Mowers - 2 stroke vs 4 stroke

[MK]

Hi,

I think my 1977 Victa Charger 2 stroke has just about given up the ghost
after mowing what must be about 600 good sized suburban lawns over nearly 30
years.

I'm leaning towards replacing it with another Victa 2 stroke, but there seem
to be a lot of 4 stroke mowers on the market these days, including Victa
models.

Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for mowing
my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.

Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.

Thanks,

MK

[len gardener]

g'day mk,

well mate i can assure you they don't build 'em like that any more
might be lucky to get 6 years nowadays provided you buy top of the
range but anyway, that aside 2 strokes are on their way out the door
according to the epa.

for me it's always been 4 strokes the only criteria to help decide is
if your lawn is basically level not steep not steep banks then a 4
stroke if not by a 2 stroke.

that's from an old mower mechanic and all

len



On Sat, 7 May 2005 11:43:52 +1000, "MK" >
wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I think my 1977 Victa Charger 2 stroke has just about given up the ghost
>after mowing what must be about 600 good sized suburban lawns over nearly 30
>years.
>
>I'm leaning towards replacing it with another Victa 2 stroke, but there seem
>to be a lot of 4 stroke mowers on the market these days, including Victa
>models.
>
>Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
>odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for mowing
>my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.
>
>Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.
>
>Thanks,
>
>MK
>

--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

[MK]

"len gardener" > wrote in message
...
> g'day mk,
>
> well mate i can assure you they don't build 'em like that any more
> might be lucky to get 6 years nowadays provided you buy top of the
> range but anyway, that aside 2 strokes are on their way out the door
> according to the epa.
>
> for me it's always been 4 strokes the only criteria to help decide is
> if your lawn is basically level not steep not steep banks then a 4
> stroke if not by a 2 stroke.
>
> that's from an old mower mechanic and all
>
> len
>
Cheers Len,

With the 2 stroke Victa, I've only ever replaced the blades, air filter, and
spark plug every couple of years. It may have had one or two services when
my parents owned it early on in its life, but I've never had it services in
the past 8 years or so.

What extra maintenance do I need to do for a 4 stroke - do I need to do oil
changes / oil filters / etc??

MK

[len gardener]

g'day mk,

4 strokes basically simple yes an oil cahne at the beginning of the
season and at the end is about it no oil filters just the air filter
plug n blades as before.

len

snipped
--
happy gardening
'it works for me it could work for you,'

"in the end ya' gotta do what ya' gotta do" but consider others and the environment
http://members.optusnet.com.au/~gardenlen1/

my e/mail addies have spam filters you should know what to delete before you send.

[Robo]

Go the Honda HRU 19R (4 stroke). So long as its got petrol it will start
first time every time. That is the residential model, there is also a
professional model.

Cheers

"MK" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> I think my 1977 Victa Charger 2 stroke has just about given up the ghost
> after mowing what must be about 600 good sized suburban lawns over nearly
30
> years.
>
> I'm leaning towards replacing it with another Victa 2 stroke, but there
seem
> to be a lot of 4 stroke mowers on the market these days, including Victa
> models.
>
> Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
> odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for
mowing
> my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.
>
> Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.
>
> Thanks,
>
> MK
>
>

[David Hare-Scott]

> Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
> odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for
mowing
> my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.
>
> Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.
>
> Thanks,
>
> MK
>
>

4 stroke are quieter, less polluting (important if anybody nearby has
asthma) and easier to start. They do require their oil to be checked but to
me this is much less hassle than mixing fuel. I am not a mechanic so I
cannot speak about the technicalities but I have a pump, a trimmer and a
ride-on with 4 stroke motors and I am very happy with them all.

David

[Robby]

Go,Go 4 stroke Honda.
Never needs more than one pull.
I'm going no further with that statement for obvious reasons
Robby

[The Lady Gardener]

This feeble female inherited the former matrimonial 4 stroke and hated it
every day until I sold it - bugger of a thing to start, and no amount of
love, servicing or tender words of encouragement improved its demeanour (a
lot like the former matrimonial partner really).

I am now the owner of a 2 stroke victa, and love it to pieces. I broke my
right wrist recently and could still manage to start my mower! Before this
experience I would have said I hated 2 strokes and everything about them,
but I'm a convert now.

Lady Gardener in Perth (where it is finally raining tonight)


"MK" > wrote in message
...
Hi,

I think my 1977 Victa Charger 2 stroke has just about given up the ghost
after mowing what must be about 600 good sized suburban lawns over nearly 30
years.

I'm leaning towards replacing it with another Victa 2 stroke, but there seem
to be a lot of 4 stroke mowers on the market these days, including Victa
models.

Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for mowing
my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.

Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.

Thanks,

MK

[marko zuvela]

Most people prefer 4 stroke & so do I for mowers they last longer & have
less problems.
"The Lady Gardener" > wrote in message
...
> This feeble female inherited the former matrimonial 4 stroke and hated it
> every day until I sold it - bugger of a thing to start, and no amount of
> love, servicing or tender words of encouragement improved its demeanour (a
> lot like the former matrimonial partner really).
>
> I am now the owner of a 2 stroke victa, and love it to pieces. I broke my
> right wrist recently and could still manage to start my mower! Before
this
> experience I would have said I hated 2 strokes and everything about them,
> but I'm a convert now.
>
> Lady Gardener in Perth (where it is finally raining tonight)
>
>
> "MK" > wrote in message
> ...
> Hi,
>
> I think my 1977 Victa Charger 2 stroke has just about given up the ghost
> after mowing what must be about 600 good sized suburban lawns over nearly
30
> years.
>
> I'm leaning towards replacing it with another Victa 2 stroke, but there
seem
> to be a lot of 4 stroke mowers on the market these days, including Victa
> models.
>
> Anyone have a recommendation on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke and a particular
> odel - I don't want self propelled or anything fancy - it's just for
mowing
> my 24 perch suburban house block every few weeks.
>
> Priorities are easy starting and minimal maintenance.
>
> Thanks,
>
> MK
>
>
>