GS-1, finishing up the hard way

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dwilloughby
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by dwilloughby »

Don, have you tried another economy or Ohlenkamp injector in the installation? Have you taken the injector apart and made sure that the washer that is on top of the steam cone is installed correctly and free to move? Do you get water to shoot out of the injector with the delivery line is disconnected from the check valve? Just a couple of suggestions.

Dean
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

OK, no luck with the new check ball system.

I tried the economy injector from the WP Mike at the track and it did not work on my engine but worked on the Mike.
If there is no progress by the SVLS Fall meet I will take this injector and try it on the Mike if they take it out.

Closed the shut-off valve at the boiler check and removed the ball and seat. Started the injector and re-opened the shutoff valve, all I got was steam shooting back out the injector, can this be a clue?

Tried the injector from 40 psi all the way to 125 psi. Held the garden hose to the water fitting in the tender to force the water into the injector. No help. Added an o-ring to the water inlet fitting at the injector. Ran cold water over the injector. Again no luck.

Today the axle pump stopped working as I was trying to put more water in the boiler. Shut down, waiting for it to cool down so I can bring it back into the garage and then I am going to take a nap. When i ordered this injector I did not think I would have this kind of problem. I have seen other installations that had 1/4" lines almost bent in two and the injector still works. Not blaming Barry, just wish I was not having this hard of time making it work.

One of the cylinder drain cocks finally closed, maybe the others will start working after some more run time.

Donald
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

Barry called me this evening and we discussed my difficulties. He suggested a very careful inspection of the injector for foreign substance as all the symptoms point in that direction. In fact the same injector on our SVLS club steamer acted the same way and a bit of debris was found in its injector. I had my wife look at all the interior parts with me as her eyesight is better than mine and we could not find anything. Not to say nothing fell out while taking it apart. The delivery line was also tested by dropping a steel ball through it and the ball rolled right through. While doing these inspections my dad showed up and he is taking the injector and he will test it on the WP Mike this Thursday. So until then it is time to clean up the shop as parts and tools are strewn everywhere.

Thanks all for the suggestions and ideas.

Donald
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

Removed the cylinder drain cocks this morning and they are now soaking in a degreaser. They were full of crud and once cleaned should provide many more years of reliable service.

Meanwhile my dad has my injector and he just informed me that he will be firing up the WP Mike this morning to try it out.

Donald
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

The injector works great on the Mike.

Talked with a gentleman this morning and he said he had similar problems and replacing the boiler checks with PM research inline checks solved his problems.

I would prefer the Superscale boiler checks but since I am living on a Social Security retirement income they will have to wait until I can save up for them. meanwhile the other checks will be ordered and tried out.

Donald
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

Put the injector back on the GS. Made a new set of valves for the boiler checks based on the Superscale boiler check so the valves and seats match his. Fired up the engine and still the same results. My dad mentioned having to cut back the water supply to make the injector work. Yet no matter how I adjusted my water supply valve the injector either overflowed water or sprayed steam. Finally I tried clamping the water line with needle nosed pliers and found that with the hose almost clamped shut the injector worked and filled the boiler very satisfactory. So time to add a globe type valve and maybe a smaller supply line. Now I have a direction to follow.

Moved the check valves for the axle pump down to the pump and the pump operated satisfactory. A banjo type bolt made mounting the manifold and check valves possible.

The cleaned Cylinder drain cocks are now working. Might make the SVLS fall meet after all.

Donald
SilverSanJuan
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by SilverSanJuan »

That's great news, Donald. What size are your supply lines?

Todd
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

SilverSanJuan wrote:That's great news, Donald. What size are your supply lines?

Todd
Hi Todd,

3/8" OD copper hard drawn tubing into a 1/4" pipe ball valve. Then 3/8" ID fuel line hose between the engine and tender
Cannot express how I felt when the injector started working, looks like the museums will have to wait a little longer for this engine.

Donald.
Mike Walsh
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by Mike Walsh »

I wonder if the 3/8" is too large and causes the injector to fail to compress the entire line.

I would suggest 3/16" or 1/4" line... What did you compress it down to?
GS14403
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by GS14403 »

Mike Walsh wrote:I wonder if the 3/8" is too large and causes the injector to fail to compress the entire line.

I would suggest 3/16" or 1/4" line... What did you compress it down to?
Hello Mike,

Spent the morning cleaning and painting. A lot of scratched paint etc. from all the experiments in figuring the injector problem. Changing the tender piping would be a major undertaking. I will probably use a 1/4" copper tube from the tender connection to the injector with an inline globe type valve if more restriction required. Thinking of making both types of lines and trying them this Saturday before taking it out to the park for a test run.

Donald
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TEAMTSM
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Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by TEAMTSM »

ED:


My tender is plumbed with 3/8 copper line to a 1/4 pipe ball valve and i use 3/8 rubber hose just like u explained and mine works just fine with the pm research checks, i think your metal check valve parts are too heavy and the injector can't lift them is the issue, Hope all goes well.
When you cut the water back that far i hope there is still enough water going into the boiler, I think what is happening is that your now getting the little bit of water that is going into the injector is trickling past your check because that is all that can get by it. I Hope your testing this before you go i would not want you to still have a problem at the track and maybe hurt such a nice model.
Mike Walsh
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Location: St. Louis, MO

Re: GS-1, finishing up the hard way

Post by Mike Walsh »

OH! I see now. Water supply line.

Have you tried throttling the water supply valve? Perhaps add a needle valve in line that can be finely adjusted for constant use?

I agree, make sure the injector is keeping up with your demand.

Mike
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