[SEL] My Austral

[Patrick M Livingstone]

Hi Dave,
	My engine does not have quite as many things moving as on your
engine (no water pump on my engine). It is actually hard to tell when my
engine fires as it is very, very quiet. The cams make more noise than the
exhaust. I usually have it ticking over at around 120rpm. It runs a little
cool at this speed but it can run all day without the lamp. On one very hot
day I had it running at less than 50rpm (occasionally the spokes would
actually stop before it fired). Eventually a slight breeze caused it to cool
of and stop. I don't like running it that slow as there is a lot of flex in
the 5 piece crankshaft & I do not want to break anything.
The bottom-tank portables with the cooling tower have a very distinctive
exhaust note and are great to listen too :) My engine sounds different as it
has a big cast muffler as part of the turntable and the big, cast iron
"cannon'.
Patrick

Patrick M Livingstone
Leichhardt NSW
http://www.oldengine.org/members/pml/Index.html
http://www.users.bigpond.com/pml/
-----Original Message-----


I agree with you 100% Patrick! I know that my 11 HP Austral gets a LOT of 
attention at the shows to which I've taken it. It not only runs smoothly 
and with very little noise, but it's sheer mass is impressive. Add to this 
6 functions driven by the side shaft (and the "magic" that transpires when 
the timing valve is actuated) and you have a real show stopper!
         Dave
PS, I note that (if I am counting correctly) your 3.5 is hitting about 
every 40th time over. At what speed is it running? (My 11 HP hits about 
every 18th/20th time when running at about 90 RPM's)