Bearing inspection

[bschwartz]

My fancy technique for wrapping the copper around the exhaust was to.......uh........ wrap the copper around the exhaust.  No water/oil/salt/sand filling.  I just wrapped it.  The diameter did squish a bit, and i did manage to kink it in one spot from rushing.  It was just done quickly as a test to prove function.  It has been running like that for 1000+ hours, and over a year plus (i forget exactly when i did it).
I have a theory as to why it HASN'T failed yet.....  I suspect that each time i get it really hot, it re tempers the copper.
OK, so maybe I don't really believe that, but it sounded good.

Remember, the copper wrap around the exhaust isn't my idea, but the kinky is all me

[BruceM]

Hey Bshwartz,
Was that the dead soft 1/4" refrigeration copper you used?  That seems like the best bet for a cold wrap with no aids, but i was wondering if perhaps you used the standard 1/4 copper.
A bit of distortion/kink isn't going to affect the low flow for a 6/1 much, I expect.

Best Wishes,
Bruce

[bschwartz]

I used the cheapest 1/4" copper around.  The kind sold for evaporative coolers (swamp coolers) water lines.  Not as thick as the more expensive refrigeration line.  Yes, the meager needs of the 6/1 don't even notice my pinched lines at all.  One of these days, after I'm done testing, I'll redo it neater..... 

[fabricator]

I tried a six foot piece filled with water, crimped one end and soldered it shut, then flattened and folded the other end about four times, I clamped it on a piece of 1 1/4 pipe in my lathe and ran it slow, it did a beautiful job, it was slightly oval'd but turned out real nice.

[bschwartz]

Well, that's because you are a fabricator, and I'm just a tinkerer 

[fabricator]

A fabricator is just a glorified tinkerer, we've just made a lot more mistakes.

[fabricator]

I changed my veg setup, I got a three way valve from McMaster Carr and also re formed the injector line so I could clamp it to the head,
the head temp runs about 206 and that is what the injector line temp is now at the line nut on the injector.

[BruceM]

I really like your design with the injection line thermally clamped to the cylinder, Fabricator.  I've never seen that used before and it seems like a very easy to build and practical solution for keeping that line up to temperature.

It sure would be great if sometime you could take some pipe surface temperature readings along the exhaust coil, plus into/out of the IP.  I wonder how many turns are really needed on the exhaust, and how much heat is lost at the IP.

[fabricator]

The coil started out two layer coil, I took the outer layer off and eliminated about ten turns of the inner coil, a lot of heat is lost at the valve and IP, but the clamp to the head more than makes up for it.
The exit end of the coil is about 197-200 degrees, it cools down at the IP to about 100 degrees, I think you could get away with about 8-10 turns with the head clamp and be good to go.
you have to be careful though that bottom hole can only be about 1/4" deep or you'll go through the water jacket, don't ask me how I know that..................

[sailawayrb]

Very nice execution!  

I used 120VAC heat rope on both my high temp rated fuel supply hose leading to the IP (and after my electrically controlled 2-way fuel valve) and on my injection line leading to injector.  The heat rope was held very tight against the hose and line by wrapping with high temp rated teflon tape which was all then covered with high temp rated insulation.  

The SVO is heated to about 220 deg F at the IP and heated/maintained at exactly 350 deg F +/- 2 deg F just prior to entering the injector and monitored at this location with a temp sensor used by the heat rope temp controller.  If the heat rope were to fail, the resulting dropping temp causes the controller to electrically command the fuel valve to switch from SVO to diesel.  The heat rope uses about 100 watts of power and has yet to fail in about 7 years of operation.

Bob B.

[veggie]

Perhaps insulate the lines on either side of the cylinder head fuel heater. ??
Retain as much of that gained heat as possible.

veggie

[BruceM]

BobB- 100 watts for 350F at the injector is very impressive, so is your auto switch over in case of power fail.  Some very thoughtful systems engineering there, Bob!

At these temperatures do you have any problems at all with injector tip build up on SVO?

Best Wishes,
Bruce

[LowGear]

If the heat rope were to fail, the resulting dropping temp causes the controller to electrically command the fuel valve to switch from SVO to diesel.  The heat rope uses about 100 watts of power and has yet to fail in about 7 years of operation.

Did you discuss this project and I just missed it? 

"controller"? 

"the juel valve to switch from SVO to Diesel"?

Casey

[Ronmar]

It looks great, but I don't like to see the copper used in the fuel system...  Particularly on a thumper of an engine such as this.  Copper work hardens, gets brittle and cracks.  Would hate for you to walk in to your engine room after an unexplained shutdown to find the contents of your fuel system have found their way to the floor...  For fuel on or around an engine, I would reccomend steel, stainless steel, braided stainless steel covered hose, or just plain hose...

[fabricator]

Perhaps insulate the lines on either side of the cylinder head fuel heater. ??
Retain as much of that gained heat as possible.

veggie

It's 215 degrees entering the injector, I don't see a problem there, a lot of vehicle veg systems consider 190-200 degrees optimum oil temperature.