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Hit and miss engine, AKA make and break engine

Tumbleweed Machine

Well-Known Member
I have been gifted a make and break engine. It was seized when I got it and the valves were stuck. I've freed that all up, managed to salvage the piston rings and I found some gasket material for the head gasket. There is no crank case on these engines so the main bearings and the connecting rod bearings have grease cups on them for lubrication. The cup on the left main bearing looked like a mule had stepped on it and the cap wouldn't turn so I decided to make a new one. The threads on the cups on this little sweetheart were not standard and I couldn't even match the cups in McMaster Carr's catalogue. They won't send me anything anyway since they claim they won't ship to private addresses in Canada. Also because nothing was standard on them I had to fuss about to get the thing made. The only threads I had to match were the ones in the bearing cap and they were 18 tpi so easily matched. Tapered of course, and according to Machinery's handbook they weren't the standard thread for that size fitting.

Other than that it should run soon. The bearings still have the shims in so they aren't significantly worn.DSC_0001.JPGDSC_0003.JPGDSC_0011.JPG
 
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I got around McMaster-Carr's policy by registering with a made up business name with my home address, it has worked well so far.
Have you tested the WICO magneto for spark yet?
 
I got around McMaster-Carr's policy by registering with a made up business name with my home address, it has worked well so far.
Have you tested the WICO magneto for spark yet?
Not yet. I'm pretty sure it will work but of course nothing is guaranteed. When I got the engine the connector on the spark plug wire was broken off and I couldn't turn the engine over anyway. I've fixed the HT lead but I'm still assembling the engine.
 
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