I turned the engine over with the kick starter and found little resistance, so I am anticipating a top end service, valve grinding and gaskets etc before it fires up, but, just in case, I will give it a few turns on the starter before I do. It had plenty of compression last year, when | turned it on its starting handle, so perhaps it just needs some exercise!
The engine (an ebay opportunity purchase) is only 15hp, at 3600rpm, so I am not expecting much more than a steady trot, but would anyone like to suggest what final drive it might pull, with a sidecar. It has the standard 4.2 at present, but I have a new 3.89 in the drawer. I am wondering if it may just pull 3.5, as the Hatz 20hp pulls the 3.2, or am I flying with the fairies on that one?
I have been admiring Johnny Fireball's Daihatsu. I particularly like the tank. My frame is probably almost as tall, even more stretched and the manifold is bulky, leaving very little space to drop the original tank, if any. I am debating whether to make a dummy tank if I cannot make a saddle tank and put the fuel somewhere else. How did you do yours, Johnny?
For the record, I settled on the Petter engine for its appearance and for its ready made bell housing, which has proved quite easy to make up a conversion flange for and to have the flywheel machined up to accept the Dnepr clutch. The front end has a facility to fit a PTO shaft, which will be used to turn a Nippon Denso alternator of the same kind currently used on the new Urals. The governor has been fitted with a variable speed mechanism, cannibalized from another Petter, and a 3600rpm speeder spring.
Petter engines, especially this one, resemble an old fashioned industrial sewing machine in shape and form, so I have had to make very drastic alterations to the frame. I hope members will consider that the result is not too reminiscent of a piece of equipment that might have been found in the old gasworks (in contrast to the sleek integrity of some of the expertly crafted machines that we have seen on the site lately).
The cutting, fabricating and welding was done last year, with the valued assistance and expertise of a family friend, Craig, who was kind enough to put his workshop and three phase welder at my disposal, and carried out the more visible welds himself.
I will endeavour to further the progress this year, but cannot promise to be ready in time for the "Big Knock" in May. In the meantime, may I send my best wishes to those who will be there and hope the rally goes well.
