[SEL] Hercules Economy Status

[FRM8198 at aol.com]

Hi List,
After fabricating a new fuel tank and reworking the cam gear by  welding up 
two broken teeth, the Hercules fired up.
The original fuel tank had been fiberglass by the previous  owner.  However, 
this repair work didn't prevent the tank from  leaking.  A local sheet metal 
shop built a new one using the old tank  as pattern.  I soldered the seams and 
end caps.  The original fuel  inlet and outlet flanges were installed riveted 
and soldered on the new  tank.  I should have installed a vent J tube on the 
top of tank as I  discovered while pouring gas into the tank.  There wasn't any 
on the  original tank.  A new fuel filling assembly was fabricated from a 
reducing  1" to 3/8"  ell and 1" pipe plug.   The pipe plug was drilled to  
provide a vent.  The original fuel outlet assembly including the unique  check 
valve was used.
To repair the broken teeth on the cam gear, a tooth profile  template was 
made using a section of non-broken gear teeth.  The two broken  tooth areas were 
cleaned and built up using nickel iron welding rod.  To  protect the adjacent 
tooth surfaces, pieces of stainless steel plate were used  on both sides of 
welding build up areas.  Using the tooth profile template,  each new tooth was 
grounded and filed to shape.  This repaired cam gear was  checked by rotating 
it about the crankshaft gear.  The cam gear was then  timed and reinstalled.  
Prior to removing the cam gear, I made timing  marks on the mating teeth.
An electric motor was used to spin the engine.  It started  after a few 
revolutions.  Then it stopped.  The electric motor was  again belted up to the 
flywheel.  The belt began to slip.  As I was  trying to tension the belt, my hand 
slipped and I got my hand between the  crankshaft guard and connecting rod.  
Yes, I did a foolish thing and I  ended getting ten (10) stitches on my right 
hand index finger at the emergency  room.
It will be about two weeks before I get back to my projects.   Hopefully, I 
will be more careful where I put my hands.  

Francis  Maciel
Santa Maria, CA