Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Oh, I just realize the reverser is the EMPCO brand!

Edit: The EMPAC Reverser / Pump is the one with the smaller Sight Glass, not the gauge one.  Looking at at @txlabman video on B-43/No.43 engines, his Gauge and Reverser/Pump have the Sight Glass is smaller (~4mm).

Here is the 1st engine, the R.P.M. Gauge Engine.


Some interesting facts on this engine:

• The shaft isn't screwed to the wheel - it is just slid onto a peg!
• It has a throttle control!  Which is a long screw that's simply tapered at the end (it goes into the "collar" of steam line).
• It has the earlier B-30 type whistle base (rounded) and topper.
• The sight glass slides into the upper & lower fitting, again like a earlier B30.  Newer models the slight glass just "hovered" just above the fittings.

I really like this little engine - I wished they had kept the sight glass fitting the way they designed it on this one, as you can use O-Rings to reseal it.  Also, I am surprised how well the throttle works, as it is really wiggly/lose!  

The Reverser/Water Pump engine blew out its top seal on me (old seal oozed down the glass).  I really didn't want to take this one apart because of the smaller ~4mm sight glass tube.  Interestingly, the engine also followed the Gauge engine, where as the sight glass tube slides into the upper/lower tank fittings (like the older cast iron base engines).  To make things even more interesting, the tank elbow fittings had "seals" in them along with the screw caps!

I had a bugger of a time getting the sight glass out as it was really long.  I've always been able, with this type of setup, to push the tube down (or up) and then slightly turn one of the tank fitting elbows to get the glass out.  Not this time - I snapped off about 2 mm of glass but there was enough left to balance between the upper/lower tank elbow fittings (thank God).

Next up... what to seals for use?  Luckily long ago I bought a O-Ring kit with 18 different sizes off Amazon.  I used a few 3mmx1mm on each side, these went inside the tank elbow fitting and then I used a few 5mmx1mm to go into the screw top fittings.  The first time I did this I got a little leak around the bottom elbow threads, so I did it all again and put teflon tape on the screw threads.  Put it back together and ran the engine about 15 minutes at full steam - no leaks.  Dodge a bullet on this one, that is for sure!

Rich...thanks for the video demonstration of the Empire with a working
pump.  I've been waiting a long time to see one work.

  I have one but the pump will not go up or down - it is stuck in
the down position and I cannot seem to get it to go up and down.
There is not much to it to take apart and I don't want to get
ham-fisted with it, so...Any advice that doesn't involve a hand
sledge would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Wayne

Thanks, Rich.

Soaking is up next.  I've had the whole thing
off, soaked it at both ends and in the middle
with penetrants to no avail.  Nothing unscrewed
anywhere.  The shaft does twist easily, just not
up or down.

Back on, now it leaks a bit but no big deal.  Guess
I'll try soaking it in either CLR or 30% vinegar or
citric acid.  I'll think on it.

Wayne

So I assume you had the top nut off?  I would have that off for sure when soaking it.  I don't think the shaft goes past the middle and if it does it can't by to much.  I know the shaft will not exit from the top.  So to get it in, I would think at least the top outer section would need to be unscrewed from the middle.  The trick is to get it off without messing up the nickel plating - how to do that, I don't have any ideas.

I've always wanted a small strap wrench for things like this (and say for the smoke stack too).

Good luck and keep us posted!  I'd love to see what you find inside and what you used to unscrew the pipe pump.