Yes one does see all the differences . Different backplate ,venturie needle tank top no shutoff,and done in plane brass, no comp screw stop ,seems to be shorter in the crank area ,no drive pins on the prop driver? So which is the most desirable to all you diesel collectors out there , or is it 6 off one and half a dozen of the other ?

Originally Posted by gkamysz

I've managed to repair two engines with aluminum solder sticks. One mounting lug on an FS-120 and one intake lug on an FS-91. They are tricky to work with.



Greg

I have managed to get a handle on using them.
The trick is to clean the surfaces of any oil and ferous material.
The temp of the surface is critical.
I have used them to repair the exhaust tube on my Johnson outboard.

I did try once on an os crankcase. Produced a nice blob.
I guess I got it too hot. Have since worked a treat on some mufflers.

I have run out of sticks and lost the paperwork I got with them.

Must track down some more.

Here are two different makes and methods of aluminium soldering. The first is that Alutight I mentioned, it looks like some solder wrap but is of course some kind of aluminium material. There is a warning not to use acetylene for heating. I have never used that, bought it a few years ago at the French Ferté-Alais meeting. The second picture is by Technoweld and here a stainl.steel needle and a st.steel brush are suplied as well as some aluminium material. The method is to clean parts, heat up, add a few drops of molten alu and then by scratching in between the parts with that needle things will join. And that does work as I have used this in the past to add two parts of tube together. Never tried what gkamyz did acomplish on that head but I have a cracked OPS 4stroke casting and will try it later today. Working with a flame on aluminium with a flame does involve the risk of having parts melting all of a sudden so I use a simple metal oven degree meter to make sure, but it all comes down to experience as is the case with anything when working with metal....

In the US you can buy Bernzomatic sticks at just about any hardware store. I also purchased some from Ebay and there appears to be a couple different formula of rods. I don't remember which I used to repair the engines, but it probably wasn't the Bernzomatic rods because I keep them in their bag. The two types of Ebay rods I found were unmarked and not packaged so I'm not sure which I actually used, but I think it was the high strength rod that worked better.

I had best luck by grinding or filing the damaged area clean and mostly smooth. This will allow the stainless brush to clean the oxides easily. A fractured surface simply won't be clean enough to get a bond. With castings getting the right temperature is hard, especially on any finned part. Propane is barely hot enough for a larger part, MAPP seemed easier to work with.

Greg

that little ED was rather well made it appears, be warned that putting that back cover back on is a bit tricky, tried to run it but that needle valve does not work at all in fact when fully closed the engine does overflow....no time to make another one right now

On this ED Bee version (and also the Hornet), crankcase + backplate is a "matched pair", i.e. the drilled hole for the inlet tube is positioned with the backplate + gasket screwed on place, individually for each set, which should be kept together.

...meaning that inlet timing is (to some extent) judged by the gasket thickness....

there was no gasket on this engine ?

I had to check my two examples. One of them - the one I've been running - has a very thin gasket, while the other one doesn't seem to have one.....
Didn't get any wiser on this , so let's further the question to someone who could give a certain answer...

Originally Posted by Gluehand

I had to check my two examples. One of them - the one I've been running - has a very thin gasket, while the other one doesn't seem to have one.....
Didn't get any wiser on this , so let's further the question to someone who could give a certain answer...

Yes I think my engine did not need a gasket, very flat but to make sure I flattened the back of the case on jewelers sandpaper... but that needle valve is rubbish but then maeby someone fooled it up in the past...

I own a old Drone .29 engine where the needle valve center needle part was loose in the holder. So when you turned it the center needle didn't move with the carrier. It took me a while before I figured out what the problem was and fixed it. I would turn the needle valve and the setting didn't change. But I would unscrew the needle and carrier and see the needle and then wonder what the heck was wrong there.

Originally Posted by earlwb

I own a old Drone .29 engine where the needle valve center needle part was loose in the holder. So when you turned it the center needle didn't move with the carrier. It took me a while before I figured out what the problem was and fixed it. I would turn the needle valve and the setting didn't change. But I would unscrew the needle and carrier and see the needle and then wonder what the heck was wrong there.

I must admit I was wondering whether this might be the problem with Reginald's E.D. Bee needle; I had several Bees back in the day and on at least two of them the needle came loose in the brass thimble and had to be soldered before the engine would run properly.

Concerning ED Bee backplates and needles.
The Mk I Bee didn't have a backplate gasket when new. They just seem to screw in dead right, every time.
Concerning the needle, the problem is due to the difficult fiddle to assemble the tank, the tank retaining bolt, the intake tube and the needle properly. It's quite possible, but it sometimes needs a bit of "fiddling".
The result of this is that the needle thimble is often jammed hard against the rim of its entry hole in the tank, and excessive force is needed to turn the needle. The solution is obviously to adjust by turning the thimble.
Usually, the needle can be turned OK but, before using excessive force... turn the thimble! There's not much soldering area in contact, between the needle and the thimble, and excessive force used on the "L" shaped needle top will cause the solder joint to fail.

I've always loved the ED Bee Mk I, since school in the early fifties. The result is that, over the years, I've kept every "nice" Bee that came my way... The current count is 17. They're all superb and a source of great pleasure and nostalgia...

17 Bees!
I thought I had a problem with 3 Mk I's and 2 Mk 2's.
I just won one of the late Mk 2's (V serial) so it will be interesting to see if it really is the "hot" performer (0.1 hp versus the usual 0.07).

Will report when it arrives.

One Bee Mk I Ser. 1, and one Hornet.

Both had NV issues, now resolved.

Best run with tank installed (to support intake tube). Someone on *bay UK is selling reproduction tanks at the moment.

Hi Fiery,
Just purchased a Kompish after watching your video.

My affliction just keeps getting worse!