water-cooled trimmer conversion, VEE 4 drawing, and flat head drawing

[johnlaudano]

The Forum moderator has asked for updates on members' activities so I thought I'd add something for what it's worth.

I've converted a troybilt trimmer engine to water-cooled. It will go into another 65" mahogany boat (see prior posts). The water pump is an internal gear pump made from a honda oil pump. See photos below.

The attached drawings are designs I've been working on recently. I don't have the machinery to build them unfortunately. The vee four has a displacement of 200cc. The flat head is 100cc. The vee design could also be a twin and the flat head could be a four I suppose.The pump for the vee four is a dual-chamber gear pump of my own design.

My next project will be a design of an in-line four at a size I think I can construct. It will have a displacement of about 100cc's.

Below is a link to a video of the converted engine running. I think the ignition system is interfering with my cameras's electronics and that is why the distortion is present. I worry now that, without shielding, an R/C system won't be reliable.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL7i_Nc93Po[/ame]

View attachment A NEW ENGINE-Model.pdf

View attachment VEE FOUR-Model2.pdf

View attachment VEE FOUR-Model.pdf

 

[the engineer]

brilliant work I love these little 4 strokes
I am at the moment in the planning stage of twinning a g x 35 honda

 

[kuhncw]

John,

Thanks for posting your recent work. Interesting way to form a water jacket. How did you keep coolant passages open under the epoxy? I'm guessing you used an epoxy of some sort.

Nice work on your engine designs. Please keep us posted on your progress.

I remember your watercooled inine twin.

Chuck

 

[johnlaudano]

Chuck,
I used o-ring segments between the fins glued in place with cyanoacrylate and then coated them with self leveling rtv. To allow water passage between the fins I drilled small holes in the inner fins. The o-rings are a tight fit and need to be stretched when being installed. Time will tell if there is a leak; there's at least six months more work to be done on the boat.
I considered epoxy alone as a way to seal the fins but the expansion rate of the aluminum dosent match the epoxy. In order to create the empty space for the water I would have used wax and then melted it out. This method might work with wax and a flexible adhesive in place of rigid epoxy but that has its own issues.

 

[kuhncw]

John, thanks for the explanation. That's a very innovative way to make your water passages.

Chuck

 

[johnlaudano]

This is an update on the use of the converted trimmer engine. It's finally in the completed boat and, if the weather is good, will have its first time in the water this Friday. The exhaust system has a large muffler and is water cooled(wet) and it sounds great. I'll have a video at some point.

 

[gadabout]

Just beautiful!! do you have plans for the boat or a build log somewhere?

thanks
Mark

 

[johnlaudano]

Thanks.
I made the drawings myself but i didn't write a build log. I do have misc. photos.
this probably isn't the forum for those but I don't know yet of a proper one.

 

[gadabout]

Is this a different boat to the one with the twin in it? Would the plans be available? Thanks
Mark

 

[Cogsy]

this probably isn't the forum for those but I don't know yet of a proper one.

I'm sure most people on here would be interested in seeing them, especially considering the quality of the finished boat. Please, go ahead and post them! th_wwp

 

[johnlaudano]

Yes this is a different boat. The other one is "Saundra Mae". Search YouTube or google and you'll find a video or two. The hulls are very different.

Regarding plans; everything is for sale...

I'll provide build Phots within a couple days.

 

[johnlaudano]

Yes This is a different boat. The other one is "Saundra Mae". Search YouTube or google and you'll find a video. I hope to have a video of "Sweet Reverie" next week.
Regarding plans; everything is for sale...
I'll post some build photos in the next couple days.

(I've been having trouble posting; if something appears more than once it will be my fault)

 

[minh-thanh]

Absolutely amazing ! :thumbup:

 

[gadabout]

Certainly interested in buying plans!

thanks
Mark

 

[johnlaudano]

Here she is underway. Next is attempting to figure out the right prop size. the current one is a bit big but I'm not sure there is too much pith or too much diameter.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQfZiQOPo3A[/ame]

 

[johnlaudano]

in the water

 

[johnlaudano]

a few build photos

 

[johnlaudano]

a slightly better video.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nes865sbm0s[/ame]

 

[kuhncw]

John,

Beautiful job on the boat and engine. Runs great.

I'm looking forward to your next engine build.

Chuck

 

[Cogsy]

Looks great on the water (except there's no one at the helm...). Loving the build details too.