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Managed to make a bit of progress with the engine.Still a long way to go with the rest of the pack.

I was quite relived to turn one up as I can't believe how near extinct the earlier Hondas have become. It was only a couple of years ago that I was throwing engines like this in the skip, guess everyone else must of done the same, hence why I couldn't find one.I've allready stripped all the outer parts off in readiness to clean the crankcase up, surprise surprise though that the pulley is seized to the crank. To be honest the working starter was what motivated me to bid on this engine as mine was beyond repair.

Finally! After nearly a month of searching the country Ive managed to purchase another identical engine off ebay. The best news is the starter works perfect and the exhaust is much better than what Ive got. I had to pay strong money for it but it ticks over so smoothly.

Well, for once all the rust was a blessing, it meant all the paint stripped off the chasis fairly easily. I just hope the top frame is as quick to do.

Ive been slowly plodding on with the chasis of this unit. Due to the rheumatism in my hands I can only use the grinder for a few minutes at a time, but am slowly getting there. On stripping the hydraulics off it ive found yet more proof it used to be yellow and ive also found that the pump is dated 1983, so this ties in with the serial number. I still haven't got hold of a replacement engine, but this very nice brochure turned up from Australia.

Have now made a bit more progress with these 2 units. Got a bit of touching in to do, the axles(have found 2/3 of a new one in my spares) and feet to sort out and wire-in the switch on the beaver, but they are finally starting to look like power packs again.

Fames both painted, just got to let it set before fitting the decals.

Refitted the starters today, and I also managed to get the paint on the 2 frames today(and my van, and the grass and...) Photos will have to wait till tomorrow as the battery went in my camera.

Ive not had the best of days. After checking the forecast I went into work just gone 5am to get the frame for this beaver and the Compact sprayed up. The Primmer went on great, but for some reason the top coat must of had a contamination in it because it reacted badly, so I had to strip all the paint off including the primmer. Some new top coat has now been ordered. Next I started stripping down one of the hammers. The diaphragm that apparently never fails has started to brake up (nearly £100 on its own!) and Ive discovered that there is 3 different sizes of piston, and I had the seal kit for the other 2. However wanting something to go right I applied the decals to the fuel tops and the recoils along with new starter cords and handles on the 2 I hadn't yet changed.

Got to get the paint on the frames first.

Bit of a mojo lift, finally got the decals for this long winded project.

Well the decals are ready, even if the engine isn't.

Got a call late last night to say my decals are ready.

As I'm still searching for a engine for the solite I thought id make some progress with the beaver II. This morning Ive got the engine almost ready to trial run, the only major component that ive changed so far is the fuel tank (on ebay they are only 20 quid brand new so not even worth straightening and repainting), the rest of the engine is just cleaned up and repainted. The fan came off with a bit of persuasion by heat and is now refitted in the correct position. Just got to sort a key out for it and I can give the unit a run up. Ive also received in the post today some genuine Honda decals for the choke and throttle lever.

Managed to get a couple of shots of the chewed up crank, also have now received the gasket set ( only non genuine was available) and the battery.

I've got a lot of contacts in the trade, however like me most of them threw away engines like this many years ago as they were just old worthless junk. I'm sure I'll turn one up eventually, it's just very frustrating that it could of been avoided if somebody had only thought through their actions.

I've managed to get a lead on a recoil only start engine, will have to see if I can agree a price and if it will have the same crank in it.

Ever had one of those days when you wish you'd stayed in bed?I got to work just gone 6 am this morning. First thing to go wrong is that in the past some pillock had forced the wrong nut onto the end of the crank holding the flywheel on, therefore when I removed it, most of the crank came with it, result? New crankshaft is now needed. I thought I'd test the starter motor out, but apart from the solenoid it's totally dead. Next I started to remove the pulley off the drive end of the crank, it's moved about an inch but even after plenty of heat applied it still refuses to budge anymore. I also noticed that the cooling fins on the flywheel are broken in places. Now the search is on for another g400 that uses the same crank as new ones are obsolete.

Tried to remove the exhaust today, why is there allways one nut that won't come undone? At least it's the top one so I should be able to get the grinder in and split it off.

Usually with an air cooled engine you can often reuse the head gasket with a smear or blue hylomar or similar. It's rare that they snap on removal of the head.

Valves are easy, there's quite a few how to guides on you tube, most the small engines can be done without valve spring compressors, but even if they are needed are very cheap to buy, I think my briggs one(that also does techy and others from memory)was about £2. If you're ever Hereford way outside of business hours I'll happily assist you to do it. In my experience 99% of problems with small engines can be tied down to the exhaust valve not seating properly.

I don't know what is fitted to the ones you've got but short term see if either have a similar looking end that screws into the head. Make sure as well the valves have been reground particuarly the exhaust one as if pitted it will give fuel supply symptoms as the engine can't suck its fuel properly.

I'd still try another new plug from a different source, a few years back I had a box of 10 new NGk bpr6es plugs, 8 out of the 10 turned out to be faulty, the thing was when tested outside the engine they would spark well yet under compression they would lose it. It could still be the techy thought. I've got one on a howard 220 that I've been through from top to bottom, litrealy every last bolt, sometimes it will start first pull, other times you can pull it over for half an hour and it stays dead, I don't know why?

Hi Richard, thankyou for raising the matter, I think this colour is ok after a few weeks to set, however I will test an out of sight bit before I fuel the engine just to make sure.

Thanks for the advice Richard, I will have to give it a go. I've managed now to source a motorcycle battery that fits into the housing on the frame,- most were either too big or too small, when it arrives I will sort the wiring out and test the starter motor out, if it doesn't work I've got two options, new ones are avaliable for a bit over a £100 or my preferred route is to see if I can strip and overhaul it.