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Irvine engine types


Dennis Mulhair
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Hello,

 

Recently I was given an old Irvine 46 motor. I need to get some parts for it but I’m not sure what mark it is. I do know that it was made in England, the Allen screws that hold the silencer on need a 1/8” Allen key and the body is not RED.

Can anyone tell me how I find out it mark No. So I can order the correct parts.

 

Many Thanks

 

Dennis Mulhair

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I think you might struggle to get spares for that engine. Certainly new ones.

Your best bet is to have a chat with Andrew at Just Engines.

I think the only people using imperial sizes these days are the Americans (there's irony for you !).

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13 hours ago, Dennis Mulhair said:

an old Irvine 46 motor. I need to get some parts for it

 

Sounds like a mk1 or mk2; mk3 on were one piece red cases.

 

Almost all spares for the silver (two part) case engine are, give or take, rocking horse poo. You're most likely looking for a non-runner to rob parts from, I would think.

 

As part of a project to refurb a motor gifted to me, I ended up buying four motors (!) to make one good one, and then had enough bits for a second. I'm not sure the economics really stacked up in any way...

Edited by Nigel R
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A picture is worth a thousand words . Apart from a  repo piston ring and bearings it's unlikely you will find any new parts for an old Irvine. They do come up on ebay now and again as do occasional " New old stock" bits, just don't pay to much for a breaker as its likely to need the same work as yours. Be aware that the early Irvines had  Dykes piston ring that would not give  hardly any compression when turned by hand. Dyes rings are very thin and  an become stuck or gummed in their groove. Be very careful when freing them up or removing them. So if your engine feels low on compression don't be to worried. The Mk1 had bearing issues as the front bearing was very small and failed regularly. Mk2 had a much bigger front bearing easily identified by the front housing. If it has a plastic carb don't bother with it as it probably worn or damaged by now . Try and find a carb either same spigot size .

They were good engines in their day but there are loads of less problematic, more reliable and useable engines around for  not much money as many flyers race to electric power.

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I managed to get some drawings of the Mk2 & 3 motors and the MK3 has the words "IRVINE" vertically written on the crankcase and the screws for the exhaust go through the case into the exhaust pipe. On the MK2 (ABC) "IRVINE" is written directly below the cylinder barrel and the screws do not pass through the crankcase.

So I believe my motor is a MK2. Do you agree?

 

Dennis

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Main bearing is tricksy, its mixed imperial and metric sizing, I'd leave alone if it's ok. BOCA in the US did some as a special order (just don't ask about the price!). I'm not aware of another supplier.

 

S-46-1120 is the part number for piston/liner set for mk1/mk2.

 

Note The later mk3 red case engine uses part number S-46-3120, as previously stated they are very different.

 

Irvine .46 MkII datasheet (1).pdf

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I totally destroyed a very nice Irvine 46 Mk (the red one) and the Wot 4 it powered a few years ago.  The casing was damaged and, I think, the carb, but the liner crankshaft piston etc are OK. If anyone's interested I'll look them out.  I've also got a  Q40 complete and some 'remains'.  Not sure what state either are in without checking.  I'd be happy for them to go to a good, useful home because I know I'll never run them again.

 

Free for the cost of postage - or pick them up if you're near Belper (10 miles N of Derby).

 

Geoff

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22 hours ago, EarlyBird said:

are you sure it's a 46? Seems odd that the size is not on the body like this.

 

Missed that.

 

Yup, the size being milled off is the giveaway that it is a 46.

 

It used a 40 case, bored out for a bigger liner. To differentiate, the '40' was removed.

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Re the mixed size bearing, I spoke to someone at Irvine’s 20 or so years ago when I returned to model flying and wanted to check on spares for my late 70’s 40 to see if it was worth recommissioning and he said that they used a standard bearing with a sleeve as a replacement for the unobtainable original. If you have access to a lathe it could save the engine if you need a main bearing. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Soak it in cellulose thinners, paint stripper or brake fluid for a couple of days . Check paint stripper doesn't damage alloy. I use a bead blaster to remove the coating as it only a type of paint. The OS LA engines clean quite easily. I haven't stripped the coating off of an Irvine yet but have a couple of broken ones do might fire up the blasting cabinet to see how easy it comes off.

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