DFB's Garage
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Klasse Act
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Azure
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Damn lolHaving a little fun with my latest round of Libre patches.
Freestyle Libre Patches
Adhesives for the Freestyle Libre flash glucose monitor. Not only do they look great but it helps stay stuck firm.rockadex.com.au
These are used provide protection for my glucose monitoring sensor. While the sensors have a pretty stout adhesive, I'm paranoid about ripping the sensor off while working in the garden or mowing.
For those that don't know, these Libre sensors are a one-shot deal, once applied they will last 14-days but cannot be reapplied if they fall off or need to be removed, no doubt for sanitary reasons. I actually had to remove one two days in for a CT scan, broke my heart at the time because I didn't have a replacement at home. Back then, they were only available direct from Libre and cost me $95 each..............$200 a month + shipping! They have since been put on the PBS and can be ordered through my normal pharmacy at only $15 each.
The sensors originally needed to be scanned with the camera on my phone or a dedicated meter, but they are now connected via Bluetooth and update the reading every 60-seconds without needing to be scanned. The freedom it has given me can't be measured, I haven't needed to do a proper blood test in many years now, previously I'd be doing those 4 - 8 times a day depending on my condition. These sensors can also talk to an insulin pump, something I haven't pursued.
That needle is quite a bit longer than I thought!
DFB
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Damn lol
It's not really a needle, more of a very thin plastic filament, about 5mm long and sits just under the skin. Apart from the initial click to install, you really don't feel it. I certainly felt doing 4 - 8 blood tests a day, my fingers are still all scarred from doing that for 30 years.
DFB
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The Victa 18's replacement choke/air filter housing arrived today. I paid a handsome price to get this, which is always a risk on second hand parts, especially considering this thing is nearly 70-years old. This particular one has had a pretty decent repair made at some point, but functions as it should and looks just fine.
For reference, mine was missing the choke switch and had a broken tab. With the broken tab, the two remaining tabs weren't holding the top piece down, and therefore the air filter. The choke switch didn't prevent the engine from starting and running, and I tried rigging something up, but that still didn't solve the broken holding tab. My OCD tendencies meant I wouldn't be happy until I got both problems sorted.
I've found having the intake choked isn't really needed to start the engine, on mine at least, it will fire off within one or two pulls. However, the choke block-off (last pic above) also forms part of the intake restriction needed for the engine to run properly at high throttle/high revs. I actually decided to remove the choke insert out of the housing after fitting the new air filter, it then wouldn't start properly or rev up either. The lower piece of this filter pod in conjunction with the choke block-off forms just the right amount of intake restriction to allow the engine to start easier and then run properly when the throttle is open beyond halfway.
The same applied with the high mount setup that I briefly had on the mower. The plastic "filter" has a much smaller inner opening compared to the rubber tubing, in turn providing the correct restriction. I verified that by removing it while the engine was running, which promptly caused it to backfire up the tube, in turn giving me a fright.
The drawback with this setup is you can't use an air filter in that housing, the only filtration is the wire gauze which wouldn't stop dust entering the engine.
The "new" housing doesn't have the Victa lettering on it, so I'm not sure it's older or newer than the original that came with the machine. The installation included swapping the new air filter over. After a quick test run, I note you have to be quick moving the switch to the run position once the engine fires, it will quickly die out otherwise. I do wonder if only using half choke would be sufficient. The test run also verified the engine will run properly at full throttle. I keep meaning to measure the revs with my tacho, it certainly sounds super strong at full throttle.
So, apart from regular maintenance, this sort of concludes the Victa 18 project. The starter mechanism will need attention at some point as it's not always retracting, and I might look into clear coating it to lock in the patina. Maybe one day I'll strip it down and completely restore it. For now, I'm content getting it out every now and then to mow the front lawns, purely for entertainment purposes..............which is exactly why I bought it in the first place.
Now, if I could only find one of those elusive Victa Twin's...........................
For reference, mine was missing the choke switch and had a broken tab. With the broken tab, the two remaining tabs weren't holding the top piece down, and therefore the air filter. The choke switch didn't prevent the engine from starting and running, and I tried rigging something up, but that still didn't solve the broken holding tab. My OCD tendencies meant I wouldn't be happy until I got both problems sorted.
I've found having the intake choked isn't really needed to start the engine, on mine at least, it will fire off within one or two pulls. However, the choke block-off (last pic above) also forms part of the intake restriction needed for the engine to run properly at high throttle/high revs. I actually decided to remove the choke insert out of the housing after fitting the new air filter, it then wouldn't start properly or rev up either. The lower piece of this filter pod in conjunction with the choke block-off forms just the right amount of intake restriction to allow the engine to start easier and then run properly when the throttle is open beyond halfway.
The same applied with the high mount setup that I briefly had on the mower. The plastic "filter" has a much smaller inner opening compared to the rubber tubing, in turn providing the correct restriction. I verified that by removing it while the engine was running, which promptly caused it to backfire up the tube, in turn giving me a fright.
The "new" housing doesn't have the Victa lettering on it, so I'm not sure it's older or newer than the original that came with the machine. The installation included swapping the new air filter over. After a quick test run, I note you have to be quick moving the switch to the run position once the engine fires, it will quickly die out otherwise. I do wonder if only using half choke would be sufficient. The test run also verified the engine will run properly at full throttle. I keep meaning to measure the revs with my tacho, it certainly sounds super strong at full throttle.
So, apart from regular maintenance, this sort of concludes the Victa 18 project. The starter mechanism will need attention at some point as it's not always retracting, and I might look into clear coating it to lock in the patina. Maybe one day I'll strip it down and completely restore it. For now, I'm content getting it out every now and then to mow the front lawns, purely for entertainment purposes..............which is exactly why I bought it in the first place.
Now, if I could only find one of those elusive Victa Twin's...........................
DFB
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With such lovely cool weather at the moment, I'm feeling more motivated. So, I dragged the XR8 out from under its cover for the first time in about a month.
Interesting to note that the 6-speed ZF gearbox in this car responds much, much quicker to manual inputs than the 10R80 10-speed in the Mustang. Let's just put this into perspective, this is a 10-year-old vehicle with a transmission that dates back to 2005 in the Falcon platform, and then back to 2002 for its debut in the E65 BMW 7-Series. It's also nice not having to keep track of so many gears!
On the flipside, the ZF 6-speed in this application doesn't rev-match downshift, despite it being a feature on other vehicles that used the same transmission. And I always wanted to have paddle shifters, something Holden gave their customers. The paddle shifters were missing due to a wiring loom thing that prevented Ford adding this feature. It was a one or the other situation, Ford decided to stick with volume and cruise control functions on the wheel rather than a feature 98% of customers would never use. However, I never did find out why Ford didn't include rev-matched manual downshifts.
Apart from the lack of paddle shifters and rev matching, the ZF does so much right, such as not downshifting or up shifting on its own in manual mode. You can give it full throttle in any gear and it won't shift down unless you pump the kick down switch. It will also allow you to bang the rev limiter for as long as you want. And the manual shifter lever is correctly orientated, forward for a downshift, back for an upshift.
If Ford would stop being so conservative with shift speed and response time to manual inputs, the 10R80 would be close to perfect. I can understand this conservatism in an F-Series or Explorer, and in some ways the calibration prevents it from becoming "busy". But it kinda sucks having a performance car like the Mustang that doesn't respond like you'd hope, or even ignores your inputs. Obviously, the solution would be to buy the manual, but there are plenty of high-performance cars on the market with torque converter autos that can serve dual roles.
This isn't a complaint, rather my observations.
Interesting to note that the 6-speed ZF gearbox in this car responds much, much quicker to manual inputs than the 10R80 10-speed in the Mustang. Let's just put this into perspective, this is a 10-year-old vehicle with a transmission that dates back to 2005 in the Falcon platform, and then back to 2002 for its debut in the E65 BMW 7-Series. It's also nice not having to keep track of so many gears!
On the flipside, the ZF 6-speed in this application doesn't rev-match downshift, despite it being a feature on other vehicles that used the same transmission. And I always wanted to have paddle shifters, something Holden gave their customers. The paddle shifters were missing due to a wiring loom thing that prevented Ford adding this feature. It was a one or the other situation, Ford decided to stick with volume and cruise control functions on the wheel rather than a feature 98% of customers would never use. However, I never did find out why Ford didn't include rev-matched manual downshifts.
Apart from the lack of paddle shifters and rev matching, the ZF does so much right, such as not downshifting or up shifting on its own in manual mode. You can give it full throttle in any gear and it won't shift down unless you pump the kick down switch. It will also allow you to bang the rev limiter for as long as you want. And the manual shifter lever is correctly orientated, forward for a downshift, back for an upshift.
If Ford would stop being so conservative with shift speed and response time to manual inputs, the 10R80 would be close to perfect. I can understand this conservatism in an F-Series or Explorer, and in some ways the calibration prevents it from becoming "busy". But it kinda sucks having a performance car like the Mustang that doesn't respond like you'd hope, or even ignores your inputs. Obviously, the solution would be to buy the manual, but there are plenty of high-performance cars on the market with torque converter autos that can serve dual roles.
This isn't a complaint, rather my observations.
Big Dave
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I read this the other day, I thought someone was playing a joke, but it seems they're legit, I suppose it's the same as someone making Supra 5 speed conversion kits for old Monaros and Kingswoods.With such lovely cool weather at the moment, I'm feeling more motivated. So, I dragged the XR8 out from under its cover for the first time in about a month.
Interesting to note that the 6-speed ZF gearbox in this car responds much, much quicker to manual inputs than the 10R80 10-speed in the Mustang. Let's just put this into perspective, this is a 10-year-old vehicle with a transmission that dates back to 2005 in the Falcon platform, and then back to 2002 for its debut in the E65 BMW 7-Series. It's also nice not having to keep track of so many gears!
On the flipside, the ZF 6-speed in this application doesn't rev-match downshift, despite it being a feature on other vehicles that used the same transmission. And I always wanted to have paddle shifters, something Holden gave their customers. The paddle shifters were missing due to a wiring loom thing that prevented Ford adding this feature. It was a one or the other situation, Ford decided to stick with volume and cruise control functions on the wheel rather than a feature 98% of customers would never use. However, I never did find out why Ford didn't include rev-matched manual downshifts.
Apart from the lack of paddle shifters and rev matching, the ZF does so much right, such as not downshifting or up shifting on its own in manual mode. You can give it full throttle in any gear and it won't shift down unless you pump the kick down switch. It will also allow you to bang the rev limiter for as long as you want. And the manual shifter lever is correctly orientated, forward for a downshift, back for an upshift.
If Ford would stop being so conservative with shift speed and response time to manual inputs, the 10R80 would be close to perfect. I can understand this conservatism in an F-Series or Explorer, and in some ways the calibration prevents it from becoming "busy". But it kinda sucks having a performance car like the Mustang that doesn't respond like you'd hope, or even ignores your inputs. Obviously, the solution would be to buy the manual, but there are plenty of high-performance cars on the market with torque converter autos that can serve dual roles.
This isn't a complaint, rather my observations.
Holden V8 Models to get ZF Eight-Speed Auto Option – report
Holden and HSV owners rejoice! One US company is currently developing the ZF eight-speed for use with the General’s ‘LS3’ V8.
www.carsauce.com
Klasse Act
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This is great news for those looking to upgradeI read this the other day, I thought someone was playing a joke, but it seems they're legit, I suppose it's the same as someone making Supra 5 speed conversion kits for old Monaros and Kingswoods.
Holden V8 Models to get ZF Eight-Speed Auto Option – report
Holden and HSV owners rejoice! One US company is currently developing the ZF eight-speed for use with the General’s ‘LS3’ V8.
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
DFB
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This is great news for those looking to upgrade
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
The ZF 8-speed is an excellent gearbox, probably the best torque-converter auto on the market. I have one in the Jaguar XE, and have driven an assortment of other Jag's with it including the XF, F-Pace and F-Type. I also think 8-gears is about the sweet spot for economy, performance and drivability. A 10-speed makes more sense in non-performance applications, in the Mustang it tends to make it hard to keep track of what gear you are in, especially when downshifting in the heat of the moment.
However, unless you have blown a gearbox, I do question the value of this upgrade. I would have thought using the GM-version of the 10-speed would be a much easier upgrade as its already in the GM ecosystem for those V8's.
The auto Holden used in VE and VF Commodore's was the co-developed Ford/GM 6-speed. This was a copy of the ZF 6HP gearbox made under license by Ford in Livonia, Michigan, and GM in various US states, Mexico and France.
Ford Australia only used the 6R80 in the 2.7 V6 diesel Territory, the rest of the Falcon and Territory range used the original German-made ZF 6HP, although the very final run of naturally aspirated 4.0's used a Chinese-made ZF 6HP with a lower torque rating.
Holden used the 6L80 on VE Commodores with the 6.0 and 6.2 V8's, then introduced it on V6's for the series two until the factory shut in 2017.
DFB
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More work on the Victa Corvette 400. When I put new rings in the engine last year, I noticed the breather tube wasn't screwed into the block. For some reason, the threads were all worn off. Probably not a major problem, but I decided to order a new one.
Briggs and Stratton - 692145
These breather tubes come from an era when everything was made of actual metal and not plastic. I'm fairly sure they used that same part since day dot and only disappeared when Briggs stopped making the old side-valve engines. I'd say they made billions of those things over the years.
Old breather tube, the black splatter on the left is paint overspray from the factory...............
To replace the breather, which makes a connection between the valve cover to the carburetor, the recoil cover needs to be removed. The tube threads into the block and is connected to the carburetor with a rubber elbow.
This job ended being a "while you're in there" situation. I noticed there was some oil/dirt build on and around the muffler, valve cover and a blower shroud. So....................
With the muffler removed, I then cleaned around the valve cover before removing it and the blower shroud. Both were cleaned, and old gasket material removed from the valve cover. The valve cover also doubles as the crankcase breather.
While I had the "muffkin" off, I decided to give a bit of a facelift. First, a wire brush, then sandpaper to remove some burnt-in plastic deposits (don't ask), then wet/dry paper, then Autosol metal polish. (See, there is some detailing going on here despite the focus being on mowers, not cars)
I then reinstalled the valve cover with a new gasket I had left over from the set I used last year, reinstalled the blower shroud and muffler, then the recoil. So, one job turned into three.
I then turned my attention to the VC Mustang. I had this unit out recently to see if I could fix the ignition cut-out, I was having to choke the intake tube to shut the engine off. It had been doing that ever since I was given the mower back in the early 2000's. In the end, I found someone had installed the ignition wires incorrectly and the rubber boot and plug were damaged. Wires reversed with a new boot and plug, problem solved.
However, I noticed it had been leaking fuel from the tap, which was today's task.
With the engine shroud/recoil removed, the tank simply rests on a bracket hanging from the engine. After disconnecting the hose leading to the carb, the fuel was emptied from the tank and the old screw-in tap removed. I decided to replace both tap and fuel line, then cleaned the outside of the tank and around where it had leaked onto the deck. I then refueled and checked for leaks, none, before putting it all back together.
The old tap was red, new one yellow.
I haven't cut grass with this mower in about 15-years! Well, that changed today, which had me using it to mow the front and back lawns. It still smells exactly the same while running as it did when I used to watch my Pa mow his own lawns with it. He never ran it this hard though, always just putting along just above idle.................
Briggs and Stratton - 692145
These breather tubes come from an era when everything was made of actual metal and not plastic. I'm fairly sure they used that same part since day dot and only disappeared when Briggs stopped making the old side-valve engines. I'd say they made billions of those things over the years.
Old breather tube, the black splatter on the left is paint overspray from the factory...............
To replace the breather, which makes a connection between the valve cover to the carburetor, the recoil cover needs to be removed. The tube threads into the block and is connected to the carburetor with a rubber elbow.
This job ended being a "while you're in there" situation. I noticed there was some oil/dirt build on and around the muffler, valve cover and a blower shroud. So....................
With the muffler removed, I then cleaned around the valve cover before removing it and the blower shroud. Both were cleaned, and old gasket material removed from the valve cover. The valve cover also doubles as the crankcase breather.
While I had the "muffkin" off, I decided to give a bit of a facelift. First, a wire brush, then sandpaper to remove some burnt-in plastic deposits (don't ask), then wet/dry paper, then Autosol metal polish. (See, there is some detailing going on here despite the focus being on mowers, not cars)
I then reinstalled the valve cover with a new gasket I had left over from the set I used last year, reinstalled the blower shroud and muffler, then the recoil. So, one job turned into three.
I then turned my attention to the VC Mustang. I had this unit out recently to see if I could fix the ignition cut-out, I was having to choke the intake tube to shut the engine off. It had been doing that ever since I was given the mower back in the early 2000's. In the end, I found someone had installed the ignition wires incorrectly and the rubber boot and plug were damaged. Wires reversed with a new boot and plug, problem solved.
With the engine shroud/recoil removed, the tank simply rests on a bracket hanging from the engine. After disconnecting the hose leading to the carb, the fuel was emptied from the tank and the old screw-in tap removed. I decided to replace both tap and fuel line, then cleaned the outside of the tank and around where it had leaked onto the deck. I then refueled and checked for leaks, none, before putting it all back together.
The old tap was red, new one yellow.
I haven't cut grass with this mower in about 15-years! Well, that changed today, which had me using it to mow the front and back lawns. It still smells exactly the same while running as it did when I used to watch my Pa mow his own lawns with it. He never ran it this hard though, always just putting along just above idle.................
Big Dave
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It could be because of this.
Holden Commodore and Colorado class-action lawsuit launched over alleged transmission fault
Australian-made Holden Commodore models caught in new lawsuit that alleges a major transmission problem.
DFB
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Gave the Mustang it's weekly wash this morning, followed by fitting its new cover.
2023-2025 Ford Mustang Coupe GT + aerial 2 mirrors (no wing) Purfit In – purfitcovers.com
I've had this for a while but delayed using it as the S550 version also fits S650. I'm not using the S550 version of another car (Jaguar XE).
I've had a few of these CoverCraft/PureFit covers now. They all start out super form fitting but stretch a little with use and washing. I run these through the washing machine on a regular basis using the same detergent as my microfiber towels, P&S Rags-to-Riches.
2023-2025 Ford Mustang Coupe GT + aerial 2 mirrors (no wing) Purfit In – purfitcovers.com
I've had this for a while but delayed using it as the S550 version also fits S650. I'm not using the S550 version of another car (Jaguar XE).
I've had a few of these CoverCraft/PureFit covers now. They all start out super form fitting but stretch a little with use and washing. I run these through the washing machine on a regular basis using the same detergent as my microfiber towels, P&S Rags-to-Riches.
DFB
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It could be because of this.
Holden Commodore and Colorado class-action lawsuit launched over alleged transmission fault
Australian-made Holden Commodore models caught in new lawsuit that alleges a major transmission problem.www.drive.com.au
Yeah, the Ford and GM manufactured versions certainly weren't as well made as the German ZF. The 6R and 6L versions seem fragile, not doubt from the cost-control freaks at Ford and GM. My father's first 3.2 Ranger had the 6R80, well it died at 30,000 km and needed a new one.
DFB
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Agreed! When BMW moved away from DCT's in the M-cars, everyone lost their mind because they thought it was a backward step. Maybe on an M2 which is a much racier proposition, but on an M5 or M6, smooth torque converter just makes sense.
I've never been the biggest fan of dual clutch gearboxes. No doubt in the right application a DCT makes sense, high performance models for example. Maybe I haven't driven a truly great DCT yet? I'd love to drive a Porsche with PDK at some point.
But why would a small economy hatchback or sedan need a DCT other than the car makers pursuit of on-paper fuel economy numbers? Ford and VW went down that path, not only did it burn customers, but it burnt the companies as well. Ford got sued for millions because their response to customers was they weren't driving the car properly. That was technically true, there is an adjustment needed with a DCT so that you work with the transmission not against it, but 99% of those customers were driving the cars like any other auto. But Ford's response was silly, they shouldn't have expected that, and they shouldn't have went with those dry-clutch DCT's in those models.
The 2011 Ford Mondeo we had used the wet-clutch version of the Getrag DCT, paired with the 200 hp 2.0 EcoBoost engine. I liked that car, but never fell in love with it. Being the Titanium, it had the 18-inch wheel and tyre package with lowered sports suspension. This vehicle replaced a BA Falcon sedan, a rear wheel drive 4.0 inline 6 powered sedan with an ancient 4-speed auto. The comparison between the two was a tale of two halves......................
The Mondeo, despite weighing more and being FWD, actually drove and steered better. It had awesome brakes, taught suspension, communicative steering, excellent firm sports seats. It was basically designed for high-speed European touring. But the engine and gearbox were just too sanitized. There was no exhaust note, despite having a dual outlet system. The engine was your typical high torque, low revving EcoBoost, so it was all done by 5000 rpm. The gearbox shift speed was impressive, as was the rev-matched downshifts...........................but when teamed with the characterless engine, it just had no character. And it had that typical low speed shunt that I really didn't like.
The BA Falcon on the other hand, well it was designed for the crappy Australian roads, so it provided a lush, pillowy ride at any speed. That meant it rolled around a lot, and the brakes were simply too small for the size and power of the vehicle. The front seats weren't as comfortable over longer distances, the rears tolerable. But guess which car I enjoyed driving more? Yep, the mouthy yobbo Aussie. They say Falcon's fall apart around their engines, well to me that says they got the fundamentals right. That original 4.0 DOHC Barra was pretty uncouth at the top of the rev range, but that's why I liked it. You could putter around surfing the low rev torque, or plant the boot and let it scream to 6000rpm. The 4-speed auto had a super tall first gear, so if you flatted the gas at 80 kpm (50mph), it would shift back to first in a blaze of 6-cylinder rasp. And to me, being RWD felt more natural than that strange sensation of torque and steering inputs going through the fronts.
And so, what replaced the DCT gearbox Mondeo.....................................a Jaguar XE with the ZF 8-speed auto. Being an early XE, Jaguar were still using the 2.0 EcoBoost engines, so this Jag had the same 200 hp engine as the Mondeo. But the driving experience was completely different. Where the Mondeo was characterless, the Jag actually has an exhaust note. And the ZF 8-speed is just so much better in ALL driving conditions, not just when firing off gears under full throttle like the DCT. It actually rev-matches better than the DCT as well. Then there is the purity of steering with the Jag, its just so agile and responsive................and this is the base model!
You see and hear how clinical it was in this video.......................................
Then the exhaust pop and character Jag put into the same engine. Note how they let the engine rev out to 6400, Ford calls quits at 5900...................................
Last edited:
DFB
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This Stihl BG86 I've had set up in vac mode for longer than I can remember. It's also had a broken kill switch for about the same period of time, I've been having to twist the choke switch to shut the engine off. I did make an attempt to fix the problem a few years ago but failed and ended up dealing with it. Considering my newfound confidence in repairing my own machines, I decided to give it another try.
I was fairly sure the problem was the cheap switch hidden within the upper handle. On the older BG 55, 65 and 85, as well as the later BG 56, that switch was situated on top of the handle and activated directly by the user.
These switches were a known failure due to dust entry, so Stihl started encasing them in a rubber shroud. With that, I assumed dust had killed the switch on this unit.
On the later BG86 models, that switch is hidden within the handle and is activated by pushing down on the throttle lock, which in turn presses on the ignition rocker switch.
I've previously tried fixing the switch by cleaning the connections and lightly blowing with compressed air. From memory, that fixed the problem, but only intermittently before it stopped working again. So, I went ahead and ordered an aftermarket switch from Amazon.
To gain access to the switch, you need to remove the four T27 screws from upper handle cover, separate the handle, then lift out the throttle/stop rocker. You can do this with the throttle trigger in place, but its easier with it out of the way and just slides off a peg moulded into the case.
From here, slide out the switch and disconnect the wires, keeping track which is which. The new switch takes its place.
Where possible, I prefer to use OEM parts, but it's hard to find them for sale on Australian webstores. No doubt these companies would prefer you to go to your local dealer, but with the problems I've had in that arena, I don't have the time or patience to deal with those clowns. I remember spending 20-minutes at the local Stihl shop trying to buy a very basic chainsaw fuel filter, in the end they gave up and said they'd order me one and call me when it was in.....................I'm still waiting for that call 4-months later. An aftermarket Amazon special it was then..........................
Firmusparts 4229 430 0203 On Off Switch 42294300203 Compatible with Stihl Trimmers FS38 FS45 FS46 FS55 FS56 BT45 BG45 BG46 BG55 BG56 BG65 BG66 BG85 BG86 SH55 SH56 SH85 SH86 4229 430 0202 : Amazon.com.au: Garden
Stihl - 4229 430 0203
With the cover reinstalled, I fired it up and..........................it still wouldn't turn off without the choke.
After some more research, it seems these blowers have two know ignition-cut problems. So, I removed the handle cover again and found the problem..................broken kill wires. I assume age and heat cycling causes the wire to crack, then separate. So, I went online and found the OEM replacement kill wires. A week later, it was time for attempt three................
Wiring Harness for STIHL BG56, BG86, SH56, SH86 - 4241 440 3000 | eBay
Stihl - 4241 440 3000
For this repair, you also need to remove the recoil cover, which is held in place with three T27's and the spark plug boot. The function of these wires is to provide a ground, then link the kill switch to the coil.
To keep track, I started with the ground wire, which is mounted on the upper handle, then traced back to the kill switch, disconnected old and connected new, then traced back to the coil making sure to hook it up the right way around. The wires were then tucked into place and the covers reinstalled.
This is the old loom, which had severed where it makes the 90-degree turn towards the coil, it shouldn't be in too pieces.
Everything back together, I fired it up and was rewarded for efforts, the engine now shuts off with the kill lever. Probably a waste of time and money on a clearly aged machine, but I at least know how to do this job.
I was fairly sure the problem was the cheap switch hidden within the upper handle. On the older BG 55, 65 and 85, as well as the later BG 56, that switch was situated on top of the handle and activated directly by the user.
These switches were a known failure due to dust entry, so Stihl started encasing them in a rubber shroud. With that, I assumed dust had killed the switch on this unit.
On the later BG86 models, that switch is hidden within the handle and is activated by pushing down on the throttle lock, which in turn presses on the ignition rocker switch.
I've previously tried fixing the switch by cleaning the connections and lightly blowing with compressed air. From memory, that fixed the problem, but only intermittently before it stopped working again. So, I went ahead and ordered an aftermarket switch from Amazon.
To gain access to the switch, you need to remove the four T27 screws from upper handle cover, separate the handle, then lift out the throttle/stop rocker. You can do this with the throttle trigger in place, but its easier with it out of the way and just slides off a peg moulded into the case.
From here, slide out the switch and disconnect the wires, keeping track which is which. The new switch takes its place.
Where possible, I prefer to use OEM parts, but it's hard to find them for sale on Australian webstores. No doubt these companies would prefer you to go to your local dealer, but with the problems I've had in that arena, I don't have the time or patience to deal with those clowns. I remember spending 20-minutes at the local Stihl shop trying to buy a very basic chainsaw fuel filter, in the end they gave up and said they'd order me one and call me when it was in.....................I'm still waiting for that call 4-months later. An aftermarket Amazon special it was then..........................
Firmusparts 4229 430 0203 On Off Switch 42294300203 Compatible with Stihl Trimmers FS38 FS45 FS46 FS55 FS56 BT45 BG45 BG46 BG55 BG56 BG65 BG66 BG85 BG86 SH55 SH56 SH85 SH86 4229 430 0202 : Amazon.com.au: Garden
Stihl - 4229 430 0203
With the cover reinstalled, I fired it up and..........................it still wouldn't turn off without the choke.
After some more research, it seems these blowers have two know ignition-cut problems. So, I removed the handle cover again and found the problem..................broken kill wires. I assume age and heat cycling causes the wire to crack, then separate. So, I went online and found the OEM replacement kill wires. A week later, it was time for attempt three................
Wiring Harness for STIHL BG56, BG86, SH56, SH86 - 4241 440 3000 | eBay
Stihl - 4241 440 3000
For this repair, you also need to remove the recoil cover, which is held in place with three T27's and the spark plug boot. The function of these wires is to provide a ground, then link the kill switch to the coil.
To keep track, I started with the ground wire, which is mounted on the upper handle, then traced back to the kill switch, disconnected old and connected new, then traced back to the coil making sure to hook it up the right way around. The wires were then tucked into place and the covers reinstalled.
This is the old loom, which had severed where it makes the 90-degree turn towards the coil, it shouldn't be in too pieces.
Everything back together, I fired it up and was rewarded for efforts, the engine now shuts off with the kill lever. Probably a waste of time and money on a clearly aged machine, but I at least know how to do this job.
Big Dave
Well-known member
- Jan 7, 2018
- 3,533
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I bet you're glad everything stayed in place when you separated the handle, I hate it when you open up things like that and bits just fall out of place before you see where they came from.
Still, you can find pictures of everything on Google now. (pun intended)
Still, you can find pictures of everything on Google now. (pun intended)
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,452
- 2,082
- Thread starter
- #2,298
I know from experience now that you need to take your time with this stuff, as in taking things apart slowly and carefully so that you hopefully don't end up with a surprise. This is especially important on the Stihl stuff because they use very specific T27 hardware.
Klasse Act
Well-known member
- Feb 21, 2012
- 27,162
- 2,049
Deyon...GO drive a 911, would love to see what model/color you'd get
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
DFB
Well-known member
- Aug 12, 2019
- 4,452
- 2,082
- Thread starter
- #2,300
Deyon...GO drive a 911, would love to see what model/color you'd get
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
I was eyeing used 6-cylinder Cayman's while waiting for the S650. As good as those final naturally aspirated flat-6 Cayman or Cayman S engines are, I just wasn't sure I would get enough entertainment from one, whereas a V8 does that just idling in the driveway. And I just know I would have been left wanting, because the Porsche I want revs to 9000 rpm. So, either a 911 GT3 Touring for that understated look but still with the killer engine, or a GT4 RS for that spin chilling final 1000 rpm.
The GT3 would be British Racing Green or Irish Green, with either the tan or carmine red interior (so over black on black dungeon interiors).
IRG -
BRG -
The GT4 RS on the other hand, I'd go Guards Red, something like this one.............................