too much oil

max corrigan · Aug 9, 2011

Hi all, a short question is it possible too have too much steam oil from a displacement oiler, and would it effect steam engines performance in any way? apart from being messy that is!
Ragards Max...........

steamboatmodel · Aug 9, 2011

If you have too much oil it could cause a hydraulic lock in the cylinder. What type of engine is it?
Regards,
Gerald.

steamer · Aug 9, 2011

steamboatmodel said:
If you have too much oil it could cause a hydraulic lock in the cylinder. What type of engine is it?
Regards,
Gerald.

This is true...but man that would have to be more than whats condensing in the cylinder!...that's a lot of oil!

Dave

max corrigan · Aug 10, 2011

steamboatmodel said:
If you have too much oil it could cause a hydraulic lock in the cylinder. What type of engine is it?
Regards,
Gerald.

Gerald it is a steam engine, not sure of the correct name (term) but the cylinder is sealed both ends and steam enters either end ie pushes piston from both ends, my problem is a lot of oil seems to be getting into the cylinder and ejected with the exhaust, i can understand too little oil would be detramental to the engine but would too much oil as i seem to have, effect the smooth running of the engine?
Regards Max........

Florian · Aug 10, 2011

Actually there is very few oil required for sufficient lubrication.

1 cm^3 per hour are quite enough for a double acting steam enginge with 14mm bore and around 20 to 30 mm stroke.
You can supply the required amount with an adjustable displacement oiler or with a rachet-wheel oil pump, whereupon a oil pump is more "precise" with the amount of oil being delievered.

Regards
Florian

Mainer · Aug 10, 2011

Unless you have a truly insane amount of oil, I think the only thing it will do is be messy. As noted, you don't need much.

Maryak · Aug 10, 2011

Max,

If you are running your engine on steam and it is exhausting to atmosphere, the only problem is mess and waste.

If you are recovering the condensate back to the boiler then any oil in the feed water is to be avoided.

IMHO there is a great deal of unnecessary concern over steam cylinder lubrication in engines which use saturated steam. The water condensed in the cylinder will provide adequate lubrication of cast iron rings, liners and valves. It is only where true superheat provides a dry gas to the cylinder that a lubricating oil is vital. For me the proof of this pudding is a steam tug with a triple expansion condensing engine, which has run for over 60 years without oil lubrication of the cylinders, at piston speeds of some 600ft/min. The LP cylinder is 42" diameter and the LP valve weighs in at around 1/2 ton.

Best Regards
Bob

max corrigan · Aug 11, 2011

Maryak said:
Max,

If you are running your engine on steam and it is exhausting to atmosphere, the only problem is mess and waste.

If you are recovering the condensate back to the boiler then any oil in the feed water is to be avoided.

IMHO there is a great deal of unnecessary concern over steam cylinder lubrication in engines which use saturated steam. The water condensed in the cylinder will provide adequate lubrication of cast iron rings, liners and valves. It is only where true superheat provides a dry gas to the cylinder that a lubricating oil is vital. For me the proof of this pudding is a steam tug with a triple expansion condensing engine, which has run for over 60 years without oil lubrication of the cylinders, at piston speeds of some 600ft/min. The LP cylinder is 42" diameter and the LP valve weighs in at around 1/2 ton.

Best Regards
Bob

Bob and everyone else that answered thank you for your replies, Bob i would have thought i needed oil in cylinder if only to seal piston via the oil grooves, as most model steam engines as far as i know, do not have rings this i thought would be fairely essential
But the answer to my original question would seem too much oil would not be a problem, other than being messy, as i have found
Regards Max........

too much oil

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