Mudgy

Hi,

It's been a while since I visited the boat area of RCU

I have a buddy repairing an old plywood hull for a guy.
Nothing too interesting, I hear you say -

The boat was made some 50 years ago, the guy who made it has been gone for the last 20 years; his son brought the boat to my buddy for some TLC.

The gas engine is an old ELJO from the UK
the old servos in the hull are Bonner. There is no receiver, transmitter (that's where I came in - supplied a JR 3ch FM job today)

Can anyone help shed some light on the motor, and possibly a little history?

The old servos will most likely be up for sale; if anyone is interested, PM me.

cheers,

Mudgy

more photos I am assuming these motors ran on gasoline, right?
we have a miniature spark plug (probably not an R plug) points/condenser magneto system, and
what looks like a nitro barrel carb...

There is no fuel tank in the hull (we'll look after that)

Can anyone tell for sure these motors were gasoline, and not methanol/castor oil?

This will be a huge help.


Cheers

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

Your boat looks like a Huntsman.
Post # 38.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_52...tm.htm#7976305

Mudgy

Thanks for the link....I really have no idea if it was a kit made from plans, or just made up by the guy. All I know is it needed radio gear, and it's really old.
How about the engine, anyone know about the make?

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Is the idea to get the boat back on the water again? For reliability I'd drop in a large can electric like a 700 series which would make it a nice cruiser. The engine may be worth some serious money to a collector but should be kept.
You might try doing a search for the engine or an antique model engines collectors site. It appears to be in very good condition for its age which I'd put at a good 50 years old. ELJO is the brand name.

Mudgy

G'Day Ron,
Thanks for the reply mate. Yep, the guy wants to get the ol' tub going again, but the original motor will be used. The owner wants to keep it that way, as it was his dad who made the boat = sentimental value attached. They have a 1:1 boat, so reliability isn't an issue. If it stops, nobody has to go for a swim after it[sm=drowning.gif]
I suppose the old ELJO motor isn't a powerhouse by today's standards, but probably it's best to keep it a bit on the slow side. The guy who owns it these days just wants to make all parts functional once more.
There's a RC shop near my buddy (who's doing the work on this boat) who can test the motor - I reckon it will fire up no problem (once we are sure of the fuel type needed)

cheers

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

After I posted my last comment I went and tried doing a search for that engine. I found lots of cool stuff but not a thing on it really. The only one that came back was this thread! I know that somewhere there is a site on antique model engines but couldn't find it. What's stranger is that there is a place that manufactures antique reproduction engines and parts that's only about 6 miles down the road from me and couldn't find that site either. Of course it would have helped if I could remember the name of the place!

f16man

I would think it runs gasoline being that old but if you pull the plug out and look at the top of the piston it should have a fairly heavy black carbon deposit on top, if there is hardly any carbon it may well be a methonal engine. Also back then all they had was castor oil to mix with alky and that should have the engine gummed up pretty good.

rcguy1411

hey mudgy seems i got alot of time on my hands so i decided to try and help out so i found an add for the ELJO mark II in popular science Wonderfull world of engines March 1969 its a .70 cu.in. four cycle retailed for $ 150.00 and was dist. by polk s hobbies in NYC i will get my gf to teach me how to post the link later tonight hope this helps

Mudgy

Thanks man that's a huge step forward. The motor is very clean internally - maybe the ol' fella cleaned (de-gummed) the motor after every run ( I can't say)
That's why I am not sure on the original fuel. I was thinking castor/methanol mix, but that little carb (in my eyes) doesn't look like it would handle shoving a rich mix into the motor - sprak plug (not glow plug) also tells me it may have been petrol powered. Again I'm not 100% sure, so I ask you guys - the RC boat brains trust.

rcguy1411

also just found one on e bay hope its not yours

rcguy1411

here are the links:

[link]http://books.google.com/books?id=rikDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA142&dq=eljo+mark+II+engine&cd=1[/link]

[link]http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-ELJO-4-Stroke-Gas-Ignition-Engine-Project_W0QQitemZ270512986680QQcmdZViewItemQQptZRa dio_Control_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3efbd49a38[/link]

Mudgy

Thanks that's a big help. Even though the engine featured is a 4 stroker, I will start with gasoline to fire the motor up. 25:1

Can you use a blood plasma bag for a petrol tank/fuel cell?


All we have to do is make the electrics an engine work, the guy who owns the boat can do all the cosmetic stuff.
Thanks for your help

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I'd just use a standard hard plastic fuel tank and mount it somewhat high to where the carb can easily draw the fuel. They didn't use pressurized tanks back then so they relied more on the siphoning. You may have to pinch off the line when not running so that it doesn't flood the carb.

Mudgy

OK good idea...Thanks Ron

f16man

Whew had me goin there for a moment I couldn't figure out how that could be a 4 stroke , so they made both 2 & 4 strokers back then that's cool , I was 16 years old in 69 and I don't remember those engines at all, but then again i didn't live in the UK.

Mudgy

Quite alright mate, I only entered the world in '69

I have no idea about old models and the history behind them....that's why I come here, someone's gotta know something ( or a bloke who does)

Thanks for the tip mate.

I'll be catching up with the fella who's doing this job maybe next weekend....we'll see how far he's come along with things then.

Thanks again to all the guys who have helped out so far

Mudgy

Well fellas, the ol' girl is a goer!!
The fuel cell is an I.V. bag, carb and engine draw the fuel just fine..my first radio from my drag car all fitted up just fine.
The motor runs no worries.
Everything works fine...thanks for all your help and input, the guy who owns the boat is totally stoked.

It's no speed record holder, but one thing it is - a working piece of history. Here's some photos of it all back to normal...
Thanks again for your helpful input guys

DONS BOAT WORKS

My Feedback: (3)

Very nice, good job.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Cool, that something like I would like to find,not so much speed or power but , majestic....Rog

Mudgy

Thanks for the kind word, fellas. Just today, I went to see the guy who owns the boat - he owns a pumps company (servicing)

He's totally chuffed with the boat now that it all works - I had a thought; where could you get a new spark plug for one of these old motors?
It's pretty small!

Would I need to find the thread size/electrode depth, etc? first?

Thanks again to the collective "brains trust" out there.

dicko

if you have the dimensions, NGK have a matching list on their website that you could use. Don't use Champion plugs, stick to NGK, Champion have a tendancy to snap & drop into the engine.

Mudgy

Thanks Dicko,

yeah, I would only use a Champion plug as a bolt these days NGK has it over everyone else, I reckon. In another life I was an Auto Electrician; we put Bosch plugs in a Mazda rotary - it ran like a dog! Put in NGK plugs, no problem. That did it for me then & there, haven't looked back.

Thanks

marquer

Mudgy
That looks like an Aerokit hull, they made a Sea Queen 46 inch long or a Sea Commander 34 inch long.
Mark