
I've been watching this guy's content for a while now, he's a little rough around the edges, but the mowers are the star of the show. This particular video features a similar Victa 18 Model 5, his has the standard lanyard rope start. He got lucky with not needing a full carburetor rebuild like mine. Just listen to it scream from the 11-min 15-sec mark, even with very thick grass, it zooms through it with relative ease. Those 125cc 2-strokes produced 3.6 hp, an equivalent Briggs from that era would have made about 2.5 - 3.0 hp from 148cc. Most gas-powered mowers these days produce about 3.5 - 4.0 hp, so we haven't really progressed all that much.


Different channel, the same screaming 2-stroke!


This is what I'm aiming for, preserved and running.......................

 
Well, I decided to step it up and use something more targeted for the fuel tank.

www.supercheapauto.com.au

CRC Evapo-Rust Rust Remover - 1 Litre

CRC Evapo-Rust Rust Remover - 1 Litre
www.supercheapauto.com.au www.supercheapauto.com.au

I emptied the white vinegar and stones from the tank, rinsed with a healthy dose of carb spray, then dumped the entire bottle of CRC Evapo-rust into the tank.



It will be interesting to see how this works out, apparently the fluid can be reused afterwards.
 
DFB said:
Came across this recently, very appropriate in my situation...................

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It is so frustrating, the place I've been going to has let me down the last couple of times. At the last service they didn't torque the wheels on correctly, some were too tight, some felt almost loose, I'm sure the didn't tighten in the correct sequence, just being lazy I guess, but wheel nuts are kind of important. Then at my last rego check they put the wrong odometer reading in, so when you check my rego online it shows as having an anomaly, I asked them to fix it months ago, still not fixed though.

So do I tell them again what they need to fix, and risk them thinking I'm a pedantic whinger, and probably still treat me and my vehicle without due care and attention. Or do I find someone new, maybe a mobile guy, I used to have a really good one in Sydney, but he left to take up a teaching position.
 
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Big Dave said:
It is so frustrating, the place I've been going to has let me down the last couple of times. At the last service they didn't torque the wheels on correctly, some were too tight, some felt almost loose, I'm sure the didn't tighten in the correct sequence, just being lazy I guess, but wheel nuts are kind of important. Then at my last rego check they put the wrong odometer reading in, so when you check my rego online it shows as having an anomaly, I asked them to fix it months ago, still not fixed though.

So do I tell them again what they need to fix, and risk them thinking I'm a pedantic whinger, and probably still treat me and my vehicle without due care and attention. Or do I find someone new, maybe a mobile guy, I used to have a really good one in Sydney, but he left to take up a teaching position.
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I'd find a mobile guy or maybe the teacher can take care of just your cars, a consistent side hustle for a position that probably doesn't pay what it should as in being a teacher

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Klasse Act said:
I'd find a mobile guy or maybe the teacher can take care of just your cars, a consistent side hustle for a position that probably doesn't pay what it should as in being a teacher

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I simplified the teaching position, it was a church mission to some islands somewhere in the Pacific, he was teaching all kinds of mechanical repairs and his wife was teaching English to villagers. The way he spoke about it was like a dream come true for the whole family. I guess it was, I look up his old business name every so often and it doesn't show up.

I'm due for a service in the next month, I might give these guys one last chance, but not warn them, and double check their work of course.
 
Big Dave said:
I simplified the teaching position, it was a church mission to some islands somewhere in the Pacific, he was teaching all kinds of mechanical repairs and his wife was teaching English to villagers. The way he spoke about it was like a dream come true for the whole family. I guess it was, I look up his old business name every so often and it doesn't show up.

I'm due for a service in the next month, I might give these guys one last chance, but not warn them, and double check their work of course.
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Self Service Dave or is that a no?
 
Tasmania said:
Self Service Dave or is that a no?
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I can do basic stuff, but I avoid safety related stuff, especially brakes. So I hope that they check all that while they have it, like they say they do. It's also really messy removing the bash plate underneath, to access the sump plug, there's always dried mud under there.
 
DFB said:
Well, I decided to step it up and use something more targeted for the fuel tank.

www.supercheapauto.com.au

CRC Evapo-Rust Rust Remover - 1 Litre

CRC Evapo-Rust Rust Remover - 1 Litre
www.supercheapauto.com.au www.supercheapauto.com.au

I emptied the white vinegar and stones from the tank, rinsed with a healthy dose of carb spray, then dumped the entire bottle of CRC Evapo-rust into the tank.



It will be interesting to see how this works out, apparently the fluid can be reused afterwards.
Click to expand...

Wow, this stuff is GOOD! Very surprised and happy at how well the inside of the tank cleaned up.
 
Yesterday I said goodby to a friend and colleague of 20-years. After a 15-year battle with cancer, she fought it to the very end, I would expect nothing less. She was one of those people who would give to her own detriment, a totally selfless soul that was loved by many. She worked for the company for nearly 35-years, only 'retiring' in late November last year at age 82, and only because her body wouldn't let her anymore.

I already miss our regular text messages and working the Saturday shift together. And while I'm sad to no longer have her in my life, I'm also content knowing she lived life to the very end, not a second wasted. She battled for so long, both for own and her late husbands health, she is now at peace. Perhaps she's dancing on the tables of heaven, she once famously jumped up and started dancing on the table at a company Christmas party a few years before I joined. As she would often ask if I was freeeeee, she is now freeeee.

Considering the above, and the projected temperatures below, I really couldn't be bothered working today......................



So, I followed my heart and did what makes me happy.......................



In the foam cannon today, ADS Shampoo+ used on the wheels and body, drying aid ADS Amplify, Invisible Glass for the windows and touchscreen, OG Tire Dressing for the rubber and Amplify on the wheels and exhaust tips.
 
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