# Diesel engine : Kromhout Gardner 4LW 1940



## minh-thanh (Nov 8, 2021)

After searching for a diesel engine  
I just want the engine to have 4 cyl , because maybe I don't have the patience to make the engine have more than 4 cyl
  Maybe this is what I like 
Maybe I'll make one 

* Kromhout Gardner 4LW 1940*


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## H Pearce (Nov 8, 2021)

minh-thanh said:


> After searching for a diesel engine
> I just want the engine to have 4 cyl , because maybe I don't have the patience to make the engine have more than 4 cyl
> Maybe this is what I like
> Maybe I'll make one
> ...


Lovely engines!
I spent 10 years being pushed around by a 6L3B. Great memories.
I have often pondered building one, it would have to be petrol but in the spirit of the original diesel. Quite a few resources available online with good pictures and drawings. The original workshop and parts books had lovely accurate drawings of the components. For sure you can get a copy for a reasonable price.


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## minh-thanh (Jan 6, 2022)

HHi H Pearce !


H Pearce said:


> Lovely engines!
> The original workshop and parts books had lovely accurate drawings of the components. For sure you can get a copy for a reasonable price.


Do you have suggestions ? I'm about to start designing it.


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## clockworkcheval (Jan 6, 2022)

Kromhout constructed this engine in license from Gardner Diesel. Maybe interesting to know that the Kromhout machineshop/shipyard is located adjacent to the site of, and is a direct descendant from, the main shipyards of the VOC, where the ships were built for the trade with East Asia, in Amsterdam since the 17th century. To this day it exists as 'Warfmuseum 't Kromhout'.


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## minh-thanh (Feb 7, 2022)

Hi All !

I'm designing  engine
I don't understand what the part in the red circle is for ?
    Does anybody know?
Thanks !


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## kuhncw (Feb 7, 2022)

They may be threaded bosses for mounting attachments and auxiliary items such as filters, piping, instrument panels, etc.

Chuck


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## minh-thanh (Feb 8, 2022)

Chuck !
Thank you very much .
 Hi All !
 A update


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## minh-thanh (May 4, 2022)

Hi ALl !
A video that gives me more confidence to do this project :


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## minh-thanh (Aug 16, 2022)

Hi All !
A little update


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## lee webster (Aug 16, 2022)

Will you cast the parts, or machine from solid?
The parts circled in red might be core plugs.
Lee


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## minh-thanh (Aug 16, 2022)

lee webster .​I made from solid
I make only one engine for me
  moreover, I have no experience in casting .


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## lee webster (Aug 16, 2022)

Will you post the build progress?


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## minh-thanh (Aug 16, 2022)

lee webster said:


> Will you post the build progress?


When I do the engine, I'm very focused on it, but I'll try,
  I ordered aluminum cut to size .


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## kuhncw (Aug 16, 2022)

Minh-Thanh,

Nice work.  I really like the look or style of your blocks, heads, and crankcase.  
Good luck with your build.

Chuck


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## minh-thanh (Aug 20, 2022)

Hi All !

This is the final update on the design - a lot of pipes ( oil pipes , water pipes , exhaust pipes ...) , other equipment are not assembled in the picture .
  With this engine, the oil pump is designed with a lot of small details inside
  I will update as I machine the parts


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## peterl95124 (Aug 21, 2022)

minh-thanh said:


> Hi All !
> 
> I'm designing  engine
> I don't understand what the part in the red circle is for ?
> ...



this is a casting, the casting includes internal passages for cooling and in this case for push-rods, those internal passages start out in the casting mold as pieces of clay that need to be supported in the sand mold, all the openings (now with plugs) were for supports to hold the clay parts at the correct position within the sand mold.  In automobile engines these holes get a second life after casting, they are then called freeze plugs, in case the coolant ever freezes solid the ice will push the (non-threaded) plugs out rather than crack the block.


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## minh-thanh (Sep 7, 2022)

Hi All !
An update
   I locate the fixed lines - the light line - It is the center of the cylinders as well as the crankshaft ... , and then identify the places where the material needs to be removed - Lots of material to remove


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## lee webster (Sep 10, 2022)

That is a lot of machining. But there would be just as much work involved in casting the part.


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## Shelton (Sep 14, 2022)

Best wishes on it working out.  Looks like a massive undertaking.


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## minh-thanh (Sep 15, 2022)

kuhncw said:


> Minh-Thanh,
> 
> Good luck with your build.
> 
> Chuck





Shelton said:


> Best wishes on it working out.


 
Thanks a lot !!
   That's all I need .
Hi All !
   An update
Step by step...


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## minh-thanh (Sep 24, 2022)

Hi All !
An update : 
  Easier said than done .
    I have temporarily sanded the surface.


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## minh-thanh (Sep 30, 2022)

Hi All !
An update:
   A project that challenges my patience


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## Nerd1000 (Oct 3, 2022)

Hi Minh Thanh,

How do you plan on doing the injection pump for this one? The original Gardner pump is to my knowledge inline jerk pump with helix control, quite different in shape from the valve lash controlled type in your single cylinder engine.

For best running it will be necessary to balance the injectors so each cylinder receives a similar quantity of fuel.


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## minh-thanh (Oct 4, 2022)

Hi Nerd !




Nerd1000 said:


> Hi Minh Thanh,
> 
> How do you plan on doing the injection pump for this one? The original Gardner pump is to my knowledge inline jerk pump with helix control, quite different in shape from the valve lash controlled type in your single cylinder engine.
> 
> For best running it will be necessary to balance the injectors so each cylinder receives a similar quantity of fuel.


 
Some pictures would be easier.
  Don't look at other details, focus on what you need. - because there are some parts not shown in the picture such as springs, ... camshaft is just a symbolic shaft
 If you need any information, please ask


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## Nerd1000 (Oct 5, 2022)

Thanks! I think I see how it works.


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## Bill Lawson (Oct 7, 2022)

Your craftmanship is outstanding.  Some pictures of your setups would be appreciated.


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## minh-thanh (Oct 10, 2022)

Hi all  !
  An update
The project seems to have started as my dumbest project


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## minh-thanh (Oct 19, 2022)

Hi all !
An update
Pictures from 1 week ago
I was a bit busy for about a week, and when I returned to the project, I didn't know where to start
   Anyone selling patience and diligence ?!? , I want to buy some


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## minh-thanh (Oct 23, 2022)

Hi all !
An update


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## minh-thanh (Oct 30, 2022)

Hi all !
  An update 
There is still a lot of work to be done by hand
  - Sharpen the edges but I don't know how to sharpen now


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## sition (Oct 30, 2022)

ñ


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## minh-thanh (Nov 1, 2022)

Hi all !
An update
 I just temporarily sanded the surface and sharpened the edge to see how it would look and let me have an overview for the next step : head cylinder


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## theo van der linden (Nov 2, 2022)

minh-thanh said:


> Hi all !
> An update
> I just temporarily sanded the surface and sharpened the edge to see how it would look and let me have an overview for the next step : head cylinder
> 
> ...


very nice !!


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## stevehuckss396 (Nov 2, 2022)

Wow! That is super Deluxe!


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## minh-thanh (Nov 10, 2022)

Hi All !
Thanks for the Likes and compliments
  That gives me more motivation for this project
  Thanks a lot !
And
An update


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## minh-thanh (Nov 14, 2022)

Hi all !
An update :

After a lot of worrying about the space for the injectors, and changing a few sizes when machining as well as changing the design of the injectors and after testing I feel fine.
  Time to beautify the surface and drill holes for bolts...










Key for injector 







An overview


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## minh-thanh (Nov 17, 2022)

Hi all !
An update :
There are a few places I really hate even though it's a bit hard to see, so I decided to "sculpt" to make it more beautiful.
  I made a very sharp chisel and made it beautiful by hand


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## Basil (Nov 17, 2022)

Very nice! On the little Honda GX engine there were some features that were frankly much quicker and easier to sculpt (by that meaning a hacksaw, a file and maybe the odd specially ground chisel) than go through endless setups.  Complicated casting features on the crankcase I could only get so far with on manual machining. Just a little bit harder material to whittle down than wood!
To a large degree I guess the casting forms were sculpted which is what makes them so tough to replicate without a CNC.


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## minh-thanh (Nov 20, 2022)

Hi all !
An update :
I just did a preliminary lapping for the nozzles, when I make the injectors I will lapping the needle with nozzles









  lapping tool :


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## petertha (Nov 20, 2022)

Hard to tell from the picture but is the lapping tool split?


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## minh-thanh (Nov 22, 2022)

petertha said:


> Hard to tell from the picture but is the lapping tool split?


I'm a bit late to reply, sorry. 

No, it's not necessary
  I sharpened it to the angle of the needle and sharpened it with a file - making a place for the abrasive to stay - it's made of steel
  I tried with aluminum, but it's too hard to do and it wears out too fast


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## minh-thanh (Nov 28, 2022)

Hi All !
An update 

I've done the fuel pump cylinder but haven't lap  yet
   With some testing, I found a pump cylinder length of about 8 to 10 mm to be fine - because the plunger stroke is very small - about 1 mm, but I wanted the best I could so I made it almost 2 times longer.
  The engine only needs 4 but I did 5 and I will choose the best 4 for the engine and the other 1 for the injector testing.
  With this 4-cylinder engine, I try to equalize the amount of fuel for each engine cylinder so I have to make 4 cylinders of the fuel pump which must be of the same diameter.






Although I have some experience with small diameters, But before I lapping , I need to redefine a few things, so I made several cylinders out of brass, steel and different lengths. for test

Cylinder and plunger for test








lapping this small diameter cylinder probably only have 2 options: buy or make it yourself
   Lapping it is a challenge
*Must be remove all scratches caused by drilling or reaming and to ensure it is relatively straight throughout the lapping process.*
  With purchased or homemade tools, they only have 2 parts in contact with the cylinder - they actually don't make perfect contact with the cylinder and it can give a lot of shape to the cylinder - so lapping takes very careful and meticulous


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## minh-thanh (Dec 3, 2022)

Hi All !
An update with few mistakes 









 I make some washers for the cylinders, they are made from mosquito spray bottles and soda cans 






And :


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## minh-thanh (Dec 8, 2022)

Hi All !
 An update :
The lapping for the pump cylinders I have only done a little bit,
  I will do it little by little
    I just finished the injectors and tested with compressed air, they are airtight


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## minh-thanh (Dec 13, 2022)

Hi All !
An update : 
 Fuel pump : 
 Some parts of the fuel pump


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## minh-thanh (Dec 19, 2022)

Hi All !
An update :
Some parts of the ball valve block
  I changed when I machined it


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## Roger B (Dec 20, 2022)

Excellent Progress


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## minh-thanh (Dec 26, 2022)

Hi All !

An update :

Checked everything   ball valve and cylinder + plunger : It's ok
  Next :  the block for the pump camshaft


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## minh-thanh (Jan 3, 2023)

Hi All !
  An update
    It seems to be a mistake, maybe I should choose the 2 cylinders
But for now there is no choice but to continue


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## stevehuckss396 (Jan 3, 2023)

Consider this one a practice engine


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## Scott_M (Jan 3, 2023)

What was your mistake ? That camshaft looks really nice !

Scott


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## minh-thanh (Jan 4, 2023)

Scott_M said:


> What was your mistake ?
> 
> Scott


 
The first camshaft, the 3rd cam lobe got the wrong angle and a few other parts I had to redo
   I should have chosen a 2 cylinder engine, with fewer cylinders less parts.... anyway complaining is pointless.
  Must go on .


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## minh-thanh (Today at 11:24 AM)

Hi All !
An update

I haven't finished the fuel pump yet, I will continue with it later.
  Image of the crankshaft more than a month ago






Because the stroke is too long and have time to learn more about the cause of the shaft fracture....
 So I borrowed my brother's machine to do it - I did it very slowly, as carefully as possible, as well as reduce stress..when i machining it
 And :









 And camshaft :


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