# Maintenance check on my radial



## Swede (Apr 13, 2011)

Many of you guys are familiar with this engine. It is definitely my favorite, and was a labor of love over 2 years or so. The pictures I originally took of it were taken in the days of 28.8 modems, and they were all small. I've decided to revitalize my web site with newer, better pics, and get back into this wonderful hobby again, now that my kids are pretty much grown.  

I've taken the engine off the shelf, dusted her off, and ran it for the first time in quite a while. Still a good runner. It's not as shiny as it once was... there's a bit of grunge and grime, congealed oil in places, but fortunately no corrosion. An honest engine, not a showpiece.

If there are any particular components anyone would like to see in detail, let me know. These pics are from a maintenance check after running it the other day...
































Thanks for looking! This was my second IC engine. A multi-cylinder engine isn't much more difficult than a single cylinder - all the basic operations remain the same - but it is definitely more elbow grease. It can also get very repetitive, like 18 SS valves, 9 cylinders, 72 steel 5-40 studs, 18 rockers, etc.


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## dsquire (Apr 13, 2011)

Swede 

Thanks for pulling that off the shelf and showing it to us. That is one fine example of a radial no mater when it was built and something that you can be proud of. I am sure that a video of it running would be well received as well if and when you have a chance. Thanks in advance Swede. :bow: :bow:

Cheers 

Don


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## Brass_Machine (Apr 13, 2011)

:bow: :bow: :bow:


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## GailInNM (Apr 13, 2011)

Swede,
Thank you for the photos.
Beautiful workmanship.
Gail in NM


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## Swede (Apr 15, 2011)

TY all... I have been involved with a number of projects and pastimes, and at the root of them is machining and metalwork. Not all of them are engines, so it might seem that I haven't been doing anything. I have, but not all of it is engine-related.

Years ago, when SIC was being published, I was struck by a beautiful radial engine that was based upon commercial SAITO cylinders, heads, valves, pistons. I investigated the notion, and found that these Saito parts can be readily purchased. Most of the repetitive work on engines like these comes from crankcase outward, so the notion of doing this is attractive. It's something I'd like to try one day. You could make 4-cylinder horizontals, radials, etc and 80% of the effort will be in the crankcase, shaft, and cams. They come in so many different sizes, too.

I've also got castings for the Whirlwind - I need to get going on that also.


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## mu38&Bg# (Apr 15, 2011)

Your CNC mill build is what motivated me to put together mine. Are there no plans for a CNC lathe to do the repetition for you?

Greg


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## steamer (Apr 16, 2011)

Excellent Workmanship!  Thanks for sharing that!

Ageless's Nine is on the list!

Dave


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## Swede (Apr 17, 2011)

dieselpilot  said:
			
		

> Your CNC mill build is what motivated me to put together mine. Are there no plans for a CNC lathe to do the repetition for you?
> 
> Greg



Sorry, Greg, CNC lathe - not at this time.

I blew up my CNC servo box doing something stupid three weeks ago - I miswired an external panic stop switch, and smoked the switching power supply board. It is in for service right now. Some project stuff is at a standstill until it gets repaired. I'd really like to use the mill to machine waxes for cylinder heads and stuff - lost wax casting. So many projects, not enough time! ;D


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## Swede (Apr 29, 2011)

Update - picked up a couple of things off eBay. First, some capacitors that I'm hoping will do the trick. These are 0.05 uF 1000V paper capacitors from Europe:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380332933959

Secondly, during the same eBay session, I picked up some Champion "V" spark plugs, vintage, in 1/4" X 32. Mainly to see how they differed from Rimfire and similar plugs. They are a bit shorter, and definitely have a smaller gap with a different shape:











The copper washer is interesting... and different. I was used to very basic copper washers as we'd see with glow plugs. These appear to have a rim, and are definitely higher quality vs. more modern washers. I wonder just how critical these are. I can't see that much leakage around a standard washer, but FWIW...






I've got 4 of these plugs now, and they'd look slick in an opposed 4-cylinder or similar.  ;D


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## metalmad (Apr 29, 2011)

HI SWEDE
Id love to see a vid as well, radials, are a love of mine with v8s and just about anything that starts :big:
I have the Edwards 5 plans and intend to start that or a V8, after a few more projects.
I have just started my third project ,all of them being 4 stroke singles.(both were good runners)
Your comment that multys are not a lot harder then singles give me heart, that with a little more machining under my belt, I can start a large project.
Pete


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