Modified Henry Ford Engine

[Kpar]

Well I finally got my engine to run a lot better. My first attempt was not a great success
and I had a few failures.
1. I could never get the drip feed to work properly
2. made several exhaust valves & ended up with a cage setup in the plumbing tap.
3. After making a simple mixer & air choke, the engine got faster & faster and eventually threw the flywheel off.
Flew out of the shed and into the house brick wall. Also the conrod anchor bolt on the crankshaft let go and just missed my 1933 Ford.
Lesson learned so carried out some mods.
Very pleased as this is my first attempt without much machining knowledge.
Would like some input on controlling speed and temp (maybe heatsink)
Took me ages to post on Youtube ?.
Kpar

 

[JimDobson]

Very very nice.

 

[scottyp]

Looks great - I have a kitchen sink on my list!

 

[dsage]

Do you really want to keep modifying it? Eventually it won't look like "the real thing".
I just run mine for short periods of time at slow speeds and accept it for what it is. A prototype engine. I don't think it was ever intended to do any more than demonstrate a concept.
Just my take on it.


EDIT: I guess you did title this thread a "Modified". So I guess that's your aim.
Perhaps a sleeve with fins cut into it slipped over the cylinder would keep it cool(er). Or a water jacket and a convection tank off to the side.
The speed can be reduced just by feeding it less fuel. Maybe a smaller orifice or needle or whatever is used to control the fuel now.


BTW. Very nice job.

 

[Tom 1948]

Congratulations, my first attempt was not successful. I put it up and moved on to other things. I am going to tackle it again. I will not let it beat me down. As others have said , they can be tricky. Your build looks great. Did you stuff the combustion chamber to increase compression?

 

[Kpar]

Congratulations, my first attempt was not successful. I put it up and moved on to other things. I am going to tackle it again. I will not let it beat me down. As others have said , they can be tricky. Your build looks great. Did you stuff the combustion chamber to increase compression?

Yes Tom I increased the length of the end bung and also a stronger return spring on the exhaust vale which increased the seating of the valve.
Kpar

 

[Kpar]

Do you really want to keep modifying it? Eventually it won't look like "the real thing".
I just run mine for short periods of time at slow speeds and accept it for what it is. A prototype engine. I don't think it was ever intended to do any more than demonstrate a concept.
Just my take on it.


EDIT: I guess you did title this thread a "Modified". So I guess that's your aim.
Perhaps a sleeve with fins cut into it slipped over the cylinder would keep it cool(er). Or a water jacket and a convection tank off to the side.
The speed can be reduced just by feeding it less fuel. Maybe a smaller orifice or needle or whatever is used to control the fuel now.


BTW. Very nice job.

Thanks dsage, I am going to leave it as is & maybe add a small generator to light a bulb.
My next project will hopefully be a smaller copy as I did see some time back by another member (?) with a "Plumbing Parts Engine"
Unable to find any drawings but me, I just machine bits to fit & design as I build. I've always had problems reading plans.
Kpar

 

[Blueboy]

I built a Ford pipe engine in 1989. I saw it in Gas engine Magazine . I built it run at shows and run non stop. The drip rate is critial . I sharpened needle. Piston fit is loose. The riser for the tee is aluminum to wick off some heat.I have not run it for 10 years as every one in midwest has seen it. I have meat Leon, he s a nice man. Bill

 

[a41capt]

I’ve had quite a bit of trouble getting my copy of Henry’s engine to run for more than a few seconds. It also gets VERY hot in those few seconds as well! Could it be that my piston clearance is to tight?

here’s a video of it running, please don’t pay any attention to the mess in my garage. It’s overflowing due to my son and his family moving back and using my house as his storage shed until he finds his own house!

 

[Blueboy]

Sounds good.looks like a 5 inch stroke, I used 4 inch. I CAN run mine as long as you want.

 

[a41capt]

Sounds good.looks like a 5 inch stroke, I used 4 inch. I CAN run mine as long as you want.

You mentioned that your piston is looser. Any idea on what the final clearance was? I was wondering if that’s why mine gets so hot that it causes 3rd degree burns to the skin if you touch it after a minute of combined run time.

 

[Shopgeezer]

Sounds like your mixture is too lean. Cylinder and piston cooling has a lot to do with fuel intake and atomization.

 

[a41capt]

Sounds like your mixture is too lean. Cylinder and piston cooling has a lot to do with fuel intake and atomization.

Thanks, but I’ve tried going rich, lean, and all, points between! As you know, the carburetion (?) setup on the engine is FAR from ideal and is a Devil to get balanced. One drop is too big, the next drop is too small, too big and it won’t run, too small and it won’t run, when it finally gets to the right gas flow and runs, you just feel like you’ve launched a space shuttle!

Leon Ridenour’s plans call for two screens underneath the drip oiler to assist in the atomization of fuel, but that restricted the airflow too far and my plug was soaking wet.

Frankly, getting it to run at all is a lot like stacking BBs!

 

[Blueboy]

I just went out in garage and measured with feeler gauge. ,007 went in , It must be .007 or 8 clearance . I don't remember as I built it 31 years ago. To start I drip 2 or drops then flip off oiler-fuel tank. when it fires turn back on to slow drip. It has one screen under it. I have wiper for timing with a screw to raise on lower it , to change timing.
advanced to much it hits too hard, In about 2002 coleman changed the fuel. I went to SHOW, it would not run. now I use old fuel from garage sales. Walmart now has camp fuel that is marked white gasoline, it runs good. I have run it on alcohol. I think thats what Ford used. I have burned my self on it.

 

[a41capt]

I just went out in garage and measured with feeler gauge. ,007 went in , It must be .007 or 8 clearance . I don't remember as I built it 31 years ago. To start I drip 2 or drops then flip off oiler-fuel tank. when it fires turn back on to slow drip. It has one screen under it. I have wiper for timing with a screw to raise on lower it , to change timing.
advanced to much it hits too hard, In about 2002 coleman changed the fuel. I went to SHOW, it would not run. now I use old fuel from garage sales. Walmart now has camp fuel that is marked white gasoline, it runs good. I have run it on alcohol. I think thats what Ford used. I have burned my self on it.

Thanks! I’ll check my clearances again when I get home from this road trip. I considered alcohol, as naphtha (as described from Henry’s notes from the time) is more than likely far more volatile than the blended gas we get today. I’ve been running Coleman fuel, and like you, have gone down to one atomizing screen. I too have found that advancing the timing too far makes for some extraordinary backfires and kickbacks, and timing is very critical to getting this ultra low compression engine to fire.

I’ll continue screwing with it until I get it running consistently, and then I’ll mount it on something a little prettier than a piece of melamine coated MDF!

Thanks again!

John W