Mr O's Steamy Chuff Flicks

Mark-One · Mr O's Steamy Chuff Flicks

couldn't resist

I got my reversing iron Jensen 25 today, and I rushed off to get it running as quick as I could.

Did the usual preflight: checked the heater and checked for current leaks to ground. Heater registers 80-85 ohms, so I don't know if it's on its way towards failure or what...
I quickly and carefully bolted a ground lead to one of the heater screws, with a teflon washer under it to protect the paint, made sure I had continuity between it and all points on the engine, right down to the wood screws holding the motor to the plywood, replaced the stock washers with teflon, oiled the snot out of it, and fired it up.

First thing I notice is the timing is backwards from what I've come to know as Jensen Standard: reverser down and the push stroke goes above the crank shaft rather than below. Combine that with the timing being a little more asymmetric then usual (and one other thing I will touch on), and I'm concluding that someone took it apart at some point.

The cylinder has a bit of a mess on its backside. I also noticed a bit of solder staining above the steam chest joint. Much too sloppy for Jensen work (but not too bad otherwise), so I can only assume that at some point the cylinder and steam chest parted company and had to be repaired.

It's not as smooth as my non-reversing Jensen. Either that's the drag caused by the valve gear, the off timing, or it's just a bit stiff (it doesn't seem to have been oiled recently). So it's doesn't run very well in the very slow range. I'll re-time it later when I tune it up a bit and see if it improves.

But over all I am very pleased with the beastie. It fills a gap in the not-a-collection and for my purposes it's in damn fine shape (and at the price I got it, a bloody good buy IMHO).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2PFPLpImL4
This is mainly an overview vid, but there is running in the second half

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlXcpLEMVaU
here's some variable running conditions, including a heavy generator load with the exhaust pipe removed. Puts out quite a plume too.

TRAPPERKEEPER

Wow, I think that is my favorite older Jensen yet

Mark-One

Mine too

once I re-time it it'll hopefully run smoother. I know it's out of whack because if I lift the reverser just a few mm off the stop it runs faster and smoother at low RPMs.

Just have to figure out which way to shift the crank... Well... 180degrees to start with, since it's bass ackwards right now from what I'm used to seeing.

johnreid

IMHO if one could only own one Jensen, I think that is an example of what it should be. Glad you got it, I am looking forward to future videos too. I predict many interesting experiments to come.

IndianaRog

Mr. O...a dandy Jensen 25 reversing there. Bit of tweeking on the timing as you note might be needed to smooth out low speed, but it sure picked up and galloped at high end. It could also be just a bit tight due to minimal running...gallon of distilled water and a few hours should cure that!!!

Nice one for sure.

Rog

rangerssteamtoys

Thats a good jensen. I know from experience that my throttle on my #5 leaks like crazy at start up. I like the timing like that though, I personally timed mine like that so it woudl make more sense to me. Which even way you flip the lever is the way the flywheel turns.

Good job and a nice buy

James

That's grand!

I want one

(

because I can't afford!!!)

Great buy

Mark-One

Mamodman123

Nice little runner! Once the small problems are ironed out it should be a perfect model

Griffin

Mark, those old #25's are lovely engines, personally I think they are the nicest out of the whole range, and great runners too.

Looking at your timing set up, I am sure my #25 is set the exact same way as yours. I think it too runs the opposite way to the other engines I have.

Mark-One

That's interesting, the timing being reversed on them. I'll have to troll youtube and have a look at some others. If that's the way they were set up, I've no problem leaving it original. Still needs some adjusting, though.

I do love the model 25 too.
The cast flywheel 5 has to be #2

Even though I've got a 55 now, those two would still be my picks for something to run for the sheer heck of running it. The 55 was mainly something I wanted for a bit more power.

And, of course, the Improved 25 is up there now as well ;D

Ta for the comments, everyone. The video section has to be my favorite place on the forum, for all of the great stuff you all share.

Ebay is #2

Andy

really nice engine u got there

Dave B

NICE - one more on my list of "wanna haves".

Thanks Mr. O.

Mark-One

Ta

The Model 25, with or without reverse, is indeed the essential classic Jensen if you only want one. Problem is stopping after you have one

But between this, the non-reversing 25 (a truly excellent smooth-n-slow runner), and the model 5, I'm satisfied... with the possible exception of a classic model 10

rangerssteamtoys

Mark-One

I would love to see that.

I had imagined a hobby line twin, based on 2 model 70 engines. Something to compete directly with Wilesco and Mamod at that level.

But, then, I think 2 of anything is better than one

...So long as one of something was good in the first place...2 of something bad would not be better than one.... *

* It's always good to qualify your wishes. You never know when the universe will decide to get ironic on you.