my first engine

Hi. I just joined here after buying a Petter A1 at a local auction, I have always been interested in seeing them on the rally fields and thought I might try restoring one.

collected it this morning and here it is, about a 1\3 ton of seized up rust with bits missing







I found out what it was from the name plate



covers and head off



strange thing is the exhaust valve is in line with the carb and the in valve lines up with the exhaust

next off were the pulley and the flywheel



after unbolting the barrel i found out which end was seized, the top end the piston was solid in the bore, some bright spark had fitted the head gasket with red hermatite which had run down inside the barrel as he tightened it up

several different thickness's of wood were gradually built up between the barrel and the top of the crank case and a big hammer was used with a block of wood to knock the piston down the barrel, not a good idea i know but it was the best i could think of at the time.
all 3 rings were solidly jammed up with red hermatite and the gudgeon pin is solid in the piston too.
i just hope i didn't damage the bottom end bearing (shells?) getting the piston out

the bore looks surprisingly good after bashing the piston out



piston

thats a bout as far as i have got so far,


thanks for looking, comments welcome

Neville

Looks nice and compleat good luck with the resteration
Thanks for posting photos
Jonesey

HI NEVILLE....

looks like your not hanging about in getting the engine sorted...
you do realize that it wont stop at one engine,
its an addiction and the numbers of engines will grow.
you will have to keep us posted on your progress...well done on the progress...

I've welcomed you in the new members section..

regards,mike.

thanks guys. are those valves the wrong way round ??

hi neville..

im not sure as ive never had one of theses myself..
some one will put you rite..

regards,mike..

Hi Neville, from the sounds of the last engine restorer he may have just put the valves in the wrong way round. The piston looks as i might be shot looking at the score marks, but I'd need to see it better once it was all cleaned up. It beats me why people use red hermitite and more so on an air cooled engine There doesn't look to be much missing it has most of the main bits and even a flywheel pully. You'll need to find a good petrol tank and pipe. If you sort out what else you need try an add in the wanted section.
Keep us up to date with it's progress and thanks for taking the time to post the pics.
I would date it around 1950 give or take a year or two, but you'd need to check with the experts to get a definate date..

Stu.

Thanks for the reply Stu.

stationary stu wrote:Hi Neville, from the sounds of the last engine restorer he may have just put the valves in the wrong way round. The piston looks as i might be shot looking at the score marks, but I'd need to see it better once it was all cleaned up.

the gudgeon pin is seized in the piston so i'm working on a puller using some threaded bar and some steel pipe, the engine is in a friends workshop so i can only work on it when he's around.

looking at the valves they are both the same size so i will probably swap them when i grind them in.

stationary stu wrote:
You'll need to find a good petrol tank and pipe.

i found an empty steel fire extinguisher thats the right size if i can't find a tank i might modify that

stationary stu wrote:
I would date it around 1950 give or take a year or two, but you'd need to check with the experts to get a definite date..
Stu.

same age as me then

i brought the carb home this weekend and gave that a clean and cleared the jets, its crap metal so it didn't clean up too well

i also bought some gasket material and started making gaskets


hopefully the casings and other odd bits will go for shot blasting some time in the next week or so, i might be buying a trailer for it at a local auction tomorrow too.
neville

Looks ok, I think I have a set of rings and valves if you want any, also there is a tank on ebay that will do. I can also sort you out with a new fuel pipe as I have a coil in the shed. By the look of your carb it is an early carb on a late engine. Good thing you have an exhaust as these can be hard to find.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fuel-tank-/400224027051?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item5d2f3601ab#ht_790wt_934

thanks for the offers, i'm busy trying to make a video at the moment, i will get back to you soon

regards Neville

Villiers wrote:Looks ok, I think I have a set of rings and valves if you want any, also there is a tank on ebay that will do. I can also sort you out with a new fuel pipe as I have a coil in the shed. By the look of your carb it is an early carb on a late engine. Good thing you have an exhaust as these can be hard to find.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fuel-tank-/400224027051?pt=UK_BOI_FarmingEquipment_RL&hash=item5d2f3601ab#ht_790wt_934

yes i bought a book and it says carb is either a Zenith 24U or a Zenith 24T-2 but mine seems to be a Solex 26-FV so maybe not the original

not sure if the piston is STD or oversized i will have to check now i have the size from the book. same with the valves i will have to see what they are like when i get them out. would love to have some petrol pipe i will let you know when i know how much i will need

i need a starting handle too if anyone has a spare

welcome to the stationary engine world buddy , as mike said once u have started you cant stop lol , i started with one and now have 2 engines and various pumps lol , buying engines have been put on hold as i will be starting to build another shed , as running out of space lol

well i made a puller for the gudgeon pin with some threaded bar and cranked the pin out



piston is standard size



minor damage from the puller


rings are gummed up solid


started breaking them out in case the piston can be re-used


top view


took a few more casings and bits off ready for a trip to the shot blaster

and bought some transport for it



Neville

Hi Neville..
looking like you making good progress..you can get rings from cox and turner down my way....
they can post them to you if you want..
if you need the details,they are as follows..

COX & TURNER ENGINEERING
61 CAMEL GREEN ROAD
FORDINGBRIDGE
HANTS
SP6 3AU
01425 652627
EMAIL...ian@coxnturner.freeserve.co.uk

hope this helps you mate..
regards,mike...

thanks for that Mike, one of the guys here may have a set for me, if not that will come in very handy

neville

not a problem mate.i do try to help if i can..
regards,mike....