Crankshaft
is bent between the gear and the flywheel.
Due to the extensive cracking on my hot-bulb (this seems to be a common problem) we have decided to cast some new ones. As my hot-bulb was in the worst condition it has become the donor for the pattern maker.
Here we
can see a complete Blackstone hot-bulb and the one off my engine cut in
half for use in making a pattern.
Here is
a closer view of my hot-bulb showing the hole in the bottom of the casting
and the extensive cracking.
On the left
is the timing valve and on the right is the vapour valve (these were both
removed from the hot-bulb).
April 2006.
The all new hot-bulb casting. Now it needs to be machined!
10th
June 2006. I was generously given the remains of this 4hp Blackstone. This
will give me almost all the parts I need to complete my engine!
18th June
2006. My engine pulled out of storage so a start can be made on it. The
wreck is sitting up full or penetrating oil to help free up the very stuck
piston.
New big
end casting September 2006
November
2006. Piston, sideshaft mounts and gear removed from the parts engine.
December
2006. Pulling the parts head to bits.
The main
thing I need is the govenor. The housing and face plate are good but the
internals are broken.
You can see
how rusted this head is (and this is after it had been sitting in a molasses
bath for six weeks)!
January
2007. Another box of parts (these are all off the parts head). The hot-bulb
off the head is soaking to get it apart.
A little on one of the Blackstone mysteries. Many of the Blackstones in Australia have 'SA' cast on the fywheels. There is a myth that the flywheels were cast in South Australia to save weight on shipping from the UK. This does not explain the many engines that were shipped to NSW and QLD agents and have 'SA' cast on the flywheels. Micheal Key (the Blackstone historian) has this to say on the flywheels:
"I don't know what the 'SA' on the flywheel really means. I don't think anyone does now. I can find no mention of it in the works papers and records. I am sure it does not stand for South Australia. As you say there are Blackstone engines all over Australia, some with the 'SA' on the flywheel, some without.
When the engines were test run before shipping the flywheel was balanced to that particular engine. Each flywheel should have (usually anyway) a serial number stamped on the centre boss to match the engine number to which it belongs. The engines were shipped with flywheels unattached and packed separately to be refitted at the customer's premises. So when the engine arrived at Moffat & Virtue in Sydney or one of Clutterbuck Bros depots the flywheel was reunited with the correct engine.
On occasion the wrong flywheel was married up to the wrong engine. I know of a few such cases. However, I doubt having the wrong flywheel made much difference to the performance of the engine. "
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