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- Jun 24, 2010
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I was looking over the plans & wondering... Can anyone with building experience of this engine comment if I'm understanding the lubrication system correctly. The recommended fuel is methanol with 3-5% nitromethane. The oil is castor. But unlike typical RC engines, oil is not pre-mixed in fuel, it has a separate circulation system.
I've scribbled on top of plans only to help illustrate with questions. Is this the gist of it?
- fresh castor oil from reserve tank feeds a pump
- pump gets activated by an eccentric cam on a plunger
- pump feeds into the top of the crankcase nipple & sprays on moving internals (crankshaft, master rod assembly etc.)
- and (I think) also feeds into area of cam gears, bearings & related front side internals via a separate passage?
- waste oil drains by gravity into sump, filter screen in there
- pump depletes oil sump on separate circuit
Questions
- I noticed what I think are vent holes in the crankcase (to atmosphere). I guess this is a requirement for this kind of lubrication system?
- Plans say a 4 oz tank. Is this acting as a reservoir and also positioned to keeping head on the pump all the time?
- I don't quite get the pumping action ball bearings & O-rings & cross holes in the pump body. Is it kind of a check-valve thing? (pressure moves balls against a spring, oil flows, balls return to close circuit).
I've scribbled on top of plans only to help illustrate with questions. Is this the gist of it?
- fresh castor oil from reserve tank feeds a pump
- pump gets activated by an eccentric cam on a plunger
- pump feeds into the top of the crankcase nipple & sprays on moving internals (crankshaft, master rod assembly etc.)
- and (I think) also feeds into area of cam gears, bearings & related front side internals via a separate passage?
- waste oil drains by gravity into sump, filter screen in there
- pump depletes oil sump on separate circuit
Questions
- I noticed what I think are vent holes in the crankcase (to atmosphere). I guess this is a requirement for this kind of lubrication system?
- Plans say a 4 oz tank. Is this acting as a reservoir and also positioned to keeping head on the pump all the time?
- I don't quite get the pumping action ball bearings & O-rings & cross holes in the pump body. Is it kind of a check-valve thing? (pressure moves balls against a spring, oil flows, balls return to close circuit).