[SEL] Fw: John Ames 3HP Stover - Needs Help

[Curt]

Paul,
Goodness what a mess! I hear you telling us that this fellow is a good 
friend of yours, but jeez, some people shouldn't own these valuable 
historical machines. I only hope you aren't taking mechanicing clues 
from this chap......what a hack. And I'm holding back my real opinion 
since you've told us he's a friend of yours.
I guess it is easy to Monday morning QB, but breaking a piston out would 
be a last resort in my book. As someone else  mentioned, he should have 
focused his effort on compressing that bottom ring. Has he got a 
replacement piston lined up? If not it looks like he may get to 
experience some pattern and corebox work!
I said this before, we are simply caretakers of these engines and I 
believe we have a responsibility to care for these engines as best we 
can for the short duration we own them. Seeing this done to any engine, 
let alone a nice rare Stover, pains me greatly.
Curt Holland
Gastonia, NC

Paul Maples wrote:

>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: Paul Maples 
>To: sel at lists.stationary-engine.com 
>Cc: AMESDOLL at CS.COM 
>Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2006 3:45 PM
>Subject: John Ames 3HP Stover - Needs Help
>
>
>Hey Guys my good friend in Missouri, John Ames, has a 3HP Stover that had a knocking noise in it and he opened the engine up to see what was going on. He took the rod loose and was trying to rotate the crank to get the rod into position to push the piston out but the piston and rod fell to the bottom He just sent me this message:
>
>
>I HAVE BEEN IN  REAL MESS ON MY ENGINE FOR 4 FULL AFTERNOONS.  WHEN THE ROD AND PISTON DROPPED DOWN AND WEDGED IN THE OIL SUMP THEN THE BOTTOM
>RING ON THE PISTON POPPED OUT THEN THE PISTON WOULD NOT GO UP OR DOWN.  I HAVE BEEN DRILLING THE TOP OF THE PISTON OFF WITH A SEARIES OF HOLES THEN PUT TWO 1/2 INCH ALL THREADS DOWN THROUGH THE PISTON TOP SECURED WITH NUTS THEN A PLATE ACROSS THE BLOCK THEN TIGHTENED THE TOP NUTS. SUCCEDED IN PULLING THE TOP OF THE PISTON OFF BUT THAT IS AS FAR AS I HAVE GOTTEN TO DATE.  GOT ANY IDEAS? 
>
>JOHN
>
>http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/wheelterrapin/JohnAmesStover1.jpg
>http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/wheelterrapin/JohnAmesStover2.jpg
>http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g36/wheelterrapin/JohnAmesStover3.jpg
>
>Guys let's help old John out with some ideas on how to get his piston and rod out.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Paul
>_______________________________________________
>SEL mailing list
>SEL at lists.stationary-engine.com
>http://www.stationary-engine.com/mailman/listinfo/sel
>
>
>  
>