Have just noticed a mention of paraffin powered Gulls on another thread. This idea has huge appeal to my thrifty nature. I have never thought about running two strokes on it before.
Presumably consideration would need to be given to:
Starting on petrol, then switching to paraffin. Two tanks?
Does paraffin have enough lubricity to avoid having to use two stroke oil?
Is the Gulls compression ratio low enough to run properly?
Could 28 secs heating oil be used, I believe it is the same, or very similar and cheaply obtained from my central heating tank!!
I wonder if tractor vapourising oil ( TVO ) is still available, made for the job ( old petrol engined tractors used to use this) and presumably cheaper than petrol.
I would imagine this would not enhance the gulls performance, glacial springs to mind, I can also forsee lots of sooty plugs, oily clothing, slippery decks and that clinging heavy oil, dieselly smell.
I'm tempted to try it, anyone with any ideas or experience in this?
Paraffin Seagulls.
Moderators: John@sos, charlesp, Charles uk, RickUK, Petergalileo
Paraffin Seagulls.
Keep it simple.
"anyone with any ideas or experience in this?"
er, well, confession time. (flak and ridicule anticipated and expected!)
Ideas, no. 'Experience', yes. In the 1960s I habitually took a quart of ready mixed 16:1 fuel with me in the boat as a 'reserve' tank. I used a variety of outboards at the time. This wasn't a Seagull but another make, 3hp outboard. (No names, no pack drill, I don't want to be burned at the stake again on this forum.) I also used to keep paraffin in quart tins at the time. Don't need to go on do I? Yep, mixed up the tins and ended up putting paraffin in the tank when it was a bit low. I would think the mix was about 25% two stroke mix and 75% paraffin. Well, the engine was difficult to start, but it did start, lots of black smoke, running rough and occasional backfires, but it did run. I thought there was something seriously wrong with the engine until I got it home and realised what I'd done.
Flushed the tank and Zenith carb out, the Champion L10 plug was black with soot so replaced that, filled up with fresh fuel and away she went, no apparent damage done. 40 odd years later, the engine still runs.
Confession ends, ridicule follows no doubt.
er, well, confession time. (flak and ridicule anticipated and expected!)
Ideas, no. 'Experience', yes. In the 1960s I habitually took a quart of ready mixed 16:1 fuel with me in the boat as a 'reserve' tank. I used a variety of outboards at the time. This wasn't a Seagull but another make, 3hp outboard. (No names, no pack drill, I don't want to be burned at the stake again on this forum.) I also used to keep paraffin in quart tins at the time. Don't need to go on do I? Yep, mixed up the tins and ended up putting paraffin in the tank when it was a bit low. I would think the mix was about 25% two stroke mix and 75% paraffin. Well, the engine was difficult to start, but it did start, lots of black smoke, running rough and occasional backfires, but it did run. I thought there was something seriously wrong with the engine until I got it home and realised what I'd done.
Flushed the tank and Zenith carb out, the Champion L10 plug was black with soot so replaced that, filled up with fresh fuel and away she went, no apparent damage done. 40 odd years later, the engine still runs.
Confession ends, ridicule follows no doubt.
Hmmm, I have been thinking more about this, use the cooling water from the top of the 102 block to preheat the paraffin, running through a coil in the fuel tank. Devise some sort of mixer, to mix heated paraffin, with a petrol/two stroke mix supply, variable to give acceptable running. I'll hazzard a guess, that the air fuel mixture would need to be richer, so bigger carb jet perhaps. Retard timing ( adjust points?? ). I may just try mixing paraffin with petrol/ two stroke to start with, as Roger reports a mix is at least runnable ( thanks Roger).
I agree with Paul that a litre or so of fuel per hour is not unreasonable fuel consumption, however the challenge of getting the Gull to run on something other than petrol is an interesting one. Also, I have, of late, been used to U.S. fuel prices , paying $11.00 US for four litres of two stroke mix, on my return to Blighty, has me reeling with shock!!! Big block Chevy anyone???
I agree with Paul that a litre or so of fuel per hour is not unreasonable fuel consumption, however the challenge of getting the Gull to run on something other than petrol is an interesting one. Also, I have, of late, been used to U.S. fuel prices , paying $11.00 US for four litres of two stroke mix, on my return to Blighty, has me reeling with shock!!! Big block Chevy anyone???
Keep it simple.
Running on Parrafin?
Yes it was done, apparently a second head gasket was sometimes used, but others did not bother, a second fuel tank and you started on Petrol/oil, switched to parafin/oil when hot... Could not quite work out where the second tank might fit...
Never spoken to anyone who has done it, but read about it in an old Seagull article, will have to look it up.
Could see it might have been worth doing on a south Sea Island with plentiful supplies of parafin but today?
No, not really worth the effort...
John
SOS
Never spoken to anyone who has done it, but read about it in an old Seagull article, will have to look it up.
Could see it might have been worth doing on a south Sea Island with plentiful supplies of parafin but today?
No, not really worth the effort...
John
SOS
I am given to understand that considerable work was expended by British Seagull to perfect a 'Paraffin' motor, and indeed batches were despatched overseas. This experimental batch bore tank transfers that referred to paraffin (kerosene) and the motors themselves were pretty much the standard article.
Later experiments were conducted with heat exchanger holes drilled in cylinder heads, but I'lll have to interrogate a couple of people to dicover more.
Later experiments were conducted with heat exchanger holes drilled in cylinder heads, but I'lll have to interrogate a couple of people to dicover more.
-
40TPI
- Posts: 451
- Joined: Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:08 pm
- Location: North Buckinghamshire, 110 miles south of Yorkshire, England.
Spotted on a "rival location"............... 
http://www.seagullparts.co.uk/halloffamepic/tt2f.jpg
Maybe this was a trial attempt at a two tank solution for paraffin? Or somebody just wanted a longer range Gull.......... The potential leverage on the cylinder head tank mounting lugs makes them look awfully vulnerable to impact shear......
Whole picture set here....scroll down right to the bottom.
http://www.seagullparts.co.uk/picsa.html
Peter
http://www.seagullparts.co.uk/halloffamepic/tt2f.jpg
Maybe this was a trial attempt at a two tank solution for paraffin? Or somebody just wanted a longer range Gull.......... The potential leverage on the cylinder head tank mounting lugs makes them look awfully vulnerable to impact shear......
Whole picture set here....scroll down right to the bottom.
http://www.seagullparts.co.uk/picsa.html
Peter
Seagull Parts
Hello all,
just to say Peter has told me he is running Seagull Parts down now, he has sold off most of his bits and has been passing people on to me for ages. Sadly I do not think his health has been too good of late.
Pleased to say he is keeping his site going though.
John
SOS
just to say Peter has told me he is running Seagull Parts down now, he has sold off most of his bits and has been passing people on to me for ages. Sadly I do not think his health has been too good of late.
Pleased to say he is keeping his site going though.
John
SOS