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Message |
    
Stuart James
New member
Username: stuey509
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 03:41 pm: | 
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Hi All,
I'm new the site, after reading this section with interest I thought I'd say Hello and tell you about my project.
I bought a 16 foot clinker launch powered by a Stuart Turner P55ME in the summer of 2004. For the past 3 years I have restored the boat but other than trying to start her up now and again (without success), I have not looked at the engine. I removed the engine from the boat last weekend and it now is sitting on my workmate in the garage. Considering the boat has been in dry dock for 3 years where do you think I should start with the engine and what problems do you think I will have? I have spoken to the previous owner who is a complete Gentleman and he assures me the engine used to run like a dream prior to the sale. I have all of the manuals I need (I think) and really want to get started.
First thing is the engine is quite rusty and I want to paint it. What's the best method of cleaning and painting for a quality finish?
Also, what is a good way to get the brass fittings looking good? Do I have to remove them and clean separately?
Oh and do you think I'm best to get it running first before I start painting in case the whole thing is shot? It turns over and there seems to be good compression
Sorry so many questions but I really have the bug to get started!!
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Stuart James
New member
Username: stuey509
Post Number: 2
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 03:50 pm: |
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The engine number is P55 ME 60B975. Does anyone know the year this engine was manufactured? |
Paul Vecovsky
Member
Username: paulvec
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 04:11 pm: |
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Hi Stuart yours is a launch motor & gearbox. Made early 60s I think. the B in serial number is most probably an eight. I have one, sad to say in bits, P55ME 608596. Try to get it running properly first before you paint. These motors either start & run sweet or just plain terrible. cheers paul |
Chris Mundy
Member
Username: chris_mundy
Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 06, 2007 - 06:03 pm: |
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G'day Stuart, If you email fairways marine in the uk they will be able to provide you with the history of the engine. They also handle all spare parts for the engines. They can be tricky to start, but provided there is spark, fuel and compression there you should be able to get it started. Open the trottle on that cam thing on the linkage, close the choke strangler and crank. As soon as it fires open the choke again and it should run, if you flood it pull the plugs out, turn it over and try again.... |
Stuart James
New member
Username: stuey509
Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 06:10 am: |
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Cheers for the fast response!!
I'm going to get in touch with Fairway marine about the engine. I'm a little worried about the cooling system being corroded to hell seeing as the engine has not seen water for 3 years. Can I just attach a hose to the water inlet to try and start her up or do you think I should investigate the cooling system for damage first.
I feel that if it ain't broke, why fix it? If it starts and runs, I'm going to get on with cleaning the brass up and painting the cast.
Any advice on that would be most appreciated too.
Thanks again for your priceless help!!  |
David Myers
Member
Username: dave_myers
Post Number: 24
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 07:35 am: |
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Stuart,
DO NOT!!! hook up a garden hose to the water inlet and turn it on. The pressure will blow the gaskets and may also damage the pump.
Use a hose into a bucket so that the pump can pick up the water and circulate at the correct rate.
Great motors, Just be gentle with them and have many years of smooth running.
Dave |
kenneth macdonald
Visitor
| | Posted on Friday, September 07, 2007 - 03:46 pm: |
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If it's the two stroke model you will also fill the inside of the engine up with water through the exhaust, not agood idea to put the hose on it...kenny |
Craig Little
New member
Username: craig
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 02:50 am: |
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1953 P55 Work in Progress.
I am currently working on a P55, and have a couple of questions and possibly a couple of bits of useful advice.
First I have managed to get free everything except the dip stick. Can some one tell me it fitted on a screw thread or is it simply pull out. I don't want to exert any great pressure until I know what I'm doing. Second, on the gear shift, if the handle is pointed astern I can move it to a fixed position between 9 and 10 o'clock and only to about 5 or 4 o'clock in the other direction. Can some one advise on the correct positions and what is ahead and astern.
On working with an old engine, I found mine was suffering from rust outside (particularly on top), but untouched and good inside. In the past working on vintage cars I have used a molasses bath to remove rust. (Ask if you want to know more). I used it on all the smaller components and had to do the hard slog of paint stripper scraping and rust converter on the larger parts. For cleaning brass I use a product called Metal Etch available from Hardware stores. For stuck fastners, Loctite make a spray product called freeze and release which can be useful.
Craig. |
Stuart James
Member
Username: stuey509
Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 08:02 am: |
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Hey Thanks again, I won't be attaching a hose. The pump from the bucket sounds like it'll do the trick so I'll try that. Cheers David
Started cleaning the engine with an old toothbrush and degreaser which is OK. I'll be starting the brass next week.
I'm gonna remove the carb and give it a good clean and overhaul. I'll give her a whirl sometime next week if all goes to plan.
Would I need a new gasket for between the carb and the engine if I did remove the carb? |
tom donnelly
Member
Username: dondom
Post Number: 18
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 08:13 am: |
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stuart check your email i sent you an instuction manule which might help |
David Myers
Member
Username: dave_myers
Post Number: 25
Registered: 11-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, September 08, 2007 - 08:20 am: |
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Craig,
The Dip Stick is just a pull out item, no thread.
The gearshift should move no more than 9 O'Clock in reverse and 3 O'Clock in forward so the shift block under the shift cover will need adjusting. Or the cam may be worn but this can also be overcome by adjustment. Do you have a Workshop Manual? If not I may be able to copy the gearbox section and send to you.
I know about the Molasses but use electrolosis instead which works very well.
Bearings are commonly available at Bearing Service Company branches and all gaskets are easy to make.
Good luck with the project and don't be afraid to yell out if you have any problems.
Cheers, Dave. |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 218
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, September 09, 2007 - 10:09 pm: |
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Re bearings. The main bearings and all the other ball races are easly obtained . The big end needle rollers I have found extremely difficult to source in Australia [in fact impossible]. It may be a different story in the UK ...Fairways must get them from somewhere.
I can't anything further to what has prviously been said about the other questions. |
Chris Mundy
Member
Username: chris_mundy
Post Number: 6
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, September 09, 2007 - 11:36 pm: |
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I found the same peter. I had a friend at a bearing service company try to track them down. They are specially made just for fairways. They are available without the cut in the outer race for lubrication... no good... and I dont know of anyone that could cut such hard metal. I was almost going to adapt the big ends from 'jet ski' conrods before I found fairways. The 'jet ski' bigends would have been cheaper but why would you re-invent such a great old machine. Fairways arent cheap but they are very good to deal with! A most efficient company... A note on the mains, as well as the correct size ball bearing, it is important to get the correct clearance bearing (c3 from memory) I think normal bearings are C2 and they will get tight when hot. Also peter, did you have any info on the size of h-ex, and the water flow required for the raw water side to fresh water cool my P55. you mentioned you used 3" pipe with a bundle of 1/2" tubes, but did not say how long it was? One Idea for a raw water pump is an additional stuart pump (I have a spare) I am yet to investigate how I could drive it.... |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 219
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 04:42 am: |
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Chris ...the HX is approx 16 inches long .Take of one and a half inches at each end for the header plate space and there is an effective tube lenght of 13 inches approx.
The flow rate ....no idea . You can decrease or increase with the globe valve on the raw water pump inlet to get a good working temp...HOT is what you want. If you can get a bronze gear pump so much the better. The Stuart pump can work at a higher speed ,put a chain sprocket on the flywheel hub.
Main bearings ,never had a problem .What kills them is an idle engine with water in the crank case.
I am rebuilding a Stuart Turner R3 12v lighting plant . I could not get any rollers for the big end so I have fitted a plain ball bearing . It will be OK for what I want. |
Malcolm Russell Ward
Member
Username: russell
Post Number: 19
Registered: 08-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 12:47 pm: |
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Peter, that all looks a big engineering task having an onboard heat exchanger and two pumps. It's a bigger boat, I know, but my tug has an 8 cyl Gardner that is keel cooled -very simple and one pump only. There is a header tank that the circulating pump on the engine draws from. The pump discharge cools the engine (as usual) and then the engine water outlet leads to the keel condenser (simply a copper pipe on the hull under the water in a protected place with a u bend forward so both connections are in the one area convenient to the engine. -It may not be necessary to have the u bend in a little boat). When the hot water has passed through this and cooled, it goes back to the header tank still propelled by the engine pump. The temperature is controlled by a bleed off with a globe valve from the hot discharge to the cold side. Most steamboats use the same system -a 6' length of 1" copper pipe condenses and cools the steam on my 18' steamer to 40 degrees C. You shouldn't need much more pipe than that. |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 220
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - 06:21 pm: |
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Complicated ....not at all Malcolm. Still we all have different ideas and thank god for that!
I do have a couple of friends who have steamers and they have used your idea. |
Stuart James
Member
Username: stuey509
Post Number: 5
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2007 - 06:24 am: |
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Right! Getting back to the p55, I cleaned up the plugs and points and checked the electrics yesterday, I then connected the fuel pipe to the carb and gave her a whirl.
After a little while she started as sweet as a nut, she purred into life alright.!!
Now I've established that she runs fine I want to clean the engine and paint it.
I have a plan which involves a can of engine degreaser, an old toothbrush and a jet wash afterwards.
Does this sound like a good plan to you or is there an easier way? |
Peter Ogborne
Senior Member
Username: peterogborne
Post Number: 221
Registered: 09-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2007 - 06:43 pm: |
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There is no easier way.The ultimate is to completely strip the engine and remove surface rust with a rotary wire brush ,before you do that degrease it. Prime coat all parts with some thing like a Red Oxide Zinc Chromate and then apply an epoxy finish coat .....colour ? Anything you like,my P55 is blue. |
