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

Thanks for pointing out the "soft spring". I'll give that a try when I get the chance.👍

It's also worth mentioning: I purchased this engine New as I liked the different color scheme vs the bright blue base standard D5....However, it was a poor runner bone stock. When I pulled the cyl to install the "soft" spring to run on low PSI compressed air, I also polished the flat face of the cyl. That mates with the "steam chest" on a PC of flat glass and 800 grit sandpaper. This polish job showed a significant high spot around the tapped hole that was cause a gap between the cyl and steam plate....it took less than 2 minutes to polish it nice and Flat, BUT this GREATLY increased the running performance of this little D5!
   I get a lot of fun out of this little low cost engine, and the polish dead flat is so easy to do, I think any occillator type steam engine that I add to my collection will get this treatment, new OR used.
  When I first started into "steam" I was avoiding the Occillator types...but there simplicity has a certain charm all of its own.
   I am toying with the idea of upgrading the bearing towers next....possibly the Wilesco type with oil cups or maybe even go flanged roller bearings....