hydro lock

hi all,

when i start up the lika it suffers from hydro/lock some times. i have seen two solutions to solve this problem.
1. 2 bypasses in the top and botom of each cylinder.
2. 1 hole in every chest cover.
both openend with a valve before starting the engine.

who has the best solution

best regards

roel

I fitted cylinder drain cocks on top and bottom of each cylinder. With them open, put into forward, open throttle slowly and let the car ease forward slowly. There will be great blasts out of the exhaust. Gently let the water clear then put into reverse and repeat process. Leave the cocks open when driving off for approx 100metres as any hydraulic shocks can severely damage con rods, crankshaft, chain etc.
TB

Roel,

I fitted a drain to each valve chest leading to a tee and then to a common drain valve. This has an extended handle to enable it to be operated from the driving position after one has got going. I also allows the valve chests to drain (and keep warm) while stationary for any length time and the regulator is leaking slightly.

This was not my idea but was copied from another Lika builder. I works very well and removes all the terrible feel of hydro lock!! I have done very nearly 700 miles with it now.

All the best ,

Peter.

Hi Peter,
your adjustment seems the most easy. what messure of tubing did you use ?

best regards,

roel

Hi Roel,

I used 3/16 copper pipe with a 3/16 pipe to 5/16 thread connector in the valve chest. 3/16 steam tee and Stuart union cock 72003.

All from Polly Model Engineering, together with a 5/16 x 32 plug tap. The joints need to be silver soldered. I started with ordinary solder but it could not take the heat.

Peter.

hi peter,

3-16 seems a little small to me, but when it works it is o.k. i suppose.

thanks a lot.

best regards,

roel

Both drain system will work, I have both on my engine, But what I found was the cylinder drains do a better job, the reason is that the d-valve has to lift for the chest drains to work. If the d-valve adjustment is not correct and is too tight this will prevent the d-valve from lifting and you will bend things. Therefore the cylinder drains are a sure bet. On the original locomobile and others, you would jack up one rear wheel and slowly turn the wheel by hand with the throttle just cracked. this would help remove the water from the cylinders. The same procedure is performed with small aircraft but is done to remove oil from the cylinders, this was done on radial engines because of the bottom cylinders. Just a side note: The way they use to warm up the car engines was to open the drain valves with the brake on and the throttle just cracked this would let the steam thru the engine but not move the car, the steam would bring the engine up to temp. then it was ready to go.

hi,

i fitted drains in the chestplates using 1/4 pipe.
it works ok.

best regards,

roel

Hi Roel,

Well done, now no need to sell !!

Peter.

i am not in a hurry selling. to much fun for this summer.

There is a way of fitting drain a valve on the cylinders and use only one shut off valve instead of four. This was done on the Stanley's as a after market item. I've done this to the lika engine and also the mason engines. The  shut off valve comes thru the cover just below the seat.In this position you can reach it when sitting. This is what happens. You open the valve and give some throttle. the car may move or not but the steam pushes the water out of the cylinders,then the car starts to move a little this lets the water get pushed out of the other cylinders. You keeping on moving until you hear just steam coming out, then reach down and close the valve you ready to go. I do this every time   the car is stopped for a while. When this procedure is followed you never get hydrolock.