Vertical 4 cycle engine from recycled parts

[John Roberts]

I agree with uuu.  Raise the compression ratio by making a domed topped piston.

[Brian Rupnow]

Today I machine the weird cam for use with my trembler coil, and machined the block which mounts the ignition points. This cam is designed to hold the points open thru most of the cycle, but lets them close momentarily  to initiate a flow of sparks at the sparkplug when the points are closed. It doesn't look like a lot, but I've managed to use up an entire Saturday doing it.

[gipetto]

I think your concave cam is probably a bad idea. If it were a success you would see it on commercial engines. I never get tired of watching your attempts though.

[Brian Rupnow]

Today I stole a page from Andrew Whale's book, and made up a separate machined container with the cylinders top bolt pattern and a closed end. The closed end was drilled and tapped for a M10-1 thread and a brass fitting to fit the pressurized air hose from my compressor was attached to it. The cylinder head was bolted to it, and my new compression tester was screwed into the sparkplug hole. Air pressure was applied thru the hose, and at a very low pressure, there was air escaping out the exhaust pipe. I manually pressed the end of the exhaust valve a few times, thinking that perhaps a particle of dirt had found it's way under the valve. No luck!! I disassembled everything and relapped the exhaust valve, but it still leaked. A closer look showed that something didn't look right about the valve cage. I pressed the valve cage out of the head, and found that side port that was drilled thru after the valve cage had been pressed into place had actually removed part of the valve cages sealing face.  It looks like I require a redesign of the cylinder head.  I spent a couple of hours on a redesign this afternoon, but haven't got it fully sorted yet. I guess that is what tomorrow is for.

[Brian Rupnow]

After having a real close look at this engine, and figuring how to best utilize what I already have, it has morphed into a Tee head engine. This does away with the current head, rocker arms, rocker arm posts and pushrods. The existing cylinder gets a bit of lathe rework at the top end, and six new #4 tapped holes in the top fin. Doing it this way gives me more clearance around the valve cages and the intake/exhaust ports. Last year I built a Tee head engine very similar to this one, and it performs very well.

[gipetto]

I get that you want to move on but i will miss the dual overhead valve design you were going for. it's an alternate history that the 20th century could have followed, so easy to recondition and put back into service plus they have 1hp/cubic inch compared to the 1/2 hp/cubic inch that the flatheads have. I will admit the crossflow T head is marginally better than the L heads that replaced them but they were prone to engine knock.
If you proceeded with the DOHV I can imagine you going farther and building a 6 cylinder version. Imagine if ford hadn't been crippled by emissions regulations and put a second cam in their ford 300 and made a crossflow head. It would have been bulletproof and powerful. Instead we got the present day tyranny of unreliable turbocharged short lived engines. It wasn't meant to be.

[gbritnell]

Brian, I always found that part of the enjoyment of engine building was the problem solving. You found the problem so why not just fix it? You then could have added another unique engine to your collection.

[Brian Rupnow]

I haven't run off---I've been working, working--working. The new Tee head conversion is going fine, and today I hope to tackle the valve cages and valves. I am getting a bit tired of working on the same engine, but sometimes that goes with the territory.

[Brian Rupnow]

Well, that's my work for today!! Two valve cages and two valves. The shanks on the valves aren't cut off yet, because that's what I hold onto when I'm lapping the valves into the guides with 600 grit aluminum oxide compound. Once I have what I assess as an "airtight seal" the shanks will be cut off the valve stems.

[Brian Rupnow]

And at the going down of the sun----The engine is now configured as a tee head style. Many changes were made to the head and valves and valve lifting mechanisms, but thankfully the rest of the engine didn't change. Tomorrow I will time the ignition and the valves, say a little prayer, and try this engine again.

[crueby]

Great looking engine, again!  Here's hoping it agrees to run this time!   

[Brian Rupnow]

This weekend I didn't do very much.--Even I get tired of working on model engines once in a while. I did move a mounting hole in the gas tank because it set crooked. I spent the major portion of this weekend rereading a book by Wilbur Smith. He wrote such absolutely marvelous books, and now nobody writes such thrilling "mans adventure" stories. I miss Wilbur, same as I miss Bradbury and Heinlein and Asimov.

[crueby]

I loved Heinlein and Asimov, Asimov came and spoke at our college one year, fascinating  guy!

[gipetto]

asimov and heinlein though i loved them were from the atomic era. there's still good sci fi made but it has changed because society is more net savvy. iain m banks is in a similar vein. not everyone likes his style but i loved it. if you didn't know, the foundation series has been adapted to a live action tv show. it's very good, and up to two completed series now.
If you're into music deadmaus has made a song about the veldt, one of bradbury's books. the vocalist is amazing. I often go listen to it again. the first time is incredible when you haven't heard it in a while
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUAq4aVTjY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUAq4aVTjY</a>

[Brian Rupnow]

Gipetto--I am a child of the atomic age. I was in grade 10 in high school when Kennedy turned back the Russians from Cuba. Scary, scary times. The world may have moved on, but the 1950's and 1960's will live forever in me.---Brian