As my signature shows I've accidentally ended up with more Seagulls than the one I needed as an aux motor. I hope to get them all back to good order over time but perhaps only two of the three Silver Century models will make it as runners.
Anyway can I ask for a rundown on....
The date change of tanks from brass to steel with that outer flange.
The type of plug caps I should see from 1969 to 1977.
Can I assume all Wipac ign models should have a bronze flywheel?
Are all later (60's on?) exhausts alloy not chrome? Also are the exhausts meant to be just push on where they meet the lower drive unit... no sealer?
Would be much appreciated.
David
Exhausts, Tanks & Plug Caps.
Moderators: John@sos, charlesp, Charles uk, RickUK, Petergalileo
Exhausts, Tanks & Plug Caps.
40 Plus Longshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) --Silver Century Shortshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) -- A pile of Silver Century spares.
You've got me scratching my head here..
I'll have to look at some advertising stuff to check these questions out, but roughly:
Yes the Wipac ones are all bronze up until very late. At the time of the changeover some of the Villiers ones were painted a blue-grey Hammerite and had the plastic flywheel pulley.
Plug caps were bakelite until rather later than you'd think, same with brass tanks. But steel tanks (the small flat ones) were available before the change to 25:1. But as I say, I'll check with the literature...
Later exhausts are aluminium as you say, the chromed brass ones were phased out in the early sixties. They were meant to push on, but later models sometimes had an O ring. A Bostik sealant was used on Century tubes for several years - their fixing ring was rather less efficient than the beefy thing on 102s. Many engines have been assembled over the years with all manner of substances - I have a Century that just will not come apart, and I can only assume it's sealed with Araldite. Either that or cormorant poo which in Poole Harbour at least is very tenacious stuff.
I'll have to look at some advertising stuff to check these questions out, but roughly:
Yes the Wipac ones are all bronze up until very late. At the time of the changeover some of the Villiers ones were painted a blue-grey Hammerite and had the plastic flywheel pulley.
Plug caps were bakelite until rather later than you'd think, same with brass tanks. But steel tanks (the small flat ones) were available before the change to 25:1. But as I say, I'll check with the literature...
Later exhausts are aluminium as you say, the chromed brass ones were phased out in the early sixties. They were meant to push on, but later models sometimes had an O ring. A Bostik sealant was used on Century tubes for several years - their fixing ring was rather less efficient than the beefy thing on 102s. Many engines have been assembled over the years with all manner of substances - I have a Century that just will not come apart, and I can only assume it's sealed with Araldite. Either that or cormorant poo which in Poole Harbour at least is very tenacious stuff.
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40TPI
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Charles, I'd guess that you are aware that Araldite and most twin pack epoxy turns to water and can be wiped off at around 120 - 130 deg C? I've actually encountered military electronic hardware where a hotplate was listed for enclosure disassembly!!charlesp wrote: I can only assume it's sealed with Araldite.
Peter
Charles. Appreciate the info, don't go to a huge amount of trouble looking stuff out. It's just as these three will be serviced/repaired/painted to varying degrees I would like to keep them as original as possible.
niander. Oh yes the seized one will be unseized for sure as it is the donor for the one that has a cracked block. It will probably be easier to get it free once I have the crankcase-to-block nuts off and can whack it out with a bit of wood on the piston... after the long alternate soak in Pepsi and WD40 of course! It's head bolts came out with clean threads as if they'd been in only days which is a good start. I'm going to give the waterways a good scrape out and it will be a good chance to paint the head nicely while it's off.
Is it true you can use the head gasket again if you heat it up to restore the copper? Not worth doing I suppose if it risks combustion pressure leaking into the water jacket and stopping the cooling circulation.
Thanks,
David
niander. Oh yes the seized one will be unseized for sure as it is the donor for the one that has a cracked block. It will probably be easier to get it free once I have the crankcase-to-block nuts off and can whack it out with a bit of wood on the piston... after the long alternate soak in Pepsi and WD40 of course! It's head bolts came out with clean threads as if they'd been in only days which is a good start. I'm going to give the waterways a good scrape out and it will be a good chance to paint the head nicely while it's off.
Is it true you can use the head gasket again if you heat it up to restore the copper? Not worth doing I suppose if it risks combustion pressure leaking into the water jacket and stopping the cooling circulation.
Thanks,
David
40 Plus Longshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) --Silver Century Shortshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) -- A pile of Silver Century spares.
Yes, you can heat up the old gasket, but I would only heat it up and use it again in an emergency case.
Best is to take a new one with some heatproof! sealant to make a good joint. Before refitting the new gasket with the sealant you have to remove all the old stuff. Some sticker removal could be helpfull.
Albert
Best is to take a new one with some heatproof! sealant to make a good joint. Before refitting the new gasket with the sealant you have to remove all the old stuff. Some sticker removal could be helpfull.
Albert
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Charles UK
David to anneal your head gasket clean most of the gunge off it with washing up liqued & a green scouring pad in the kitchen sink while she is out of the house.
Check for tears, splits or really bad stretch marks, if it looks bad contact John he carries a stock of all the head gaskets.
Place the gasket on an old flat piece of wood & evenly warm with the blow lamp until you start to see the first signs of a copper green tinge to the flame.
Let it cool down slowly , it's now ready for use again.
When you replace it give it a thin coat of high temp Silicon RTV on both sides.
I've done this on motors that have 175lbs of compression at rope starting speeds & never had a leak problem so your century that you will be lucky to have 75lbs should be no problem.
Don't go mad when you torque the head on, 25 foot lbs is plenty providing both matching faces are in OK condition.
Check for tears, splits or really bad stretch marks, if it looks bad contact John he carries a stock of all the head gaskets.
Place the gasket on an old flat piece of wood & evenly warm with the blow lamp until you start to see the first signs of a copper green tinge to the flame.
Let it cool down slowly , it's now ready for use again.
When you replace it give it a thin coat of high temp Silicon RTV on both sides.
I've done this on motors that have 175lbs of compression at rope starting speeds & never had a leak problem so your century that you will be lucky to have 75lbs should be no problem.
Don't go mad when you torque the head on, 25 foot lbs is plenty providing both matching faces are in OK condition.
Charles. Thanks for the re-use info. I will give it a go as eventually I'll have three to do and it will be a good cost saving.
Albert. For almost any other engine I would agree but once the head has been off a Seagull it would be so easy to re-do there is little lost if the old gasket didn't work out and had to be replaced with new.
David
Albert. For almost any other engine I would agree but once the head has been off a Seagull it would be so easy to re-do there is little lost if the old gasket didn't work out and had to be replaced with new.
David
40 Plus Longshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) --Silver Century Shortshaft 1977 (Serviced & painted) -- A pile of Silver Century spares.