The next problem was that I only had the pump hand pump base for the assembly that usually goes behind the driver's legs.
I was missing the clack valve with 5/8inch clack valve here. Anyway I did not have enough space below to bring the large pipe into it as in the original and I already have the thermostat bypass which comes out from it also. It comes off in the later cars from the mid-section of the flowmotor. That was on the flowmotor casting that I had, i.e. it was 1909 or 1910 but beggars can not be choosers!

I completed the hand water pump, fabricated the clack valve as I needed it, and made the nuts and pipe joints etc. Now you can see the assembly with its bracket on the bench.

(here I will go to the next message to attach the next group od pictures)

Bob



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 04/22/12 05:44AM by steamcarbob.

Here I will describe the bypass system on the post 1907 Whites.

The next job was to bolt in the hand pump assembly which has some strange angles in it to fit the purpose. The water pipe going to the steam generator normally goes slightly backwards and I needed it to run along parallel to the chassis. I cannot see evidence of a hand water pump anywhere on Billy in my original pictures so it seems logical to put it where I have so that all the pipes fit in with the least amount of pipework. I hope Whites did that too! This pump is only used to fill the generator coils at the start of the day if they have not filled themselves over night with the vacuum on cooling.
Then it was just a question of making all the nuts and pipe joints.

One can follow what looks quite a complicated system easily!!

The water flows from the water tank at the front of the car and goes to the "T " junction where the hand pump comes off (a special Billy fitting). The water then flows on back and then up via a rubber connection pipe to the double acting water pumps.
If the pressure is too high the water is bypassed back to the start of the pumps (this is a simple pressure bypass like the Stanley fuel regulater). It is at the front of the pumps and has in it a famous valve called "the Finnegan pin" -easily dropped and lost!.
From the pumps the water goes through a water damper to stop the water hammer affect of the pumps and up to the aluminium heat exchanger on the exhaust pipe.

The hot water now passes through the flowmotor (in fact in 1909/10 after the pumps the water went through the flowmotor and then the heat exchanger so as not to waste heat on the flowmotor). In the flowmotor there is a piston which goes down one inch when the pumps are full on and opens the fuel needle. When it is right down a valve opens at the rear end of the flowmotor bypassing water back to the water tank line so as not to flood the steam generator.
In the middle of this later type flowmotor, after the piston, is the thermostat bypass take-off. When the steam is too hot the thermostat bypasses water back to the line between the pumps and the flowmotor is thus relying on the flowmotor piston spring to reduce the flow of fuel to the generator.

After the flowmotor the water goes to the main clack valve, water pump and into the steam generator top coil.

Simple really!
Bob



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 04/22/12 05:56AM by steamcarbob.

Just a couple more pictures to show the present state and the system from both sides.

I still have to fit the blow off valves which will have the valve handles going through the fire wall into the engine compartment. I do not have a way through the bodywork in the generaotr compartment on the left and a very busy firing department yet to be fitted through the small door on the right.

The large casting on the steam line on the right side is the thermostat with the water pipes running under the engine carefully placed to allow me to take the sump off if required.

On the left side,the pipes not connected on the bottom of the flowmotor are the fuel line pipes which I have yet to sort out.

The other picture of interest is the view up through the steam generator. There is a plug to go up the centre to stop heat going directly up there but otherwise it shows the tortuous course of the hot gasses around the pipes -little light is let through.

Anyway touring with the 1902 White in Germany stops play now for a couple of weeks!
Bob

We are back from a great tour in Germany. The 1902 White ran well for well over four hundred miles although we slowly developed a steam leak which I could not sort until I got home.
Back home I took the 1908 White for its MOT and had a puncture - well three including a burst at about 35 mph on the front left. The car came to a halt very smoothly! This is probably as the pressures were too low -they need to be at least 60psi and even up to 80 PSI according to my supplier.

Now I am back onto Billy. The blow down valves were the next problem. I was trying to blow all the steam and muck from these and the safety valve out of the back of the car. This was not a sound policy.
I have now fitted blowdown valves under the bonnet where I can get at them and they blow out of the side beside where I operate them. The water inlet side has a hose pipe fitting so that I can fill the coil or flush it out and the steam blow off cock has a compressed air fitting so that I can test things.
Next I fitted my exhaust whistle -a bit modern - dated 1912. Well the car was called "Whistling Billy".
Now I have a completed water and steam systems. So I connected things up to the steam line and the engine ran! Not very smoothly at first but tightening a few connections, adjusting the cut off lever and putting hydraulic oil in the sump and rear axle made everything work well. I will xhange this oil when I get onto steam but it should flush any bits out.
I still have things to sort like the rev. counter (where my small gearbox has something slipping) and the gauges to connect properly.
Next I am going to make the steam generator top and then move on to the fuel system.
The steering box has the case and the worm and column made and the next thing here is the wheel to fit - that is being done ny LLewellyns in Bristol. It was too complex for me. I am hoping to have this back in a couple of weeks but---.
Anyway I am attaching a couple of pictures.

The non-functioning rev. counter turned out to be caused by a bit of senility. I had failed to put in the little square key between the instrument and its little gearbox!
I have now completed mounting the burner,the pilot light,the vapouriser and the venturi.
I had to cut out a bit of the second-from-front chassis cross-member and make a new part that would allow the forced draft through with its filter door.
This was a dirt racer and if behind other cars it could well get its venturiand burner full of muck but when out in front the door can be open and the full draft from around the nose used.
This then required a door which could be controlled by the driver with the air in the venturi. How much this will increase the power I do not know but Billy originally had a system like this. I have no details but we do know that the water tank was cut away on the right side for this mechanism. I had to make a 2 1/2inch long burner nozzle to be able to fit the system in. At present I have four jets of 0.052 inches but that is only the starting point.
I am getting very near to firing up now. The steering box should be here on Tuesday and I hope to have most of the fuel system around the tanks completed by then although some castings have not yet arrived for the valves.

Billy was destroyed in a crash on July 9th 1912 - I hope to steam 100 years later!

Sorry about nothing for the last month. My computer had another lightning strike which destroyed the monitor and some of the programs. I have been unable to upload pictures and very busy with Billy's pipework etc. I will try again today.

Billy is now ready to steam. All the pipework is done,the throttle and simpling pedal linkages are made and fitted.
It has been water tested under pressure and the oil changed in the engine and rear axle from the hydraulic oil for compressed air testing to the proper oils.
The fuels are in the car under pressure without leaks.

TODAY I LIGHT THE BLUE TOUCH PAPER!!

Bob

BILLY HAS STEAMED but only as yet on pilot fuel. WHAT AN HOWL -- I will have to use smaller jets while I am getting it sorted!
The engine ran quietly but leaked a lot of steam as expected through the valve packings which is probably due to the 1908 accident and the block being out of true. That will have to wait for the winter.
The fire seemed to work well with no blow-backs as yet.
There were steam leaks from all the thermostat joints so when it is cool that comes off for sorting. This seemed sound when cold!
The exhaust was surprisingly quiet but the steam wet as yet. I only went to 400psi and about 350 deg F.

Ah well,if it is now cool, back to work!
Bob



Edited 2 times. Last edit at 08/13/12 09:39AM by steamcarbob.

Well done Bob!

Mike

Thanks Mike.
I have sorted most of the steam leaks and the water system is fine. The fuel still looses air pressure -perhaps my tapered tap needs a little attention as I did not even lap it in as it seemed good but it does give a few bubbles with the Fairy liquid. This is my summary so far.

The good parts were
the engine was smooth,
the rear axle seems fine,
the steam generator was sound and very fast firing,
the steering, the chassis and the brakes seem OK
and the burner was vicious when the fuel tank air pressure stayed up.

I have still a leaky engine but am slowly improving that. I do not expect it to be perfect until I have it out in the winter for re-aligning the block and crank case after the 1908 accident damage that the engine had. It runs however very smoothly but the prop-shaft (which always runs with the engine) needs balancing which I will get around to soon. The exhaust beat is lovely!--and the smell of hot steam oil---

The main fire is vicious when the air tank pressure is up and it raises steam in a few seconds! We had everything red hot today when the fuel needle came adrift in the flowmotor (the fuel controller). I think that I will need to make a new fuel needle.

Michael, my youngest son, came over yesterday and we both had a little drive up the yard which is on quite a slope. It easily copes with the hill even on about 200psi when we will be at 800psi. We did see 800psi and almost 1000deg F when the fuel needle came adrift - I hope not to repeat that! The engine remained steaming with the fire off for about half an hour!

Anyway I hope to attach a few pictures. We have had a couple of exciting days!

I am off to The West of England Steam Rally for the weekend at Stihians. Before that I have at the flowmotor needle to sort and a small body problem.
I will add a couple of pictures.
Bob

Here are a couple of the sprints up my yard.