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Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

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Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

Old 04-10-2011, 01:34 PM
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mgnostic
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Default Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

The forecast was for wind gusts of 40+ mph. Right now the wind is blowing at 6mph. I'm not griping too much as the world largest current range fire is burning near by but if I had known accurate forecast I would have gone flying. Oh well. What I did do was break out a couple of vintage engines and fire them up, I had an OK Cub and an Anderson Spitfire on my half A test stand since my first effort at trying to get them started last spring. There seemed to be needle valve issues with both. Both engines were random fleabay purchases. Neither is very pretty with gouges and nicks inflicted by previous owners who probably saved up to buy the engines but couldn't afford the proper tools. Both engines would burn off the prime but wouldn't make a sustained run. This trip around I sealed the needle on each with a piece of fuel line. The Cub in particular had some very coarse slices up each side of the needle sleeve. This seems to have done the trick I got a sustained run from each engine. The Cub burned out it's glow plug after the first run but I don't know how old the glow plug was. The second run was with a well used OS A3. The plug in the Spitfire was in there when I received it. For all engine runs I used Sig 25% nitro with an added dollop of extra castor oil. With a a good prime both engines started easily on the 25%. The Cub used a MS 6x3.5 and the Spitfire used a Cox 5x3. In deference to their age and design I didn't try to push either engine not to mention that I was running fairly hot fuel. The Spitfire tached around 9500 + rpms while the Cub averaged around 10500 rpms. One interesting bit is how quickly your thumb gets toasty from the exhaust when you adjust the mixture on these front intake engines. I got a Testors .049 yesterday at an auction and was going to test it as well but the needle broke before I could mount it. It looked like it had been bent in the past, probably metal fatigue. All the same it made for a pleasant afternoon.
Old 04-10-2011, 02:10 PM
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mgnostic
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

I took a cell phone video while running the Cub. The video quality isn't much but it does show it taching at 11700.
Old 04-10-2011, 03:51 PM
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

Matt, I'm glad you found some distraction from the nearby fires.
Just did some Googling and.........jeez! Stay safe man.
Looks like under 50mi away.
Bob
Old 04-11-2011, 04:26 PM
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

Matt,

What kind/size Cub and Spitfire do you have?

George
Old 04-11-2011, 06:26 PM
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mgnostic
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

The range fires got close enough to see the smoke in the distance but were mostly south and west of me. A lot of that country side is ravines and gullies. Most of what burned was dry grass. Its early enough that if we get some rain the grass will still come up. A few houses have burned but the population density is pretty low. King County only has about 350 residents. It's all ranch land and oil field.

On a happier note the OK cub is an .049 and I believe the Baby Spitfire is a .045. OK Cubs seem to be pretty common with some being recently assembled from parts but the Baby Spitfire may date back to the late '40's.
Old 04-11-2011, 10:00 PM
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ggeezer
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

Hi Matt,
Is the cub a .049A or a .049B? Or could it possibly be the .049 long stroke first model Herkimer produced? The A has the large red molded plastic tank with radial mounts, the B has a small metal tank and has both radial and beam mounts. The first model has mounts like the later B model but the venturi is in a block-like casting like that on the .074. They also made a .049X which had a cast tank and a 2 bolt radial mount.
I like the Cubs and have almost every model they made, many powering planes.

Orv.
Old 04-12-2011, 06:09 PM
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

The one I ran was an .049 B. I also have an .049A and a second .049B. I think one was in a box from an estate sale and the other two were found online. I'm not much of an engine collector but I come across one at a sale I try to get it. I was just outside and I can still smell the castor where it dripped on the table that I clamped my test stand to.
Old 04-15-2011, 02:03 PM
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

Try to get the glow plug threaded head for your Cub. Mine run very nicely with that set up. The glow head must have been a late attempt to compete with Cox for power. The Cub was never anything but a tame sport engine. Enjoy yours for what the little bugger is. I do.
Old 04-15-2011, 05:01 PM
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mgnostic
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Default RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines

If by glow plug threaded head you mean the head that is set up for a standard plug that is what all three of my OK Cubs have. I'm not too worried about producing amazing power. Since it runs well I may stick it on a Laumer design one of these days.

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