Check out the starter motor for this big old engine. Interesting repurposing of an old bike. Starts about 5:30 in the video. 
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Diesel startup
- Thread starter bosco659
- Start date
What always gets me is the fact these people have cell phones and internet access to post videos like this.
I'm just guessing that cell phone service and internet access is cheaper than here in the USA.
It's kind of obvious there must be three people shooting videos of this guy starting this antique diesel as many times you can see two other guys doing their own videos.
I'm just guessing that cell phone service and internet access is cheaper than here in the USA.
It's kind of obvious there must be three people shooting videos of this guy starting this antique diesel as many times you can see two other guys doing their own videos.
I guess like most places in the world, everyone has a cell phone now. I watched a similar video where there were at least two videographers. Interesting these engines are still used to run water pumps, grain mills etc. I don’t think they have much capacity for fuel storage - does that mean they’re relatively fuel efficient? They don’t fire every revolution so maybe they are?
Yep, they are what is called "Hit and Miss" RPMs controlled by switching ignition on or off in gas engines. I'd have to do some reading on how that worked with a diesel. Assume the fuel was only injected when RPMs dropped, that might be what that linkage on the side of engine was for with the notch in it.
Now if one of those "hit and miss" engine come under a load they will fire every time. The more I think about it I would think they might not be that great on gasoline as I don't think the fuel is shut off just the spark so at idle there would be wasted gas going through the engine. Anyone know more about that?
Did a little research and found this that applies to gas engines, or at least some of the hit and miss:
Operation[edit]
The intake valve on hit-and-miss engines has no actuator; instead, a light spring holds the intake valve closed unless a vacuum in the cylinder draws it open. This vacuum only occurs if the exhaust valve is closed during the piston's down-stroke. When the hit-and-miss engine is operating above its set speed, the governor holds the exhaust valve open, preventing a vacuum in the cylinder and causing the intake valve to remain closed, thus interrupting the Otto cycle firing mechanism. When the engine is operating at or below its set speed, the governor lets the exhaust valve close. On the next down-stroke, a vacuum in the cylinder opens the intake valve and lets the fuel-air mixture enter. This mechanism prevents fuel consumption during the intake stroke of "miss" cycles.
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Every fall there is a local Steam Era show I like to attend. They have fairly modern tractors and those all the was back to the steam era. In between are rather primitive diesels and hit and miss engines. Some of the large engines I’ve seen are started with compressed air. I the early days there weren't glow plugs to ignite the fuel. On some models one had to light a fire at the head which I assume gets sucked in on the intake stroke? I’ve seen others where a large torch is placed by the head and I assume to start, they heat the head up hot enough that the fuel ignites on contact for start up. I suppose bring diesel, once the machine is running, no further source of ignition is needed. Interesting to watch these vids.
My brother had some interest in Chocolate/cacao farms and gold mines in Equador years (10?) back and would do exploration trips in the jungle with with his geologists. He recounted traveling along a river in long skinny boats with their gear and guides winding through the jungle. He told me they passed a little village of indigenous tribe people along the banks of the river. Huts with open cooking fire pits, people with nothing but the jungle, all naked as the day they were born. And one naked male, standing on the river bank watching the team float by as he talked on his cell/sat phone.
