Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length.

[Landlocked]

Help solicited


My TVR1A is running rough.  Last Fall I did the full run in using air.  Last Spring when trying to run it on steam, (after a few errant flames where extinguished -- see my Sabino engineering build log) it ran rough and I found a lot of loose bolts.


I've snugged everything up, checked the coarse timing adjustments, took the valve covers off and checked the valve movement across the faces.


At ~20 psi of air, it runs much smoother and faster with the lever down than with it up.  Unfortunately, in my installation, up is forward.


I haven't been able to find any mechanical binding.


Ideas on what to check next?


Thanks,


Landlocked/Ken

[Jerry C]

Ken, you still have some running in to do on steam. When running in on steam is the reversing lever sitting in the top and bottom notches or have you rotated the detent bar through 180° as it would be when engine running inside the boat? Try running the engine on the rough side with the rod outside of the notch. Can this make it run smoother? If yes then you can use the servo rod adjustment to make it run smoother. Also with engine stopped with lever in center notch but under full steam pressure does steam pass the valves and come out of the exhaust? This would point to the valve not being free on the valve spindle and thus not seating correctly. Very gentle easing of the slot in the valve with a fine file will free the valve up and allow it to seat correctly. Finally are the cylinder support rods not quite square on to the base causing the reversing gear to run out of true. You'll get there eventually. Best of luck.
Jerry.

[steam up]

I have found with a friends engine that joint on the steam chest valve rod had come adrift result the timing was all over the place.
I think that this was a result of the engine  running hot due to a lack of steam oil

[Jerry C]

There you go.
Jerry.

[Landlocked]

Jerry,


I've been doing some more run-in with air and it seems to be getting better.  Unfortunately, I popped my ring off the inlet pipe (my lubricator uses a ring as a nipple for the union) when pressing the air hose onto the lubricator (I should have pushed it over the ring instead of the lubricator inlet) so I have some re-soldering to do.


I've spun my detent bar by 180 for servo use.  My pointer points a little beyond the full up detent when it is running smoothest.  I'm going to keep running it in on air for another evening and then re-solder the ring on.


I'm not getting any air bled through with the lever level.


Ken

[Jerry C]

Ken, sounds good. The "ring" nipple you mention for the lubricator, is that what we on this side of the pond call an olive? If so, they are not normally soldered but rely on the nut compressing the olive and deforming it to make a seal and "crimp" onto the pipe.
One other thing, your lubricator, if of the displacement type will not work on compressed air. You have to, at regular intervals, put some oil into the air delivery pipe.
Jerry.

[Landlocked]

The ring on the union is not a compression fitting.  Instead of a cone, it provides a flat face to the joint.  It's for a Clevedon lubricator.  Not sure why that's his preference.  Doesn't provide much surface area for the solder.


Roger all on the lubricator not working on air. 


I've run it in for about 3 more hours.  Much better.  I'm declaring things a success.

[Jerry C]

Well done. I'm looking forward to seeing the whole shebang running.
Jerry.

[derekwarner]

Ken.....flat faced unions have had a chequered history in fluid systems   
Initially they were designed to enable tube or pipe spool pieces or runs to be lifted out without removal of any sub components or bending & distortion of the pipe/tube spools
BURGER from Germany [1962?] were one of the largest manufacturers &exponents or profits of their advantages    ....I do not believe that they are are still marketed.............. Derek