[SEL] hercules question

Joe Prindle joe_prindle2001 at yahoo.com
Sat Jun 5 07:35:02 PDT 2004


Hi Jim,
Since the main bearing caps are inclined, I would think that worn mains
would allow the gears to move further apart instead of closer together.
Take a strip of paper, like from a grocery bag, and run it between the cam
gear and crank gear to see if they have clearance. If the paper is cut by
the gears, or if things get bound up, then you need to look at your main
bearings.
If the pin that the cam gear rides on is worn badly, the gear will make a
fair amount of noise, particulary if it lacks grease or oil on the pin.
That noise is more of a singing noise than a ratchety feel. The solution
to a sloppy pin is to replace the pin with an oversized one and clean up
the hole in the gear. My experience has been that just replacing the pin
will get the job done. Grab the cam gear and try to wiggle it sideways to
see how much slop there is in it.
Like Curt pointed out, the mains are inserts and it is not a bad job to
fit new ones if they turn out to be the problem. I have had luck putting a
shim under the inserts and doind a little scraping to get them to run
longer without buying or making new inserts.
I have an engine much like yours, and it is one of my favorites. It is a 3
1/2 hp model S that belonged to a good friend and mentor. It is a good
runner and I am rather fond of the moss growing on the side of it. Here is
a photo of it:
http://members.tznet.com/jprindle/alseconomy1.jpg
When I got it running, I left the twigs and grass laying in the crankcase,
too:
http://members.tznet.com/jprindle/alseconomy5.jpg
People talk about "barn fresh", but this one wasn't in a barn, it sat
under a big white pine out behind the barn, and the gas tank didn't even
leak.
Good luck with your Hercules!
Joe
--- Jim French <fbi at insulate.co.uk> wrote:
> Hi all
> After dinner I had a little play with the 3HP Hercules and from when I
> last ran it (New Year Crank-up) the gear meshing sound is very loud.
> Last year at Portland I bought a new govenor gear and this gear seems to
> sit too far away from the middle timing gear and chatters big time!
> There's a stuffer greaser which feeds the middle timing gear and when
> the engine is turning, you can feel the ratchetty meshing of the cogs
> through the greaser shaft.  I thought it was all the slop between the
> govenor gear but the vibration is from the middle (timing) gear.
> Are these engines niosy on the gears?
> Any info or opinions greatly appreciated!
> 
> Jim


=====
Joe Prindle
Patternmaker, Founder & Machinist
See my 1889 Reynolds Corliss at:
www.tznet.com/jprindle
Our Club:
www.badgersteamandgas.com
See Yoo in Baraboo!


	
		
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