Author Topic: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.  (Read 8890 times)

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #15 on: 10 December, 2019, 08:15:26 pm »
At last finally got head gaskets sorted for SPI 4hp McDonald.
Put it all back together and fired it up, ran perfectly.
Shut it down and filled water hopper.
Water started coming out of injector seating in head, around injector.
Drained hopper and pulled head off.
plugged water tubes with silicon from main water hopper.
Turned head facing up and flat and filled hopper and head with water to do a static test for leaks.
main hopper ok, head leaking on side of injector hole, looks like its cracked.
There is a sleeve that injector fits into maybe this is cracked, will have to do some more investigation and try and remove sleeve.
two things either head is cracked around sleeve or sleeve is cracked or both.
Head may be able to be welded otherwise I will be trying to obtain another head from some where.
In the short term looks like I was sold a dud with some temporary silicon application that lasted long enough to sell the engine.
Never mind the rest of the engine is good, I will keep at it.
Grasshopper Max

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #16 on: 11 December, 2019, 09:43:33 pm »
Bugger !
It is sad to think that there are people out there that will do things like that and even though it is not a nice thing to do I would name them but then youget yoyr bum kicked for doing so.
Hopefully it is repairable. After seeing what some members here have done over the years it is amazing what can be resurected with the right skills. Sometimes you can find those people in engineering shops that specialise on heads so if you have doubts research some shops.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #17 on: 13 December, 2019, 05:46:47 pm »
Yes Cobbadog there are a few sly shysters in the old engine game, certainly people who have a genuine interest in old machinery would not do that to a prospective buyer.
I am not sure if the sleeve for the fuel injector that is rusted out and is screwed into the threaded space actually forms part of the seal for water as well as injector having direct contact with open water passage or the waterjacket is sealed but cracked and rusted the sleeve which I suspect is the latter case.
I have tried to unscrew the sleeve without success and managed to mangle the sleeve quite a bit.
I have a nice blister on my thumb from the hammer I was using to cold chisel away at it. Try some heat later on, but suspect all might be in vain.
Decided to bite the bullet and purchased another SPI engine located 150k away.
This engine is complete except no oil pump or drive gear for pump and missing a gib key on starting side flywheel.
It also has a lid for the Water hopper and 43 builds younger than mine on production number on plate.
I think my engine piston bore and bearings may be better will evaluate them, however one thing is for certain I will get one good going engine out of them and have spare parts if I need them.
Will post more as I get things together.  Parts for The McDonalds seem to be hard to come by so lucky with this engine I bought.
Cheers
Grasshopper Max

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #18 on: 13 December, 2019, 09:32:30 pm »
Another option is to have it burnt out with one of those spark burners. I had a tapered pin burnt out of a crank shaft years back and no harm done to the crank and no pin left just a clean hole ready for the new pin.
I have a pair of SE 5hp Macs waiting their turn to make one good one out of them and hopefully not a life time away to be done. So many other projects on the go you have to draw the line somewhere.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #19 on: 14 December, 2019, 06:31:35 pm »
Thanks Cobberdog, will keep that tip on a spark burner in mind, maybe that can remove the injector sleeve, problem will be to repair head if cracked and get another sleeve.
Still will keep it all on the backburner and try and sort it later on.
Hopefully the head on the acquired engine is good. Hopefully not unlucky twice.
Will post more info on this project as I go, meanwhile Christmas is rushing upon me and I will have less time in the shed over the festive season.
Meanwhile all the best for Christmas to you and your family and all our readers.
Cheers,
Grasshopper Max.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #20 on: 14 December, 2019, 09:39:32 pm »
Cheers Max and the same to you and your Fsmily and friends. I just need time now as work is at full throttle until I either run out of time to do the jobs or stock gets lost or simply does not arrive. Already one delivery is a week late and they aretrying to locate the package somewhere in Australia.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #21 on: 27 January, 2020, 07:30:14 pm »
Christmas and new Year all over and Australia Day gone as well, the year slipping away, the Allora Heritage Festival for old engines, cars,bikes, tractors and trucks plus a swap meet passed on the weekend.
I attended but disappointed not one MacDonald engine there and nothing as far as steel wheels to suit a transporter I intend to build.
Excellent turn out of tractors and old cars.
Today I headed back into the shed and pulled the head off the spare 4hpSPI MacDonald.
Guess What? No head gasket fitted looks like some white sealing compound spread very thinly over contact surface.
I was expecting a copper gasket or similar but no such luck.
This engine has seen a lot of work and rings in poor shape judging by the carbon on head.
Cleaned up the head, removed valves as valve faces pitted and valve seats need reseating.
I decided to use the valves and springs from the other motor.
Looked up the angle of valve seating and 45 deg is the ticket. Spent a couple of hours reseating the head for the valves and lapping in valves.
Fitted head to my No! SPI and turned it over, not as much compression as before, I used the composite head gasket that I had available,
Only a couple of half hearted kicks but would not run.
Did some careful checking and looks like my efforts on the exhaust valve not up to scratch so tomorrow off the head comes for more lapping in exhaust valve.
Funny enough the MacDonald manual mention this after lapping in valves they may be worse than before(,And to pay more attention) in this case they are right dam it!!!##**
Tomorrows another day, see what gives.
Cheers,
Grasshopper Max


cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #22 on: 27 January, 2020, 09:43:36 pm »
Bugga ! I heard a lot of good reports from Allora from Scotty and it looks like Rudy enjoyed it too. They got some rain as you would be aware but I think everyone still had a good time. Apparently there was a Cortina driver who liked nothing more than to park his pride and joy in the middle of the roads and caused others to have to go off road through the bog to get passed him.
I have not had to do valves my self for a long time. My favourite commercial mower is a Big Bob and it had been running badly for a while. I found that the air mixture screw goes into a plastic insert and it was loose. Fixed that but still had problems so off with the head and out with both valves. I bought a special tool to remove the caps off the top of the valve stem and a small hand operated valve grinding stick with a rubber cup and paste. Being bloody lazy I decided to make an adaptor to put the rubber cup onto a piece of metal and machine that to suit my drill. Both valves lapped in no time with coarse and fine paste. Big Bob now sings again.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

AUSDOK

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #23 on: 28 January, 2020, 12:19:59 pm »
Hi Grasshopper Max what size steel wheels are you after. Regards Rudy

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #24 on: 28 January, 2020, 03:48:39 pm »
10" / 250mm OD here !
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #25 on: 28 January, 2020, 09:23:08 pm »
Hi Rudy,
o/d  10inch ( 250mm) would be a good size but even up to 13 inch  (350 mm )   is ok.    Rim width 50mm to 100 mm
Would require  a pair of 4 or a mixture two each of the same size and design and if different size pairs can accommodate this in the design of the transporter, say bigger wheels at the back smaller at front.
Regards
Grasshopper Max at Warwick Qld.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #26 on: 28 January, 2020, 09:33:10 pm »
Hello Cobbadog,
Yes resorting to the drill is a quicker way of lapping in a recalcitrant valve, easier on the fingers and hand.
I redid the exhaust valve and inlet today still not good enough, turning motor over there is excellent suction on air intake side and at certain parts of engine cycle there is a slight vacuum on end of exhaust which points to exhaust valve passing.
Talking to Scotty today he also mentioned checking injector copper gasket,  run a bit of soapy water around and see if its bubble time.
I don't suspect the rings as engine has been running before and there is good suction on air intake.
Looks like I will be occupied again in the shed tomorrow.
Cheers for now
Grasshopper Max

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #27 on: 29 January, 2020, 09:35:13 pm »
Nothing like 'shed time'.
I bought a pair of new batteries for Lorry today and will fit them in the morning. Once done it's off to town to buy a length of quad guttering for the main shed, a half length of "C" purlin to add to the carport roof to stop the birds shitting on Snowy and look at getting the shop to roll some 2"-3" wide bands 250mm diameter and make me own. They might even have some pipe that will do the job and as an off cut.
Hope you dont end up with a bubble bath but then that would not be so bad as its an easy fix. NEw copper washer or heat the old one up to cherry red, let it cool by itself and refit. The heating up anneals the copper and softens it to help reseat.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #28 on: 20 February, 2020, 09:58:27 pm »
Finally gave up on trying to lap in my inlet and exhaust valves for SPI McDonald.
Just could not get a proper seal.
Ended up taking head into engine reconditioner to get seats cut and valves refaced plus an acid bath on the head.
will be ready next week. No matter the cost.
Saw a 1946 CS Lister sitting in a shed the other day, Never been run from new, all water inlets and outlets blanked off including exhaust.
Everything there for it pipes, water hopper, fuel tank, exhaust pipes and muffler. Crank handle there.
It may be for sale, however I am told the owner wants about $3000 for the unit.
I thought $2000 would stop it and that was adding $500 to allow for "new condition".
Might see what the end shot will be, what do our readers think of this price?
I know CS Listers are thought to be a bit ordinary and I have seen perfectly good ones go at sales between $800 to $1400.
The engine has been stored under cover but would need a repaint or maybe come up ok with the grime scrubbed off.
Year 1946 just a guide would have to go back and get engine number.
Looking forward to getting the SPI McDonald running again.
Cobberdog  you are going well with your transporter project.
Still looking for wheels, no luck at last sale, all too big, off combine seeders.
Cheers for now
Grasshopper Max

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald 4hp spi Diesel.
« Reply #29 on: 21 February, 2020, 09:39:50 pm »
Yep, picked up the last of the timber today and should start designing and cutting soon. Just need to make a final decision on overall length of the rails, width is decided by the bolt centre of the engine mounts. I also noticed today that the crankshaft is longer on one side which will make the engine sit a bit offset. Just looking at the details posted as to final design as well.
As for the Lister, the value is in the fact that it has been safely (hope so) stored and that it still turns over. You should fing that it will wash up quite good and to do anything other than a clean would then de-value it and would no longer be appealing to others. Possible assmebly of the engine to make it look complete would be a good thing and not to run it as then it still has that same appeal that has your interest. To make it run would be fine too but then it is just another well looked after Lister in original condition.
So many ideas and views will be had on what to do with it if you did get it but in the end if you do buy it then it is yours to do what you most want to do with it, run or display it as it is.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.