Villiers Mk25 and Alcon Pump

Checking out small engines on tinterwebnet to judge prices when i spotted this and i thought "why not"... so took a 2 hour drive to go collect.

Previous owner bought it to use/restore but never got round to it so has just been sat idle for a few years.... and doesn't turn over by hand.


The idea was to strip and rebuild with a whole new paint job but after getting it home and giving it a little wipe it appears the yellow paint was just brushed/sprayed over the green without any preparation first and so the yellow is just flaking off to reveal the engine and pump still have alot of green paint... so the idea now is just to remove the yellow paint then treat the rust and leave it at that.


The project is more for the kids to do as the Lister D is what i wanted and restored... they liked watching and seeing it progress so thought get them their own to do... with a little help from me of course.


I've obviously done the a google search but if anyone has or knows of the good points/bad points or tips in general then feel free to share it would be much appreciated.


Not time limit on the project as we don't plan on rallying it until next year.... if it goes well then maybe it could be out before the end of this year.

Have MK25 manual as pdf. PM me with email address if you would like a copy.

A nice project, I look forward to seeing the progress.

Had a little progress today... and only managed to snap off one stud which will be easy to fix as its at the top off pump.

A fair amount of WD40 yesterday and today paid off so with a little fighting the nuts came free allowing me to get the pump casing off.

With the pump case off, the engine was tested to see if it would turn... happily it does and by hand too.... it also feels and sounds like it has good compression.

So i'm guessing it was jammed up by the chunks of rust that where in the pump casing.

Also had a go at removing some of the awful yellow paint which is happily coming off without too much trouble.

Tomorrows plans is too get all the grease and cobwebs off and continue with the yellow paint removal........

and of course post progress pictures.

After a lot of degreaser was applied and left to dry then more added it was given a good going over with a jet wash wish obviously got rid of the dirt and grime but also got rid of alot of the yellow paint without removing the lovely green stuff.

I'm glad it was a nice day to sit outside as the remaining yellow stuff then took a serious amount of time to scrape off and get out of the nooks and crannies.

The end result is looking great... i think anyway.

Just petrol tank and cowling to do... and order some new parts.


After jetwash...




















And just a teaser of the engine after degrease, jet wash and a scrape...

Timing question........ does the upside down down triangle on the inside of flywheel mean something?

I'm putting it back together when i noticed the mark other than removing flywheel and cleaning the points i have not messed with anything else.

Update coming with photos tomorrow evening.

You often see arrows stamped on flywheel but once you remove it from the crankshaft the mark becomes meaningless as the flywheel is not keyed to the shaft. So when you put it back on it's free to rotate and you have to re-do the ignition timing. The points should begin to open when the piston is 3/16" before TDC. Not difficult - refer to manual.

A quick email was sent to Villiers Parts... they were a great help and the parts arrived quickly... so just waiting on one more part from ebay.


A little later than advertised some progress pics... after a lot of time spent scraping or picking the old paint off.


During the clean up two stickers reveal themselves... one more than the other... the information from that told me it was a company still in existence and still run by the same family.

The company is Chippindale Engineers LTD now Chippindale Plant... who started business in 1949. In 1955 they became an authorised dealer/distributor for Alcon.

My engine was made in 1964... and was most likely made and sent to Chippindale from manufacture... i guess this as the sticker has a Doncaster address on it and Chippindale opened a branch in Doncaster in 1967 but they shut that branch down in 1969.... and having spoke to the company it was revealed when they got the engines in some were repainted in the yellow that you see on it where as i thought it may of been painted by a previous owner.


Other than a few minor bits the engine and tank just need some rust treatment... but the cowling and water pump have some yellow remaining which is proving a little tricky to remove.

As soon as the Ebay part arrives the engine will be getting a test run.... before i give it some rust treatment and make a trolley for it.

Making good progress.

It'd nice to have the history if you're going to show it.

Today the remaining part showed up... so of course i attempted to put it back together... but alas a slight issue or two.


I removed the old broken threaded connection at end of HT lead before trying to refit a new Ht lead... it was tough work and needed a pair of mole grips to make it happen as the metal thread seemed to disagree with the plastic thread.





The head was removed for cleaning and in order to sort the timing and after a wire brush was rubbed a little harder around the back plate another mark.. the correct one... appeared which was a big help. The mark to the left of arrows is not something i have done and i'm not sure if a previous owner has done it because setting the arrow to the mark leaves the piston 1/2" before TDC. I used a vernier caliper for accuracy and after giving it a good few spins it still lined up so was tightened in place.







New strangler fitted... looks much better than the wooden on i attempted to make.






Now a slight issue... is the spring in need of replacement... and with a spring in place what should be the position of the arm... should it be up or down? As it is... it is down and i believe this would have the engine revving high... and if it was up this would have the engine idling... but either way adjusting the throttle lever would only result in stretching the spring and not movement of the arm.

If that doesn't make any sense i will post some pictures tomorrow explaining better.

The spring should be "closed" so the governor arm can work "against" it.

For example, this the spring on my C12 and where mine has the threaded bar to adjust the speed (fixed speed engine) yours has a cable allowing you to vary the speed.

If the spring should be closed then i need a new one as that's its normal position.


I think the mechanism needs adjusting.... But How?


At rest the arm is in this position with the spring loose... however the top of the arm is in this position... with throttle wide open.








And if i hold it in this position the spring is still loose... however the top arm has the throttle closed against the idle screw?









I also have no spark despite checking timing gap, piston at 3/16" before TDC and lining up the timing marks, fitting new HT lead and new spark plug, checking all the wires and cleaning the contact points.............. Whats the next option or fault to look at?

Please refer to my previous post about 'timing marks'.

Set the points gap using feeler gauge
Hold the piston at  3/16" before TDC
Refit flywheel and rotate until points just begin to open
Making sure nothing moves carefully tighten nut.

Timing all checked and everything seems to be correct.


Last night i had another look at the wiring and connections on the magneto but nothing seems out of place and all looks in good condition... i then sprayed WD40 ready to give it another clean but i never did.

This morning i sprayed more WD40 and gave it a clean... through the day i turned engine over but nothing happened.

Tonight i was thinking of removing the coil or testing it with a multi meter... not that i fully know how to use one but while i was weighing up the options and researching for the cost of a new coil ... i put my hand on the flywheel and spun it...... when i heard a noise i thought i recognised.

Sure enough there was a very tiny spark, i doubt it would get the engine running... so searched around for the new plug i had misplaced... fitted it and gave it another spin.

Very happy to say... the spark is great and consistant.

Tomorrows plan.... put it back together and see if i can get it running.



Video here -------> clickity click

Some good news.


After various attempts at timing with slight adjustments in between the engine showed a good sign of life when the flywheel was spun... so out the shed it went for a good test.
I have done as much as i can in terms of yellow paint removal... there is some still left which is proving difficult to remove than the rest but a little yellow remaining i think adds to its character and shows its history.

It is now put back together and looking much better.

Still to do........

Governor linkage... i cant seem to find good reliable information on how it should be set.

Find a used exhaust.


Things in progress..... making a trolley from ash wood.

Looks like the pump is a self priming type.

HobbyPaul wrote:

Governor linkage... i cant seem to find good reliable information on how it should be set.

See manual:

Fit the governor lever on it's shaft, Connect up carburetter link at each end (spring in hole one inch from centre of shaft),
turn shaft as far as possible in clockwise direction then move the lever to the right until throttle is fully open then tighten clamp bolt securely.