Edrig in need of overhaule

[PCLR]

hello all when edrig was last ran last weekend. I noted some minor steam leaks on the vaule chest and cylinders


I have not noted these leaks before the leak do not bother me but the Performents is Compromise .The leak are coming from the end caps at the end of the cylinders and the vaules on top of the cylinders also from the the main chest . when in motion there is a fine spray of steam from the chest sliter also there is like a drain cock action from both sides










does anybody know if i could get hold of a gasget .open to suggestion

[TonyW]

It is quite simple to make a gasket. You just need some decent quality paper cut slightly larger than the cylinder cover. Cut a hole with a compass that matches the inside cylinder diameter. Put the paper on the cylinder end and fit the cap, punching holes with and for the screws as you go. Then trim the outside edge flush with the end cap. A 10 minute job!

Alternatively, Loctite 222 is your friend.

[PCLR]

I may try that thanks
michael

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

I am having a similar problem with my accucraft exelcior. It is leaking where the valve ches meets the cyclinder. I thought it may be a problem with the gasket so I experimented. My first experiment concluded that kitchen grease proof paper does not work! It made the leek worse!

I shall try more gasket materials soon and shall update!

[PCLR]

yeah the same place as mine drip after drip

[ferrysteam]

All my accucraft leak between the cylinder and valve chest and they're not run in yet.It seems to be the norm'.It doesn't seem to effect performance though.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

OH! I had a really bad leak on the leaft hand one (from the driver's perspective (is that port or starbord!?)) and it seemed really down on power, it wouldn't start without lots of persuasion each time it stopped!

[mhlr]

(is that port or starbord!?)!

Port - if I didn't know that, I'd be f***ed!!! (boats )

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

Thanks, I didn't know as I am one of these sensible people who prefers their feet firmly on the ground (or on a footplate!!)

[mhlr]

Can I ask why you deem yourself to be more sensible because you've never been on a boat? You hardly hear of people dying at sea, whereas on the ground you do  ;) Anyway, this is about Edrigs, not your synopsis about why you are more sensible

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

hee hee only messin! Any way I have been on many boats just prefer dry land, I may even give sailing ago one day! Any way back to this edrig problem, did you try the good quality paper idea PCLR?

[PCLR]

Yeah on change ,it is worth mill a little of the metal away

[New Haven Neil]

Can I ask why you deem yourself to be more sensible because you've never been on a boat? You hardly hear of people dying at sea, ...snip< ;)

er, google MV Derbyshire..... that was almost me.....

Seriously though, the steam chest screws are always a bit slack on new Accu's, it's worth stripping the loco down fairly early on, to tighten the srcews (not too tight!!), which will avoid the need for a new gasket. A teeny nip on the cylinder cover bolts doesn';t hurt either - I think the Chinese are frightened of stripping threads.

NHN

[PCLR]

thanks gust read your thread i have got my loco all striped down   well i have been run my loco every sunday for 5 of 6 run for when i brought it to 2005
michael

[grumpfuttock]

Your local Accucraft dealer should be able to get replacement gaskets for you. I have read that an oiled 1$ note makes really good gasket material if you can get hold of one, much cheaper than using a £5 or £10 note

The first time I ran my "Lyn" when new, the left hand cylinder front cover leaked very badly, as described...like a drain cock in full action. I tried to tighten the bolts a smidge (very gently ) and one of the boltheads sheared off. I had a few anxious moments after that, until I got the cover off.

Luckily I got the rest of the bolt out from the cylinder, and replaced it with a new Accucraft bolt. Ian Pearse kindly sent me some new gaskets, but they did not totally cure the problem. The part of the cover that fits in the cylinder bore was slightly thicker in diameter at the cover end so it would not fully fit in the bore. I found some thick brown wrapping paper, made a replacement gasket, and covered it with Gasket Goo when I eventually managed to refit the cylinder cover.

I also found that the Accucraft bolts were very short... 6 mm. The front cylinder cover on Lyn is 4 mm thick, leaving less than 2 mm of thread to hold the cover to the cylinder....not very much. I had some Accucraft 8 mm bolts but they were tight to screw in after a few turns (which puzzled me), and the thread on one of them got damaged when it was only half in (causing me a few more anxious moments !).

Measuring the width of the Accucraft brass bolts, I discovered that they varied quite a bit in diameter along their length. I had some metric blackened steel 8 mm bolts, and these I screwed all the way in the cylinder(without the cover) with my fingers, no problem, so I used them after liberally covering them with steam oil. The thicker gasket allowed the cover to fit into the cylinder without binding, and now all is fine, although condensate and oil do weep very slightly from the front cover gasket. I just worry occasionally about the steel bolts rusting, but I removed one recently after it had been in place for appoximately 1 year and it was perfect.

[alan2525]

(is that port or starbord!?)!

Port - if I didn't know that, I'd be f***ed!!!

Weren't those the last words of the lookout on the Titanic?

[PCLR]

thanks i may try it
michael

[TonyW]

The front cylinder cover on Lyn is 4 mm thick, leaving less than 2 mm of thread to hold the cover to the cylinder....not very much.

2mm should be plenty to hold the cover in place. There is not enough pressure on the cylinder covers to shear the bolts.

The bolts only tighten as they compress the end cover on to the cylinder block. This means that if you manage to shear a bolt head off then the threaded part in the hole should be loose as the compression has been removed. After removing the cover, it should be possible to wind the broken shank out of the hole using a sharp point (a compass, for example).

If the bolts were too long they would "bottom" in the hole, and become tight before the cylinder cover was sufficiently compressed. The natural tendency would then be to tighten them a bit more and break off the head. In this case though the broken shank is compressed by its threads against the bottom of the hole and it will be almost impossible to remove it.

Early Roundhouse cylinders had their end covers held on by four brass 10BA bolts, and the slightest amount of over-tightening would snap the heads off. Been there, done that! But the broken bolt would always come out as it had not bottomed in the hole. I would guess that they went up to 8BA bolts to avoid this problem as they are much more difficult to shear.

[Dr. Bond of the DVLR]

right, I fixed the gasket on my excelsior by cutting a piece of brown parsel paper with a sharp knife copying the old gasket (or the good bits of it!!!) This worked really well for me and is cheap and simple!

[PCLR]

Hello all my overhaul on my edrig is complete which includes







Edrig after a overhaul and a good run





And a matt black smoke box in places





All so reworked and retimed motion




All new regulator and mesh on burner


 
And new pressure gauge