Petter W1H refurb (1950)

A few hours today saw the barrel stripped and primed, the bore lightly honed, the valves de coked and lapped. The missing stud replaced with an Austin 3"x3/8" BSF, thread extended and reduced to 2 1/4"






Head gasket will be re used




I'm just short of one 3/8" BSF x1" blind nut




My bench has quickly been consumed

The magneto is one I've not experienced on Petter A's so I' don't know if its the original.




I've stripped the cover bare of previous coatings and detritus as best as I could and sprayed with Halfords satin lacquer


to be continued by edits.....

Thanks Andy
Coming along nicely.
Here's the 1950 engine price. And few more photos
We're did you get your engine dated?

Mine was dated by the two previous keepers. Strangely though yours looks like it has an aluminium spec plate whilst the number would indicate it to be most likely 1951 which I thought is too early for alloy plates. My Feb 1952 A1 has a brass plate numbered 1511735

Andy if your engine is 52 then the magneto is a replacement as it's dated 3 54

maryalice wrote:Andy if your engine is 52 then the magneto is a replacement as it's dated 3 54

This engine is 1950 but same applies, thank you for the information, appreciated.
I'm surprised at just how much lighter the Lucas weighs compared to a Wico

Thanks again Davey keep it up. P.S. looks like that core plug is inside out

As I discovered the original paint is much lighter than I'm grinding off.

http://www.howardengineerium.co.uk/Paint-Colours.html

Brilliant Green BS 381C shade 221 or RAL 6010 grass green
Sourcing at a good price is proving difficult

That starting dog again. I'm not convinced that the longer one is original or ever necessary in the first place. Dave that sold me it pointed out that the starting handle came nowhere near being in conflict with anything and gave me a standard one that I will fit in its place

Maybe the engine came off of machinery that needed the longer shaft out of the side of a box for access.

maryalice wrote:Maybe the engine came off of machinery that needed the longer shaft out of the side of a box for access.

We'll never know

Looking at Davey's price list a £30 basic engine in 1950 would be £1000 near enough today.

Paint update. Paragon for one actually do Brilliant green and Craftmaster for another

I would slightly disagree, Listers built generators using A and B types to drive the generator but to do it they made the crankshaft longer on one side. Your Petter is unique from the others because it different.

Is it not possible that the half speed shaft was once fitted with a pulley?

It’s a starting dog, it only engages with the gearing for starting. The spring disengages it otherwise

maryalice wrote:I would slightly disagree, Listers built generators using A and B types to drive the generator but to do it they made the crankshaft longer on one side. Your Petter is unique from the others because it different.

Interesting but the crankshaft is standard length like any Petter A or W series engine, it may look longer given it's not carrying a finned flywheel like an air cooled model pictured.

I used the Lister crank as an example, the longer starter drive as said could have been made because of lack of access to the shorter one.

I see thank you.
Unfortunately the only way to know what was original equipment is access to the service record card. These are all in the possession of the internal fire museum who are relying on a single volunteer to index them.

As a past volunteer of Internal Fire Museum of Power, I can tell you that the museum is run totally by volunteers with the exception of Paul and Hazel Evans, the indexing of the files is vast and it will take a while to finish, sadly you are one of many requesting information on all aspects and engine manufacturers and I know from experience that Petternut will do his utmost to sort the mass of information that he has.

Problem solved
Regarding my missing cylinder head nut 3/8" BSF x 1" tall blind.
I can use a head nut from an A1 by boring the hole deeper and extending the thread before shortening the length to 1"
Credit to member Appletop. Genius

Looking through this topic again; could it be that the long starting shaft is to avoid conflict between the starting handle, or the hand and arm that swing it, and the fuel tank.

Yes exactly however in reality the handle is miles clear of the tank making it look odd hence Dave giving me a standard length so I have a choice.

So, if the engine was built with a long starting shaft (presumably so that the handle would avoid something), but the handle is fine with a short shaft; could that be the wrong handle.
I would expect the handle supplied for a half speed shaft to have a longer crank than the one used on the crankshaft; as the torque needed to turn would be twice as much. If this was the case it may then bring the longer handle into conflict with that fuel tank.

All petter A & W series have the same handle

Early Petter A's had a permanently fixed starting handle held off the shaft by a spring.

I should have said A11 A1 W1
My 1945 A is a different handle but still removable
It’s my decision in the end I have a choice