Mery Explosive Vapor Engine: Getting 'Er Running

[carlw]

I've assembled my Mery engine and am working on the auxiliary systems. I have compression on both sides of the engine and will check for equal compression this week. It will be run on propane and I have a demand regulator built to Jerry Howell's design. What should the pressure at the tank regulator be? I have two Paul Knapp spark plugs mounted on the combustion chamber covers. I have a S/S electronic buzz coil but the spark is a very thin 'thread.' Will this ignite Mery's fuel charge? I've looked at Jerry's buzz coil driver kit and would appreciate suggestions on an ignition coil to use with it.
CarlW

 

[oldengineguy]

Carl; I have just started a Mery build. Do you have any pictures that you can post? You are waaay ahead of me! Let us all know your progress please. Colin

 

[carlw]

Colin: Sorry to say I do not have a lot of photos of Mery. I finished machining and assembling some years ago and Mery has sat on a shelf while I got on with real life.

Attached is a photo from when I put it away. I'll add photos and info on getting it running as I figure things out.

 

[karlw144]

Carl, I run with the Flywheel Supply buzz box (have used S/S electronic buzz coil with no problems on other engines) and just use a 1# propane tank. Tank seems to be 3-4 psi when full but my engine is running fine now and the gage shows less than 2 psi.
karl
PS are you the Carl that did a cam grinding seminar for me at NAMES?

 

[carlw]

Karl, yes indeed the one and same Carl. Been a long time and it is a pleasure to reconnect with you. Once again, thanks for handling the receiving and shipping of the display bits and pieces. The success of the seminar got me going and I wrote the articles on cam grinding in Model Engine Builder, issues 21-25 and the design of the three-arc cam in issues 33-36.

Thanks for pointing me to Flywheel Supply and they pointed me to Phelon coils. They are much smaller than '60s automotive coil which I just yesterday sourced from a friend. I will try to run that coil with a Bosch relay buzz circuit. A Phelon coil and KW contacts in an oak box would look great on Mery and I'll try that next. Looks like another adventure on the horizon.

 

[rsholl]

Carl, you won't have a problem running the engine with my Buzz Coil CDI. Spark always looks minimal on very small plug gaps. I do know some guys make the Rimfire plugs into side fire for propane. Just make sure to keep the buzz module as far away from the spark plug wires as possible. If you do get interference then you can install the resistor at the end of the spark plug wire. The new PIC micro controllers seam to be more sensitive to EMI than the older ones. Let me know if you have any questions. I know there is at least 1 Mery engine running my system and I think there is a second one and mine (if I ever get it built) will have that system.

Roy

 

[carlw]

Thanks, Roy. This is my first IC engine and I did not know what the spark should look like. I'm used to the nice big blue sparks on full size automotive systems. I'll post progress reports - maybe that will inspire you to build you Mery.

Does anyone know if propane is harder to ignite than gasoline?
Carl

 

[propclock]

update on Carl;s Mery, It runs Great!
Direct to video below then bla bla bla



I was gifted this engine by it's builder, Carl Wilson. He never got it
to the final running phase.
I am good at that. I previously made some crappy Utube videos , so I
asked fellow BAEM member Steve Hazelton to make me a better
video. I think this one came out excellent. It was taken at Golden Gate
Live Steamers at Tilden Park California.
GGLS graciously lets us use their facilities for our monthly BAEM meetings.
More on the engine. It was patented in 1895. It is basically a converted
double acting steam engine. That used explosive! coal gas
on both ends to make a gas engine. It uses atmospheric intake valves,
that means no cam or actuator of any kind is used for the intake valves
If the exhaust valve is closed and the piston goes back it sucks the
valve open and gets gas/air.
The exhaust valves are actuated via an eccentric cam like a steam
engine to a rocking beam that opens the valves.
It is a 6 cycle engine on both ends . This means 2 extra strokes with
the exhaust valve held open.
It helps with a clean charge , cooling, and avoiding the OTTO patent.
In the video at the end I hold the front and rear
intake valves closed to show that each end is actually firing.
The other side an eccentric operates another rocking beam that acts
like a distributor 2 insulated copper springs transmit HV sparks to the
spark plugs.
If you are interested do a web on Mery Explosive 1895. This is Carl
Wilson's and mine.

 

[Richard Hed]

update on Carl;s Mery, It runs Great!
Direct to video below then bla bla bla



I was gifted this engine by it's builder, Carl Wilson. He never got it
to the final running phase.
I am good at that. I previously made some crappy Utube videos , so I
asked fellow BAEM member Steve Hazelton to make me a better
video. I think this one came out excellent. It was taken at Golden Gate
Live Steamers at Tilden Park California.
GGLS graciously lets us use their facilities for our monthly BAEM meetings.
More on the engine. It was patented in 1895. It is basically a converted
double acting steam engine. That used explosive! coal gas
on both ends to make a gas engine. It uses atmospheric intake valves,
that means no cam or actuator of any kind is used for the intake valves
If the exhaust valve is closed and the piston goes back it sucks the
valve open and gets gas/air.
The exhaust valves are actuated via an eccentric cam like a steam
engine to a rocking beam that opens the valves.
It is a 6 cycle engine on both ends . This means 2 extra strokes with
the exhaust valve held open.
It helps with a clean charge , cooling, and avoiding the OTTO patent.
In the video at the end I hold the front and rear
intake valves closed to show that each end is actually firing.
The other side an eccentric operates another rocking beam that acts
like a distributor 2 insulated copper springs transmit HV sparks to the
spark plugs.
If you are interested do a web on Mery Explosive 1895. This is Carl
Wilson's and mine.

Do you know if one can buy any drawings of the Mery?

 

[cheepo45]

Martin Models sells the casting set. Mery Engine Casting Set
I'm not sure if you can buy the plans separately.
Scott

 

[Richard Hed]

Martin Models sells the casting set. Mery Engine Casting Set
I'm not sure if you can buy the plans separately.
Scott

Doesn't look like it

 

[oldengineguy]

Propclock :
Good to see a Mery engine running. I'm currently building one and hope see it run by Christmas.
Does the cylinder oiler have a cap? Does compression blow the oil out? What oil are you using?
What ign system are you using? Thanks Colin

 

[propclock]

Yes the cylinder oiler has a cap, mandatory, I use normal 30 wt.
I found a few drops of wd 40 in the intake while running helps lube the intake valves and the rest. S/S or C/H Roy Sholl single spark CDI ignition big spark plug gap~35-40 thou.

 

[patternmaker]

Doesn't look like it

I make all the individual castings and drawings available for all the kits I sell. Go to martinmodel.com. Click on the "CASTINGS" heading. On that page click on the BLUE background "PDF ORDER FORMS". Click on the MERY ENGINE and you will see the drawings listed there on the PDF Order Form. I make all attempts to make sure that in the one in a million chance that somebody makes a mistake or if there might be a flaw in the casting, that I have some extra parts available.

Gary Martin
Martin Model & Pattern

 

[Jnyost]

Martin Models sells the casting set. Mery Engine Casting Set
I'm not sure if you can buy the plans separately.
Scott

Yes Martin sells only prints if u need them. I just sent him a check to get a set. I purchased a Mery model already complete assembled. It’s not running “yet”. I need the prints to see how the timer is supposed to be and what ignition is used. The way this one is set up is different from any other ones i’ve seen in the pictures.

 

[patternmaker]

I have a customer who recently purchased Mery Engine castings and needs some help machining the main crankcase. He is in the Washington DC area. He is willing to send his casting ANYWHERE to be machined and pay someone who has already built a Mery to bore this one part. Please email me [email protected] if you can help.