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Topics - Rxe

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Petteroids / Petter PH Flywheel (not a gib key problem!)
« on: February 20, 2012, 09:08:12 PM »
As I wrote the title of the thread, I had to add the comment about the gib key as I imagined most people would groan "not another stuck key".   This time it isn't a stuck key!

The engine is a PH1, pretty unmolested, down on compression and needing an overhaul.  I got it for not much more than scrap value on the 'bay, and I'm going to ovehaul the bits that need doing before it goes in my dump truck.   The dump truck engine is also down on compression, and is pretty unwilling to start on a cold morning. 

Anyway, I got a gib key puller, and with loads of WD40 and about a week of tension, it popped out.  Perfect. 

Except it isn't.  The flywheel is completely stuck solid.   I've tried walloping it with a leather mallet, I've tried jacking it off with a one of the big bolts on that side of the engine.    I've even warmed it with an oxy blow torch (warm is an appropriate word, that thing can absorb a lot of heat), and it isn't budging. 

So, what is the trick to getting a keyless flywheel off the crank?!?!

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Engines / SR4 Rebuild
« on: January 03, 2012, 05:34:22 PM »
New member here, and I've been daft enough to take on a rebuild of a rather waterlogged, but hardly used SR4.   I can see a lot of similarities with the "FR4 Project" that Reg Burns started: I'm not doing this for cost effectiveness, I'm doing it because I like decent engineering and it is a challenge.  If I wanted cost effective, I'd go and get a Yanmar....

The original plan was to have something that would drive a big compressor: 70 CFM so that I can do proper blasting.  So I was looking for a 20 - 25 HP engine that would not be stressed when delivering that power.  An SR3 wasn't quite enough so when and SR4 came up....it seemed sensible.   How hard could it be, it's just an SR3 with an extra cylinder?  Wrong!

So this vast lump of iron arrived on a pallet.  It looked so much bigger "in the metal".   It was advertised as "seized, but no water in the bottom end".   Hmmm.    It was certainly seized. 

All of the ducting and ancillaries came off with a liberal application of WD40 and a small amount of swearing.   The starter motor works, the dynamo generates current when spun in a drill, and the manifolds look at lot better now they are cleaned up and painted.   Cylinder heads next: all in reasonable order, no valve wear at all, in fact no valve marking whatsoever, which suggests this was very low hours.   Water had been getting in through the inlet manifold, so it got progressively worse towards the front of the engine.  All pistons were seized solid, with the bores of 1 and 2 totally rusted up.   No need for subtlety in freeing them up, just the application of a 3 foot long 3/4 drive breaker bar.   Pistons in the bin, bores sent of for a bit of +2 oversize action.   I've now got new oversize pistons, and everything needed to rebuild the top end.

Fuel pumps are OK, no visible corrosion, the racks on three move easily, the last is stuck. 

Down to the crank.   The sump was filled with water and oil (no water in the bottom end ha ha), but the big ends were fine.  A bit scuffed, but fine.   The cam is perfect.  No wear or corrosion.    3/5 mains are also perfect (but the shells are trashed) but the front two have evidence of corrosion.   Not terrible, but can be felt with a fingernail and didn't respond to a bit of polishing.   The people who supplied the replacement big end shells, don't have new mains.    Hmmmm. 

So, some questions, hopefully someone out there will have the answer. 

1) What do I do with the crank?   Getting it machined is no problem, but does anyone know where to get oversize main bearings for an SR4?  Apparently they are different to the SR3/2/1 items.   

2) How do you get the cam out of the block?   And while I'm there, how do you get the oil pump out.  It looks like you press both of them...but before using force I want to be sure. 

3) Does anyone know of a parts book or workshop manual for one of these engines?

I think it would have been easier to stick with the Petter PH1s that I normally fiddle with - a lot cheaper for sure, but it will be very satisfying when it runs.   I can put photos up...not sure of forum etiquette at this stage.




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