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Collection, Preservation and Display of Old Lawn Mowers

New member seeks advice on Atco

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Hi everyone

I'm a new member, and have a couple of questions to start off my restoration. I have purchased 2 Atco mowers, 12” cutting blade. The plates say ‘6221’, and they both have Villiers 4 stroke engines, numbers: 411D 60377, and 404D 1927. Is there a way of dating these numbers?

Also, I am unsure about how to drain and refill the Oil. I can see a rubber flanged bung with a knurled screw on the crankcase,but when I undo the screw fully, it won’t withdraw. Am I missing something, or should I be a little more forceful with it? Photo attached.

Any help would be very welcome.

Rob.

Forums

wristpin Thu, 22/08/2019

No photo!

You may need to read the sticky on the somewhat tortuous procedure for posting images on this forum. 

None of  yer new fangled drag and drop stuff  ‘ere!

 

Rob Buckland Thu, 22/08/2019

Thanks. I’ll try again. Just looked at the other Villiers engine I have, and there’s a sort of pipette on top of the crankcase. I’m guessing that’ll be the oil filler hole?

 

Rob Buckland Sun, 01/09/2019

Good evening all.

I'm still trying to find out what engines I have in my 2 Atco mowers.

I emailed Villiers Services last week, with no reply forthcoming, so am hoping someone here can shed some light on this for me.

411D and 404D.

Fingers crossed.

wristpin Sun, 01/09/2019

Villiers Services are more into motor cycle engines than mowers. Paul at Meetens is your man; I think that he’s back at work in the coming week.

Rob Buckland Sun, 01/09/2019

Many thanks.

I’ll give them a call .

djg745 Sun, 01/09/2019

Rob,

The 'pipette' hole is for a oil dipstick, the flanged bung is the cap for the oil refill and can be difficult to remove, unscrew and pull gently. The oil drain plug is on the lower rear of the crankcase and has a square top.

I was advised that the engine is a JAP, who were purchased by Villiers in the late 1950's.  I also would like confirmation of this,

I have the same mower which I use regularly, gives a good cut but can be unstable due to the lightness of the mower and the length of the handles, mine however has no grass deflector but I use a sheet of thin metal. I am looking for the correct deflector if anybody has one spare.

David

 

wristpin Wed, 04/09/2019

Unfortunately Villiers used the Lightweight name over a series of several engines , both horizontal and vertical crankshaft.  50, 75, 125 and  150cc horizontal shaft and 125 and 150cc vertical shaft.

I believe that you have either 50 or 75cc horizontal crank engine and  a Villiers expert such as Paul Child at Meetens  may be able to identify which by just looking at it, but if you remove the cylinder head the bore of the 50 cc will measure 43 mm and the 75cc,  52mm.

Rob Buckland Wed, 04/09/2019

Many thanks for all the information. It has made things much clearer for me.

I took the cylinder head off the 411D this evening, and it looks absolutely fine. No wear marks, valves cycling nicely. All good.

Rob Buckland Wed, 04/09/2019

Many thanks for all the information. It has made things much clearer for me.

I took the cylinder head off the 411D this evening, and it looks absolutely fine. No wear marks, valves cycling nicely. All good.