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Petteroids / New pistons Petter PJ2, block after short time engine running. Clearance?
« on: October 18, 2018, 12:01:52 AM »
Hi, I'm Rob from Amsterdam, NL, new to any forum.
English is not my native language, and with the technical stuff I have to look up the english words and I may not understand everything you may try to tell me, right away, but let's give it a try.
I had no experience working on a diesel engine before 4 years ago, but I do have a technical insight. I learn while doing, and I ask a lot and read a lot, especially now that there have been and are serious problems with this old machine. I'm used to open every household thing that's broken and try fix it, and mostly I can. But I know I'm still very much a beginner with diesel engines, compared to the advanced hobbyist mechanics.
I wish I had a manual for exactly this engine Petter PJ2, 22 HP air cooled. Motor nr 13724, put in a Harding life boat in 1972.
When, after a few years the engine started to show problems (smoke, overheating) small pieces of one piston appeared to have broken off, I had an engine revision workshop find me 2 new pistons (they got them from the Lister-Petter company) and have the cylinders honed by them.
Now that I've put the engine back together, and both cylinders firing, after little time (2 minutes various speeds, 10 minutes slow speed) the engine slows down, and when I turn it off, the flywheel can't be turned for a short while, and after that only with force. When the engine cooled down, it all turns easier, as normally. I guess it's a result of the pistons expanding by the heat and then get stuck in the cylinders. The oil in the carter is Shell Rimula R4 Multigrade 10W30.
A manual of a similar engine says, with new pistons one must indeed let the engine run first for just 2 minutes, without any load, then 10 minutes let it do some work, and then longer and longer before really having it run for a normal, longer trip. What worries me, is that the first two times the engine stopped after 2 minutes, for blocking itself. The third time after about 10 minutes running slow. The pistons, or at least one, gets stuck and the flywheel can't be turned for a minute or two.
How normal or abnormal is this? To me it doesn't 'feel' good, that the pistons get stuck.
Both cylinders seem to warm up normal, and develop an equal temperature.
1. Should I be worried about the piston clearance being too little?
2. What else could cause this rapid blocking, that seems so related to the heating up?
3. Who could provide a manual for exactly this engine?
I'll of course be happy to hear some responses
English is not my native language, and with the technical stuff I have to look up the english words and I may not understand everything you may try to tell me, right away, but let's give it a try.
I had no experience working on a diesel engine before 4 years ago, but I do have a technical insight. I learn while doing, and I ask a lot and read a lot, especially now that there have been and are serious problems with this old machine. I'm used to open every household thing that's broken and try fix it, and mostly I can. But I know I'm still very much a beginner with diesel engines, compared to the advanced hobbyist mechanics.
I wish I had a manual for exactly this engine Petter PJ2, 22 HP air cooled. Motor nr 13724, put in a Harding life boat in 1972.
When, after a few years the engine started to show problems (smoke, overheating) small pieces of one piston appeared to have broken off, I had an engine revision workshop find me 2 new pistons (they got them from the Lister-Petter company) and have the cylinders honed by them.
Now that I've put the engine back together, and both cylinders firing, after little time (2 minutes various speeds, 10 minutes slow speed) the engine slows down, and when I turn it off, the flywheel can't be turned for a short while, and after that only with force. When the engine cooled down, it all turns easier, as normally. I guess it's a result of the pistons expanding by the heat and then get stuck in the cylinders. The oil in the carter is Shell Rimula R4 Multigrade 10W30.
A manual of a similar engine says, with new pistons one must indeed let the engine run first for just 2 minutes, without any load, then 10 minutes let it do some work, and then longer and longer before really having it run for a normal, longer trip. What worries me, is that the first two times the engine stopped after 2 minutes, for blocking itself. The third time after about 10 minutes running slow. The pistons, or at least one, gets stuck and the flywheel can't be turned for a minute or two.
How normal or abnormal is this? To me it doesn't 'feel' good, that the pistons get stuck.
Both cylinders seem to warm up normal, and develop an equal temperature.
1. Should I be worried about the piston clearance being too little?
2. What else could cause this rapid blocking, that seems so related to the heating up?
3. Who could provide a manual for exactly this engine?
I'll of course be happy to hear some responses