Wierd enough to be Franken?

rsv1cox Wed Mar 28, 2018 3:16 pm

To most here "Franken" means a tuned engine made with carefully matched parts intended to turn a zillion or two RPM's

This one isn't that.

It's the bottom of the barrel, what's left over from assembling/cleaning 50 or so common Cox Bee engines.

The piston and cylinder are NIP Cox parts, the crankshaft and drive washer are from parts, the glow head came from MECOA, the needle is from used parts, the reed and reed retainer are from Bernie, and I believe the cast case is from a lot of engine parts that I bought on ebay years ago from Matt, and the Sure-Start and choke tube have been hanging around forever and I think also came from Matt in that same buy.

The key was finding a tank that fit, when I stumbled on the Sure-Start parts. I was surprised when they just snapped into place. It got even better when I discovered that the phillips pan head 2-56X1/2" machine screws that I have a hundred of fit without cutting to length.

I'm not familiar with the Sure-Starts. The Cox handbook says it was necessary when Cox went to the slit cylinders, making priming difficult, so they came up with this. I guess you put a finger over the tube and flip the prop over to prime the engine.

Maybe not so weird, Cox put out the Sure-Starts in both cast and die cast cases.

Bob

Tee Bee Wed Mar 28, 2018 4:06 pm

I've found the snorkel intakes unnecessary on my Surestarts. I usually remove them for easier firewall mounting and they have always started readily with a little prime in the exhaust ports just like any other reedie. The only two snorkels I have in service currently have Bernie's intake throttle setup on them. They required fabrication of some hardwood spacer blocks on each side to mount them. I think the CL models that came like that had instructions to prime fuel into the intake. The logic was probably to prevent the chance of a fuel fire burning fingers at the exhaust. Flying Cox engines is supposed to involve a little sacrifice and pain. Smile

NEW222 Wed Mar 28, 2018 7:49 pm

Nice looking little engine there Bob. For a parts engine, it will probably run great. Do you have any plans on flying it, bench running, or or is it just for your display. What I like the most of the cast crankcases is that they seem to take color very well. I have been watching for a good ol used one to powdercoat. Or next time I order from C.I., put one in my order.

rsv1cox Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:29 am

Thanks, I would like to run all of these clean-ups/rebuilds/Frankens but at 80 years old I think I would run out of time...... Smile

I will single out several to run on a test stand, and the green monster will be one of them. Matt is sending me a better fitting prop drive washer for it.

Out of boxes of complete Cox engines, and drawers full of Cox parts I'm down to these. I should just toss them but that's not me. I'm trying to salvage a drilled Black Widow fuel tank and a crankshaft/case with broken off studs. Also postage stamps. I think I will give in and toss the bunch. Sad

It's not about money it's about giving up.

rsv1cox Thu Mar 29, 2018 7:44 am

Tee Bee wrote:I've found the snorkel intakes unnecessary on my Surestarts. I usually remove them for easier firewall mounting and they have always started readily with a little prime in the exhaust ports just like any other reedie. The only two snorkels I have in service currently have Bernie's intake throttle setup on them. They required fabrication of some hardwood spacer blocks on each side to mount them. I think the CL models that came like that had instructions to prime fuel into the intake. The logic was probably to prevent the chance of a fuel fire burning fingers at the exhaust. Flying Cox engines is supposed to involve a little sacrifice and pain.

As it's the only Sure Start (type) engine however made-up I have I think I will keep it as is and mount it using stand-offs.

I remember when I bought my first slit cylinder engine and flew it on one of my Sterling hollow logs. I found it useful in keeping seeds and debris out of the cylinder and seriously thought that was it's intended purpose. In my opinion it's only useful function.

I really liked the lighting that you added to your display. It brightened the colors of your engines and added to their enjoyment. I'm sure the wife approved. Smile

Bob

Tee Bee Thu Mar 29, 2018 11:23 am

rsv1cox wrote:I really liked the lighting that you added to your display. It brightened the colors of your engines and added to their enjoyment. I'm sure the wife approved. Bob

Thanks! She actually said it looks great! She was probably just being nice since I'm taking her to Key West this weekend. Easter Bunny

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