Fairbanks Morse - First smoke

[cschuerm]

Think I'll tackle something easy today.  This is the radiator shroud.  A lot of cleaning, a little hammering, and some welding and it'll be as good as new.

chris

[cschuerm]

Well, never say something is going to be "easy" or Murphy will come bite you in the butt.  The radiator shroud is toast.  It had been sitting upside down with water in it and when I started cleaning it, it was just paint covered rusty swiss cheese.  It would be functional and could be patched up, but since I'm going for perfection, I'll just have to start hunting for a replacement.  Spent the afternoon stripping and sanding the flywheels.  That's a time-consuming task that will leave you with no finger prints left for sure.  Looks like it's going to take 20+ hours each to get them ready for paint.
On a positive note, Reed Engines came up with a formed fan screen for me that was in pretty good shape.  These are almost always missing from the engines (have to remove them to grease the fan bearing so they get tossed).  Bead blasted it, straightened out a few minor dents, shot a coat of paint, and it looks like new.  Now if I could just find a really nice brass Fairbanks badge.... That would really make it look nice when I'm done.

Chris

[AdeV]

Chris,

That is going to be one beautiful engine when it's done (heck, it was beautiful enough in its working clothes, I can't wait to see it all in its Sunday best).

A question: What's with the split nuts on the intake valves? Seems like an odd thing to do?

[cschuerm]

Ade.
There is a threaded collar that goes on the valve before the nut.  It's what the spring rides against.  The top of that collar (away from the head) is cut with a taper.  The bottom of the split nut is also tapered and when tightened down against the collar, locks tightly to the valve.  Rather ingenious little design detail to keep things from shaking apart due to the constant "buzzing" of the intake valve.

Chris

Happy Thanksgiving all!

[billswan]

Chris

I know you said you would tell us what it cost when you are done but I just can't help but ask.
What did it cost for the 3 new valves and all the associated parts that are in the rebuilt head pix.
A grand total or a close guess is what I am asking for not an itemized accounting.

Billswan

[LowGear]

Looks like it's going to take 20+ hours each to get them ready for paint.

No wonder my stuff never looks as good as yous guys stuff.  TWENTY HOURS!  Yes, mediocre is just pretty darn good.  Of course I always love watching the masters - thanks for the insights.  Whew, Best Wishes!

Casey

[rcavictim]

Well, never say something is going to be "easy" or Murphy will come bite you in the butt.  The radiator shroud is toast.  It had been sitting upside down with water in it and when I started cleaning it, it was just paint covered rusty swiss cheese.  It would be functional and could be patched up, but since I'm going for perfection, I'll just have to start hunting for a replacement.  Spent the afternoon stripping and sanding the flywheels.  That's a time-consuming task that will leave you with no finger prints left for sure.  Looks like it's going to take 20+ hours each to get them ready for paint.
On a positive note, Reed Engines came up with a formed fan screen for me that was in pretty good shape.  These are almost always missing from the engines (have to remove them to grease the fan bearing so they get tossed).  Bead blasted it, straightened out a few minor dents, shot a coat of paint, and it looks like new.  Now if I could just find a really nice brass Fairbanks badge.... That would really make it look nice when I'm done.

Chris

Chris,

On a job like those flywheels what I would be doing after a high pressure water wash would be to use a 3" knotted wire cup brush on my 4-1/2" angle grinder to remove the scale, paint and rust.  No need to power the removal process with your poor hands.  If you want to apply glazing putty and make them unnaturally smooth prior to paint well then that is a good use of hand sanding.  Just sayin'.

I'd love to have an engine like your's to play with!  I have a pair of nice 5" wide by 33" diameter flywheels...but that is all so far.  It is not out of the question that I might end up with a makeshift slow single using these two matched flywheels someday given the difficulty in finding vintage iron where I am located.  These came attached to a pair of IHC bailer gearboxes I bought to use and have a spare for my wind turbine.  These flywheels are small compared to your's but they would make me a happy camper to see them spinning in my shop.

[cschuerm]

Billswan:  I'm keeping a nice spreadsheet of materials and labor so happy to answer your question.  The materials for the head rebuild cost $456.79 plus an hour of outsourced labor ($43) for seat grinding and fitting.  I have about 15 hours of my own labor in the head inclusive of cleaning, blasting, and travel.

Additional materials to date (radiator, fan assy, mag parts, new governor assy, gasket kit, misc brackets, bolts, etc) total $883

RCA: yes, I am using an angle grinder with a wire brush, abrasive stripping tool, etc for the big cleaning.  Using an air powered small angle grinder with various attachments for smaller areas and scotchbrite and sandpaper by hand where necessary.  I've decided not to grind and fill to create a mirror finish since my intention is to have this engine capable of doing real work (whatever that turns out to be).  I've done that on some other "show" engines and they look pretty, but the finish won't' hold up as well if they're put to serious use.  Sure hope you find something fascinating to do with your flywheels!  Having followed your posts for many years, I'm sure I won't be disappointed :-)

Now... back to the shop for another fun filled day of rust removal!
Chris

[cschuerm]

This is the surface of the water hopper where it mates to the cylinder.  After a good cleaning, the pitting in the iron is pretty obvious.  It might seal up with a new gasket (and a dab of permatex liquid gasket) as is, but I've had good luck laying a light layer of JB weld over such damage then using a good file to carefully dress and rejuvenate the surface.  The other option would be to try to machine 20 thousandths or so off the surface to clean it up.  I don't have a cutter quite large enough for the job though.

Chris

[rcavictim]

I'd just use some red high temp RTV and forget the gasket.  Your idea of JB Weld and a flat file job, then cork gasket sounds good.

[cschuerm]

Well, I made some progress on the engine today, but still have not been successful at removing the flywheels.  The two inch hub pinch bolts are just NOT wanting to come loose and the cheap chinese 3/4" break-over failed catastrophically.  Don't know what they're making tools out of over there, but it's totally useless.  Sadly, it's very difficult to find quality tooling these days.
I did use a putty knife to apply a thin coat of JB weld yesterday then dressed it nice and flat with a large file across the face.  Excellent results!  I am confident that the two halves will now seal well.
Hopefully sometime this week I'll have an opportunity to get the torch out and put some serious heat to those nuts and see if I can break them loose.  I'd hate to have to cut them out.

chris

[cschuerm]

THIS was press fit onto the crankshaft over a half century ago.  It do not come off easily, but it is off at last and is undamaged.  It's the clutch base that the sheaves ride on.  There is a clutch disk that rides against the flat face and another one that runs against another face that goes on the threaded end.

[cschuerm]

First pic is the inboard pulley that goes between the flywheel and case that drives the fan.  I am not certain whether it is broken or was cast as a single part then split so that it could be removed.  The faces at the rim are obviously fractured and not cut, but there are bolts on both sides and it is clamped to a machined face on the flywheel.  The manual I have gives no clue - it only mentions the part number for the pulley.  Judging by the rust on the fracture line, it's been "broken" for a long time though.

Next pic is the pitted mating surface of the water hopper after being sand blasted then having a thin coat of JB Weld applied, then filed smooth.

Fan shroud all repaired and painted.

[cschuerm]

Managed to find an original fan guard screen.  It was pretty mangled up, but a few hours with a dolly and a little brazing and it turned out pretty good.  Hole in the middle is to grease the fan bearing.

Dual fuel carb.  Apparently nobody uses the gasoline side and I couldn't find anyone who even knew how it worked, but after a bit of puzzling, I think I have it figured out.  Looks like there used to be a diaphragm type fuel pump built into the end of the carb (all guts are missing currently) and there is a plugged port on the intake butterfly casting that I bet used to be plumbed to the diaphragm to actuate it.
(note plug in "before" pic just to the right of the throttle arm)

Y'all enjoying this?
chris

[rcavictim]

Y'all enjoying this?
chris

Posilutely!  Absultively!