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[flashtwo]

Hi Mayhemers,

I’ve been running my Stuart D10 solidly for the last five years (from new) and, on the latest check of the timing, I’ve found the reversing linkages are all getting a bit sloppy making the settings somewhat dubious.

Has anyone have had to give their engines a complete overhaul, because of wear, or is worth just buying a complete new set of castings and building a new one.

Any thoughts?

Ian

[malcolmbeak]

Hi Ian
Will you have it at Ally Pally? Let us all have a look at it to see what is needed. I'll be there probably on Saturday, and definitely on Sunday.
Malcolm

[Circlip]

As "LBSC" would have said, "Jewelry work", what about fitting Alluminium bronze sleeve bushes in the linkage pivots?

  Regards  Ian.

[ooyah/2]

Hi Mayhemers,

I’ve been running my Stuart D10 solidly for the last five years (from new) and, on the latest check of the timing, I’ve found the reversing linkages are all getting a bit sloppy making the settings somewhat dubious.

Has anyone have had to give their engines a complete overhaul, because of wear, or is worth just buying a complete new set of castings and building a new one.

Any thoughts?

Ian

Ian,
Looking at your engine on the Viatal Bite I think you have used the Stuart method with the drag links. I have never liked this method and all of the D10's and 10V's that I have made I make the drag links from strip brass with bosses S/S on and reamed with a plain bolt thro" them which makes them firmer and in my opinion better wearing.
It seams a rather drastic step to cure the sloppy drag links by making a new engine so can I suggest that you make new drag links using the same Cast Bronze quadrants even though you may have to make a new roller a few thou bigger and file out the slot to fit.
D10's are very sturdy engines as is the 10V, the 10v in my tug was 12 years old with a lot of use and I only replaced the bearings once.

I notice on your engine that it is covered in burnt oil,may I ask what is the cause of that ?

Here is a pic of the D10 replacement engine for my Steam Tug Cervia with the strip drag links.





Old 10V which is 12 year old with slip eccentric reverse..



I hope that this can help you to make up your mind.
George.

[flashtwo]

Thanks for all your replies,

Yes, Malcolm, it will be at the Ally Pally and we can hold a "doctor's surgery" (including Steamboat Phil) as I haven't the experience of the long term use of these engines.

Thanks George for your comments. I did make my own drag links very much like your own, but out of stainless. I did make the Stuart drag links originally, but found them such a nuisance in assembly, that I'm afraid proper engineering took precedence over the aesthetic quality.

Regarding the burnt oil. The engine has  had a few doses of superheated steam of up to 250degC during my development of the flash boiler control system, so perhaps that has been the cause of the problem. As you may understand that the project has been more to do with the engineering solution rather than making an exhibition  presentable model boat; that said, I'd be the first to admit that  more than a bit of "house keeping" is required on the engine, which I'll do during the rebuild of the engine.

I think I shall purchase at least the Cast Bronze quadrents from Stuarts to get rid of the timing slack, which is very bad at about 2mm movement on the "D" valve.

Ian.

[ooyah/2]

Ian,

2mm that's about .070" it's a wonder that the engine fires, to save some cash how about making new rollers to fit the quadrant slot and open out the drag link bolts to 6BA to take up the slack?
I do appretiate that you are more interested in the experimental side of your steam plant but I just wondered if you had an oil leak.
I am the last person to critisize an oil leak as there is oil all over the place when my Flash steamer fires, my temps and pressures are unknown but it would be interesting to know.
Maybe some time in the future I will get some body in the club with the knowledge and the equipment  to measure them.
George

[flashtwo]

Hi George,

I've rebuilt the timing gear and made other adjustments to great effect - see the Flash Steam plant control thread for details.

Ian.