Let's build a 4 cylinder

[Downunder Bob]

A great project.

 

[rdean]

Thanks Bob
Ray

 

[Downunder Bob]

Thanks Bob
Ray

When I got my lathe I had dreams of building an IC engine, but soon realised that I would need a mill, which I not only don't have, but I don't have room for one. So I decided to build a milling attatchment for my lathe, but it has been slow going.

 

[rdean]

I have seen people make impressive projects with a lathe and a milling attachment.
Good luck on your build.
Ray

 

[Babangida]

So great a project. Love that!

 

[rdean]

Thanks Babangida appreciated.


I have been working on the wood base for the engine the last couple of days.
Just put the final coat of poly on but at 50 degrees in the shop I'm not sure how good it will cure.


In between times I have cutout, drilled, and installed set screws for the 8 cams.


Thanks for looking
Ray

 

[wachuko]

It has been cold lately... for Florida standards anyway...

 

[Downunder Bob]

I have seen people make impressive projects with a lathe and a milling attachment.
Good luck on your build.
Ray

Thanks.

 

[rdean]

The poly finish on the engine base cured very nicely over night so I mounted the engine. It wasn't as easy as it should have been if I had drilled the riser holes in the right place. They needed to be 1/4" further out each way to miss the engine side bolts. I did the same thing on the flat twin engine too so I had to get a little creative.


I was able to make up the timing belt rollers and tensioner arms.
This is the flywheel side.


And on the rear of the engine.


I have not adjusted the cam timing yet but everything turns like it should. (happy day)

Thanks for looking.
Ray

 

[rdean]

I went out to the shop this morning to work on the engine some more when I realized I didn't have any materials for the intake or the exhaust systems. The parts are on order now.

One of the reasons I wanted to make a 4 cylinder engine was I wanted to use a distributor. I made a prototype to test my ideas and was going to start on a model when I found this for a very reasonable price I couldn't pass up.


It is a self contained unit of 4 magnets, a hall sensor, a rotor, and a dist cap. All you need is an ignition module, some spark plugs and some batteries to make it complete. It took a month to get here from China but when it did I just couldn't put it aside for later I had to test it.


It works great but the spark plug wires are too short for my engine. I did find some 10,000 volt ignition wire of the same size that will be here next week and then I can replace the short wires.

The dist is mounted on the left bank's cam shaft using a flexible coupling and a rigid bracket attached to the cam bracket. That way when adjusting the cam bracket everything will stay in alignment. The ignition timing is adjustable by loosening the clamp screw and turning the dist.





If this works out it will be a very neat , easy and compact ignition system.

Thanks for looking
Ray