# Howell V-Twin



## Piston_Broke (Feb 24, 2015)

Hi, All! I began construction of Jerry Howell's V-Twin 4-cycle gas engine in late January 2015. I have never posted progress of any of my projects before so there may be a few hiccups. I see that Gus happens to have started building his just before I started. This is by no means a competition or a race(gus would win) but I think it will be cool to see our different methods. 
I found the best priced stock from McMaster Carr which was a bit surprising considering I work for a company that orders millions of dollars of stock annually and our suppliers couldn't even come close. I have a couple machines at home but most of these photos were taken on company equipment(off the clock, of course). Cheers!


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## gus (Feb 26, 2015)

Hi PistonBroke.

No worries. You will beat me to the draw with bigger lathe. Am taking my sweet time.I am struggling with a Japanese Sakai Mini Lathe and a Sakai Mini Mill. If both could talk,will hear them protesting as a bad task master stretching both to their outer limits. 
Paul Swift is about to get started on a Howell V-4 which my machine tools will never be able to take on.I pass. Looks like we have three Howell V Engine Builders. I expect more to come in.


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## Piston_Broke (Feb 28, 2015)

More progress this week. I cut the cylinders this morning, they took three hours each! I made my own parting tool holder for this .094 parting blade. It's really starting to look like an engine now.


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## Brian Rupnow (Feb 28, 2015)

Excellent work!! I'm watching your build and Gus's build.---Brian


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## gus (Mar 1, 2015)

Hi PistonBroke, 

You are beating me hands down!!! Will monkey see,monkey do, the drilling & counterboring of the spark plug hole. Much as I like to speed up but the mini lathe and mill just won't make it. So its slow and steady.

Good Work and fotos.


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## Piston_Broke (Feb 19, 2017)

It has been a while since I last posted but I have been making progress. It's actually starting to come together! I don't work on this hobby much during the summer and there are several small parts to make but I hope to have it done before summer this year. Cheers!


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## dnalot (Feb 19, 2017)

Hi

Now that is looking very nice. Beautiful fit and finish. I have the Howell V-Four plan set that I plan to start in the near future. 

Mark T


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## Piston_Broke (Feb 19, 2017)

I assembled it partially just for fun and to show some friends. We meet for coffee on Sundays, in the summer it is all motorcycles and in the winter, it is show and tell. Cheers!


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## geo (Feb 25, 2017)

Good job I have been mucking about for3 years latest cock up is valve seat insert od is larger than the spring have to make a tool up to repair or press the out and start again , other than that problem I only have the needle valves to make.


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## raspii (Feb 25, 2017)

That's some amazing work you're doing there, keep up the great work.

What material are you using for the crankcase, is it 6061 or 7075?  Whatever it is, the presentation is amazing!


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## Chiptosser (Feb 26, 2017)

Very nice work!!   

I am guessing , you must have done some sort of media blasting to the crankcase?

:thumbup:


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## Piston_Broke (Feb 26, 2017)

Thanks, everyone. I really hope I can finish before NAMES or at least have it running by then(April 22). The crank case and all the aluminum aside from the connecting rods is 6061, con rods are 7075. I actually did quite a bit of benching to get a nice smooth crosshatch pattern on all sides of the crank case. I decided to anodize the aluminum and I forgot that our supplier begins with etching which removed all the machine and benching marks. I like the finish too, very clean looking!


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## Piston_Broke (Mar 2, 2017)

Do any of you know If the large diameter of the taper bushing for the flywheel faces towards or away from the crank case? Towards makes more sense but it seems like the belt pulley is awful thin to use as a clamp for the flywheel. Also, since the engine runs counter clockwise is there anything I can use to start the engine besides the belt pulley without loosening the flywheel clamp nut?


    Best Regards,


                          Jon


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## Gordon (Mar 2, 2017)

The large end must go toward the crankcase otherwise you cannot get the flywheel off. I found out the hard way when I put it on wrong one day. I made a special washer with holes to match a special starting dog in the electric drill.


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 9, 2017)

I have been putting a lot of work into all the little pieces. I think I may have messed up the piston rings. After I split them, I opened them with a .150" key and heat treated the side opposite the split. I think I got them too hot and deformed the area. Now there is a crescent gap between the ring and cylinder wall. I'm trying to fix them but I think I should just remake them. If I do, I plan to cut them to the circumference plus the gap rather than cut them to the cylinder diameter and split them.


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 9, 2017)

I wanted to have the carburetor parts on top of the engine nice and shiny. I decided to buy a nickel plating kit from Caswell Plating. They sell everywhere from bath tub sized systems to 8oz beaker systems for students. I bought the latter. I read and reread and re-reread the directions and went to it. I should have practiced on a few pieces of scrap but I didn't think it would be difficult. Big mistake! My first piece turned out great but after that they got worse and worse. I kept telling myself I could buff out the imperfections, wrong! I now have some better information from Caswell and would like to try again but I am very worried I'll ruin these parts. It took so long to make all these tiny parts! I used sulfuric acid to clean the parts, not something I particularly like working with. The photo of only two parts was my second attempt. Again, poor results. I have so many questions on how to fix these, I think I better send them to a professional. Oh and cooling fan progress!


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## gus (Apr 10, 2017)

Piston_Broke said:


> I wanted to have the carburetor parts on top of the engine nice and shiny. I decided to buy a nickel plating kit from Caswell Plating. They sell everywhere from bath tub sized systems to 8oz beaker systems for students. I bought the latter. I read and reread and re-reread the directions and went to it. I should have practiced on a few pieces of scrap but I didn't think it would be difficult. Big mistake! My first piece turned out great but after that they got worse and worse. I kept telling myself I could buff out the imperfections, wrong! I now have some better information from Caswell and would like to try again but I am very worried I'll ruin these parts. It took so long to make all these tiny parts! I used sulfuric acid to clean the parts, not something I particularly like working with. The photo of only two parts was my second attempt. Again, poor results. I have so many questions on how to fix these, I think I better send them to a professional. Oh and cooling fan progress!


 
Hi There.

Gus sort of burnt-out. Now building Stereo HiFi Sets to distress. Engine is about ready to run. Would be about 2----months. I have three good HiFi Sets going with matching speakers.Sort lost in the HiFi Jungle with good music. See you.


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## Gordon (Apr 10, 2017)

Piston_Broke said:


> I have been putting a lot of work into all the little pieces. I think I may have messed up the piston rings. After I split them, I opened them with a .150" key and heat treated the side opposite the split. I think I got them too hot and deformed the area. Now there is a crescent gap between the ring and cylinder wall. I'm trying to fix them but I think I should just remake them. If I do, I plan to cut them to the circumference plus the gap rather than cut them to the cylinder diameter and split them.



When you heat the rings they must be heated uniformly, not just opposite the split.


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## Brian Rupnow (Apr 10, 2017)

Conventional wisdom is that you spread the rings on a mandrel and then heat the mandrel and let the heat radiate to the rings . You don't heat the rings directly, or you get non-uniform expansion of the rings.


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 10, 2017)

Yeah, going to make new rings and a fixture to send them to heat treat. 


Gus, I'm starting to feel burned out too. There are so many parts in the last half dozen pages! My goal is just to get as far as I can before the North American Model Engineering Society Expo on April 22nd. After that, it's time to put away the models and get on a motorcycle for the season. I'm glad to hear you're still out there though! 


Cheers!  Jon


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## Cogsy (Apr 10, 2017)

Piston_Broke said:


> I plan to cut them to the circumference plus the gap rather than cut them to the cylinder diameter and split them.


 
If I understand this correctly you plan on making the rings oversize so you can remove the section where the split is, rather than split and spread? If you do this then your rings will be out of round once you compress them into the bore and you'll have the same issue you have now.

I make mine by cutting them to the bore size, splitting them and inserting a wedge into the gap to spread them. Then place them on a body washer held in the vice jaws and heat the whole lot to uniform cherry red, hold it for 60 seconds then let cool naturally. I don't get perfect sealing straight away, but enough compression to run, then they bed in after 10 minutes or so of running and compression is good.


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 11, 2017)

Thanks, Al. I posted that after I read an article in MEB on the subject but yesterday evening I cut new rings and decided to turn them to bore size. It's interesting to hear the arguments for each method of making rings, it's all about perspective it seems. Anyway I am going to make a fixture to clamp them following the "Trimble Method". The drawing calls for a .150" gap, I'm going to just use 5/32" so I don't have to order anything special. I hope to post more pictures soon.


Cheers!


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## Rustkolector (Apr 11, 2017)

Piston_Broke
For future reference you must really clean your metal surfaces prior to any plating. By that I mean a pickle like citric acid (canning section of food market) which is cheaper and just as effective as sulfuric acid. Wire brush parts to make sure all oxide has been removed and pickle again. Then you have to scrub the parts in a warm detergent solution with a brush until the rinse water sheets off the parts. If any water beads on the surfaces, it isn't clean enough for plating. Once absolutely clean, rinse in distilled water and gently blow dry. Do not touch any parts to be plated with your bare fingers after the pickle. Use rubber or nitrile gloves. 

You have a lot of nice work done so far. Don't be tempted to try any of those rings that show even the slightest light on their circumference like your photo. You will be disappointed. Use the link in Jerry's plans to make your rings. This method requires some additional work, but the results are worth it. Lap the top and bottom ring surfaces on a flat surface to a nice sheen, and to adjust your ring side clearance in the piston grooves to .0005". Gap to be .002" - .003". Also, use a brake bleeder vacuum pump (Harbor Freight) to check your valve seats for leakage. You should be able to pump them down to 25" of Hg and then see only a very slow leak down. No leak down is even better. You need good fitting valve guides and oil them with #30 wt oil for sealing the guides during testing. Good fitting piston rings and valves solve a multitude of perceived new engine starting issues. 
Jeff


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## geo (Apr 13, 2017)

How did you go fitting the cm-6 spark plugs ?
I can cut a couple of fins as per drawing still difficult to get a socket on the plug 
Trying to source a 10 mm hex but the electrode lengths are to long on the k series plugs . Looking good as a door stop.


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## Piston_Broke (Sep 10, 2018)

Well, it's been a while since I worked on the engine. I've been traveling for work quite a bit last winter and this spring/summer so I'm getting the itch to finish this! I ended up getting my details professionally nickel plated, my attempts were just causing me headaches. It was well worth $110. I have virtually all the parts done and am in the semi final build stage. Still need to finish the base and make a fuel tank. I'm just happy to be into it again, trying to remember where I left off. Cheers!


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## kuhncw (Sep 10, 2018)

Jon,

Beautiful work!    

I hope to see you and your Vee Twin at NAMES 2019.

Regards,

Chuck Kuhn


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## johnmcc69 (Sep 11, 2018)

Good to see you back at it. Nice fit & finish, looking great.

 John


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 26, 2020)

It's been quite some time since my last post! I'm very happy to say I've had the engine running, well, at least one cylinder. I had carburetor issues on one side. After doing some cleanup work to both carbs I tried another trial run. My next issue is that my fuel pump no longer works. I bought a small pump meant for Nitro engines, it is not compatible with gasoline however. So, any recommendations on a small, inexpensive fuel pump that works for gasoline?


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 26, 2020)

Prior to the first bench test. (I can't get the photo to load)


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## kuhncw (Apr 26, 2020)

Jon,

Good to see you back.  Good luck on the final bits to get your V2 running.

Chuck Kuhn


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 26, 2020)




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## Peter Twissell (Apr 27, 2020)

For the nickel plating: I have used a Caswell kit for plating numerous and quite large motorcycle parts. I used the electroless process, which gives nice, consistent results provided the instructions are followed and the chemicals topped up appropriately after each part is plated.


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## awake (Apr 27, 2020)

That's a beautiful engine!


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 28, 2020)

kuhncw said:


> Jon,
> 
> Good to see you back.  Good luck on the final bits to get your V2 running.
> 
> Chuck Kuhn


I hope you are well, Chuck! Bummed we are missing NAMES this year but looking forward to next year already! Cheers!


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 28, 2020)

Any advice on a 12V gasoline fuel pump for this engine would be greatly appreciated. The one I had was for nitro fuel and failed during the second run.


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## DiegoVV (Apr 30, 2020)

Piston_Broke said:


> I assembled it partially just for fun and to show some friends. We meet for coffee on Sundays, in the summer it is all motorcycles and in the winter, it is show and tell. Cheers!
> 
> View attachment 87357
> 
> ...


Nice work! Very clean. I love the finish in the aluminium parts. What type of blasting media do you use?

Congratulations for such a beautiful machine!


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## Piston_Broke (Apr 30, 2020)

DiegoVV said:


> Nice work! Very clean. I love the finish in the aluminium parts. What type of blasting media do you use?
> 
> Congratulations for such a beautiful machine!


The aluminum parts are clear anodized. I use sand paper and a Scotch-Brite pad to remove machining marks before I sent them out to be anodized.


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## bluejets (May 2, 2020)

Piston_Broke said:


> Any advice on a 12V gasoline fuel pump for this engine would be greatly appreciated. The one I had was for nitro fuel and failed during the second run.


If you can still access Perry Pumps, they made a series of pumps to suit gas or alcohol fuels.
Both in the pressure tap operation or the vibration mode where the latter is set at right angles to the crank.

Link here........
Perry Pumps - Pumps


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## mayhugh1 (May 2, 2020)

Piston_Broke said:


> Any advice on a 12V gasoline fuel pump for this engine would be greatly appreciated. The one I had was for nitro fuel and failed during the second run.



See post 175:






						Another Knucklehead Build
					

The dual spark CDI unit from cncengines.com arrived promptly after it was ordered. At 1.75" x 2.75" x 1" this new version of their ignition comes potted inside its own enclosure but is larger than the PC board units I've purchased in the past. The second coil in this particular model may account...




					www.homemodelenginemachinist.com


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## bluejets (May 2, 2020)

mayhugh1 said:


> See post 175:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Cannot see that bit of plastic lasting very long.


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## mayhugh1 (May 2, 2020)

bluejets said:


> Cannot see that bit of plastic lasting very long.


I've put that same pump in six different gasoline engines (including a Howell V2 and V4) over the past dozen years or so and have never had a bit of trouble with any of them. One will likely end up in the Offy that I'm currently building. - Terry


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## bluejets (May 2, 2020)

Yes, well I didn't refer to how many but rather how long it will last.
Many engines rarely get used, most sit on a display bench and start every now and then.


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## Cogsy (May 2, 2020)

bluejets said:


> Yes, well I didn't refer to how many but rather how long it will last.
> Many engines rarely get used, most sit on a display bench and start every now and then.


I've got bits of plastic that get used every day and are years old - not all plastic is junk.


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## Peter Twissell (May 3, 2020)

If it's the right flavour of plastic for the job, there's no reason why it shouldn't last. Fuel pumps in modern road cars are mostly plastic.


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## gilbycoath (May 3, 2020)

I have often read about using citric acid for a pickle/ cleaner. and substitute for sulfuric 
I have some citric acid in powder form with instructions for use in cooking, can anyone give me a clue as to mixing ratio for our use?


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## Cogsy (May 3, 2020)

Last time I made a batch for pickling I just put a bunch into some DI water. Citric is a 'weak' acid (so doesn't fully dissociate in solution) so it should be difficult to get too 'strong' a solution to cause any issues. I don't remember the ratios I used but I'd start with a couple of tablespoons of powder into a cup of water and see how that goes.


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## Peter Twissell (May 4, 2020)

I use citric acid for de-rusting, by dissolving as much as I can in water. As Cogsy says, you can't make it too strong.
Also popular with my wife for removing limescale from shower, taps, kettle etc. It's always good to find a 'domestic' use for workshop requirements - helps to keep the peace!


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## gilbycoath (May 4, 2020)

Thanks guys, I will give it ago. 
I have always used vinegar with a little salt added ( when ever it is quoted it is always "a little salt') A friend how has good knowledge of chemistry tells the salt is bad for steel and all it does in the vinegar is to speed up the process.
Thanks again


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## kuhncw (May 4, 2020)

Jon,

Too bad about NAMES this year. I'm look forward to seeing you and your Vee Twin at NAMES 2021.

Take care.

Regards,

Chuck Kuhn


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## DiegoVV (May 5, 2020)

Piston_Broke said:


> The aluminum parts are clear anodized. I use sand paper and a Scotch-Brite pad to remove machining marks before I sent them out to be anodized.


Nice done!! I love the fine matte finish of your pieces


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