sexton Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Hi. The local military museum has a beaten-up old Sexton that needs lots of work so I volunteered. The first priority is to get the R-975 engine out and check it out. Based on fibrescope examination through a couple of plug holes, it could be a lost cause. I signed up here because I'm sure I'll have lots of questions. Hope you can help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Welcome don't forget the piccies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Welcome aboard! I'm rather new around here myself, but have found this a pleasant and helpful community. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Welcome in, definitley post pictures of the beast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Dear Sexton, as the others have said, welcome aboard. Could you do yourself and others a favour and fill out your online profile a bit more so we can see where in the world you are? If you notice the headboard of the post it shows up on the right in the green area. It will pay you back in spades eventually R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Grundy Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 I agree Robin, it should be mandatory for all new members to give their location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arcot1751 Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Welcome to the HMVF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Locolines Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks, guys. (I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you are all guys.) I updated my profile. And here are a couple of close-up pics. She's at the Oshawa Military Museum, Oshawa Ontario, Canada. She's very rough but the price was right. It looks a bit overwhelming to me but the old hands value her Canadian provenance. Built in Montreal, IIRC. Went abroad at the end of the war (Poland?) and came back. The story is she was stripped and used for mining for many years, and then left to rot. The drivetrain has survived and still rotates. She can be inched forward with 200 ft-lb of torque manually applied to the transmission input shaft in first gear. I think the R-975 was good for about 1000 ft-lb. Three questions: - each cylinder head and cylinder is one piece. Was it cast and machined that way or were they made separately and permanently pressed together? - are the steel liners pressed into the finned cylinders or cast in? - the pistons, at least the lower ones, are welded solidly into the bores with rust. Liquid penetrant will be used by the gallon. Then rosebuds to expand the cylinder while pulling on the rod. Seems like there is a high risk of pulling the liner right out of the cylinder? Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 If you lot build good kit, expect people to work it to death! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 The heads from the cilinders can be taken off , but they are a tight fit , cilinders are not cilindrical .Is it the C1 version ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks, guys. (I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you are all guys.) We do have some long haired types in here plus a few of the fairer sex. I am sure you will get plenty of advice about your radial. Last time I worked on one was 25 years ago and mine was on a test stand. I believe Supertrack in here was selling parts for a radial, not sure is same type Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 The heads from the cilinders can be taken off , but they are a tight fit , cilinders are not cilindrical .Is it the C1 version ? Thanks. They must be on tight if the interference fit is all that's stopping them from blowing off! How do you get them apart? I saw from the manual they are ground with a tapered bore. It also says you can't hone or grind them which is going to be problem based on the state of the couple we borescoped. I don't know if it's a C1. I'll see if I can find the nameplate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 So, Sexton, down the road from me, I see now. I'm thinking you have a real name or are all of you working on the behemoth using one log in name? I guess I will be meeting you this Saturday then, I think I'm slated to accompany a well known forum member visiting from the UK. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 So, Sexton, down the road from me, I see now. I'm thinking you have a real name or are all of you working on the behemoth using one log in name? I guess I will be meeting you this Saturday then, I think I'm slated to accompany a well known forum member visiting from the UK. R Hi robin. I'll be there 10 to 2 probably. If not on the Sexton, then on the generator in the trailer. I just heard the engine cover is off today so we can start disconnecting for the lift out. Although we should probably fab a stand first. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 C1 engine isto be recognized by rounded valve covers , C4 are flat on top . C1 cilinders have a cilindrical set of cooling fins , and the C4 has an increasing in diameter cilinder cooling fins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 C1 engine isto be recognized by rounded valve covers , C4 are flat on top . C1 cilinders have a cilindrical set of cooling fins , and the C4 has an increasing in diameter cilinder cooling fins. Thanks. I'll check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted November 3, 2013 Author Share Posted November 3, 2013 C1 engine isto be recognized by rounded valve covers , C4 are flat on top . C1 cilinders have a cilindrical set of cooling fins , and the C4 has an increasing in diameter cilinder cooling fins. From the photos I've attached, is it a C1 or C4? The number stamped on the rear hull is 2102. The serial number stamped on the rear diffuser cover is 124763. I pulled an rocker cover from an upper cylinder and it didn't look too bad. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 It was good to meet you on Saturday, that is a real project you have on your hands there. I am always amazed at the stories of how people or museums acquire the vehicles. I was enthralled by either you or Dave telling the tale, perhaps you would be so good as to repeat it here for everyone else as I am sure to get details wrong. Keep up the good work Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurice Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 by the look of it it is a C1 engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share Posted November 9, 2013 It was good to meet you on Saturday, that is a real project you have on your hands there. I am always amazed at the stories of how people or museums acquire the vehicles. I was enthralled by either you or Dave telling the tale, perhaps you would be so good as to repeat it here for everyone else as I am sure to get details wrong. Keep up the good work Robin That was Dave's story. As far as I remember it, a farmer showed up at an open day because a relative had served in tanks and filled his head with stories. At the end of the day he casually mentioned he had an old beast in his barn and the museum could have it if they wanted. It was the Sexton. Dave was a bit vague on how the farmer had ended up with it.I suspect he had bought the farm complete with the Sexton! And as you saw, it is a bit of a fixture. The Canadian provenance was a selling point to the museum. And maybe the R-975? So it got dragged out and shipped here. We're working on a stand for the R-975 then we'll pull it out. Although getting the engine running certainly isn't the only challenge to getting the Sexton functional. Malcolm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexton Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share Posted November 9, 2013 by the look of it it is a C1 engine That's what I figured too. Any advice on separating the heads and barrels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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