CHAPTER VIII.

POINTS FOR THE YOUNG ENGINEER.--(CONT.)

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

THE ENGINE.

Q. What is the first thing to do with a new engine?

A. With some cotton waste or a soft rag saturated with benzine or turpentine clean off all the bright work; then clean every bearing, box and oil hole, using a force pump with air current first, if you have a pump, and then wiping the inside out clean with an oily rag, using a wire if necessary to make the work thorough. If you do not clean the working parts of the engine thus before setting it up, grit will get into the bearings and cause them to cut. Parts that have been put together need not be taken apart; but you should clean everything you can get at, especially the oil holes and other places that may receive dirt during transportation.

After the oil holes have been well cleaned, the oil cups may be wiped off and put in place, screwing them in with a wrench.

Q. What kind of oil should you use?

A. Cylinder oil only for the cylinder; lard oil for the bearings, and hard grease if your engine is provided with hard grease cup for the cross-head and crank. The only good substitute for cylinder oil is pure beef suet tried out. Merchantable tallow should never be used, as it contains acid.

Q. Can fittings be screwed on by hand only?

A. No; all fittings should be screwed up tight with a wrench.

Q. When all fittings are in place, what must be done before the engine can be started?

A. See that the grates in the firebox are in place and all right; then fill the boiler with clean water until it shows an inch to an inch and a half in the water gauge. Start your fire, and let it burn slowly until there is a pressure in the boiler of 10 or 15 lbs. Then you can turn on the blower to get up draft. In the meantime fill all the oil cups with oil; put grease on the gears; open and close all cocks to see that they work all right; turn your engine over a few times to see that it works all right; let a little steam into the cylinder with both cylinder cocks open--just enough to show at the cocks without moving the engine--and slowly turn the engine over, stopping it on the dead centers to see if the steam comes from only one of the cylinder cocks at a time, and that the proper one; reverse the engine and make the same test. Also see that the cylinder oiler is in place and ready for operation. See that the pump is all right and in place, with the valve in the feedpipe open and also the valve in the supply pipe.

By going over the engine in this way you will notice whether everything is tight and in working order, and whether you have failed to notice any part which you do not understand. If there is any part or fitting you do not understand, know all about it before you go ahead.

Having started your fire with dry wood, add fuel gradually, a little at a time, until you have a fire covering every part of the grate. Regulate the fire by the damper alone, never opening the firebox door even if the fire gets too hot.

Q. In what way should the engine be started?

A. When you have from 25 to 40 lbs. of pressure open the throttle valve a little, allowing the cylinder cocks to be open also. Some steam will condense at first in the cold cylinder, and this water must be allowed to drain off. See that the crank is not on a dead center, and put on just enough steam to start the engine. As soon as it gets warmed up, and only dry steam appears at the cocks, close the cylinder cocks, open the throttle gradually till it is wide open, and wait for the engine to work up to its full speed.

Q. How is the speed of the engine regulated?

A. By the governor, which is operated by a belt running to the main shaft. The governor is a delicate apparatus, and should be watched closely. It should move up and down freely on the stem, which should not leak steam. If it doesn’t work steadily, you should stop the engine and adjust it, after watching it for a minute or two to see just where the difficulty lies.

Q. Are you likely to have any hot boxes?

A. There should be none if the bearings are all clean and well supplied with oil. However, in starting a new engine you should stop now and then and examine every bearing by laying your hand upon it. Remember the eccentric, the link pin, the cross-head, the crank pin. If there is any heat, loosen the boxes up a trifle, but only a very little at a time. If you notice any knocking or pounding, you have loosened too much, and should tighten again.

Q. What must you do in regard to water supply?

A. After the engine is started and you know it is all right, fill the tank on the engine and start the injector. It may take some patience to get the injector started, and you should carefully follow the directions previously given and those which apply especially to the type of injector used. Especially be sure that the cocks admitting the water through the feed pipe and into the boiler are open.

Q. Why are both a pump and an injector required on an engine?

A. The pump is most economical, because it permits the heat in the exhaust steam to be used to heat the feed water, while the injector heats the water by live steam. There should also be an injector, however, for use when the engine is not working, in order that the water in the boiler may be kept up with heated water. If a cross-head pump is used, of course, it will not operate when the engine is not running; and in case of an independent pump the heater will not heat the water when the engine is not running because there is little or no exhaust steam available. There is an independent pump (the Marsh pump) which heats the water before it goes into the boiler, and this may be used when the engine is shut down instead of the injector.

Q. What is the next thing to test?

A. The reversing mechanism. Throw the reverse lever back, and see if the engine will run equally well in the opposite direction. Repeat this a few times to make sure that the reverse is in good order.

Q. How is a traction engine set going upon the road?

A. Most traction engines now have the friction clutch. When the engine is going at full speed, take hold of the clutch lever and slowly bring the clutch against the band wheel. It will slip a little at first, gradually engaging the gears and moving the outfit. Hold the clutch lever in one hand, while with the other you operate the steering wheel. By keeping your hand on the clutch lever you may stop forward motion instantly if anything goes wrong. When the engine is once upon the road, the clutch lever may set in the notch provided for it, and the engine will go at full speed. You can then give your entire attention to steering.

Q. What should you do if the engine has no friction clutch?

A. Stop the engine, placing the reversing lever in the center notch. Then slide the spur pinion into the gear and open the throttle valve wide. You are now ready to control the engine by the reversing lever. Throw the lever forward a little, bringing it back, and so continue until you have got the engine started gradually. When well under way throw the reverse lever into the last notch, and give your attention to steering.

Q. How should you steer a traction engine?

A. In all cases the same man should handle the throttle and steer the engine. Skill in steering comes by practice, and about the only rule that can be given is to go slow, and under no circumstances jerk your engine about. Good steering depends a great deal on natural ability to judge distances by the eye and power by the feel. A good engineer must have a good eye, a good ear, and a good touch (if we may so speak). If either is wanting, success will be uncertain.

Q. How should an engine be handled on the road?

A. There will be no special difficulty in handling an engine on a straight, level piece of road, especially if the road is hard and without holes. But when you come to your first hill your troubles will begin.

Before ascending a hill, see that the water in the boiler does not stand more than two inches in the glass gauge. If there is too much water, as it is thrown to one end of the engine by the grade it is liable to get into the steam cylinder. If you have too much water, blow off a little from the bottom blow-off cock.

In descending a hill never stop your engine for a moment, since your crown sheet will be uncovered by reason of the water being thrown forward, and any cessation in the jolting of the engine which keeps the water flowing over the crown sheet will cause the fusible plug to blow out, making delay and expense.

Make it a point never to stop your engine except on the level.

Before descending a hill, shut off the steam at the throttle, and control the engine by the friction brake; or if there is no brake, do not quite close the throttle, but set the reverse lever in the center notch, or back far enough to control the speed. It is seldom necessary to use steam in going down hill, however, and if the throttle is closed even with no friction brake, the reverse may be used in such a way as to form an air brake in the cylinder.

Get down to the bottom of a hill as quickly as you can.

Before descending a hill it would be well to close your dampers and keep the firebox door closed tight all the time. Cover the fire with fresh fuel so as to keep the heat down.

The pump or injector must be kept at work, however, since as you have let the water down low, you must not let it fall any lower or you are likely to have trouble.

In ascending a hill, do just the reverse, namely: Keep your fire brisk and hot, with steam pressure ascending; and throw the reverse lever in the last notch, giving the engine all the steam you can, else you may get stuck. If you stop you are likely to overheat forward end of fire tubes. You are less liable to get stuck if you go slowly than if you go fast. Regulate speed by friction clutch.