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

Hi Jim, you can and should remove the plug to run it. You can use a needle oiler to put a couple drops on the big end of the connecting rod. Do not fill the crank case with oil. Before a run, place a drop of oil on the crank shaft next to each bearing on the outside. It will wick into thd bearing immediately.

Gil

Hi Jim, you can and should remove the plug to run it. You can use a needle oiler to put a couple drops on the big end of the connecting rod. Do not fill the crank case with oil. Before a run, place a drop of oil on the crank shaft next to each bearing on the outside. It will wick into thd bearing immediately.

Gil

Thanks Gil.

Nice when they run well. 
Good idea on fully venting the crankcase when in operation. I hadn’t thought of it, but otherwise it’s gonna “breathe” blow-by around the main bearings.

Makes perfect sense. Unlike the open crank design,  its “breathing” top and bottom.  I once worked on an old straight six car engine that had sat for years. The crankcase vent had been somewhat plugged by nesting insects, and it was almost impossible to start, and once started, smoked and blew oil out around the main seals.