Author Topic: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel  (Read 26472 times)

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #150 on: 08 November, 2020, 10:34:31 pm »
Well done Cobbadog,
Great that it now runs and needs tuning up so that you get a nice even run.
Excessive black smoke sounds like over fuelling or timing.  Maybe even low compression.
Anyway a credit too you after all the work and time you have put in.
Look forward to your next project.
Regards
Grasshopper Max.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #151 on: 09 November, 2020, 04:09:19 pm »
Thanks Max,
Yes I need to drag it out in the open to reduce the noise then start looking at the issues. Compression is increasing with each run and there was a little bit of compression getting past the rings I think as it did hiss a little bit early on Sunday when playing with the setting up of the linkages and clearances. It was getting to the point that I may need to remove one of the compression shims so I can get it over compression, but I will persist with it.
When you say adjust the timing is this about the adjustments of the valve clearances and the lift of the injector? This one has been doing my head in and need some advise on how to get it to run leaner or at least better than now. I maybe just a bit impatient and that it will improve in time.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #152 on: 09 November, 2020, 08:12:07 pm »
John I wish I could help you with the settings on your McDonald, but I have to admit I have had no experience with your model being entirely different set up to the McDonald 4HP SPI that I have.
Hopefully one of our readers will be able to help you out in the right direction.
I have heard the ''Bronze " injection system can be hard to set up.
I intend to have a browse around on the internet just for my own  curiosity and maybe pick up any helpful hints that I can pass on.
Meanwhile, "Keep on Keeping on", patience eventually wins out with machinery.
Cheers
Grasshopper Max.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #153 on: 09 November, 2020, 09:22:26 pm »
Cheers Max,
There are some McDonald guys around on the Forums I visit and they keep offering info to get me close to the mark. They certainly are a challenge as they give you one critical gap, (1/32") but it is not a gap it is the amount of lift. So I finally got the dial indicator out when I realised my cock up and thats when I started to move forward. Having no manual is a challenge and not having stripped parts of the engine down also made it interesting but with the very kind help of others I stumbled to this point.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #154 on: 22 November, 2020, 02:39:46 pm »
Here is the latest on this beast of a thing. Yesterday it only coughed and farted so I left it alone and had an overnight think while sleeping as we all do.
Starving for fuel was the best I could think of. So off with the fuel tank, out with the dial indicator and check the amount of lift on the injector needle. I had 0.45mm and not the 0.794mm (1/32") that it should have. So with a couple of spanners and a bucket to sit on I slowly adjusted it up then locked it in place. Made a few turns on the flywheel and double checked the lift and it had changed slightly so I adjusted it again and locked it up good n proper. Tested it again and fitted the fuel tank back on. Cranked it up and it ran for a couple of hits then stopped. From then on I could not crank it over compression so I went back to using the decompression lever and away it went for a short run then stopped.
Some dickhead did not turn the fuel on and as it was close enough to lunch I gave my shoulder a rest and me guts a feed. After lunch I put some more fuel in the tank turned the fuel on and lifted the injector needle and heard bubbles as fuel ran down and into the injector. So I tried another crank with the decompression lever and away it went and continued to run. This time it could be tamed a bit using the "speed wheel" and I got it down to running between 480 - 610 rpm. IT seems to run around the 580 - 600 then at times drops off to being down into the 480 range. Not sure at the moment if this is normal, needs running in a lot more or there is a governor issue.
Happy as a pig in shit at the moment having got this great lump of cast iron and turned it into a running engine.

https://youtu.be/PKrEcCaweo8
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

asw120

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #155 on: 22 November, 2020, 09:58:37 pm »
Mine was a bit like that when I first got it together. I figure still a bit low on compression, hence needs 2, or 3 lots of fuel to fire. Happy to be corrected. Mine has come good and hits every time, now. I need to get something to load it with to bed the rings properly and see if the smoke goes away. I'm fairly sure mine's mostly oil smoke.

Well done!

Jarrod.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #156 on: 23 November, 2020, 04:23:36 pm »
Cheers Jarrod, this is exactly what I want to do, find something to load it up and run it for a few hours. I too think mine is oil smoke mostly but when it is black as a coal train that is too much fuel.
I have a small centrifical water pump so that will be a start but I think I will need something more than that.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #157 on: 23 November, 2020, 04:25:20 pm »
McDonald Measles on Dees car, Beeper. Yes I did wash the car from back to front, not just her arse end.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

asw120

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #158 on: 23 November, 2020, 09:06:58 pm »
I'm happy to report mine no longer does that! (I'd better check the oil? :P )

Jarrod.

Grasshopper

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #159 on: 26 November, 2020, 03:31:01 pm »
John
Good to hear you are making progress with tuning your McDonald, A bit off running under load should help a bit and get the rings bedded in a bit.
Cheers,
Grasshopper Max

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #160 on: 26 November, 2020, 09:41:01 pm »
Thanks Max, That is what I am hoping to do very soon. Only have a small job to get done tomorrow so I should be able to start working on the plumbing up of the pump to a 20litre bucket. It has a 1" intake and 3/4" outlet but I will reduce the outlet down to 3/8" copper to give it some back pressure. Hopefully this will work. I intend to drag it outside next to the next project to get sorted and if it works pumping the water I can leave it running for a few hours and see if it settles in.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

oldgoat

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #161 on: 26 November, 2020, 11:28:56 pm »
The more water it shifts the more H.P. it needs leave the outlet at 3/4"

asw120

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #162 on: 27 November, 2020, 08:10:14 pm »
+1 the above.

Jarrod.

cobbadog

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #163 on: 27 November, 2020, 09:41:10 pm »
Already done the reduced size for a trial run but will take it on borad and pick up a couple of 3/4" elbows and some pipe to make it larger but that wont be until next week.
got the pump and tank coupled up and ready for use. I filled the pump and spun the belt pulley and it works then I used a 'riser' from the poly pipe section and a tank connector and then layed down a 20 ltr oil drum and fitted the connector where the screw on cap used to fit and made a hole on the side of the tank. Will take a pic tomorrow for your amusement.
Cheers, John & Dee. Coopernook. NSW.

Austral

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Re: McDonald Imperial Super Diesel
« Reply #164 on: 14 March, 2021, 02:06:15 pm »
Over 3 months since the last report on this environmental terrorist. What happened to the picture from tomorrow for our amusement???