I received this engine as part exchange for the 3.5hp OK I restored (on this website), it has quite a bit of paint damage and was not the correct green anyway. It has quite a bit of work needs doing such as badly worn governor/shaft, oil calibrator not functioning, no crank to side shaft skew gear cover, crank splash guard, cooling tank making and new gib head key making to name a few. I dare say there will be a few other anomalies pop up on the way as well.
Update
2012 I made a start quite early just to do something on it whilst restoring the Amanco, I stripped out the oil calibrator to investigate the reason for nor pumping. The drive was slipping on the shaft inside and also one of the pump pistons was so badly corroded that it wouldn’t make any pressure anyway, I sorted the drive problem and made a new piston.
Update
Dec 2012 Started restoration now and stripped the whole thing to pieces, I couldn’t resist doing a bit of machining and sorting the governor and side shaft wear, this had been held on with a loose fitting split pin rather than a tapered pin which resulted in a lot of slop wearing both governor housing and shaft. I’ve bored the housing, turned the shaft down then made a sleeve and shrunk fitted it to the shaft, also made a pin.
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Click image for "as received pic'"
Update
Jan 2013 With it all stripped I’ve commenced preparation for painting, it had quite a few large blisters which I’ve removed and filled. It is now in primer ready for final painting.
Update
May 2013-05-18 Thought I’d better make an entry before getting so far I forget what I’ve done. Over the last few weeks I’ve been painting top colour and am not far from being complete. The mag trigger had lost one of its springs so made a new one from a power hacksaw blade (ruddy ‘ard)
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Painting is almost finished now having just applied final coat to base and fuel tank this afternoon (19/05/2013), a couple of small things to finish (governor weights, inlet valve cage etc’). Paint needs to harden somewhat before attempting to work on it, need to source some large hard wood for a trolley anyway so can’t do much anyway yet, also need to make a splash guard and I’ve started making a cover for the crank skew gear as all it had was a copper item made for safety. A few pic’s of painted parts and skew gear guard so far.
08/06/13 Just a small update, one of the things that was missing is the crank skew gear cover, I’ve made a replacement cove and is in primer at the moment. I starting the process of aquiring oak for a large trolley so hopefully I’ll soon be building that
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Update
28/07/2013 I'v esince aquired remnants of a Ruston 8AP which is the same size and basic design as this, someone had started to make a new exhaust valve and guide for it. I've completed the manufacture and will use it to replace the repaired one on this OK. Image has both original and the completed 8AP one.
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Second image is of the oak I have and commenced making trolley
Update
Work has temporarily ceased to complete friends APR restoration and commisioning of my new milling machine (Beavermill MK2 Date today 25/01/14
04/06/14 Just to keep this going I've made a start back on this project, I'm now using trolley I received it on as time is going by and will be too long for oak one I planned. I'm lowering slightly by using front wheels on rear and a diferent pair on front, not sure of finish yet painted black or posibly clad in hard wood
Update
30/06/14 Trolley is now painted black and front wheels are nearly complete, the smaller front wheels have a 65mm I/D so I've made sleeves to reduce to 35mm to suit axles.
Thought I'd never get to this stage
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Update
20/07/14 Work has moved along a bit now and I’ve got some progress to report The trolley is now complete apart from painting wheels which I’ll probably do nearer end, ain case is now on trolley and head is on.
Crank had been replaced with new one at some time but had been left full length (I’ve been told they are supplied long to be cut to user's requirements), I’ve cut both ends and have mounted crank in lathe and faced ends.
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I’ve reassembled piston back onto conrod using original rings and is now fitted in bore, I’m in the process of setting crank ready to fit conrod to crank
Update
10/09/14 Things are now starting to take shape, with crank, rod and piston in I’m working on the re-fitment of the side shaft assembly. There are quite a few issues with this as someone in the engines earlier life has (for want of a better analogy) bodged repairs which has resulting in adding to problems rather than fixing. The governor bowl has had its taper pin replaced with a split pin which resulted in a badly worn shaft and bowl, I had to machine shaft and bowel to sleeve then machine to original size also made a new tapered pin. Also the exhaust cam follower roller pivot pin was badly worn so had to make another, making the side shaft re-fit a rather long stretched out job.
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Update
24/09/14 Been doing some more between rallies, as previously quoted the side shaft/governor assembly taking quite some engineering to get set-up. Had to make a new governor follower pad and sleeve throttle lever as both had hideous wear. Parts are being such a problem to go together you’d think they were all from different engines, front end and governor are nearing completion now. Here are one or two pictures.
follower pad
throttle lever
side shaft
governor
front end
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Update
28/09/14 I've been doing some fiddly tarty bits this weekend I must admit, so a small update I'm afraid but had to be done, here are a few pictures
Upper governor tensioner
Fuel valve parts 1
Fuel valve parts 2
Fuel valve complete
Parts on head
Click images for big pictures
Update
04/10/14 Benn doing a bit more to the engine, I've put flywheel back on preliminarily and spent quite a lot of time getting Wico EK to trigger satisfactorily. EK's are a marvelous mag but when old and worn need a lot of thought to make them trigger briskly, they need to really flick (clue in name "flick mag"), I've given it a lot of care and now have it flicking really hard.
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If you run video you'll hear that the EK is flicking quite vigorously
05/10/14
Well realized although far from finished with a little touches it'd be possible to go for a starting attempt. With a little help from a friend who advised me on Ruston valve timing (I had it a tooth late) we went for a go, the ignition was a little retarded causing a lot of fire from exhaust port but not enough to prevent a start (now timed it earlier). There's still so work to do on throttle setting and governing but at least it breaths. Here's a video of it running for the first time since restoration.
No exhaust so cracks a bit!!!!!
Update
09/11/14 After run up I found that a problem shot up, there was a nasty lumping from crank, I amended some play (tiny amount) in big end but as thought wasn’t the cause. I locked the crank and big end up and found that even though the gib key in the flywheel was tight there was a small amount of rotational play. On investigation I found that the key that was used by the person who built this before had used an incorrect key (even angle of taper was wrong), I’ve made a new one from a larger Ruston key.
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I obtained an exhaust doughnut from a friend but was in poor condition with both treads un-serviceable, I made a couple of inserts with threads in and braised them in. Pictures show details
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Update
16/11/2014 Progress is slowly taking place, I started to make a splash but my sheet steel isn’t long enough, moved onto making new crank main bearing nuts and fitting along with the wick oilers.
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Also I’ve rebuilt and installed the oil calibrator tank, original actuator rod was in very poor condition so have made new.
I have had it running a couple of times since rebuild and although short runs I'm optimistic that it'll be fine. Here's a very short poor video clip taken on my phone.
Update
24/10/14 Having painted the flywheel satin black I’ve moved onto rebuilding the oil calibrator assembly, when I received this engine there was only one sight feed and that was plumbed onto the side shaft rear. Should be two, one on the cylinder and the other feeding the big end ring oiler feed, I’ve made a second sight feed and re-plumbed the system as should be. The pumps are bled and working but drop rate is nowhere near enough so have to find why (this could be why previous owner used drip oilers.
Tank remounted
Original sight feeder on cylinder
New sight feeder parts machined
New sight feeder complete
Assembly complete
Assembly complete bigger pic'
Update
24/11/2014 I’ve made a start on the splash guard as there wasn’t one when received it, a job I’ve dreading but is going better than expected. This isn’t as it should be with curved angle edges as I can’t curve angle myself so it’s just a flat affair with a beaded edge (I actually prefer this). It is in stage now of preparing for paint.
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Also as there was only one side shaft wick oiler (and that was chrome plated) I’ve commenced making new ones, I completed and fitted front one
Update
13/1214 Thought I'd better get some recent progress documentated, firstly I've now completed the splash guard and painted
I've also gotten quite a way into producing the cooling system, I've made a tank from a 70lt oil drum but is still blue at the moment
I've decided to mount tank on rear of trolley so to this end I've made a support frame
Update
24/12/14 Work is continuing on the cooling tank, fitments are complete, new top anti-splash lip has been fabricated and welded in and painted.
I’ve been making fuel tank straps and fixings at the same time and tank is now pretty much fitted.
Fabricated anti-splsh lip welded in
In primer
First top coat
Straps made
First trial fitment
Straps complete and fitted
Finished
ADDITION TO TODAYS UPDATE
I've made a fuel filter as one was not on when I got this engine, I just need to make gauze filter and plumb it in.
Update
01/01/15 Well the engine is complete apart from decals and setting up and running, cooling tank is now plumbed onto engine and finishing touches have been mainly done. Trolley wheels are now painted to match the trolley and weather permitting over the next three days I’d like to get it outside and run it proper at which time I’ll get better pictures and some reasonable video.
Fuel filter complete and fitted
Three angles of general engine images
Click images for bigger pictures
DISASTER
03/01/15 Got the engine out on a sunny Saturday and ran it up, I was very fast at first but managed to get speed down a bit, one or two problems became apparent. There was a seepage of water from head gasket and the Wico EK mag trigger fulcrum became loose (the hole in bracket isn’t round and pinch bolt became loose (need to sleeve this which I should have done at start!!)), this resulted in ignition timing became retarded and exhaust pot, head outlet and valve becoming overheated. I’ve stripped the head off again and made new head gaskets and where exhaust comes out the paint had flaked off, I was trying to make sure all loose paint was off with intention of re-painting that area and blew with airline which blew all the paint off head!!!. I made the mistake of using spray cellulose red oxide primer instead of usual brush on stuff (that is thinned with white spirit), the top coats haven’t adhered at all to this so having to repaint the head.
Paintless head
Update
18/01/2015 Heeee’s back Having made new gaskets for head and repainted it I’ve rebuilt the engine, re-times but it has still got back to firing at TDC so was running today but labouring a bit. I’ve now once again re-timed to just before TDC but have no petrol to test so will continue fine tuning next weekend. I’ve done a video of it running a bit faster than I want to end up at. Soon be putting the decals on now
Update
01/02/15 Engine is now complete just tying up one or two small loose ends, the decals are now on and have a picture (albeit inside (will put a better one on when next get engine outside. I’ve also made a finial for the exhaust this has been like a signature on my engines since started building them, in fact I’ve made one or two for other people so if you see one on an engine like these I probably made it. Engine will be rallied soon (unless someone offers me a lot of money for it) probably first being Rackheath.
With decals on
Finial
Update
08/02/15 Well! Apart from a fuel leak at tap and unions and fitting a drain tap to block, this is finished. I’ve solidly anchored throttle, not idea as it’s not being controlled by governor but I struggled to get it to run less erratic with it working (just means it’ll not be able to be left un-attended). Had it running today and on heating oil with a little petrol in, the tap in the coolant wasn’t a good idea as it got too hot so took it out and was fine with the half BSP hole where it came out. It ran for quite some time quite satisfactorily.
Here are two videos, one running fast and the other running slow
Update
06/04/15 Well having fitted block drain tap and hopefully sorted leak at fuel tap I suddenly remembered that the crank handle I have is a quarter of an inch bigger than the crank (crank is 2.25 inch and handle was 2.5 inch. I’ve milled the handle out round and sleeved down to correct size. Engine will be going to it’s first rally next weekend (Royal Norfolk show ground Saturday and Flixton Aviation museum Sunday). Engine is now for sale if anyone wants it.
Handle at stages of sleeving procedure Click images
Update
Only just remembered to update this, engine was sold after it's first rally which was at Royal Norfolk show ground in April 2015 to a gentleman name of Stafford Bucks and it's now residing in France.
