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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Atco 1747 Flywheel timing

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Could somebody run through the method of the fly wheel timing on this model please? The reason I ask is I have an arrow on top of the flywheel also a mark on the crankcase when the arrow on the flywheel lines up with the mark on crankcase I can just feel the piston but the notch on the crankshaft nut  does not seem to line up, so I have a feeling I am going about the timing all wrong.

                                                   Many thanks(in advance)

                                                                     Gerry

Forums

wristpin Thu, 19/11/2015

I prefer to do basic timing from scratch  - that is accurate finding of  top dead centre followed by turning the crank anti clockwise the amount required to drop the piston on the specified amount for the engine in question and then locking the flywheel in the position where it is just opening the contact points. However you can short cut the process by following these instructions but I'm not sure about your comment about " the notch on the crankshaft nut" . I believe that you may be confusing this with the little notch on the threaded end of the crank itself which would make more sense when relating it to this link.

http://www.tanygraig.force9.co.uk/John/vil2strokes.htm

Gerry Norris Thu, 19/11/2015

Thanks Wristpin,The part about putting an iron spanner across the fly wheel to save loss of flux is this necessary?(I have my fly wheel back on loosely at the moment) but it might be of a few days. 

wristpin Thu, 19/11/2015

Got to be "right" but a bit extreme!  Guess that it's for long term storage. Have also read that if storing several flywheels they should not be " nested" - stacked on on top of each other.

Gerry Norris Fri, 20/11/2015

Thanks for that wristpin, I will test my coil today if all well will set points and reassemble if not will "refit" loosely until I can Source coil(probably from Jon). Thanks again.

                                  Gerry

wristpin Fri, 20/11/2015

Not sure who "Jon" is but be aware that a lot of the coils offered by auction site sellers are "new old stock" and may be fifty years old and suffering from unseen internal corrosion. New or professionally rewound coils seem to be in short supply at present so if yours is in need of replacement it may pay to do a bit of research before purchasing .

Gerry Norris Fri, 20/11/2015

Hi Wristpin,

It is  Jon Cruse spoke a while back and he possibly has a coil for this model Villiers

wristpin Fri, 20/11/2015

Of course!

I've just had a similar issue with a Shay engine needing a new condenser which, if I wanted to keep it hidden within the flywheel magneto, looked like presenting a problem. However after a bit of thought I found that a Briggs and Stratton one could be adapted  to fit. A coil would not have been so easy to source as I'm led to believe that the magnetos were specific to Shay and not generic like Wipac and Villiers units.

Above, Original Shay condenser

Below, Briggs one fitted in its place

wristpin Sat, 21/11/2015

Villiers coils.

I've  just received one that I've had on order for several weeks so it looks as though supplies are becoming available.