Conversion of 4 Cycle Utility Engine to Steam

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DavidF:
But if you used the straight antifreeze not the 50/50 mix stuff then it getting diluted by the condensate wouldnt really be a big deal.
I would have to experiment some to get a better understanding of how the heavy steam oils work with a flooded crankcase. But thats for a later time, getting ready to start carving out a pattern for my enclosed twin build, then its time to melt some Iron again :D

DavidA:
I was thinking about the cooling fins on the barrel. As the idea would be to retain heat, not get rid of it as with a petrol engine, would it help to fill the gaps between the fins ?

Dave.

vtsteam:

--- Quote from: DavidA on February 09, 2013, 12:11:03 PM ---I was thinking about the cooling fins on the barrel. As the idea would be to retain heat, not get rid of it as with a petrol engine, would it help to fill the gaps between the fins ?

Dave.

--- End quote ---

Yes it's been suggested before that rope type insulation between the fins would work as lagging. I might prefer to reduce their number as well. They do add stiffness to the cylinder -- the walls over the liner are relatively thin so I wouldn't take them all out. We'll see when I get to finishing details.

vtsteam:
So I was drilling the head casting for the head bolts after marking out their locations and the location of the valve bore. Got 3 of them done and ran out of kerosene in my oilcan which I usually use on aluminum when drilling. Thought I'd just finish step drilling this first 3/32" pilot hole when ...snap! You guessed it, and I knew it, should never have done it. I knew better. :bang:

Broken drill in 1" of cast aluminum. Tiny one, too. Nothing to grab onto and try to reverse twist out.

So I brought it inside and tried to recall all of the tricks people use to get the drill out.

It was in a boss so I heated that and tapped the head upside down -- maybe I could expand the hole with heat and it will just fall out.

No such luck.

Then I sat down for awhile and thought about drilling up from the bottom of the head to meet the broken piece, and then tap it out with a drift. Well maybe that would work, but tomorrow, as it was getting too dark to work in the shed.

Finally I wondered if I could get it out with a magnet. I have some really powerful magnets from a big old hard drive. So I found those -- I have two -- and pulled them apart -- which took considerable grunt. I rubbed one over the hole, and all of a sudden, chunks of drill bit came out! I probed around in the hole with the point of one of my daughter's school compasses -- the cheap pencil type, and I could still feel steel embedded down there. Then I realized I could stick the magnet on the compass, and it would become a magnetic probe. So I did that and scratched around in the bottom of the hole, and pulled out more bits and pieces. After about 15 minutes of this, I felt aluminum at the bottom of the hole! :ddb:

Well, I don't know if that method has been written up before, but it worked at least once for me, so thought I'd pass it along!

I'll be filling the oil can back up with kero tomorrow.

DMIOM:
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
What a good feeling that must be! - thanks for posting that

Dave

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