My mates new start-o-matic

[GuyFawkes]

As collected yesterday, fired up first crank today despite sitting idle several years.











full res versions at http://www.surfbaud.co.uk/Lister/gallery/index.php?twg_album=Adrians+lister&twg_offset=0

Note original early features such as intake manifold, crankshaft end caps, exposed bolt barrels etc

[mobile_bob]

man, you guys are some lucky stiffs, to have so much cool crap out in the woods waiting to be found.

better find them all now, and secure them, won't be long before everyone on that island will seem to be wanting one.

here in the seattle area, maybe 5 years and certainly 10 years ago, you couldnt give away an old datsun or toyota diesel pickup

now the yuppie set in seattle with their "green" biodiesel craze have the same pickups going for up to 5 grand, and if it is an old landcruiser, all bets
are off.

just wait till it happens there, those engines will bring top dollar then, what 3 or 4 thousand pounds?
i really would not be surprised.

guy you could make yourself a very wealthy man, speculating on old iron

btw, i really like the looks of the SOM
damn cool

bob g

[Albert.Ross]

It would be nice to say it fired up first crank, but it took a bit of priming, I had to slack off the injector union and crank it round about twenty times first.

A good sign the previous afternoon was that, turning it over on the handle and dropping the valve lifter produced a pop of greyish smoke from the exhaust; which must have been engine oil getting past the rings and firing up in the compression. (Coventry Victors used to have an oil injector to squirt a measure into the combustion chamber as a starting aid). The oil priming pump is a lovely thing to have on a diesel.

I'm amazed that on ino-load, the most noise comes from the air inlet and the crankcase breather. Not a groan or a squeak from it, just a nice regular clicking from the valves.

Pics and videos of the start will follow.

[t19]

Damn I can't wait till mine gets here 

[Albert.Ross]

Well, while you're waiting,

http://www.semleystation.com/html/Articles/100_2517.mpg

[GuyFawkes]

I'm amazed that on ino-load, the most noise comes from the air inlet and the crankcase breather. Not a groan or a squeak from it, just a nice regular clicking from the valves.

Pics and videos of the start will follow.

you don't have the belts on yet, you know an engine is quiet when the whick of vee belts is a noticeable sound.

when I got mine I dug old my old mechanical tacho and ran it down to a steady 100 rpm, then whacked full rack on it a few times, the plan being that the engine was quiet enough I would hear any bearing noise, the motor itself was about as quiet as a steam engine, opened the rack and heard the injector crack off a full load, that ended that experiment, if there is any bearing or end play noise there my ears won't hear it.

[GuyFawkes]

Well, while you're waiting,

http://www.semleystation.com/html/Articles/100_2517.mpg

I especially like the way you left the starting handle on the crank THE WHOLE TIME IT WAS RUNNING after I have spent days warning our colonial cousins about safe starting procedures

BTW folks, that is sat on a wooden europallete, no hold downs.

[Albert.Ross]

If I'd have taken the handle off, I'd have lost it

It does feel a little bit springy sat on the pallette, which is why I didn't go too wild on pushing the fuel rack in a bit more than the governor would have wanted me to, and there's also the alternator sitting unbolted on the back of the bed that I didn't want dancing around too much.

I was surprised by two things, 1) it started far quicker than I had anticipated, I was still cranking for two turns after the first bang, and 2) it took far longer to stop after I had flipped the pawl over. I remember thinkig to myself 'nothing's happening', and then I checked the exhaust outlet and realised it wasn't firing any more. Those flywheels have a serious amount of energy in them.

I'm still planning to try running it on a wooden bed of sleepers (railroad ties to some of you), to see if it will act as a soft bed. Any experiences would be welcome before I get out the chainsaw.

[fuddyduddy]

Hello Albert Ross,
We did that with head rig engines for sawmills. Wood absorbs all the vibration, after two or three layers stacked on top of one another. Just offset the crossing points. Try 4X6s or rr ties, or, or. Have even seen cherrytone landscape (toothpicks) used for lighter setups.

Can't believe how many people say to use lots of concrete and lots of steel. Sounds (needlessly) spendy to me!!!

[t19]

Well, while you're waiting,

http://www.semleystation.com/html/Articles/100_2517.mpg

You lucky bugger.  Does yours not start with 24vdc?  I sure hope mine will as I was told as mine does not have a starting handle.... but it does have an original Fuel tank!!

Damn that is a slow boat, I hope I hear about it being here this week

[Doug]

Think your boat is slow?
I paid for my Petter at the end of April....

Doug

[t19]

yeah but I have a note saying it was loaded nearly two weeks ago.   I have my holidays coming up, I would love to be able to work on it while I am off.  I have two nieghbours who are diesel mechanics.... they are as excited about seeing it run as I am!!!

[Doug]

I have an email saying it was loaded two weeks ago as well. I just hope I get my shipping details soon so I can get them to the broker and get my crap in order.
Hmm... if ( me thinks there may an extra IF on my part ) they arive at about the same time maybe we can have a race to see who gets it down to tiny peices and back into some sort running condition before the snow falls or perhaps mopre realisticaly melts.

Doug

[Copybell]

I couldn't help but notice in your video you brushed against the crankshaft with your trousers.  Please for goodness sake, stay away from the spinning parts on your engine with things like clothing.  It only takes a moment for your trousers to get caught up in the crankshaft.  If you are lucky, it will only tear your clothes off, if you are unlucky you may loose a leg or worse.  There is a huge amount of energy stored in those flywheels.  I enjoyed your enthusiasm, I hope you take this as constructive criticism from  a fellow enthusiast, and nothing more.

Best Regards,
Copybell

[Doug]

I read an incident report form the Clydack refinery in Wales.

Went something like this:

" Whilst walking up past a fire extiguisher outside the cantene my trouser leg snagged. I kept walking, my trousers did not"

No joke somebody report this.....

Doug