Restoration of Meadowbank engine
Restoration: Dismantling the engine proved to be easy. Whilst it was seized, after the side-shaft was removed the crankshaft itself was found to be free, and a suitable puller was devised to extract the piston, which yielded with little effort. The gudgeon was initially stuck firmly, but after some work it came free and was easily removed. The rings were severely worn, and had strips of tin behind them. Removal of all other items was easily accomplished, though a couple of old bolts snapped and remnants had to be later extracted.
A list of major requirements was compiled.
Inlet valve chest - it was completely missing.
New water pump - the housing had no insides and was rusted out.
New drip feed lubricators - the engine requires 4.
New fuel tank - missing.
New water tank and shower - missing
New piston rings - originals badly worn.
Side-shaft gear covers - missing.
Carburettor - Schebler model D 1" size - missing mixture needle and gland, and float disintegrated.
Magneto - flick type - complete except for spring, but not functional.
Additionally the fuel tank pedestal had two arms missing, the bigend bearing proved to have massive clearance, all the cam rollers and pins were badly worn and the exhaust valve chest had a badly rusted in valve.
The inlet valve chest was a challenge. It is a relatively complex casting not simply able to be copied as is the case with simpler items. Fortuitously, a colleague who possesses a similar engine was in need of a vital part which I undertook to have manufactured in exchange for him preparing the necessary casting patterns for the inlet valve chest, so this will be solved.
The water pump is well known to me, having rebuilt one for another engine at a local heritage complex, when I secured some spare housing castings. I initially arranged for the complete pump to be made using one of these castings, but have now decided to revert to a proprietary brass gear pump which will save considerable cost.
I have obtained four new drip feed lubricators, these having been manufactured to order.
The fuel and water tanks have been made and are awaiting me collecting them in Victoria.
A set of piston rings has been made to order.
The pair of side-shaft gear covers have been cast from examples on loan from a colleague.
The brass bigend bearing has been machined out and essentially sleeved back to nominal clearance.
The carburettor was dismantled and a new float fitted and mixture needle pirated from another.
The magneto proved to be a K-W model J, adapted by Meadowbank to flick type operation.
Work done: Apart from simply cleaning up all items with wire brush and painting them with what I have dubbed "linturbine" (boiled linseed oil + mineral turpentine + Terabine), some effort was expended removing the back-to-front flywheel intending to replace it the right way round. This exercise came to grief when it was found the keyway in the boss of the flywheel was tapered significantly, and it was impossible to insert the key from the outside. The only recourse was to put it back on backwards and live with the inevitable criticism. Other work to date has included having the exhaust valve seat fitted with an insert (it was badly regressed) and a new valve sourced.
Progress report: (mid July)
The K-W magneto actually proved to have an open circuit high tension winding, and as this style of magneto is a moving magnet type, it had to be totally disassembled to remove the coil, proving it to be quite a complex unit and very well made. The winding is being rewound, and insulation of the points assembly is being restored.
A trip to the Mildura area has been made to collect the fuel and water tanks. During this trip, a visit was made to the property from which the engine was recovered, and armed with photos of missing items, one, the air control tap, was miraculously found.
A complete new set of valve roller pins and rollers have been turned up.
The fuel tank mount broke when attempting to rivet a new arm on. This has been braze repaired and the two missing arms attached with countersunk head screws instead of hot riveting.
Many minor items have been done: a bracket to mount the new water pump which would not fit in the original position due to its depth; hold down rods for the water tank, down tubes for the main bearing lubricators, etc.
The casting pattern has come to hand and a new inlet valve chest cast. It is now being machined. In the meantime the side-shaft has been refitted to the engine - I think the timing is right! New flanges have been made from steel 1" and 1.25" thick respectively for the air inlet pipe and exhaust. Threads for the pipe to be screwed in was thread cut on the lathe.
Progress report (early September)
With a self imposed deadline of being able to display the engine, running or not, at the Sydney Antique Machinery Club's annual "Clarendon Classic" rally on September 20-21, every effort has been made to achieve this goal.
The water pump had to be relocated back to its original position as there was no line of sight for the drive belt. This necessitated another bracket and the design and manufacture of a 'overhung' drive pulley. All of the water pipes were fabricated, threaded and bent using thick walled black pipe and steam fittings to match, Likewise, the very heavy muffler was mounted using blacksmith fabricated straps beneath the transport (probably in its original position), and again using black pipe and steam fittings, the exhaust system was fabricated.
Valves, valve springs and magneto flick arm spring were made to order, and spring keepers turned up out of cast iron. The exhaust valve rocker arm had a twist in it which caused the cam roller to be at an angle (though clearly the engine ran in this condition). This has been machined true and an oversize roller pin made.
The crank guard has been rolled and bent to shape, and brass fittings to mount the four lubricators turned up, including the one that feeds oil via a wick to the bigend as it passes by.
The carburettor has been mounted and a fuel feed line made from the fuel tank.
The magneto has proven to be a mechanical nightmare, the only conclusion being that the diecast cover onto which the bearing housings are screwed had 'grown' , and spacers had to be devised to true up the housings. The points assembly has had new insulation and return spring made, and new pins and trunnions have been made for the flick arm spring. It is finally back together and able to be mounted for timing checks etc. With the valves all assembled and clearances ensured, the engine has good compression, which can only improve as the new rings bed in. Very little more beyond setting up an ignition lead is required for an attempt at starting.
Progress report (17 September)
The engine was successfully started the previous Saturday and ran several times, although not long enough to achieve any significant tuning - there are several areas requiring fine tuning - the carburettor mixture and air horn spring, auxiliary air, and ignition timing. The governor did not operate but this could be because the speed of the engine was deliberately held back until a tachometer can be used to confirm the speed. One immediate problem was the very high rate of water flow causing the shower to overflow, so a restricting tap has been put into the delivery line near the tank.
The engine has now been loaded into the trailer ready for transport to its rally debut at the 2014 "Clarendon Classic" Rally hosted by the Sydney Antique Machinery Club Inc. There it will be displayed alongside the only known Vertical Meadowbank engine, and they will make an interesting and contrasting display.
Rally report:
The engine was run numerous times over the two-day rally, with fine tuning of the carburettor mixture, auxiliary air valve, and reducing the length of the pecker governor spring, all contributing to its better and more even running. It did not get to run quite as smoothly as the other horizontal Meadowbank also displayed. During its final run the exhaust valve cover gasket stated to blow, and this eventually brought it to a stop.
A list of major requirements was compiled.
Inlet valve chest - it was completely missing.
New water pump - the housing had no insides and was rusted out.
New drip feed lubricators - the engine requires 4.
New fuel tank - missing.
New water tank and shower - missing
New piston rings - originals badly worn.
Side-shaft gear covers - missing.
Carburettor - Schebler model D 1" size - missing mixture needle and gland, and float disintegrated.
Magneto - flick type - complete except for spring, but not functional.
Additionally the fuel tank pedestal had two arms missing, the bigend bearing proved to have massive clearance, all the cam rollers and pins were badly worn and the exhaust valve chest had a badly rusted in valve.
The inlet valve chest was a challenge. It is a relatively complex casting not simply able to be copied as is the case with simpler items. Fortuitously, a colleague who possesses a similar engine was in need of a vital part which I undertook to have manufactured in exchange for him preparing the necessary casting patterns for the inlet valve chest, so this will be solved.
The water pump is well known to me, having rebuilt one for another engine at a local heritage complex, when I secured some spare housing castings. I initially arranged for the complete pump to be made using one of these castings, but have now decided to revert to a proprietary brass gear pump which will save considerable cost.
I have obtained four new drip feed lubricators, these having been manufactured to order.
The fuel and water tanks have been made and are awaiting me collecting them in Victoria.
A set of piston rings has been made to order.
The pair of side-shaft gear covers have been cast from examples on loan from a colleague.
The brass bigend bearing has been machined out and essentially sleeved back to nominal clearance.
The carburettor was dismantled and a new float fitted and mixture needle pirated from another.
The magneto proved to be a K-W model J, adapted by Meadowbank to flick type operation.
Work done: Apart from simply cleaning up all items with wire brush and painting them with what I have dubbed "linturbine" (boiled linseed oil + mineral turpentine + Terabine), some effort was expended removing the back-to-front flywheel intending to replace it the right way round. This exercise came to grief when it was found the keyway in the boss of the flywheel was tapered significantly, and it was impossible to insert the key from the outside. The only recourse was to put it back on backwards and live with the inevitable criticism. Other work to date has included having the exhaust valve seat fitted with an insert (it was badly regressed) and a new valve sourced.
Progress report: (mid July)
The K-W magneto actually proved to have an open circuit high tension winding, and as this style of magneto is a moving magnet type, it had to be totally disassembled to remove the coil, proving it to be quite a complex unit and very well made. The winding is being rewound, and insulation of the points assembly is being restored.
A trip to the Mildura area has been made to collect the fuel and water tanks. During this trip, a visit was made to the property from which the engine was recovered, and armed with photos of missing items, one, the air control tap, was miraculously found.
A complete new set of valve roller pins and rollers have been turned up.
The fuel tank mount broke when attempting to rivet a new arm on. This has been braze repaired and the two missing arms attached with countersunk head screws instead of hot riveting.
Many minor items have been done: a bracket to mount the new water pump which would not fit in the original position due to its depth; hold down rods for the water tank, down tubes for the main bearing lubricators, etc.
The casting pattern has come to hand and a new inlet valve chest cast. It is now being machined. In the meantime the side-shaft has been refitted to the engine - I think the timing is right! New flanges have been made from steel 1" and 1.25" thick respectively for the air inlet pipe and exhaust. Threads for the pipe to be screwed in was thread cut on the lathe.
Progress report (early September)
With a self imposed deadline of being able to display the engine, running or not, at the Sydney Antique Machinery Club's annual "Clarendon Classic" rally on September 20-21, every effort has been made to achieve this goal.
The water pump had to be relocated back to its original position as there was no line of sight for the drive belt. This necessitated another bracket and the design and manufacture of a 'overhung' drive pulley. All of the water pipes were fabricated, threaded and bent using thick walled black pipe and steam fittings to match, Likewise, the very heavy muffler was mounted using blacksmith fabricated straps beneath the transport (probably in its original position), and again using black pipe and steam fittings, the exhaust system was fabricated.
Valves, valve springs and magneto flick arm spring were made to order, and spring keepers turned up out of cast iron. The exhaust valve rocker arm had a twist in it which caused the cam roller to be at an angle (though clearly the engine ran in this condition). This has been machined true and an oversize roller pin made.
The crank guard has been rolled and bent to shape, and brass fittings to mount the four lubricators turned up, including the one that feeds oil via a wick to the bigend as it passes by.
The carburettor has been mounted and a fuel feed line made from the fuel tank.
The magneto has proven to be a mechanical nightmare, the only conclusion being that the diecast cover onto which the bearing housings are screwed had 'grown' , and spacers had to be devised to true up the housings. The points assembly has had new insulation and return spring made, and new pins and trunnions have been made for the flick arm spring. It is finally back together and able to be mounted for timing checks etc. With the valves all assembled and clearances ensured, the engine has good compression, which can only improve as the new rings bed in. Very little more beyond setting up an ignition lead is required for an attempt at starting.
Progress report (17 September)
The engine was successfully started the previous Saturday and ran several times, although not long enough to achieve any significant tuning - there are several areas requiring fine tuning - the carburettor mixture and air horn spring, auxiliary air, and ignition timing. The governor did not operate but this could be because the speed of the engine was deliberately held back until a tachometer can be used to confirm the speed. One immediate problem was the very high rate of water flow causing the shower to overflow, so a restricting tap has been put into the delivery line near the tank.
The engine has now been loaded into the trailer ready for transport to its rally debut at the 2014 "Clarendon Classic" Rally hosted by the Sydney Antique Machinery Club Inc. There it will be displayed alongside the only known Vertical Meadowbank engine, and they will make an interesting and contrasting display.
Rally report:
The engine was run numerous times over the two-day rally, with fine tuning of the carburettor mixture, auxiliary air valve, and reducing the length of the pecker governor spring, all contributing to its better and more even running. It did not get to run quite as smoothly as the other horizontal Meadowbank also displayed. During its final run the exhaust valve cover gasket stated to blow, and this eventually brought it to a stop.