Author Topic: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO  (Read 174404 times)

Offline john mills

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1170 on: May 19, 2020, 10:28:18 PM »
Hi 
can you blow steam through the cylinders out the drains to warm up to warm up   and are they open at the end.
at the end of running can you blow through to make sure no water left?
   John

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1171 on: May 20, 2020, 11:06:14 AM »
Hi John

On the next steam up, which might be a while, I'll try steaming through the drain cocks. I presume you have to select forward gear and open the regulator a little

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1172 on: May 20, 2020, 10:03:28 PM »
Hi

Back in the workshop the loco is back in the work lift. The 2 side tanks have been removed (easy10 minute job) the front running board plate  (3 screws) and the front safety angle (4 bolts) are about to be removed all to give access to the steam chests. I'm glad I built in easy disassembly





The steam T removed and one steam chest cover removed. A bit gungy in there. I think the main problem is too much steam oil. The slide valve is stuck to the rod and cross nut and will not sit down on the valve face. Got it soaking in wd40 over night.



Cheers

Rich

P.S

I'm thinking of changing the mechanical lubricator and fitting 2 displacement type lubricators, one for each cylinder. There is an article in this months Engineering in miniature that raises some concerns about the mechanical lubricator only feeding to one cylinder. I was going to post a snip of the article but I see over on another thread there is some concern over copyright


Offline john mills

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1173 on: May 21, 2020, 12:11:14 AM »
at least you are seeing that you are getting oil .it will take a bit of running to see how the oiling is working
you probably did not do enough to clean out whats in there .needs some proper running on the track .
mechanical lubricators have given good reliable service in the past .if you go to displacement type that is a
hole different game they can work too.
often when we start we have the pumps set for  too much oil.but you need to do running to find out.

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1174 on: May 21, 2020, 10:41:25 AM »
Hi

I think the displacement idea might be a non starter. I have been doing a bit of research and came across a few things

Mechanical lubricators squib a bit of steam oil once per cycle of the pump. If it happens to squib say when the right hand cylinder is receiving steam then that is the cylinder that receives most of the oil. Food for thought there.

Displacement lubricators should not be used with super heated steam?

I have come across an article describing a hydrostatic lubricator which sounds promising. A steam feed from the manifold via a globe valve down to a tank underneath the cab floor somewhere. Thus receiving wet steam and not superheated. From the tank 2 pipes run forward to the cylinders. Each cylinder has its own supply.

I'm looking into it a little further. This is my first loco so the more I learn now will benefit me when I start the next one ;D

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1175 on: May 24, 2020, 10:13:54 AM »
Hi

Because I modified the linkage at the build stage I can disconnect it fairly easily. Undo 1 grub screw here



Slacken the locknut and the rod can be unscrewed from the coupling



A craft knife to separate the valve chest







The port face looks bad but is mostly gunge not rust



Scrape off most of it



A few minutes with fine wet and dry soaked in WD40 soon cleaned it up



While the valve chest cover is off I have drilled and tapped it. It can have a bung if I don't use it. It might be used to connect an airline for trial running and a connection for a hydrostatic lubrication system later





It can be reassembled now then turn over and strip the other side

Cheers

Rich


Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1176 on: May 29, 2020, 08:17:59 AM »
Hi

Had a break from decorating duties yesterday :whoohoo: So reassembled that side and stripped the right side.

Pretty much as before, gunge





Cleaned up ok



I have been reading up and researching the hydrostatic lubricator systems. I am going to fit one on Conway. Very simple with no moving parts and will do away with the exposed fragile linkage I have now.

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1177 on: May 29, 2020, 08:19:04 AM »
Sorry forgot to resize the photos

Cheers

Rich

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1178 on: June 03, 2020, 04:28:46 PM »
Hi

I have rebuilt the loco and made and fitted a remote connection for an airline. Makes life a lot easier. All connected up and the loco still refuses to run  :shrug:

Here's a video

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhH23fD8My4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhH23fD8My4</a>

Sumfin ain't quite right  :thinking: :headscratch:

Cheers

Rich

Offline crueby

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1179 on: June 03, 2020, 05:07:23 PM »
With all the air going stright to exhaust, I would first look at the slide valves - if they are not seated down onto the valve face, the air will just run straight out again. With valve sliders on the side of the cylinders, like these are, thats a common problem if the sliders are not free to move on the adjusting nuts and rods. Is there a way you can run air into one valve chest at a time, to see if both are leaking or just one side?

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1180 on: June 03, 2020, 05:26:58 PM »
Hi Chris

Having sat down for an hour and thought about it I think another strip down is the only way to go. One thing I didn't check when it was stripped down the last time was whether or not the valve was in fact sitting squarely on the port face. If the valve rod is slightly off square it will prevent the valve sitting fully down.

Back to the drawing board

Cheers

Rich

Offline michaelr

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1181 on: June 03, 2020, 07:10:21 PM »
By looking at the picture of your slide valve it looks as if the valve drive buckle is a close fit in it's slot, it needs to have a bit of clearance to let it float under steam/air pressure to seal, also the valve rod needs to be free in it's slot also.

Michaelr


Offline kvom

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1182 on: June 03, 2020, 07:56:54 PM »
One thing I'd do is try running on one cylinder to see if the issue is on one side only.

Mechanical lubricators typically need a lost-motion linkage so that the pump lever advances more slowly than once per wheel revolution.  If you're over lubricating then adjusting the linkage is indicated.  For running on air you can disconnect the pump unless testing the oil supply.

Offline Firebird

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1183 on: June 03, 2020, 08:35:17 PM »
Hi

Thanks Guys  :ThumbsUp:

Earlier I wasn't cherishing the idea of another strip down but its got to be right. I would look pretty stupid sitting on the track going nowhere in a cloud of steam  :ShakeHead:

Cheers

Rich

Offline Zephyrin

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Re: CONWAY 0-4-0 3 1/2" GAUGE LOCO
« Reply #1184 on: June 04, 2020, 07:46:00 AM »
Hi
from the picture of the under side of the valve, it looks like the valve is not pressed fully against the portface, I suggest to add a shim spring under the steam chest cover to press on the valve, if its vertical movement does allow, as it should !

 

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