Steam engine problem need help
 

I have this project I have been working on and off. Today I decided to blow the dust off it. And do a test to determine the engine direction so I can set up the throttle servo. I have tested the engine before it was installed in the boat and it ran fine. This time when I fired her up the flame was burning on top of the stack instead of on the burner almost singing my hair. I tried adjusting the fuel air flow but I am still having this problem.
The engine is a Cheddar Pintail in an Alexandra Steam boat. Does anybody have an Idea whats going wrong here and can give me an answer on how to correct it?

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

So it did not do this before and you have changed nothing? Hmmm.

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

only change was installing it in the boat

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

its hard to explain over the computter

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

i pm you with my #

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

Well Benny
I tried the longer tube and now it is working properly, I guess now I'll work on routing the long tube so it fits. I thank ya and my hair thanxs ya. I almost lost that when I fired it up and the flame shot out the chimmeny in a pretty large fireball. Now its on my workbench instead of sitting on my shelf.
Ray

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

fire balls are funny when you are on the outher end ,not getting fryed. take some video when you get it going. wed all like to see it.:D

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

I should have this boat ready in the spring then I breakout the Camcorder
Ray

RE: Steam engine problem need help
 

If the firebox has airholes, then flame can shoot out of those, too, if things go wrong. The flame from the airholes will burn the hull....this happened on my Krick Patricia launch (with new gas fired boiler from ACS Engineering, Scotland) the first few times I fired up, before I knew what gas setting would be correct for the boat. Mine likely has a different boiler/burner setup from yours, to be sure, but I mention this since your photo shows a gas burner setup similar to mine. I installed a flame guard (just a cylinder of aluminum sheet around the outside of the firebox spaced about 1/4" away). The flame guard must not interfere with the air entrainment holes in your burner nozzle, however. For my boat, this means that the flame guard is tighter to the firebox at the burner nozzle side, to keep the air entrainment holes outside the guard, in clean air.