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madjackghengis:
Hi Nick,
I'm brand new on this forum, having just found it, and I've been following your project with great enthusiasm, because I built a much smaller engine of that type years ago and never got it to even consider running. In reading all the posts, I've seen a couple of things which might be part of your difficulties, all through the beginning, it seemed like the normal having to work out the bugs, but when you got the new iron piston and valve in, and it started up, only to quit, it seems to me you are dealing with the real bugger of these engines, friction. The note of condensation suggests where a good part of the friction comes from, and pre-heating it would probably eliminate that. I found in my own engine, any oil at all stopped everything dead up. The instructions on the engine I built said to use a pencil and rub the lead all over the piston and cylinder (both were made of aluminum), as graphite is a great lubricant and dry powder.
With your success, I'm going to go back and build the one I tried before, again, only with your experiences in mind to help me get it to actually run. It has a sliding valve cam operated, but I think the piston type valve is a better idea, and will be using iron for cylinder, piston and valve, rather than the ali specified. I'm really looking forward to your post saying it runs as long as you want, and its a go.
I'm an engine rebuilder as a job, I work on old and antique engines, mostly motorcycles, but tractors and farm equipment, having a shop out in the country surrounded by woods and fields of farms. This is my first ever post on any forum, as I am rather new with the internet other than reading news and finding parts and material for projects.
Mad Jack

sbwhart:
Hi Nick

Cracking job with that engine I bet you're really chuffed.
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I've filed away your experiences with this engine for when I get round to building one, thanks for passing on the info.

Have fun

Stew

Stilldrillin:
That`s great Nick! :clap:

So very pleased for you...... Also that my "two pennorth", helped a little..... :thumbup:

David D

NickG:
Mad Jack,

Thanks for the interest and comments. The engine does run until the fuel runs out now. The oil used on mine actually helps keep any deposits from unburnt parts of the fuel building up and causing excess friction. I am going to try a run with it completely dry once again with the new, purer alcohol though. It will run faster without the oil but probably not for as long. The designer of the 'poppin' engine I keep talking about swears by oil and he has a constant drip feed on that design which works well, however, others say they don't run with oil. From my experiences, my engine seems to prefer running with oil. I guess a lot of this depends on clearances of individual engines though and it's the balance between making a good seal and keeping friction down.

I think cast iron is a good way to go though becaue of the self lubricating properties. I don't necessarily think the piston valve is better. In my opinion it's easier to get two surfaces flat and smooth than two as near cylindrical and round and smooth as possible. The little 'poppin' design uses a very thin spring steel valve which because of its flexibility seats very well, especially as the vacuum starts to pull it against the port face. It also means very very low friction and hence a very small amount of force to drive it. This takes the criticality straight out of the valve and means you only need to get a flat port face, which is easy just lapping on a surface plate and a bit of emery. Those are just my opinions based on experience during this build anyway. I might yet build the poppin as an exercise more than anything to see the different characteristics of the two types of engine, afterall, I already have all the materials now!

Your work sounds very interesting we'd love to see some of that posted on here! I was into stationary engines and the like when I was a teenager, which is probably what got me interested in this hobby.

Stew, David, Wes and Gerhard - thanks very much! Chuffed is an understatement - there were times when I thought it was not going to show any sign of life! :thumbup:

Nick

madjackghengis:
Thanks for the nice welcome to the forum, and I'm glad to know your engine is running completely now, I think you are exactly right in that some engines like oil, and some won't tolerate it at all, and it is frequently little things which determine the outcome.
I have to say how much I enjoy the forum if for no other reason than seeing a different attitude among those who are from a different country, and have differing resources. I have a radial engine I bought plans for a year or so ago, which I made good progress on for a while, and got side-tracked by work, and seeing the pictures and reading the posts has re-motivated me, I've got back to work on it, and will be posting pictures of it soon. I have to learn how to use the forum, as in how to put pictures in, and the like, as it is entirely new to me, and a challenge. I will get pics of what I've got done posted in the next few days, and get this engine running as soon as I get the thousand parts or so made. It is a scale model of a nine cylinder Pratt and Whitney radial of about eight cubic inches.
Thanks much, Mad Jack

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