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Help! - Squeaking on air!!

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Help! - Squeaking on air!! Empty Help! - Squeaking on air!!

Post  andyfletch Wed 20 Oct 2021, 12:31 pm

This is driving me round the bend!

The engine was previously running well, but while in steam i noticed the pump drive bearing had broken up - probably due to an issue with lubrication.

I removed the eccentric rods and some of the valve gear to access. Got a new bearing from Will and re-assembled. Whilst doing this I adjusted the shims on the piston valve guides to reduce slack. Engine turns over well by hand.

I decided to run it on air just to check and at low rpm all good, then when running a little quicker with around 50 psi on the gauge I'm getting a loud squeak/rubbing noise coming from the front end, between the weighshaft bracket and the cylinder

so far, I returned the piston valve guides to previous shims, squeak still there. Ive even carefully run without the top guide and its still there. I've removed and rebuilt the valve gear on both sides. opened the right side valve chest to check nothing had moved there and all good. checked all oilers and oil is being supplied.

The noise seems to be coming from the right hand side more (high pressure piston), but It doesn't seem to be a bearing issue and its not a grinding noise, all sweet at low revs

Could this be caused by compressed air? and will it go when i put a fire in?

when reassembled I can post a video, but in the meantime help and advice gratefully received - all i seem to be doing is removing more and more parts and not getting to the root cause!


Regards

Andy
andyfletch
andyfletch

Number of posts : 82
Location : Great Dunmow, Essex
Registration date : 2008-06-21

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Post  lynnr Wed 20 Oct 2021, 12:37 pm

Hi

Yes things sound and work differently on air. It could be as simple as the gland packing as without steam there is no lubrication. Get a long handled screwdriver and place it on non moving areas of the motion and put your ear to it. You will hear all sorts and should be able to locate the sound. If you have someone to help they can palm the flywheel while you listen.

For diagnostics you can have a light fire in. As if there is a problem you just stop running and investigate. Keep the boiler fairly full so you have plenty of buffer space and breathing time.
lynnr
lynnr

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Post  andyfletch Wed 20 Oct 2021, 6:29 pm

thanks Lynn

I'll put a fire in it when I get it all back together!
andyfletch
andyfletch

Number of posts : 82
Location : Great Dunmow, Essex
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Post  LiveSteam Wed 20 Oct 2021, 7:39 pm

It could be lack of oil in one of the cylinders due to it running on air, the oil doesn't tend to carry over anywhere near as well on air compared to steam.

LiveSteam

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Post  andyfletch Mon 25 Oct 2021, 6:36 pm

thanks Livesteam

I'll stop worrying and raise steam in next couple of weeks
andyfletch
andyfletch

Number of posts : 82
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Registration date : 2008-06-21

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Post  Steve Traill Sun 31 Oct 2021, 9:44 pm

Did you gap the piston ring correctly? That can squeak if it's tight.
Steve Traill
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