Author Topic: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss  (Read 13307 times)

Online Admiral_dk

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #90 on: June 14, 2020, 10:03:55 PM »
It's trying and that is a very good sign when it not even in complete running conditions  :cheers:

Offline Art K

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #91 on: June 15, 2020, 03:05:10 AM »
It's alive...
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #92 on: June 19, 2020, 08:08:44 PM »
Dave, Per, Art; thanks for your kind comments and encouragement.  Art; not sure it’s alive; if it is it’s on a respirator. :embarassed:

I don’t really have much to report; just more of the same old problems.

When I was in the design phase of this engine I was thinking, “Boy, there sure will be a lot of opportunities for compression leaks”; and I’ve found those thoughts to be true.  I’ve been chasing a multitude of problems; compression leaks and an iffy igniter operation being the major ones. 

Also, I’m still not sure I’m going to be able to deliver fuel to the combustion chamber in a controlled fashion with the current design.  If you remember from the discussion at the start of this thread; the engine is governed by controlling whether fuel is or is not emitted into the air intake.  I currently have the governor set to constantly allow fuel to be inserted.  I briefly opened the needle up enough for misted fuel to be blowing out the exhaust; way too rich at that setting I know but that at least proved that I’m delivering fuel to the combustion chamber, just not sure how controlled.

I’m slowly locating the compression leaks and plugging them.  I’ve decided that a partial re-design of the igniter will probably be needed so I’ve tackled that as of late.  You need to be able to remove the igniter every once in a while for cleaning and maintenance and the old design just didn’t allow that without some major dis-assembly of the model.  The old design was more “true to scale” than the newer design but I’d like this to be a running model and sometimes you just have to make compromises.  The old igniter design was leaking compression also.  I’m hoping the “larger base” on this design will eliminate that.

Below, a few photos of the “new” igniter.  I was able to salvage some of the old igniter parts.







It might be a while between posts at this point.  No need posting till there is something really new to report.
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #93 on: June 25, 2020, 12:42:10 AM »
Thanks for stopping by.

If I can’t make it run, I’ll make it pretty.   :ROFL:

Actually, I really haven’t tried to start it lately.  I’m still chasing compression leaks and until I can get the compression up I really can’t expect it to run.

Meanwhile, after accepting delivery of all the plumbing fixtures I thought I’d go ahead and plumb up the fuel and coolant systems.  As far as building the model, construction is nearly complete; though I do need to complete the crankcase oil shield and oilers, 




Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #94 on: June 25, 2020, 01:26:42 AM »
Well, it certainly does look pretty. You have a pretty good track record of getting things to run, so I'm sure that it will soon be "Useful as well as ornamental"!!!---Brian

Offline scc

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #95 on: June 25, 2020, 11:24:39 AM »
Looking that nice it's bound to run :LickLips:       Terry

Offline kvom

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #96 on: June 25, 2020, 12:26:25 PM »
In the steam train world you need to say piping, not plumbing.   :stir:

Good looking beast!

Offline awake

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #97 on: June 25, 2020, 04:54:43 PM »
It is a beauty!
Andy

Offline Art K

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #98 on: June 26, 2020, 01:57:11 AM »
Craig,
Sure looks good, and dito what Brian said. You will figure it out.
Art
"The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you" B.B. King

Offline Craig DeShong

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #99 on: July 07, 2020, 07:09:21 PM »
Art, Andy, Kirk, Terry, and Brian, thank you for your kind comments and encouragement.  Thanks also for those who take the time to drop by and see the latest.

I’ve been fighting a plethora of problems since the last post; fuel leaks, igniter issues, compression leaks, and fuel delivery problems being the most pressing.

I’ve redesigned the fuel delivery port three times in order to better control the amount of fuel delivered into the  flow of air through the air intake.  I’m still plagued with a compression problem.  I can feel air blowing out of the head area with the back of my hand; I still can’t identify from where it originates. (You can hear it hissing in the video)  I’m going to do a smoke test when my fellow engine building buddy here in Raleigh is available to assist and hopefully locate the source of the leak.

This is LITERALLY the first run.  I was turning the engine over and diddling with the mixer needle adjustment and finally I got this sustained run.  It had been running around 30 seconds when I finally realized that it really was going to keep running and I needed to record this monumental occasion.  :embarassed:

I still have several key issues to attend to other than the compression leak.  I’d like to get the engine running on the governor, and I think that will be possible once the compression leak is found and addressed and it hits hard enough to spin up fast enough for the governor to lock-out fuel delivery.

I also have some paint to re-new and a few more odds and ends clean-up.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with this one though.

I’m really surprised how quickly this model heats up.  I’m using ATF as a coolant, and you can see that the coolant is circulating when the engine is running.  Still after around a minute of running, the head was way too hot to touch and the cylinder barrel was very warm.  This is going to be one of those models that should be run for only a minute or two before it needs a significant rest to cool down.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VK9kLUQgjw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VK9kLUQgjw</a>
« Last Edit: July 07, 2020, 07:16:40 PM by Craig DeShong »
Craig
The destination motivates us toward excellence, the journey entertains us, and along the way we meet so many interesting people.

Online crueby

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #100 on: July 07, 2020, 07:21:11 PM »
Excellent first run, it has a great sound!   :cheers:

Online Admiral_dk

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #101 on: July 07, 2020, 09:23:55 PM »
While there is room for improvement according to yourself - I would say that you have crossed a major milestone with it  :ThumbsUp:

Offline kvom

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #102 on: July 07, 2020, 11:47:52 PM »
 :whoohoo:

Offline Brian Rupnow

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #103 on: July 08, 2020, 12:40:13 AM »
Great stuff Craig.--When they first come alive like that it makes you feel good all over.---Brian

Offline fumopuc

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Re: 15 HP Witte hit-and-miss
« Reply #104 on: July 08, 2020, 04:49:38 AM »
Hi Craig, very nice and smooth.
Kind Regards
Achim

 

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