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Engine ID required


John  Tee
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Can anyone ID this diesel engine for me. There is no makers name just "Made in England" on the rear of the crankcase and the number J215/8C on  the top of the crankcase below the exhaust as in the photo. This one has been sealed around the neeedle valve assembly with some sort of epoxy resin.  Had it for some years and not tried to run it, I have been playing with a few small diesels for a Mini Robot and found this in my collection of  diesel engines in a box.

 

Thanks for any help.

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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That is an ED Comp. Special, 2cc, late ‘40s.

 

The needle and its fitting aren’t original. They look like they are from an Enya. Also the fuel tank is missing.


Here is a picture of one from Mike Clanford’s book.

 

147A3B53-99D2-48F2-9854-7611B9968BDF.thumb.jpeg.9df58dc906c25146e939f8814372ab83.jpeg

 

Brian.

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Thanks Brian for the quick reply. I thought it was oldish. I have no idea where I got it from, but I remember winninig a box of engines at a club auction years ago. Would you know what Enya had that type of screw in carb/venturi. Very similar to the Mills.

 

I also found today an ED Baby 0.46 cc from the same era with  badly butchered mounting lugs and an ED  1.46. I used to take any motor club member were getting rid of but not an official collector, more a hoarder so I have some fairly old engines.

 

John

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The bendy needle valve and ratchet spring were used on various Enyas over the years.

 

The “venturi” looks like a piece of brass tube, something home made probably to replace the missing original.

 

Brian.

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Your engine is from September 1948.

Apart from the points already mentioned, the bits around the prop driver are not at all the way they should be.
Here's one that's the same vintage as yours. Your engine should look like this. You can see the various differences for yourself.

It's quite likely that your engine may run well. In good condition, they're super engines.

ED 022.JPG

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Posted (edited)

 

Broken English.  As Brian said above mine has a different needle valve assembly and no tank.

 

His picture and yours differ in the prop driver. The two pictures show a dish shaped driver, yours with a round extension into the prop. Mine has a square section on the crankshaft, two washers with square cutouts and the a prop driver that looks like a very thick washer with the rear edge rounded off. This is clear in my first photo so I'm not sure what mark/ year it is.

 

Thanks for the added info.

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by John Tee
Wrong description. Crankshaft not crankcase
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Sorry John, there's a misunderstanding.

Your engine should have the dish-shaped prop driver like my photo. This driver has a square hole that locates on the crankshaft.

On your engine, the prop driver has been lost and replaced by odd washers with square holes cut to match the shaft. Those washers aren't original!

All Comp Specials have a dish-shaped prop driver with a square hole, no exceptions. And all prop washers, that go on the front of the propeller (only one per engine!) have normal round holes.

Like I said, your engine's original prop driver and washer have been lost and replaced by several odd washers with square holes. In fact, I think the reason you have several washers is simply to cover the square length on the shaft. No Comp Special ever had a front end like that. 

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I've  got a sore finger from trying to start the .75 DC Merlin when it hydauliced and my finger slid along the prop leaving a minute cut. I will bear in mind your advice and put a glove on. Are there modellers/traders who trade spares for older engines or is it just keep looking on Ebay? I was looking on the website of a well known model shop and the smaller size props 7 - 9 inch seem to be a rarity these days. Plenty of 12 - 24 inch props in IC and electric. I haven't got any smaller ones in my box of props at the moment but I used to have a lot.  It would appear the demand is for bigger petrol engine sized props or electric.

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49 minutes ago, John Tee said:

I've  got a sore finger from trying to start the .75 DC Merlin when it hydauliced and my finger slid along the prop leaving a minute cut. I will bear in mind your advice and put a glove on. Are there modellers/traders who trade spares for older engines or is it just keep looking on Ebay? I was looking on the website of a well known model shop and the smaller size props 7 - 9 inch seem to be a rarity these days. Plenty of 12 - 24 inch props in IC and electric. I haven't got any smaller ones in my box of props at the moment but I used to have a lot.  It would appear the demand is for bigger petrol engine sized props or electric.

A 10 or 11" prop would be ideal. It needs to be quite weighty as it'll need some flywheel effect. The one I had was fitted with a home made wooden prop. It ran pretty well, dead easy to start. 

 

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14 hours ago, John Tee said:

I've  got a sore finger from trying to start the .75 DC Merlin when it hydauliced and my finger slid along the prop leaving a minute cut. I will bear in mind your advice and put a glove on. Are there modellers/traders who trade spares for older engines or is it just keep looking on Ebay? I was looking on the website of a well known model shop and the smaller size props 7 - 9 inch seem to be a rarity these days. Plenty of 12 - 24 inch props in IC and electric. I haven't got any smaller ones in my box of props at the moment but I used to have a lot.  It would appear the demand is for bigger petrol engine sized props or electric.

Just keep looking on Ebay for r hine spares. Often an engine ideal for spares will come up. You can always ask on here . Ive been helped out a few times for bits. Are you looking for any parts at the moment ? There used to be a few dealers in old spares but they come and go. Things like needle vakve asemblies and piston rings are readily availabke from a few dealers. Other bits like cranks or cases are now mainly from a breaker engine . Pistons / rebores can be made and a few poeple do this. Judt adk around at a club or on here. The swap meet at Old Warden can be a hold mibe fir engine parts.

 

Yes small props are getting rarer but visit any swapmeets etc . Often find loads of props for very little money but beware of chipped props and nylon props should be left in a pan of near boiling water for a few hours as they dry out and can be brittle.

Re the sharp props . Always always sand off the sharp flashing and re- balance props before using. Nothing worse than slicing your finger along a prop on cold day and getting diesel fuel in it ! Child hood memories are very vivid about that. 

Good luck and keep the diesel revival going

Edited by Engine Doctor
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Look for ‘Popular1956’ on eBay sorry can’t find my messages with him so can’t remember his name but he made me the driver and spinner assembly for a Mk 111, he cast the prop driver you are looking for, quick turnaround and reasonable prices, he also makes excellent original needle valve assemblies, just got an ED racer one from him.

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Thanks for all the replies. The smaller prop I'm after is for the small Merlin 0.75 cc. I'll do a search on the web for some spares.  I like diesels. I got my first DC Spitfire about 1961/2 and still have it.

 

John

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It is just typical, just like buses. I asked for info on my unmarked engine which was very quickly ID'd. Just looked on Ebay for spares as suggested and there are two for sale. I should have looked earlier.

 

John

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13 hours ago, Jim Hearnden 1 said:

A 10 or 11" prop would be ideal. It needs to be quite weighty as it'll need some flywheel effect. The one I had was fitted with a home made wooden prop. It ran pretty well, dead easy to start. 

 

Hi Jim . I have to disagree with you on using a large prop on a small diesel. The leverage from a large heavy prop can and will severly damage a small diesel if it hydraulic locks. Ive seen bent rods broken cranks,split pistons and even broken crank cases all from doing just that. 

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On 14/04/2024 at 12:55, John Tee said:

It is just typical, just like buses. I asked for info on my unmarked engine which was very quickly ID'd. Just looked on Ebay for spares as suggested and there are two for sale. I should have looked earlier.

 

John

I've just noticed that you think your engine is "unmarked" (apart from the s/n).

Surely it should be marked "ED" and "Mk II" or "Mk III" on the front bearing.

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Brokenenglish. There is nothing on the crankcase except "made in england" on the rear of the crankcase and the serial number on the left side below the exhuast.

There are two examples on EBay and neither has anything on the crankcase. One has the serial number on the right side while the other has it on the left side as mine does.  This is why I quried if anyone knew the engine as there was no maker ID.

 

John

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6 minutes ago, John Tee said:

Brokenenglish. There is nothing on the crankcase except "made in england" on the rear of the crankcase and the serial number on the left side below the exhuast.

There are two examples on EBay and neither has anything on the crankcase. One has the serial number on the right side while the other has it on the left side as mine does.  This is why I quried if anyone knew the engine as there was no maker ID.

 

John

Again, I think there's misunderstanding. Re-read my post. The front bearing is the casting bolted onto the front of the crankcase. If you look between the bolt heads, on the front of the engine, you should see an "E" and a "D", in the top part of the casting (above the shaft), and "Mk II" or "Mk III" below the shaft.

Are those markings not there? I'll attach a photo within the next few minutes (I hope!).

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43 minutes ago, John Tee said:

Brokenenglish. There is nothing on the crankcase except "made in england" on the rear of the crankcase and the serial number on the left side below the exhuast.

There are two examples on EBay and neither has anything on the crankcase. One has the serial number on the right side while the other has it on the left side as mine does.  This is why I quried if anyone knew the engine as there was no maker ID.

 

John

OK Here are the photos showing the engine id. Looking from the front, you can see E & D on the left and right, and Mk III below the shaft.
Again, yours should be like this (it may be Mk II). 

20240415_220312.jpg

20240415_220358.jpg

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