Re: SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN

TopBannana Tue Jul 14, 2015 7:55 am

getback wrote:What do you consider modern if you mean standard yes with the right cly./pis. to fit , in 1955 they changed over to the standard size threads , this was my thread just talking about how much I enjoyed running one of space bug jr. for the first time Eric

Modern meaning the heads you can buy new from cox international now. They fit any post 55 cly./pis. (I blew 2 of those heads)

I had a threaded hole in a wrench that you could just easily screw on a glow plug to and i used that to check the size of a drill bit and found a tap for the right thread. That part came out nice, but the widening at the top to make the glow plug go in further I used a larger drill bit and I couldn't find a flat end bit like on a cnc or milling machine, so i used that and everything was straight, then I put the glow plug back on and it went in as desired so I called it a day and went in to my house only to find the gaskets for the glow plug will only seal on a flat edge, DAMMIT!

So Ill have to find a flat tipped dremel piece and see how that comes out.

(P.S. thats awesome, running the coolest cooking coxengine)

rsv1cox Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:46 am

Mark Boesen wrote:yep, that's where the blue tank version was mostly used for.

Not having a blue tanked Space Bug Jr. I over-extended on this ebay offering paying about double over what my others cost. A sniper at the one second mark went away disappointed.

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Space%20bug%20side_zpswvm183y0

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Space%20bug%20side_zpswvm183y0

One thing that attracted me to it was the flatness of the backside as a lot of these show landing gear impressions. I guess maybe as Mark mentions that it may have been installed on a Cox Prop Rod.

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Spave%20bug%20back_zps4csx9k3e

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Spave%20bug%20back_zps4csx9k3e

I'm just hoping that the cylinder/head combo is original. Looks normal to me.

getback Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:58 am

Hey I wasn't sniping just watching to the last second and when to the most I would pay or should say could at this time , I think it the small thread but the only pic that would say so is blurred Shocked

it is a nice one ! the blus one I got cost me more than that one did you , but its already cleaned Laughing

let us know when you get it ... scroll down to the glow heads and the first one is the small dia. you can see the fin at the top terminal right before it gets large that's your indication it smaller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_model_engine you probably already know that though Very Happy

rsv1cox Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:45 pm

getback wrote:Hey I wasn't sniping just watching to the last second and when to the most I would pay or should say could at this time , I think it the small thread but the only pic that would say so is blurred it is a nice one ! the blus one I got cost me more than that one did you , but its already cleaned let us know when you get it ... scroll down to the glow heads and the first one is the small dia. you can see the fin at the top terminal right before it gets large that's your indication it smaller https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_model_engine you probably already know that though

Got it last week Eric, just finished cleaning it this morning. Minimum cleaning required as it's quite clean on the inside with no evidence of it ever having been fueled. Either that or thay ran the tank dry or disassembled and cleaned.

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl10

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl10

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl11

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl14

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl12

Looks like if there was fuel in the tank it rested on the two bottom machine screws. Also the NV is well bent. Not easy to straighten so I robbed another early large knob A style valve. Cleaned up well.

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl13

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Cox_bl13

Got three of the four now. Just need one of your Yellows Eric. Smile

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 3_cox_10

The red engine is my second Cox bought sometime in 1955. Notice the scratches on the case. I didn't have a Cox clip and had to use an alligator clip. My first Cox engine as I have mentioned is somewhere in the woods of NH, probably in the top of a pine tree. Sad

crankbndr Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:51 pm

Nice trio!! The way the tank was setup could have been off a Prop Rod.

rsv1cox Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:56 pm

crankbndr wrote:Nice trio!! The way the tank was setup could have been off a Prop Rod.

Yes, I think that Mark mentioned that. Do you know what prop came on the Prop Rod? This one was mounted backwards and has a small square stamp with what looks like a star burst in the upper left hand corner on each blade. I wanted to recreate it that way but the stand won't accept that configuration.

crankbndr Mon Aug 17, 2015 1:02 pm

That logo is for KaySun props, I believe the early Rods came with a 6" white KaySun prop. So did some of the early engines.

getback Mon Aug 17, 2015 1:38 pm

LOOKING GOOD !! it did clean up nicely , That Package hasn't gotten here yet let me check it out and I will let you know what the Damage would bee Smile

. From the pic it looks like it was a reg. glow instead of the smaller diameter ? Where you get those plexiglass glass stands at , you make them they look Cool Very Happy

Eric

crankbndr Mon Aug 17, 2015 2:39 pm

I had a white KaySun prop that was in rough shape that cleaned up very nice using 2000 wet or dry paper and Novus polish.

rsv1cox Mon Aug 17, 2015 3:13 pm

crankbndr wrote:I had a white KaySun prop that was in rough shape that cleaned up very nice using 2000 wet or dry paper and Novus polish.

This one cleaned up well with some yellowing. But, it's cracked at the hub so it's display only. Thanks for the ID, I do remember some discussion about Kaysun props.

Bob

Mark Boesen Mon Aug 17, 2015 10:55 pm

rsv1cox Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:17 am

crankbndr wrote:I had a white KaySun prop that was in rough shape that cleaned up very nice using 2000 wet or dry paper and Novus polish.

What's wrong with this picture?

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Prop_r10

KariFS Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:08 am

Your fuel tank vents are installed on the bottom of the fuel tank. Also, your glow plug is too long. I suggest you plug the existing vents and drill new ones on the top side and trim about 1/8" off the glow plug.

Just kidding (duh).

If you take it apart again and rotate the parts so that the needle valve and vents point up, would it change the centerline of the engine so that you could install it with the cylinder pointing down without the plug fouling the body of the car? Or should the cylinder point outwards like on airplanes?

Otherwise, a very nice combo Thumbs Up

crankbndr Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:37 am

rsv1cox wrote:
crankbndr wrote:I had a white KaySun prop that was in rough shape that cleaned up very nice using 2000 wet or dry paper and Novus polish.

What's wrong with this picture?

This Rod appears to have been cobbled together out of parts, the cylinder is not right for engine. Prop seems to be backwards.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Cox-THIMBLE-DROME-PROP-ROD-Model-Tether-Car-Space-Bug-Jr-049-Engine-/331625756118?hash=item4d366f75d6

Mudhen Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:07 am

rsv1cox Tue Aug 18, 2015 11:42 am

Yes, guys, it's an udder disgrace, if it was a cow I would milk her. lol!

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 Prop_r11

None of that is stated in the ad. At minimum the fuel tank should have been installed correctly.

getback Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:10 pm

That would be interesting to see someone try and run her , At lest it hasn't been Glued everwhere you could imagine like the one I got after I got to looking at it lol!

I need to get in the Air ! Eric Cool

KariFS Tue Aug 18, 2015 12:32 pm

Oh well. Maybe not such a nice combo after all then. Could have fooled me, apart from the parts getting in each others way and the tank position.

Never seen one in person either, probably none were ever imported to Finland.

rsv1cox Tue Aug 18, 2015 1:31 pm

getback wrote:LOOKING GOOD !! it did clean up nicely , That Package hasn't gotten here yet let me check it out and I will let you know what the Damage would bee . From the pic it looks like it was a reg. glow instead of the smaller diameter ? Where you get those plexiglass glass stands at , you make them they look Cool Eric

I found them here Eric.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Piece-Adjustable-Display-Stand-Mineral-Specimen-Agate-Slab-Clear-Acrylic-/181806461061?hash=item2a54827085

Pretty inexpensive way to display radial mount engines. There was some discussion about them here a while back. Easy to drill and tap, but beware of cracking when tapping. The correct bit/tap size is important.

Bob

gcb Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:33 am

KariFS wrote:..If you take it apart again and rotate the parts so that the needle valve and vents point up, would it change the centerline of the engine so that you could install it with the cylinder pointing down without the plug fouling the body of the car? Or should the cylinder point outwards like on airplanes?

Otherwise, a very nice combo

Actually the centerline is determined by the crankcase. Notice how it is offset. Turning the entire engine upright would be correct way to run it.

I THINK the Prop Rod first came out powered by the Babe Bee. This was after the Space Bug Junior was out of production. This is from memory so it may be incorrect. I never had a prop rod. You might check if the hole for the intake to accommodate the engine was factory drilled or drilled as an after thought.

BTW, I especially like the Space Bug Junior since that was my first "brand new" engine. It was the natural tank, small plug in 1954. Before that I had traded my BB gun for a used OK Cub in a Scientific Little Bipe.

George

Oldenginerod Wed Aug 19, 2015 2:58 am

A Google search will show that many Prop Rods were indeed fitted with the Space Bug Junior, with most of those pictured having the engine inverted.

gcb Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:10 pm

Oldenginerod wrote:A Google search will show that many Prop Rods were indeed fitted with the Space Bug Junior, with most of those pictured having the engine inverted.

You are correct. Did that search and observed some unique configurations.

George

Jason_WI Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:25 pm

Just got this in the mail today. Engine lot off of eBay. Looks to be near new.

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 06F2DD01-7D27-4C6F-83C5-6874E5F5191C_zpsoidryiit

test stands - SPACE BUG Jr. (gosh) TEST RUN - Page 2 06F2DD01-7D27-4C6F-83C5-6874E5F5191C_zpsoidryiit

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=221843759996&globalID=EBAY-US

I think I did pretty good on this one. Offset my loss on the other auction

Oldenginerod Thu Aug 20, 2015 5:47 am

I think I looked at that lot, but the $40 shipping scared me off. I take special note when I see a Space Bug Jr 'cos I'd love one, but they all seem to escape me. One day maybe Mad

gcb Thu Aug 20, 2015 9:27 am

The Space Bug Junior was designed as a beginner's CL engine. That's why the needle was positioned to be inside the circle. The pickup is opposite the needle and is molded as part of the backplate. It is a very easy starting engine.

BTW, look at the disassembled pics on page 2 for the needle layout.

Looks like yours is in excellent shape. Good luck with it. Smile

George

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