# I Love Extremes!



## rake60 (May 10, 2010)

The tiny model engines can become a bit tedious. 

How about a *BIG* engine?







The whole story behind that can be seen _*HERE*_.

If it's an engine, I'm looking! 

Rick


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## TarheelTom (May 10, 2010)

Those are awesome diesels. Love the fact that there is a ladder built into the web walls so you can climb up from the bottom of the crankcase.

Was reading where a diesel instructor took his students to visit one of these engines. There is actually a door into the bottom of the crankcase. You can just open the door and walk in. Once they were inside, one of his students asked "Where is the engine?" Hard for a "small" engine mechanic to comprehend walking around inside a big diesel.

Saw a tv show once where they were actually setting one of these engines in place in a shipyard. The process started late on a Saturday night, as they had to bring in a total of three cranes from other parts of the shipyard to set the engine, so those other portions of the shipyard can't operate without their cranes.

But they don't just set the engine in place. They set one piece of the engine at a time in place. Like the bottom of the oil pan. Then the bottom of the crankcase, etc.

Impressive engines.

tom


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## mu38&Bg# (May 10, 2010)

Link to a variety of big engine mishaps. Click "Horror Stories"on the menu.

http://www.marinediesels.info/


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## rake60 (May 10, 2010)

I have never bet a machine that I couldn't break.
Never on purpose, but one rule come to mind.

*"The bigger they are, the harder they fall."*

When they do break, it offers an opportunity to identify the weakness in the
original design. You fix that and the second weakest point will present 
it's self in time. You will fix that as well.

You will find that scenario to be true in any engine design.
Be it a .125 inch cylinder or a 14 foot cylinder.

Just don't tell the engineers. They will want you to recreate the condition that
caused their perfect design to fail after the solution has already been found. 

Rick


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## Maryak (May 10, 2010)

Wow,

I thought this was big 






But that is Extremely big - Wouldn't like to carry the spanners in my back pocket.   

Best Regards
Bob


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## DickDastardly40 (May 11, 2010)

I think I prefer the organised chaos of this picture and the lack of shrink wrap.


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## Royal Viking (May 11, 2010)

That is an extreme! I remember going with my dad on his day off to visit the bus garage where he worked. The bus tires were taller than me at the time and the diesels were intimidating.  

I was wondering at what point you would venture into an engine crank case after it had run?


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## Maryak (May 11, 2010)

Royal Viking  said:
			
		

> I was wondering at what point you would venture into an engine crank case after it had run?



As soon as you get the doors off. ;D With a crosshead engine the crankcase is separate from the the cylinders and the bulk lube oil temperature in the crankcase is usually around 120 F and a large majority of these engines are dry sump. The cylinder lubrication is total loss using a special oil which has an alkalinity matched up to the type of fuel being burnt.

Best Regards
Bob


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## Dan Rowe (May 11, 2010)

Bob,
You are correct except the jacking gear has to be engaged for safety and turning off the lube oil pump might be a good idea.

Normally the jacking gear is run about 30 miniuts after a shut down.

I spent most of my sea time on 900mm Sulzers.

Cheers Dan


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## Maryak (May 11, 2010)

Thanks Dan,



			
				Dan Rowe  said:
			
		

> Bob,
> You are correct except the jacking gear has to be engaged for safety and turning off the lube oil pump might be a good idea.
> 
> Normally the jacking gear is run about 30 miniuts after a shut down.
> ...



You are spot on.

My only foray into crosshead main engines was with 6 cylinder Sulzer RD 68 each of 7000 hp probably a similar cylinder diameter but I can't remember.

Best Regards
Bob


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## lowbmw (May 11, 2010)

i worked for two years on 3 natural gas fired 2-stroke v16 motors with a two foot bore and two foot stroke they were used to compress liquid ammonia it was a great experience especially when one of them melted the top of the piston and we had to change the liner. i will try and dig out some photos of me standing inside the bore


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## Jared (May 13, 2010)

Here's a photo album of building ship engines in Great Britain at the yard of William Doxford and Sons. I like the lathe that the machinist rides on the carriage.
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/guides/William_Doxford_and_Sons#The_Manufacturing_Process


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## Dan Rowe (May 14, 2010)

Rick,
Those photos are from "From the Mountains to the Sea The Sulzer Diesel Engine" This book was published in 1998 about the time I retired so I bought a copy for show and tell.



			
				Maryak  said:
			
		

> My only foray into crosshead main engines was with 6 cylinder Sulzer RD 68 each of 7000 hp probably a similar cylinder diameter but I can't remember.



Bob,
The bore is easy 680mm. The book mentioned has production dates for the RD series from 1961 to 1969. 
I worked on the RND, RLB, and RTA series engines. The RLB engines were the last ones to have only ports with loop scavanging. The RTA engine is still a 2 stroke but now it has a single large exhaust valve.

Cheers Dan


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