Saving Old Seagulls

I 've got something for Rob who seems to appreciate polishing

Very impressive, now let's see how it performs !

Soon we will see! Today I assemble the powerhead, did they had 8 hands back in the 50s when they were assembling these motors? Too many surface to apply gasket material and it was drying. It was a challenge but I think everything is OK.

I would like to ask about the torque setting. Should I tighten the head nuts to 18ft/lbs as in all the other models or do I have to tight them in a lower setting?

Picture shows the gaskets after being chrome platted. The platter said it's the most protective coating and there is practically no effect in the thickness.
The also repaired from the corrosion with a heat resistant epoxy compound. I hope I managed a proper sealing.



Oh, I almost forgot. The plated gaskets are 1.32mm thick.

Almost!!

Today in the morning I attempted to run the engine. It run with the prop on in the test bin but.. Weak compression (60psi) and a crankcase leak. Great news, all surfaces and gaskets should be cleaned and prepared again for new RTV. I also checked the rings and found the gaps 0.90-1.00mm (one millimeter)!! I replaced them and honed the bore. Assembled again the girl and I am crossing my fingers.

Bore diameter 45mm.

At last, RTV (sorry Bruce ) cured and I tested the engine. Success achieved! No crankcase leaks, no any other leak and the girl fired hard first pull in the test bin with the prop on!
I fed her in the beginning with a mixture richer in oil than 1:10 as I honed the bore and the piston rings are new. I then heard a "squick squick" metal noise so I though that some more oil would do good in the beginning. Compression feels a lot better but the gauge showed 62psi. I was waiting to see something better but this measurement may be a result of running her to stop due to luck of fuel, so the bore may be a little bit dry.

Now waiting for the decals

Good morning gentlemen

Stelios,
Well done. It looks really good, you must have spent a lot of time polishing it etc.
Out of interest, did you replate the float chamber bowl?
These later FV/FVPs are interesting. Do you know at what stage BS changed the mounting bracket from the earlier 'fixed position' early type to the type like yours (as per the LSs) that can slide up and down the drive shaft tube?
Well done again.
Jeremy

Thanks for your comments Jeremy, the float bowl is the original chrome plated. The original plating had come off to a point. The platter said that it was platted with cadmium, a technique that is abandon these days. About the transom I don't know when BS change it. All parts are as it came apart from the tiller arm, the throttle lever (thanks Adrian ) and the top nut. It had a regular brass nut.

About the polishing I learned the way so now it's just matter of time and some hands rubbed off..!

Makes the perfect Office accessory !

Stelios,
That is very interesting to hear that the bowl was cadmium plated. I have suspected that might have been the process, but never had it confirmed.
The bracket that I was referring to was the aluminium one which has the trunnions cast in with it, and the latch hook is fixed to it at one end; the other end is clamped around the drive shaft tube. With earlier versions the clamping is around the lower crankcase itself.
I was not referring to the bronze transom bracket.
I am interested in when the design was changed. I have no reason to think that yours is anything but correct. Recently I came across (reputably) FV12508 which had the same arrangement as yours.
If you are short of items to polish and having withdrawl symptoms, just let me know!!
Jeremy

Oh, that's interesting. I may have seen the part you are talking about but I am not sure. Do you have a picture?
Unfortunately I don't know when changes took place to models. If you like let me know in a PM the details you need for your database.

Rob Ripley wrote:Makes the perfect Office accessory !

Sure, the fastest office chair!

This style transom mount.

Ooh you've got the correct fuel pipe & transom bracket retaining pin, that's nice Keith

Well done Stelios, another excellent rebuild