Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
Has anyone made modifications to the engine driven water pump to improve efficiency and decrease water leakage on the ram?
Re: Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
The firebox on my dad's gave out after the first year or so. The second one he built was stainless steel with a flange around the top and bottom to stiffen the sides. To create a feed water heater he wound the feed line around the fire box a few times and packed it with furnace cement. We made it a point to keep the engine turning over if we stopped for any length of time to keep water flowing through the tube. Water would boil in the tube if we let it set.
The dry firebox and shell were the weak link of the locomotive. I've been switching over to a water tube boiler.
The pump was packed with graphite foil packing. It wore well. I recall there was usually a bead of water at the top but no notable leakage. Early one he had increased the lift in the check valves to smooth out the pump.
The dry firebox and shell were the weak link of the locomotive. I've been switching over to a water tube boiler.
The pump was packed with graphite foil packing. It wore well. I recall there was usually a bead of water at the top but no notable leakage. Early one he had increased the lift in the check valves to smooth out the pump.
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littleevan99
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Re: Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
I've been running mine with a 1/4" ram for over two years now. The 3/16" ram is probably fine if you have the copper boiler from the plans, but mine having a steel boiler with double the capacity I would assume that the 3/16" bore would struggle to keep the water up in a situation where there is a lot of steam being used. Now when it comes to leakage that's why I went with the 1/4" ram. I've never seen a crosshead that didn't leak a little bit, and mine leaks a LOT. After all the running that mine has done the packing nut has got a little groove worn into it from the rod being at an ever so slight angle, and that doesn't help with trying to keep the water from leaking! It pumps just fine, but I have to remember to snug up the nut from time to time to keep it from dumping water all over the chassis.
1.5" scale CliShay
1.5" scale 2-10-2T
2.5" 36 Ton Shay under construction
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/littleevan99
1.5" scale 2-10-2T
2.5" 36 Ton Shay under construction
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/littleevan99
Re: Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
I am using 1/4" ram. I think that I am also loosing too much suction and force thru the packing nut. I am now experimenting with using an o-ring on the ram and/or for packing. Hand tested it and it seems to work better. I will install back on the engine next week and report back. My boiler is also steel fire tube built by Marty Knox.
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Pontiacguy1
- Posts: 1572
- Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:15 am
- Location: Tennessee, USA
Re: Clishay Engine Driven Water Pump
Make sure that your ram is smooth and is polished longitudinally instead of round like it would be while running in the lathe. If you haven't gotten all the turning tool marks off of it, it will keep eating the packing out and leaking, no matter what type of packing you use. Just something else for you to check on.
In my experience with pumps, if it is lined up good and the ram is fairly smooth, then graphite twine packing works fine. You'll have to take it up every once in a while, but it usually can go several runnings without adjustment. If the pump ram isn't smooth or if it wiggles back and forth (wallowing) while going in and out, it will keep pushing the packing out of the way and will start leaking much more frequently.
Also, check your lines going to the pump. If your suction line from your tank is too small or it is clogged or anything, it can starve the pump so that it doesn't fill completely with water on each stroke.
In my experience with pumps, if it is lined up good and the ram is fairly smooth, then graphite twine packing works fine. You'll have to take it up every once in a while, but it usually can go several runnings without adjustment. If the pump ram isn't smooth or if it wiggles back and forth (wallowing) while going in and out, it will keep pushing the packing out of the way and will start leaking much more frequently.
Also, check your lines going to the pump. If your suction line from your tank is too small or it is clogged or anything, it can starve the pump so that it doesn't fill completely with water on each stroke.