Hello,

Recently purchased a ransomes MG2 serial no 897, can anyone tell me what year it was made?

Also, I have had it running, but it is extremely hard to start, I can only get it to start by disconnecting the air filter and holding my hand over it while on the intake stroke then cranking it, then it will sometimes fire up if it feels like it, it's almost like its not pulling fuel in. The jets are clean but may be enlarged, however I fail to see how this would stop it running, it has good compression and a strong spark.

Any help would be great, Thanks

Thanks for the reply, from what i can see the choke does appear to be closing properly, it does not have a butterfly spindles like modern a modern carb, but a vertical slide the choke is part of this.

The level of fuel is correct in the chamber and overflows when the tickler plunger is pushed, what exactly is this tickler for?

Thanks

Just what you are using it for - to give a very rich mixture for starting - except it isn't!!!
Sounds as though you may have an Amal carb very similar to the one on my old Dennis. My starting routine is as follows.
Fuel on, flood with tickler, turn fuel off.
Throttle closed.
Choke on and crank over for a couple of compression strokes.
Choke off.
Throttle open about 1/4
Will then usually fire up within a couple of swings.
Remember to turn the fuel back on!  

Quite possibly as the tickler is there to flood the carb for cold starting. With the Dennis I flood it until fuel squirts out of the two little holes around the float chamber rim.

Thanks for the date, so just because I have had it started doesn't mean the timing is correct? Although I did set the timing and points to the manual.

Hi glad to hear you have it running. When I first rebuilt the engine on my 2, I tried numerous different spark plugs, eventually I found that heating the plug with a blow lamp helped to get it going the first time and having run for about an hour charging around the garden it became easier to start. This engine does seem to be very sensitive to old fuel and the type of oil used in the air cleaner, I use a straight sae 30.

Assuming that the engine has not recently been properly reconditioned it will be generally worn and is bound to be a bit temperamental! You either learn its quirks and learn to live with it or do a proper reconditioning job.
When you say "fuel mix" are you talking air to fuel or oil to fuel? I'm no MG expert but didn't think they were 2-stroke?

Hi, having done it myself, just check that the magneto is firing/clicking at just before TDC on the compression stroke with both valves fully closed.

But if it has good compression what would be the point??

Hi Rhys
Today I have been sorting my old MG2 no 603, the ignition timing had slipped on the taper. Knowing that all sorts of issues can stop it running, I stripped the carb, cleaned the jets and filters. Checked the oil bath air cleaner, checked the tappet clearances. Tested the magneto coil cleaned and re set the points, bench tested the mag and cleaned and re set the plug. All of the above to eliminate any reasons for it not starting. Finally I followed the instruction manual precisely in terms of setting the mag timing by removing the head etc. Put it all back together, tickled the carb.set the choke and throttle to barely open, two turns on the crank with the de-compressor and bang off it went first pull. To be sure I set up a strobe timing light running off a battery timing was running at 50degrees advance which meant it was reluctant to slow run, backed off the advance by slackening the taper nut on the timing chain, now running at 25 degrees advance and ticking over nicely. The point of all the detail is that as a side valve 4 stroke engine the Mg2 is very prone to poor running if any one element of the settings is off. According to the book engine should run at 30 degrees advance but as it seems to start and run well as it is I think I may leave well alone rather than try to achieve 30 degrees. Good luck.

Thanks Jonathon, I will check everything over when I get my MG2 back together, as I have it stripped replacing main seals before painting, was your MG2 hard to start prior to you setting it up as you described?

hi I have a Bristol crawler and had it many years, it was a pig to start and I wouldn't take it to any shows as didn't want to look a plonker when it wouldn't start but with help from this web site I'm much happier with it. Also like you couldn't find much a miss with engine but of late have used the crawler to pull some chain harrows and some other little jobs and now will start with a good turn hope you get to bottom of it

Don't drop that one I think I only have four spare ones left!!Send me a photo when you have it finished.

having trouble uploading the new image, will try later

[IMG]uploads/20130921_151418_photo_2.JPG" height="320" width="240" />Above is what it looks like now...[IMG]uploads/20130921_151652_photo_2.JPG" height="240" width="320" />[IMG]uploads/20130921_151815_photo_5.JPG" height="240" width="320" />Jonanthan, I havent got round to getting the engine on yet, i have been busy machining a PTO, and after about 6hours turning the rear bearing carrier out of 130mm Dia mild steel, i happily produced the above parts, machine the front part to hold the cover tube, cut the cover tube to length, and  hey presto, you have a PTO for a MG2!

Very impressive Rhys, can I place an order for two please. How will you machine the splines for the output?