I might be the first to do this...

[dudeface]

Might not be the first but I haven't seen anything else like it on YouTube.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBEHUOSu448" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBEHUOSu448</a>

[MJM460]

Excellent.  Whether or not it’s the first, it is still well done.

Might be worth putting a second wheel on the other end of the crank shaft to increase the flywheel inertia.  Might help it through some of the stiff spots.  Better still if you have one of the larger diameter wheels they used to make. Don't know if they are still available.)

Good to see your engine working.

MJM460

[dudeface]

Thanks MJM460. After reviewing the video I suppose it could use a bit more flywheel although that might slow it down a bit. As for big wheels, they just keep getting bigger... but I don't have bigger ones, and that would lift it way up in the air anyway, a look I'm not much of a fan of.

[Davyboy]

What a great engineering masterpiece.  I give you lots of credit for thinking outside of the box and using materials available to you.  I hope you fix the valve and keep this one running.  Did you mention in the video that you have some more engines?  I'd love to see them.  Great work.
Davyboy

[dudeface]

Thanks. Of course I fixed it, that's the great thing about LEGO! I do have more engines, including the flat 4 I was just about to post!

P.S. A fellow Wisconsinite, hi.

[dudeface]

I made some improvements, including a throttle so it goes vroom... and boom less frequently.... 
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mXboPyEypc" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mXboPyEypc</a>

[RReid]

I'm truly impressed with your engine, Miles, as well as the refinements you've made to it. Love the throttle! Well done!

[dudeface]

Some more.
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/R4zAD2keh9g
Again, this video ended with the valve breaking, I've made it stronger since then and I made some more improvements so it's running a lot better now, and doesn't stall anymore at low RPM.

[dudeface]

I'm truly impressed with your engine, Miles, as well as the refinements you've made to it. Love the throttle! Well done!

Thanks 

[dudeface]

Driving a 3 speed transmission.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA5yimp-UVM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA5yimp-UVM</a>

[Kim]

Wow!  You've got your engine running quite well. That's a pretty long run time there!  Great improvement on your MTBF from the first video you posted 

Kim

[dudeface]

Thanks, since reinforcing the valve it doesn't blow up very often although the piston gets sucked apart occasionally. I ran it for about 15 minutes without failure though it wasn't wide open the whole time.

[dudeface]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqY44YM7NvE" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqY44YM7NvE</a>

The baby running
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/XoysfbEAFBU
Will get its own thread I think

[Chipswitheverything]

After working on your experimentation and making the design improvements, you have come up with an ingenious and convincing Lego engine, that works very well.  Impressive result!  Dave

[Michael S.]

My respect for everything you can build from Lego building blocks.
Everything seems possible with Lego. And it's especially nice when a young person builds steam engines with them. If only I had had Lego when I was a teenager. Unfortunately it wasn't within my reach. But I had the old Märklin metal construction set from my grandpa. And there was even an extra steam engine that you could connect.

Michael