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

  Elektro's, in my experience, are problematic three out of four times.
Blow-by, in both the valve and piston areas, is very common.  I did just
get one that runs, with minimal maintenance, just as it came.  That engine
is for another thread. 

  This is the Elektro that came without a heater and loads of blow-by.
Well, here are photos of how I replaced the heater (the pix say it all)
and arranged the grooves (done by hand with a tiny file) in the piston. 
Forget trying to see the 'twisted Teflon tape' rings - too small. 

  I added a video and some pix.  I'll be replacing the rings to tighten
things up a bit but there is no rush as this machine is a... Runner!



Thanks,
Wayne

 

  Here is a link to a pair for sale right now.
One caveat - the leads are 'flat' silvery wire.
This makes it difficult to hook to the terminals.
Won't stop you, I'm sure.  Please note the socket
I used as a buffer.  I did round the top to fit
snugly against the bottom of the boiler.

www.ebay.com/itm/393273968915?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649


  If I had seen these Before the ones I saw first,
I would have purchased them because they have regular
wires. 

www.ebay.com/itm/393385361943?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Good Luck,
Wayne

Good Luck.  I'll be doing another soon.

Good Luck,
Wayne

I just ordered one of these myself (the 2nd one) for a B31.  I figured what the heck!  Is that a socket in the middle?  That is ingenious (in the B31 thread the member made a brass bit).  Also in the B31 thread he mention "mica" - I assume so it can be around the outer edge?  I can't tell, do you have mica too around the heater (around the outer circumference of the heater/inner tank)?  I assume that it is important to have that barrier between heater/tank edges.

I am also looking at Insulated High-Temperature Ring Terminals from McMaster-Carr (300 F) to put on the end of the wires (darn out of stock).  Might anyone know the screw size of the Empire's inner studs (I think they are 10-24)?

Lastly, thank you Wayne for your post and URLs to the heaters - you are a star for sure!

I get you would cut off the molex connector.  Did you keep in the socket wrench in the middle or temporally used it to push it out to the walls of the tank (removing the socket wrench before putting the cover plate).  In the B31 thread, it seemed like he kept the brass slug he milled in.  I also assume you put mica in between the tank wall and heater, to protect from the heater shorting electrically to the tank?  Or is that not needed at all?

My B31 is missing the cover plate but actually had the heater (sandwiched between lots of mica) then an iron band that pushed it to the walls.  Nothing in the middle other than a big hole - say like a donut.  So I don't know if Empire had originally an iron/brass core in that center void / hole.

Sorry if I am being stupid, though I am ignorant how it was originally from the factory

okay, I see - thanks Wayne!

Interestingly....check these pix of an
Elektro that just came in - and according
to the ohm meter this one has a good heater.
The engine is, unfortunately, not a runner,
but thankfully, I have another.  Great pix of
the heater.  Just like the Empire vertical.

Wayne

  Join the club.  My new engine would not run at all on
air and is now in the parts box.  I took another engine
I had, mounted it in place, sealed the pipe joints
with teflon tape wound into a string, and am now
running it in with an Erector set engine.  Success
is not guaranteed with these poorly designed engines.
I've had one runner...in five.  That one had a good
heater and engine.  The one I'm working on now has a
good heater so I really want to make it work.  Jeepers,
I ought to be able to get two runners out of five.

Congrats and good luck,
Wayne