[SEL] O/T Steam main bearing babbitt

[peter ogborne]

Rick ,I can only relate an experience we had with a steamer on it's first 
run .A nasty knock ,it turned out to be the piston knocking on the cylinder 
head .A new thicker gasket solved it .Of course this doesn't explain yours 
knocking at both TDC's.Ours only did it on one.Still as they say ''It's all 
grist to the mill''.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Strobel" <Richard_Strobel7 at msn.com>
To: "sel" <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 7:35 PM
Subject: [SEL] O/T Steam main bearing babbitt


>
>  G'day all;
>    Friend Corky and I are at our wits end trying to find a very obnoxious 
> knock(s) on both dead centers of our vertical Wachs engine.  This list has 
> such great experience with main bearing babbitt, I wanted to ask here.
>
>  Here's the engine and as you all probably know a "Single Simple" fires?? 
> on both sides of the piston;
>
> http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2308067910039077051Ronfyj
>
>  Dial indicator on end of cs shows .003 slop.  This may indicate a bend 
> crank or just out of round..I would think this would be tolerable.
>
>  M/B babbitt looks new and shows no sign of ever being scrapped...one can 
> still see some ripples.  There is some side to side/axial slop in both 
> main bearings.  Yes, this would have showed up on the dial indicator had 
> we loaded one side.
>
>  Now the big question as the crank is going to the crank doc and he can 
> flux weld and machine to any diameter.
>
>  Do I have him flux weld and machine to a diameter so there is no side to 
> side/axial slop and if so, how do I determine what diameter to use?
>
>  Also, the rod inserts show wear on one side towards the solid flywheel. 
> How do I assure this crank is level?  This has been mentioned before..eh, 
> Curt.. somewhile back.
>
>  I really don't want to pour new babbitt.
>
>
>  Thanks much...after this endeavor, I'll be headed back to the 4.5hp New 
> Way in which I'm always looking for a mixer.
>
> Best Regards,
> RickinMt.
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