Lister Engine Forum
Slow Speed Diesel Engines => Changfa Engines => Topic started by: OilCan on January 26, 2009, 01:37:26 AM
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Got to thinking about the "starting aid plug" (illus. #34) that fits atop the cylinder head.
It has a small cup design that seemed it could hold a sufficient amount of "charcloth". I was turned onto the subject of charcloth by an outdoorsman I worked with. He liked building things from other simplier eras.
After perusing the internet for charcloth making techniques, I ended up taking some old denim jeans and cut up 2" square patches. Picked up some 1 pt. paint mixing cans and drilled a 1/4" hole in the center of the lid. Fired up the ol' Coleman camp stove and put the sealed can with denim inside atop the burner. You keep the fire on until visible smoke pretty much stops exiting the vent hole in your lid.
When done your cloth should be totally black like charcoal and will be very delicate. This material was used as a fire starter, as a small spark can ignite it easily. Early fabricators made a piston type wooden plunger that fit inside another tubular type round stick that was held in the hand. The operator would place "charcloth" inside the wooden cylinder and insert piston and rap it hard, the "charcloth" will self ignite with the proper compression.
Hmm, is the compression ratio of the Changfa 195 adequate to self-ignite "charcloth" I ask myself?
So, having already made some earlier this summer and stored in tight fitting jar to keep it dry I decided to test out this theory. First, I measured the block temperature (26 degrees F.) Tried cranking engine a couple of times and no result.
Removed the "starting aid plug" and packed even with a small charge of "charcloth, reinstalled starting plug. Used hand crank and spun engine over a few times and released the decompression lever and off she goes!
Haven't tried this at colder temperatures yet but this is a definite improvement. My guess at much lower temps you could pack the "starting aid plug" and light it and screw it back in and the material should continue to glow until you get started.
Try this out yourselves and let me know how it worked for ya's.
Later,
Oilcan
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Sounds easier and simpler to stuff the mouth of a lit propane torch (on low flame) into the intake manifold and swing her around (doe see doe?) !
Stan
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Thanks on that Charcloth;
I had no idea...
And i'll use it if I'm ever out of propane ;)
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Old Sabb marine diesels (around 10 HP, if memory serves) had a hole in the cylinder head that you'd stick a lit punk (looked like a cigarette) into. Crank the engine over and the engine would light right off. Same idea, only different.
Quinn
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Google 'Field marshall Tractors' and you should find plenty of references for starting a single cylinder diesel (of about 10.5 litres) by hand, on a cold day using a smouldering aid.
Ultimate is the 12 gauge cartridge solution.
Not suggesting that would be suitable for a lister, but maybe a .410? or a .22?
I think my little Hatz has a smouldering starting aid option, too.
Regards, RAB
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If so, a .22 isn't going to even be noticed
Not sure. I was thinking of the LR 'sparrow dust shot' versions with a fill of powder....
Regards, RAB
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Many engines back in the day used a " match " treated cotton rope soaked in somethinlike just a tiny bit of Potasium Nitrate to keep them buning while hey were inserted and sealed in the engines.
Watch this, It may be the shot gun shells.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySqxn3dq8hg&feature=related
Watch old smoky dance without a foundation block
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1MnXkHhlM
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ole smokie definetly makes a good case for a ton or ten of concrete don't it?
bob g
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Watch old smoky dance without a foundation block
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG1MnXkHhlM
That looks to be 2x the mass of a lister, and dancing around next to the compressed air cylinder ! Exciting !
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I didn't see any evidence of shotgun shells in the two youtube videos (compressed gas cylinder starting aid though) but I did see some dangerous practices. Watch the end of the last video. That 'ol girl tries to get away from those fellas that just wouldn't leave her alone. She was so mad she was even running backwards! Towards the end she was trying to grind a hole in the compressed gas cylinder they were using to spin her over. I wonder if the bends in the cheater bar were from kick-backs the original owner experienced? ;D