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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

Qualcast Suffolk Punch 35S

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During the 1970's I was a bit of a Suffolk 'nut' and was always buying and selling the older Colt and Punch models. After years of Flymo and Allen hover mowers I was given a Qualcast Suffolk Punch 35S last Autumn when my mower gave out.

Overall apart from needing a good clean it did not seem to be in too bad condition, ran reasonably well and I was set to start to clean it up anytime soon.

However just before Christmas my Wife managed to drive her car into the back of the mower. At first there was seemingly very little damage, however on closer inspection she hit the exhaust muffler which has in turn damaged the threads into the cylinder head so that the screw in 'manifold' thread has stripped in places will not tighten and wobbles around - I was not best pleased.

I sourced another engine as this seemed the cheaper option rather than finding someone to try to repair the threads. It looks the same, the dimensions appear to be the same but there are some subtle differences in the cooling fin arrangements as the pictures show below.

The information from the mower 'chassis' plate is as follows:-

35SL80220

No 020588 N

0.97kw 2700 1mn

The existing mower engine number is :- HE3 2N and is fitted with a Dellorto Carburettor and has a mechanical governor not the vane type. Picture below.

The replacement engine number is:- A 484060 F, and a couple of photos. On the RHS photo I have highlighted the differences as best I can with arrows:-

Any help that you may be able to give regarding what I have bought would be most useful, and will I be able to use same with existing Carburettor, ignition sensor etc? Are both engines the same CC?

Thank you very much.

Nick 

Forums

wristpin Fri, 05/02/2016

Welcome

​A general view of the two engines would be more helpful - never spent too much time studying the layout of cooling fins!

Presume that the damaged mower was pinned between the car and something immovable rather than just shunted forward  but an image of the thread damage might be useful - might not be as difficult to fix as you think.

A former customer of mine did something similar - little damage to the mower but two days later a wet patch on the garage floor revealed a defrosted deep freeze!

 

 

Nick Mon, 08/02/2016

Good morning Wristpin,

Thank you for replying so promptly.

The mower was against the rear wall of the garage, luckily it was not pushed through. On Saturday I took a few more shots of both engines, so hopefully this will give you a better idea. The threads in the cylinder block are now virtually nonexistent and the manifold stud will not tighten up and can also be pulled straight out, also there is a burr on the lower edge of the cly block. Unfortunately I could not get my camera to focus as close as I would have liked but hopefully you can just make this out.

Also I have taken a few shots of replacement engine I bought. It look almost exactly the same, apart from those differences in the fins as shown Friday. I wondered whether it is a direct replacement ie same CC and will accept the existing carburetor and ignition assemblies. (Replacement has very different exhaust if that helps at all).

 Engine numbers are as follows:- Existing:- HE3 2N and replacement:- H 484060 F very different formats

Here are the pictures

Existing:

 

Replacement bought:-

Hope fully these will give a better idea and any advice gratefully received.

Thank you

 

Nick

 

wristpin Tue, 09/02/2016

Welcome.

It looks as though you should be able to build up a new motor but before you try that route why not explore repairing the damaged thread on your original block. It's not immediately clear  just how deep the thread damage goes but it may be worth trying to pick up some good thread further in.

If you can beg or borrow a BSP (British Standard Pipe) thread tap you may be able to effect a repair but in the absence of a tap it is possible that you can improvise using the exhaust stub pipe.  Put two wide cuts into the end of the pipe with a hacksaw - possibly with two blades side by side; then with the piston just past top dead centre on the power stroke so that the valves are closed, carefully align the lubricated exhaust stub with the block and with a bar through one pair of holes gently wind it in. The slots should clean up the remaining threads. If you gently  turn the stub anticlockwise when offering it to the block you may be able to feel it drop into a thread before then turning it clockwise to wind it in..

 

 

Nick Tue, 09/02/2016

Wristpin,

Thank you for your very prompt reply once again. I will certainly give the repair thread option a go in the first instance.

Nick Tue, 09/02/2016

Wristpin,

Thank you for your very prompt reply once again. I will certainly give the repair thread option a go in the first instance.