[SEL] Re: Australia Day

Ian Browning isandian at bigpond.net.au
Fri Jan 27 18:31:13 PST 2006


Hi all,

Like Patrick, I too shunned the two Australia Day events our club supported. Instead, I spent the day at Fagan Park, Galston, (quite close to my home) where I started the 20HP Austral lamp start engine a couple of times, and fired up their Ericsson 8" hot air engine.

The Austral at first did not start easily, most likely not hot enough. I tried to get by with only two LP gas torches, whereas the previous starts had been with three. After retrieving the third torch, which had been used to start the engine of their McDonald road roller, it was soon hot enough, and started OK. This was only the fourth start since I took charge of the engine after quite some years of it standing idle. I find it necessary to stand on the flywheel spokes to get this engine rolling, but would never dream of doing this against compression to attempt starting! I get a couple of helpers to assist pulling the flywheels - much safer.

I had never run the Ericsson before, though in principle it is the same as my 6" Rider-Ericsson. It started very easily after quite a short time from light up, but I found the water pump would not prime. After much hand pumping and attempted priming, it still would not pump, so I raked out the fire and let it cool. I dismantled the pump and found the leather bucket was not sealing. I'll fit a new bucket soon and have another try.

Ian Browning
isandian at bigpond.net.au
Arcadia, NSW, Australia



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