Anyone ever built an engine from scratch?
Discussion
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen. 
Has anyone ever built their own 4-stroke from scratch? I'm interested in doing it. It'll probably never happen, but I'd like to know some of the facts before making my decision. How much did it cost you, how long did it take, how hard was it and was it worth it?
Thanks a lot,
LG
Has anyone ever built their own 4-stroke from scratch? I'm interested in doing it. It'll probably never happen, but I'd like to know some of the facts before making my decision. How much did it cost you, how long did it take, how hard was it and was it worth it?
Thanks a lot,
LG
I made a single cylinder 4 stroke push-rod as a training project a few years ago. I had access to a full (and I mean full) workshop but had to price up parts. I just took billets of various metals and worked them to shape for the most part. Took 20 16+ hour days but the damn thing cranked over and ran 
I managed to make it the slowest of the lot though, with very little control over power output (I could turn a control needle in the carb to get it to stop, or it went as fast as it could 
).
Some guy on the course was too damn good - he made some lightweight parts, managed to get the crank balanced against the piston & con-rod quite well and made a master piece of a carb. Oh how I hated him
I managed to make it the slowest of the lot though, with very little control over power output (I could turn a control needle in the carb to get it to stop, or it went as fast as it could ). Some guy on the course was too damn good - he made some lightweight parts, managed to get the crank balanced against the piston & con-rod quite well and made a master piece of a carb. Oh how I hated him
Isn`t there a guy in yorkshire working out of his shed that does Puma engines for the drag racing scene...
Milled from a block of billit aluminium and extremely close tolerances...
The engines are highly acclaimed in racing circles and are specced so highly that they exhaust themselves crossing the line(?) in the pursuit of the max possible power output..
He will only build an engine for you..(if you have the wonga) if he likes you...I think he used to work in the shipbuilding industry or something making massive engines, sitting on the end of a huge lathe`s cutting tool...
Milled from a block of billit aluminium and extremely close tolerances...
The engines are highly acclaimed in racing circles and are specced so highly that they exhaust themselves crossing the line(?) in the pursuit of the max possible power output..
He will only build an engine for you..(if you have the wonga) if he likes you...I think he used to work in the shipbuilding industry or something making massive engines, sitting on the end of a huge lathe`s cutting tool...
The question has to be why?
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
steve_d said:
The question has to be why?
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
Exactly. Nail hit on head.
If you have to even ask the question, then you probably don't know enough to even get started.
A more reasonable task is to take a bike engine and make it a V, W or H, which is basically down to designing a block and crank and even that would be less than easy. And then it might blow up leaving you with a lot of scrap. This happens in every manufacturer's programmes, and this would be no different.
If you have a spare 10 grand or so and want to throw it away then go fo it, otherwise avoid any future thought of it.
Full size engines would take some seriously large equipment. I really wouldn't want to cast a full sized cylinder block, even with professional equipment. Before you start wandering off into fancy configurations of W, H, and dozen-plus cylinders, I would *highly* recommend you build a single cylinder 4-stroke and work up. Even if you are an experienced machinist, these things are a bit of a bugger to build.
This one is mine. A 1950s design, the Sealion is a 4 cylinder, OHC, water cooled, spark ignition, 4 stroke 30cc engine. Castings are available here: www.wokingprecisionmodels.co.uk/ic/sealion/main.htm
If, after building it, you decide you want to take it further, there is plenty of room for development. Multi-valve head, fancy carb etc.
This one is mine. A 1950s design, the Sealion is a 4 cylinder, OHC, water cooled, spark ignition, 4 stroke 30cc engine. Castings are available here: www.wokingprecisionmodels.co.uk/ic/sealion/main.htm
If, after building it, you decide you want to take it further, there is plenty of room for development. Multi-valve head, fancy carb etc.
Edited by Zad on Wednesday 11th October 05:05
Zad said:
Full size engines would take some seriously large equipment. I really wouldn't want to cast a full sized cylinder block, even with professional equipment. Before you start wandering off into fancy configurations of W, H, and dozen-plus cylinders, I would *highly* recommend you build a single cylinder 4-stroke and work up. Even if you are an experienced machinist, these things are a bit of a bugger to build.
This one is mine. A 1950s design, the Sealion is a 4 cylinder, OHC, water cooled, spark ignition, 4 stroke 30cc engine. Castings are available here: www.wokingprecisionmodels.co.uk/ic/sealion/main.htm
If, after building it, you decide you want to take it further, there is plenty of room for development. Multi-valve head, fancy carb etc.
This one is mine. A 1950s design, the Sealion is a 4 cylinder, OHC, water cooled, spark ignition, 4 stroke 30cc engine. Castings are available here: www.wokingprecisionmodels.co.uk/ic/sealion/main.htm
If, after building it, you decide you want to take it further, there is plenty of room for development. Multi-valve head, fancy carb etc.
Edited by Zad on Wednesday 11th October 05:05
That looks sweet - if I wasn't so pushed for time right now, I'd have a go at that
Could you put a little supercharger on such an engine? Just curious...Just watched the video - that setup sounds good!
I may have to get one now and replace the very heavy and bulky single cylinder lawn mower motor I play with for one of these little 4-pots ... Well, maybe in the new year when I have more time
I may have to get one now and replace the very heavy and bulky single cylinder lawn mower motor I play with for one of these little 4-pots
... Well, maybe in the new year when I have more time Edited by MTv Dave on Wednesday 11th October 13:36
GavinPearson said:
steve_d said:
The question has to be why?
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
If it is just a project to see if you can, then I would look to achieve something more exotic than 4 cylinder. I would also go for a scale version which will be easier to machine with home workshop equipment.
If you seriously believe you are going to make an engine that you can run in a car then I'm afraid you are not giving credit to the very clever engine designers and the billions of pounds that have gone before you to produce the powerful engines we have today.
Steve
Exactly. Nail hit on head.
If you have to even ask the question, then you probably don't know enough to even get started.
A more reasonable task is to take a bike engine and make it a V, W or H, which is basically down to designing a block and crank and even that would be less than easy. And then it might blow up leaving you with a lot of scrap. This happens in every manufacturer's programmes, and this would be no different.
If you have a spare 10 grand or so and want to throw it away then go fo it, otherwise avoid any future thought of it.
Bullshit, that is the typical pay a man to do it attitude. Look at the likes of Gordon Allen, Harry Weslake, etc. Proper cast it up in your shed chaps. It is difficult and expensive and you do need proper machinery but decent personality attributes like drive, persistence and intelligence will see you through. If you ask me, a lot of the actual things like crank design, head design was done about 40 years ago, yeah, engine management, etc may be modern but most development has been done allready. I say go for it, if you're curious, I suggest you start reading a huge amount about what the nature of the beast is, what parts you can poach from other people.
I had the same conversation with a guy who now has his own foundry and casts everything from cylinder heads to wheels. Of course, don't try that, hot metal is dangerous and with the new EU regs, you're probably breaking the law, pay a man to do it
If we took your attitude, there would be
all progress made anywhere. It is possible but if you share the oomph of these lazy sods, you'll achieve nothing.
Stu (Patterns for my own cylinder head made!)
Edited by love machine on Wednesday 11th October 21:19
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